war.’
‘Oh don’t worry,’ Steiner agreed, ‘We’ll be going to war alright. Our Fuhrer knows only one language and it’s not one of appeasement.’
‘You haven’t much time for the Nazis, the SS, have you?’
In a quieter voice Steiner said, ‘They’ve brought the country together. They’ve made us strong again, but whether they have any real substance, I’m not sure. The army will go along with them so far and then take over if necessary, which I think it will be. There,’ he sighed, ‘you could have me arrested for expressing such things.’
‘Do you want another drink?’ Franz asked.
‘After you agree we have come this evening to an understanding.’
‘And what would that be?’
‘Well if you have to ask we obviously haven’t.’
Franz got up and went over to the bar. When he came back they sat drinking their beers.
Steiner lit another cigarette and finally asked whether they should leave.
‘And go where?’ Franz wanted to know.
‘No idea.’
‘Then I don’t see the point.’
‘Oh don’t worry about that,’ Steiner smiled, ‘I firmly believe there’s a point to everything. Everything has a reason. Like the two of us sitting here.’
‘Yes,’ was all Franz could manage.
‘So if I want to go now, is that alright?’
‘I suppose so.’
‘Good,’ Steiner said firmly before stubbing his cigarette out.
Outside it was a warm summer’s night. Swastika flags on each lamppost along the street ruffled in the breeze.
‘You’ve never mentioned a girlfriend,’ Steiner said, their boots sounding out on the cobbles.
‘Why, have you got one?’ was Franz’s quick response.
‘No. I haven’t.’
‘Neither have I.’
Beside the trees lining the road that ran from the town to the military school Steiner stopped. The shadows of branches moved over his darkened shape.
Franz carried on for a moment and then turned round.
‘I just want to know if it hurts,’ Steiner said.
‘What?’
Steiner stepped towards him, ‘This of course,’ was his answer as he lightly traced his fingers along the scars, down Franz’s cheek and throat.
‘I don’t feel a thing.’
‘I’m sure that’s not true.’
‘It’s completely numb.’
‘That’s not true,’ Steiner said.
‘And how the hell would you know?’
‘Instinct.’
Steiner lowered his hand.
‘We’d better go,’ Franz tried.
‘Of course,’ Steiner agreed, ‘It’s such a pity,’ he added before touching along the scar again, ‘Such a pity.’
Franz stood and closed his eyes momentarily.
‘There,’ Steiner said, ‘there, there.’
The school’s buildings could be seen from a mile away, a huge construction of castellated towers and lighted windows like a huge cliff against the approaching darkness.
‘When do you expect a weekend pass?’ was Steiner’s question as they came towards the gates.
‘I think in the next weeks.’
‘And will you go home?’
‘No. No I won’t go home,’ Franz answered.
CHAPTER 4
__________________________________________________________________________________
Over the next days there were glimpses, moments when Franz was aware of watching Steiner more than usual as everything to do with the school became more intense. Everything was louder, harder. The sergeant majors were often furious on parade with the least example of a mistake. Increasingly their lecture periods concentrated on command structures, battle strategies, methods of communication in different situations. Morning bell was earlier so the recruits could be given an extra half hour PE session. At night assemblies lasted longer as the commander lectured them about German
‘Oh don’t worry,’ Steiner agreed, ‘We’ll be going to war alright. Our Fuhrer knows only one language and it’s not one of appeasement.’
‘You haven’t much time for the Nazis, the SS, have you?’
In a quieter voice Steiner said, ‘They’ve brought the country together. They’ve made us strong again, but whether they have any real substance, I’m not sure. The army will go along with them so far and then take over if necessary, which I think it will be. There,’ he sighed, ‘you could have me arrested for expressing such things.’
‘Do you want another drink?’ Franz asked.
‘After you agree we have come this evening to an understanding.’
‘And what would that be?’
‘Well if you have to ask we obviously haven’t.’
Franz got up and went over to the bar. When he came back they sat drinking their beers.
Steiner lit another cigarette and finally asked whether they should leave.
‘And go where?’ Franz wanted to know.
‘No idea.’
‘Then I don’t see the point.’
‘Oh don’t worry about that,’ Steiner smiled, ‘I firmly believe there’s a point to everything. Everything has a reason. Like the two of us sitting here.’
‘Yes,’ was all Franz could manage.
‘So if I want to go now, is that alright?’
‘I suppose so.’
‘Good,’ Steiner said firmly before stubbing his cigarette out.
Outside it was a warm summer’s night. Swastika flags on each lamppost along the street ruffled in the breeze.
‘You’ve never mentioned a girlfriend,’ Steiner said, their boots sounding out on the cobbles.
‘Why, have you got one?’ was Franz’s quick response.
‘No. I haven’t.’
‘Neither have I.’
Beside the trees lining the road that ran from the town to the military school Steiner stopped. The shadows of branches moved over his darkened shape.
Franz carried on for a moment and then turned round.
‘I just want to know if it hurts,’ Steiner said.
‘What?’
Steiner stepped towards him, ‘This of course,’ was his answer as he lightly traced his fingers along the scars, down Franz’s cheek and throat.
‘I don’t feel a thing.’
‘I’m sure that’s not true.’
‘It’s completely numb.’
‘That’s not true,’ Steiner said.
‘And how the hell would you know?’
‘Instinct.’
Steiner lowered his hand.
‘We’d better go,’ Franz tried.
‘Of course,’ Steiner agreed, ‘It’s such a pity,’ he added before touching along the scar again, ‘Such a pity.’
Franz stood and closed his eyes momentarily.
‘There,’ Steiner said, ‘there, there.’
The school’s buildings could be seen from a mile away, a huge construction of castellated towers and lighted windows like a huge cliff against the approaching darkness.
‘When do you expect a weekend pass?’ was Steiner’s question as they came towards the gates.
‘I think in the next weeks.’
‘And will you go home?’
‘No. No I won’t go home,’ Franz answered.
CHAPTER 4
__________________________________________________________________________________
Over the next days there were glimpses, moments when Franz was aware of watching Steiner more than usual as everything to do with the school became more intense. Everything was louder, harder. The sergeant majors were often furious on parade with the least example of a mistake. Increasingly their lecture periods concentrated on command structures, battle strategies, methods of communication in different situations. Morning bell was earlier so the recruits could be given an extra half hour PE session. At night assemblies lasted longer as the commander lectured them about German
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