The Military Philosophers - Anthony Powell [82]
A day or two after our return, Kucherman telephoned early. It was a Friday.
‘Can you come round here at once?’
‘Of course. I thought you were still in Brussels.’
‘I flew in last night.’
When I reached Eaton Square, Kucherman, unusual for him, was looking a little worried.
‘This question I am going to put is rather important,’ he said.
‘Yes?’
‘My Government has come to a decision about the army of the Resistance. As you know, the problem has posed itself since the expulsion of the Germans.’
‘So I understand.’
‘Were you told what the Field-Marshal threatened to Gauthier de Graef?’
‘I was standing beside him when the words were said.’
‘They are good young men, but they require something to do.’
‘Naturally.’
‘The proposal is that they should be brought to this country.’
That was an unexpected proposition.
‘You mean to train?’
‘Otherwise we shall have trouble. It is certain. These excellent young men have most of them grown up under German occupation, with no means of expressing their hatred for it – the feeling that for years they have not been able to breathe. They must have an outlet of some sort. They want action. A change of scene will to some extent accomplish that.’
‘What sort of numbers?’
‘Say thirty thousand.’
‘A couple of Divisions?’
‘But without the equivalent in weapons and services.’
‘When do you want them to come?’
‘At once.’
‘So we’ve got to move quickly.’
‘That is the point.’
I thought about the interminable procedures required to get a project of this sort under way. Blackhead, like a huge bat, seemed already flapping his wings about Eaton Square, bumping blindly against the windows of the room.
‘Arrangements for two Divisions will take some time. Are they already cadred?’
‘Sufficiently to bring them across.’
‘I’ll go straight back to Colonel Finn. We’ll get a minute out to be signed by the General and go at once to the highest level. There will be all sorts of problems in addition to the actual physical accommodation of two extra Divisions in this country. The Finance people, for one thing. It will take a week or two to get that side fixed.’
‘You think so?’
‘I know them.’
‘Speed is essential.’
‘It’s no good pretending we’re going to get an answer by Monday.’
‘You mean it may take quite a long time?’
‘You are familiar with ministerial machinery.’
Kucherman got up from his chair.
‘What are we going to do?’
‘I thought I’d better say all this.’
‘I know it already.’
‘It’s a fact, I’m afraid.’
‘But we must do something. What you say is true, I know. How are we going to get round it? I want to speak frankly. This could be a question of avoiding civil war.’
There was a pause. I knew there was only one way out – to cut the Gordian Knot – but could not immediately see how to attain that. Then, perhaps hypnotized by Kucherman’s intense need for an answer, I thought of something.
‘You said you knew Sir Magnus Donners.’
‘Of course.’
‘But you have not seen much of him since you’ve been over here?’
‘I have spoken to him a couple of times at official parties. He was very friendly.’
‘Ring him up and say you want to see him at once – this very morning.’
‘You think so?’
‘Tell him what you’ve just told me.’
‘And then —’
‘Sir Magnus can tell the Head Man.’
Kucherman thought for a moment.
‘I insist you are right,’ he said.
‘It’s worth trying.’
‘This is between ourselves.’
‘Of course.’
‘Not even Colonel Finn.’
‘Least of all.’
‘Meanwhile you will start things off in the normal manner through les voies hiérarchiques.’
‘As soon as I get back.’
‘So I will get to work,’ said Kucherman. ‘I am grateful for the suggestion. The next time we meet, I hope I shall have had a word with Sir Magnus.’
I returned to Finn. He listened to the proposal to bring the Belgian Resistance Army to this country.
‘It’s pretty urgent?’
‘Vital, sir.’
‘We’ll try and move quickly, but I foresee difficulties. Good notion to train those