Passenger to Frankfurt - Agatha Christie [68]
He went on:
‘I’ve heard that something’s going on in that line in the civilized countries, starting with us. Some of us can be called civilized still, I suppose? One of our politicians the other day, I remember, said we were a splendid nation, chiefly because we were permissive, we had demonstrations, we smashed things, we beat up anyone if we hadn’t anything better to do, we got rid of our high spirits by showing violence, and our moral purity by taking most of our clothes off. I don’t know what he thought he was talking about–politicians seldom do–but they can make it sound all right. That’s why they are politicians.’
He paused and looked across at the man he was talking to.
‘Distressing–sadly distressing,’ said Sir George Packham. ‘One can hardly believe–one worries–if one could only–Is that all the news you’ve got?’ he asked plaintively.
‘Isn’t it enough? You’re hard to satisfy. World anarchy well on its way–that’s what we’ve got. A bit wobbly still–not fully established yet, but very near to it–very near indeed.’
‘But action can surely be taken against all this?’
‘Not so easy as you think. Tear gas puts a stop to rioting for a while and gives the police a break. And naturally we’ve got plenty of germ warfare and nuclear bombs and all the other pretty bags of tricks–What do you think would happen if we started using those? Mass massacre of all the marching girls and boys, and the housewife’s shopping circle, and the old age pensioners at home, and a good quota of our pompous politicians as they tell us we’ve never had it so good, and in addition you and me–Ha, ha!
‘And anyway,’ added Colonel Pikeaway, ‘if it’s only news you’re after, I understand you’ve got some hot news of your own arriving today. Top secret from Germany, Herr Heinrich Spiess himself.’
‘How on earth did you hear that? It’s supposed to be strictly–’
‘We know everything here,’ said Colonel Pikeaway, using his pet phrase–that’s what we’re for.
‘Bringing some tame doctor, too, I understand–’ he added.
‘Yes, a Dr Reichardt, a top scientist, I presume–’
‘No. Medical doctor–Loony-bins–’
‘Oh dear–a psychologist?’
‘Probably. The ones that run loony-bins are mostly that. With any luck he’ll have been brought over so that he can examine the heads of some of our young firebrands. Stuffed full they are of German philosophy, Black Power philosophy, dead French writers’ philosophy, and so on and so forth. Possibly they’ll let him examine some of the heads of our legal lights who preside over our judicial courts here saying we must be very careful not to do anything to damage a young man’s ego because he might have to earn his living. We’d be a lot safer if they sent them all round to get plenty of National Assistance to live on and then they could go back to their rooms, not do any work, and enjoy themselves reading more philosophy. However, I’m out of date. I know that. You needn’t tell me so.’
‘One has to take into account the new modes of thought,’ said Sir George Packham. ‘One feels, I mean one hopes–well, it’s difficult to say–’
‘Must be very worrying for you,’ said Colonel Pikeaway. ‘Finding things so difficult to say.’
His telephone rang. He listened, then handed it to Sir George.
‘Yes?’ said Sir George. ‘Yes? Oh yes. Yes. I agree. I suppose–No–no–not the Home Office. No. Privately, you mean. Well, I suppose we’d better use–er–’ Sir George looked round him cautiously.
‘This place isn’t bugged,’ said Colonel Pikeaway