The Honor of Spies

"I was thinking that it might save a good deal of time, Sister, if we sent Sister Maria Encarnacion into Dolores to get our guests some regular clothing."

Sister Maria Isabel nodded.

"And perhaps Enrico could go with her, to see about clothing for the boys and men?" Welner went on.

Rodriguez looked at Clete, who nodded.

"Enough for several days, Sister," Welner said. "Just ordinary clothing, until we can get our guests settled."

"You have money, Enrico?" Clete asked.

"I'll get him some from your desk," Dorotea said. "Don't start your explanation until I get back."

Father Welner looked at Clete and explained, "This way, the sisters can return with the bus to Buenos Aires more quickly. I'm sure it's needed there."

Frade turned to Sister Maria Isabel. "Why don't you give Rodriguez everyone's shoe and other sizes," he said.

Dorotea was back with a thick wad of currency before Enrico had finished writing down the sizes. She handed it to him, then turned to Welner.

"Do you think we should send the children down to the stables, Father? Have the grooms put them on a horse?"

"Dorotea, I think that's a very good idea," Welner said. "Sister?"

Sister Maria Isabel gave him a dirty look but motioned to one of the nuns.

"Be careful with them, Sister," she ordered.

"I'll send one of the girls to go with them," Dorotea said.

"That probably would be useful, Senora," Sister Maria Isabel said.

Dorotea went to the kitchen door, pushed it open, and said, "Elisa, I need someone to show Sister and the children the way to the stable."

One of the maids instantly appeared.

The nun said in German, "Come with me, children," and they immediately pushed themselves away from the table and walked to where she was waiting at the door.

Not with reluctance.

But not with excitement at the prospect of getting a ride on a horse.

Rather, just because somebody is telling them to; has issued an order.

And neither mother--I still can't tell which nun/wife belongs to which priest/SS man--has raised any questions, much less objections.

All of these people--and that includes Sister Maria Isabel and her nuns--are used to obeying, without question, any orders they get.

[TWO]

Clete waited until Enrico had followed Sister Maria Encarnacion out of the dining room and closed the door after them.

Well, let's see if I can get away with this.

"Actually, this is very simple," Clete began. "But for reasons you will understand, secrecy is of the utmost importance."

Sister Maria Isabel's face showed she was prepared to disbelieve everything Don Cletus had to say.

"The Germans have lost the war," Cletus announced. "They know it but won't admit it. We know it and have taken certain steps to make sure things go more easily for the German people when their leaders finally surrender."

"For the German people, Don Cletus, or the English and the Americans?" Sister Maria Isabel challenged.

So I'm wrong. This nun asks questions and expects an answer.

Clete met her eyes.

"For the German people," he said. "I think you would have to agree, Sister, without me getting into the details, that the Germans--the German leadership--are behaving quite badly."

"And the Soviets are not?" Sister Maria Isabel challenged.

"I am not about to defend the godless Communists, Sister," Clete said.

She looked at him and nodded.

She did not swallow that whole.

Well, I never thought I had it in me to become a really good used-car salesman.

"What Germany is going to need after the war is leaders," Clete went on. "What we are afraid of is that the Nazis realize that those we feel are the ones who should lead Germany after the war are the same people who oppose Hitler. Or whom they suspect oppose him. And we fear that they will be punished--executed--in the last days of the war. The very suspicion that someone does not fully support Hitler or Nazism--"

"Sister," Welner interrupted. "I know you've been to Rome. Did you perhaps have the chance to see the Ardeatine Caves, near Via Ardeatina?"

What the hell is this? Frade thought.

"Yes, I did," the nun said.

"To support what Don Cletus is saying, Sister, let me repeat what the Papal Nuncio to Portugal told me privately when I was in Lisbon," Welner said. "On March twenty-third, Italian partisans attacked a German formation on the Via Rasella, in the center of Rome. Thirty-three German soldiers were killed.