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“I don’t know. Right now we’re in the planning stage.”

“What are you going to do, Hansel? Aside from warning Frade?”

“I don’t know, Dieter,” von Wachtstein admitted.

He kicked his desk drawer shut, stood, and made an exaggerated gesture bowing von und zu Aschenburg out of the room.

[TWO]

Office of the Ambassador

The Embassy of the German Reich

Avenida Córdoba

Buenos Aires, Argentina

1150 24 September 1943

“Baron von Wachtstein would like to see you for a moment, Exzellenz,” Fräulein Ingeborg Hässell announced.

“Give me a few seconds, please,” von Lutzenberger said, and quickly swept into his desk drawer a large manila envelope and a letter, and then—as an afterthought—took the yellow diplomatic pouch from which he had taken the manila envelope and also put it in the well of his desk.

Then he signaled for Fräulein Hässell to show in von Wachtstein. When von Wachstein entered, Kapitän Dieter von und zu Aschenburg was on his heels.

“We’re sorry to disturb you, Exzellenz,” von Wachtstein said politely, and then, looking around the room, added, “Gentlemen.”

Cranz and von Gradny-Sawz were sitting at von Lutzenberger’s conference table.

Von Wachtstein went on: “But I have an idea to get Kapitän von und zu Aschenburg onto one of the Constellations. I’d like to ask permission to try.”

“How are you going to do that?” the ambassador asked.

“Señorita de Carzino-Cormano is a friend of the kapitän. I think she can suggest to her mother that it would be a courtesy to give von und zu Aschenburg a tour.”

“And you think Frade would allow that?” von Gradny-Sawz challenged sarcastically.

“He’s in Santiago, Herr Gradny-Sawz.”

“And why would Señorita de Carzino-Cormano want to do this?” von Gradny-Sawz challenged.

“Open your eyes, for God’s sake, Gradny-Sawz,” Cranz said. “She looks at von und zu Aschenburg like he gives milk.” He smiled at von und zu Aschenburg. “I was about to commend you for being willing to make any sacrifice for the cause, Aschenburg, but then I thought that your . . . charming . . . the lady isn’t really going to be that much of a sacrifice, is it?”

“May I suggest I know the lady better than you do?” von und zu Aschenburg said. “But I really would like to get a look at one of those airplanes.”

“I wish she were as interested in me as she is in you,” Cranz said. “I would happily make the sacrifice you’re implying.”

There was dutiful laughter.

“Go ahead,” Cranz said. “What have you got to lose?”

“As a gentleman, I obviously must decline to answer that question,” von und zu Aschenburg said.

“With your permission, Exzellenz?” von Wachtstein asked.

“Let me know how it comes out,” von Lutzenberger said.

Von und zu Aschenburg and von Wachtstein left, closing the door after them.