The Story of Henri Tod Read Free Page B

Ulbricht, proceeds to make all the decisions having to do with what may or may not take place in Berlin.”
    â€œYou know,” said Blackford, “I’ve actually forgotten—I was a student at the time. Why did the Allies go along with the fiction that East Germany was a separate country? Because it would logically follow that it could conclude any treaty it desired to with the Soviet Union, right? Or do I sound like Joe McCarthy?”
    â€œI will handle that one, Basil. Blackford, in answer to your question: a) Yes, you do sound rather like Senator McCarthy; b) East Germany’s ostensible sovereignty is subordinate to the antecedent rights of the occupying powers. Just as West Germany, although it is in most respects sovereign, would not have the authority, let us say, to deny us facilities for Radio Free Europe, so East Germany cannot deny us rights to Berlin we won in the course of winning a world war.”
    â€œBravo, Rufus,” said Sir Basil, standing and stretching his long frame. “I could not have put it better myself. The Sophists would have awarded you a first prize.”
    Blackford had not spoken to Rufus since the Bay of Pigs, and wondered how the Sophists would handle that one. But retroactive diplomatic resourcefulness didn’t help in handling current problems.
    â€œOur instructions are very clear, gentlemen.” Sir Basil was still standing, and might have been addressing a regiment. “We must repair the damage done by Blake. Above all, we need intelligence. Our objective: Find out what Khrushchev actually plans to do . Find out what he plans in the way of using force if needed to accomplish his purposes, which are to seal off Berlin and stop the stampede from East Germany. And, if possible, find out exactly when he plans to move.”
    And then, addressing Rufus, he picked up his umbrella and coat at the corner of the room. “You will call me tomorrow—correct, Rufus? And I will leave you now with Mr. Oakes. Gentlemen,” he said, letting his voice frame the desired cadence as he opened the door and stepped out, followed by his clerk.
    Rufus and Blackford sat down opposite each other.
    â€œWant more tea?” Blackford asked.
    â€œNo. Thank you.”
    There was a pause. Blackford stood and began to pace the floor. “Seems to me, Rufus, that those bastards are always on the offensive. It would be nice for us to move every now and then, right?”
    â€œWe moved at the Bay of Pigs, Blackford.”
    Blackford stopped. He thrust his hands into his pockets and said nothing for a moment. “Bull’s-eye, Rufus. That’s right. We took the offensive in Cuba.”
    â€œRemember, Blackford, our friends in Moscow enjoy advantages we don’t enjoy, in this case the fiction that East Germany is an independent country. And they are closing in. They have been talking now for months and months, laying the background. ‘Peace treaty’ … ‘peace treaty’ … ‘peace treaty.’ That itself has an impact, like the repeated use of ‘disarmament.’ Khrushchev is mobilizing right now, and he plans to move. Exactly when and exactly how are what we have to try to find out.”
    â€œI wish it followed that if we did succeed in finding out, our people would come through with the right strategy.”
    â€œThat’s not our business.”
    â€œOh hell, Rufus. I don’t need to talk to you as one agent to another agent. Why don’t we agree that once every five years we can take off our official hats and exercise normal American freedoms to analyze public policy?”
    Rufus said nothing. In saying nothing he definitively cooled Blackford, who said now, with resignation:
    â€œWe got big assets in Berlin these days? Haven’t been there for a while.”
    â€œThe biggest asset we have in Berlin at this moment is Henri Tod and his Bruderschaft. We have our own contacts too, but Tod’s