The Honor of Spies

If von Gradny-Sawz took offense at being called a Trottel--which translated variously as "moron," "clown," but most often as "blithering idiot"--there was no sign of it on his face.

Cranz continued: "If this comes to the attention of the Fuhrer--they try to spare him distractions, but I suspect this distraction will come to his attention--I suggest that it is entirely likely that the Fuhrer will order that it be shot out of the sky . . ."

"It's an Argentine aircraft," Ambassador von Lutzenberger said.

Cranz glared at him for a moment. Then he admitted, "Good point. Which means he's likely to order its destruction without the services of the Luftwaffe. In other words: here, by us."

"Well, then, I guess that's what we're going to have to do," von Gradny-Sawz said solemnly. "Destroy it here, on the ground."

Cranz glowered at him for a long moment but in the end did not reply directly. Instead, he turned to von Wachtstein.

"What I'm having trouble understanding, Major von Wachtstein, is why the arrival of this airplane, this whole business of Argentina getting an aircraft capable of flying across the Atlantic Ocean, came as such a surprise to you."

"I'm not sure I understand the question, Herr Cranz," von Wachtstein replied.

"Your mother-in-law is a member of the board of directors of South American Airways, is she not?"

"Yes, sir, she is, but--"

Cranz shut him off with a raised hand.

"And Herr Duarte, whose son died a hero at Stalingrad, and who is reliably reported--by Ambassador von Lutzenberger, now that I think about it--to have said he has come to look upon you as a son, is also a member of that board, is he not?"

"Yes, sir."

"And you heard nothing of this at all from either of them? Is that what you're saying?"

"The first I heard anything at all about what happened yesterday was when Senor Duarte telephoned me to say that something was going on at the airport--SAA's private airport, Aeropuerto Jorge Frade--at five o'clock. Duarte had no idea what, but said that Senor Frade had suggested I be invited."

"Senor Frade suggested to Senor Duarte that you be invited?"

"That's what I was told, sir."

"That was very courteous of him," Cranz said sarcastically.

"I think he wanted to rub my nose in it, Herr Cranz."

"Excuse me?"

"When Frade returned from California, after getting the SAA pilots their certificates, or licenses, or whatever they had to have to get insurance, Senora de Carzino-Cormano gave a dinner--a supper, to be precise--at Estancia Santa Catalina. Frade made a point of telling me that he had seen the Constellation aircraft at the Lockheed factory."

"Why would he want to do that?" von Gradny-Sawz asked.

"I think it was to annoy my sister-in-law."

"I was there," Boltitz said, smiling. "Senorita Isabela de Carzino-Cormano is--how do I say this?--a great admirer

of Lufthansa Kapitan Dieter von und zu Aschenburg. As soon as Frade began extolling the merits of the Constellation, Senorita Isabela leapt to defend the Condor. She called upon von Wachtstein for support, and, ever the gentleman, von Wachtstein did so.

"I don't think I understand," Cranz said.

"When Frade said the Constellation flew at so many kph, von Wachtstein assured everyone that the Condor was fifty kph faster; when Frade said the Constellation could fly at ten thousand meters, von Wachtstein said the Condor routinely flew at twelve thousand meters . . ."

"Everyone at the table had seen the Condor, Herr Cranz," von Wachtstein said. "No one had seen even a picture of the Constellation."

"Von Wachtstein made Frade look the fool," Boltitz said. "No one believed him."

"As well they shouldn't have. Americans are notorious for their boasting," von Gradny-Sawz offered.

"Unfortunately, Gradny-Sawz," Boltitz said, "the Constellation is everything Frade said it was. And when Frade saw the chance to get his revenge on von Wachtstein, he took it."

"Which, of course, he may now have, on reflection, regretted," von Wachtstein said. "Once I was invited out there, he could hardly tell me not to take photographs."

Cranz, who had not looked at von Wachtstein's photographs before, now went to von Lutzenberger's desk and picked up one of the stacks. He went through it carefully, then picked up the second stack and examined each of them.

"I now see what you mean, von Wachtstein," he said. "I thought I was going to see--how shall I put this?--postcard views of that airplane, like those in the press. Your photographs are of technical features, parts of the airplane. I can see where they would be of great value to an aeronautical engineer."

"That's what I intended to do, Herr Cranz."

"If what I just said sounded something like an apology, von Wachtstein . . ."

"No apology is necessary, Herr Cranz, and none was expected, sir."

"An apology is called for, and you may consider that one has been offered."

"I can only repeat, sir, that no apology is necessary."

"Indulge me, von Wachtstein. Accept my apology."

"Yes, sir."