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

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