The Assassins by Alan Bardos (best novels in english txt) 📗

'If the Russians stop their mobilisation then the Germans will have no reason to go to war and will leave the Austrians to chastise Serbia on their own. Once the Austro-Hungarian invasion fails, the different nationalities within the Monarchy will see how weak it is and start to pull the whole crumbling edifice down. The Germans won't wish to be shackled to a corpse and face total encirclement, so they will either have to support a peace conference to save their ally, or bail the Austrians out militarily and be labelled as the aggressor in a war, with the negative effect that will have on world opinion.'

'You're forgetting Germany and Austria’s other partner in the triple Alliance - Italy,' Grey remarked.

'Italy will take the opportunity to seize the Austrian territory they covet and leave the Triple Alliance,' Sir George said.

'You make some interesting points, Smyth, and if you'd come to me a week earlier, I may even have been able to make something of this rather eccentric notion of yours. Events have rather stolen a march on you, I'm afraid,' Grey said wearily.

'War became inevitable when Russia started full mobilisation, commencing the timetable. We fully expect Germany to attack France through Belgium in a matter of hours; their troops have already entered Luxembourg,' Nicolson said.

'And that, gentlemen, has decided the waverers in the cabinet and will bring us to war,' Grey added.

'Will we be sending troops to help the Belgians?' Sir George asked. ‘Or will our involvement be purely to blockade Germany, as some have suggested?’

Johnny didn't like where this was heading. He wasn’t planning on spending the next few months standing around in squares while German Uhlans charged at him with bloody great lances - he'd seen enough death recently. However, he felt fairly confident that after this meeting Sir George would get him an exemption from his call up.

'A British expeditionary force will be dispatched to Northern Europe. If the Germans take the Belgian ports they’ll be practically sitting on our front lawn and if they win another European war, it will change the balance of power dramatically in their favour,' Nicolson stated.

'We must also support our allies - the Empire can't be held without the goodwill of France and Russia,' Grey added as he looked out of the window, towards the Admiralty building. The daylight had turned to dusk and he watched as the street lamps were lit. After days of indecision and intrigue he had the look of a man who’d finally come to a resolution.

'The lamps are going out all over Europe. We shall not see them lit again in our time.' Grey turned back from the window, 'That was an extremely unconventional analysis you presented, Smyth. You’re just the sort of chap Winston wants at the Admiralty. I’ll get someone to make enquiries.'

Johnny followed Sir George down the Foreign Office grand staircase, with mixed feelings of elation and guilt. If he'd come back earlier rather than frolicking about in Switzerland with Sir George's wife, he might well have been able to prevent a war. At least he'd provided Sir George with something with which to dazzle his superiors. Johnny hoped that there would be a post in it for him as well, and that it could put him in a position to help shorten the war.

Sir George stopped on the central landing. 'Well, I wasn’t expecting them to implement your idea, but at least it got me out of Paris. What are your plans now, Swift? There's obviously no point in you going back to your old billet at the Embassy. Actually, I filled it, come to think of it.'

'Well, I believe I'd be of best service to the country if I come with you when you take up your new placement in the Admiralty - maybe at a slightly higher grade. I think I've earned it.'

'Nonsense, a young man like you obviously wants to be at the front, having a lark!'

'No, I'd be perfectly happy working with you, Sir George.' Johnny thought that with a war, the Admiralty would be at the centre of things and there were bound to be chances for rapid advancement.

'You'd rather be in an office? How extraordinary. You may not like this, then.' Sir George opened his briefcase and handed Johnny a small beige envelope.

'What is it?' Johnny asked. ‘Is it my next posting?’

Sir George smiled, 'In a way. It’s your call up notice. They’ll be going out in the next day or two, I wanted to make sure you got yours first. You're to report to your regiment, forthwith.'

'What?' The suddenness of it struck Johnny like a blow.

'I didn't want you malingering, so I brought you back to England personally to make sure you joined up. Can't have a slippery character like you in Paris left to your own devices - no telling where you might slope off to.'

Sir George made a signal with his hand and two stocky soldiers came out of the shadows at the bottom of the stairs. 'I took the liberty of arranging your transport to camp. Really, no need to thank me.'

'But I gave you my idea. You've landed a plum job because of it,' Johnny said.

'Some might say you're getting your just desserts. You don't honestly think I'd forget about you sleeping with my wife, running up gambling debts against my name and then blackmailing me?'

'Why all this? Why did you bring me here?' Johnny found it impossible not to sound whiny.

'To meet the Gods?' Sir George laughed, Johnny was giving him exactly what he wanted, but he couldn't help himself. He understood now how Ilic must be feeling as he faced the gallows.

'I wanted you to see me take your idea and make it my own, then send you off to war.'

'You bastard! I could get