Chapter 18 Pikeaway’s Postscript

Chapter 18 Pikeaway’s Postscript¹

The meeting broke up at this point. It split into a definite rearrangement.
The German Chancellor² with the Prime Minister, Sir George Packham,Gordon Chetwynd and Dr Reichardt departed for lunch at Downing Street.
Admiral Blunt, Colonel Munro, Colonel Pikeaway and Henry Horshamremained to make their comments with more freedom of speech than theywould have permitted themselves if the VIP’s had remained.
The first remarks made were somewhat disjointed.
‘Thank goodness they took George Packham with them,’ said ColonelPikeaway. ‘Worry, fidget, wonder, surmise–gets me down sometimes.’
‘You ought to have gone with them, Admiral,’ said Colonel Munro. ‘Can’tsee Gordon Chetwynd or George Packham being able to stop our Cedricfrom going off for a top-level consultation³ with the Russians, the Chinese,the Ethiopians, the Argentinians or anywhere else the fancy takes him.’
‘I’ve got other kites to fly,’ said the Admiral gruffly. ‘Going to the countryto see an old friend of mine.’ He looked with some curiosity at ColonelPikeaway.
‘Was the Hitler business really a surprise to you, Pikeaway?’
Colonel Pikeaway shook his head.
‘Not really. We’ve known all about the rumours⁴ of our Adolf turning upin South America and keeping the swastika flying for years. Fifty-to-fiftychance of its being true. Whoever the chap was, madman, playacting im-postor, or the real thing, he passed in his checks quite soon. Nasty storiesabout that, too–he wasn’t an asset to his supporters.’
‘Whose body was it in the Bunker? is still a good talking point,’ said Blunt.
‘Never been any definite identification. Russians saw to that.’
He got up, nodded to the others and went towards the door.
Munro said thoughtfully, ‘I suppose Dr Reichardt knows the truth–though he played it cagey.’
‘What about the Chancellor?’ said Horsham.
‘Sensible man,’ grunted⁵ the Admiral, turning his head back from thedoorway. ‘He was getting his country the way he wanted it, when thisyouth business started playing fun and games with the civilized⁶ world –Pity!’ He looked shrewdly at Colonel Munro.
‘What about the Golden-Haired Wonder? Hitler’s son? Know all abouthim?’
‘No need to worry,’ said Colonel Pikeaway unexpectedly.
The Admiral let go of the door-handle and came back and sat down.
‘All my eye and Betty Martin,’ said Colonel Pikeaway. ‘Hitler never had ason.’
‘You can’t be sure of that.’
‘We are sure–Franz Joseph, the Young Siegfried, the idolized Leader, is acommon or garden fraud, a rank impostor. He’s the son of an Argentiniancarpenter and a good-looking blonde, a small-part German opera singer–inherited his looks and his singing voice from his mother. He was care-fully chosen for the part he was to play, groomed⁷ for stardom. In his earlyyouth he was a professional actor– he was branded in the foot with aswastika–a story made up for him full of romantic details. He was treatedlike a dedicated⁸ Dalai Lama.’
‘And you’ve proof of this?’
‘Full documentation,’ Colonel Pikeaway grinned. ‘One of my best agentsgot it. Affidavits⁹, photostats, signed declaration, including one from themother, and medical evidence as to the date of the scar, copy of the ori-ginal birth certificate of Karl Aguileros–and signed evidence of his identitywith the so-called Franz Joseph. The whole bag of tricks. My agent gotaway with it just in time. They were after her–might have got her if shehadn’t had a bit of luck at Frankfurt.’
‘And where are these documents now?’
‘In a safe place. Waiting for the right moment for a spectacular debunk-ing of a first-class impostor–’
‘Do the Government know this?–the Prime Minister?’
‘I never tell all I know to politicians–not until I can’t avoid it, or until I’mquite sure they’ll do the right thing.’
‘You are an old devil, Pikeaway,’ said Colonel Munro.
‘Somebody has to be,’ said Colonel Pikeaway, sadly.

1 postscript   

n.附言，又及；(正文后的)补充说明

参考例句：

• There was the usual romantic postscript at the end of his letter.他的信末又是一贯的浪漫附言。
• She mentioned in a postscript to her letter that the parcel had arrived.她在信末附笔中说包裹已寄到。

2 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

3 consultation   

n.咨询；商量；商议；会议

参考例句：

• The company has promised wide consultation on its expansion plans.该公司允诺就其扩展计划广泛征求意见。
• The scheme was developed in close consultation with the local community.该计划是在同当地社区密切磋商中逐渐形成的。

4 rumours   

n.传闻( rumour的名词复数 )；风闻；谣言；谣传

参考例句：

• The rumours were completely baseless. 那些谣传毫无根据。
• Rumours of job losses were later confirmed. 裁员的传言后来得到了证实。

5 grunted   

（猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说

参考例句：

• She just grunted, not deigning to look up from the page. 她只咕哝了一声，继续看书，不屑抬起头来看一眼。
• She grunted some incomprehensible reply. 她咕噜着回答了些令人费解的话。

6 civilized   

a.有教养的，文雅的

参考例句：

• Racism is abhorrent to a civilized society. 文明社会憎恶种族主义。
• rising crime in our so-called civilized societies 在我们所谓文明社会中日益增多的犯罪行为

7 groomed   

v.照料或梳洗（马等）( groom的过去式和过去分词 )；使做好准备；训练；（给动物）擦洗

参考例句：

• She is always perfectly groomed. 她总是打扮得干净利落。
• Duff is being groomed for the job of manager. 达夫正接受训练，准备当经理。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

9 affidavits   

n.宣誓书，（经陈述者宣誓在法律上可采作证据的）书面陈述( affidavit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The woman offered written affidavits proving that she was the widow of Pancho Villa. 这女人提供书面证书，证明自己是庞科·比亚的遗孀。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The appeal was adjourned for affidavits to be obtained. 为获得宣誓证明书，上诉被推迟。 来自口语例句