There was a silence.
'I do not want that you should think I am not confident about the outcome of this war,' Diessen said.
'We shall conquer England, as we have conquered France; you cannot stand against us.
But for many years there will be war with your Dominions, and while that is going on there will be not much food for children, here or in Germany.
It will be better that little Anna should be in a neutral country.'
Howard nodded.
'Well, she can go with my lot if you like to send her.'
The Gestapo officer eyed him narrowly.
'There must be no trickery.
Remember, we shall have Mademoiselle Rougeron.
She may return to Chartres and live with her mother, but until I have a cable from my brother Rupert that little Anna is safe with him, we shall have our eye on mademoiselle.'
'As a hostage,' said the old man quietly.
'As a hostage.'
The German stared at him arrogantly.
'And another thing, also.
If any word of this appears, it is the concentration camp for your young lady.
I will not have you spreading lies about me as soon as you reach England.
Remember that.'
Howard thought quickly.
'That has another side to it,' he said.
'If Mademoiselle Rougeron gets into trouble with the Gestapo and I should hear of it in England, this story shall be published in my country and quoted in the German news on the radio, mentioning you by name.'
Diessen said furiously:
'You dare to threaten me!'
The old man smiled faintly.
'Let us call off this talk of threats,' he said.
'We are in each other's hands, and I will make a bargain with you.
I will take your little girl and she shall travel safely to White Falls, even if I have to send her by the Clipper.
On your side, you will look after Mademoiselle Rougeron and see that she comes to no harm.
That is a bargain that will suit us both, and we can part as friends.'
The German stared at him for a long time,
'So,' he said at last.
'You are clever, Mr Englishman.
You have gained all that you want.'
'So have you,' the old man said.
The German released the automatic and reached out for a slip of paper.
'What address have you in England?
I shall send for you when we visit London in August.'
They settled to the details of the arrangement.
A quarter of an hour later the German got up from the table.
'No word of this to anyone,' he said again.
'Tomorrow in the evening you will be moved from here.'
Howard shook his head.
'I shall not talk.
But I would like you to know one thing.
I should have been glad to take your little girl with me in any case.
It never entered my head to refuse to take her.'
The German nodded. 'That is good,' he said.
'If you had refused I should have shot you dead.
You would have been too dangerous to leave this room alive.'
He bowed stiffly.