boucher book oct28.pdf - Index of

208 Anthony Boucher
“Not now, no. That’s just what I mean. There have been times when we could.
Look at Napoleon or the first Hitler. They made their own designs. And I keep feeling
that in the right world I could, too. I can lead men. That’s demonstrated fact.
Look what I’ve done with the natives here in Java.”
“Too much maybe. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Führer was a little jealous on
his inspection visit.”
“I can lead men. I could lead the men of the world—I feel it, I know it. But
what chance have I? While he rules by virtue of the organization and the rules of
succession and—”
“Would you want his job in view of all we’ve been hearing of the Tyrannicides?”
Captain Schweinspitzen laughed. “We destroyed Canada and America almost a
century ago. What have we to fear from a little handful of desperate men?”
“Little handfuls of desperate men did great things in the death struggles of those
nations. I remember my grandfather telling stories of demons called Commandos
and Rangers.”
“The Tyrannicides are futile. Tyrant killers, indeed, when all they’ve accomplished
so far is the death of a couple of subordinates no more important than you, Anton.
Now if someone were to attempt the life of Hitler XVI himself— What are you
working on there?”
Metzger smiled. “The American prophecy.”
“Wotan! Why waste your time with foolish—”
“The job of being your interpreter in Dutch and Javanese is hardly an all-absorbing
one, Felix. I have to have some interest. And I got a very curious lead today. I heard
some natives talking about the coming inspection visit. And you know what they
call the Führer?”
“No.”
“They’ve been seeing photochromes of him in those powder-blue uniforms he’s
so devoted to. And they call him the Blue Beast.”
Captain Schweinspitzen tore off a string of oaths. “The subversive traitors! They
can’t talk that way about him. I’ll have them— Give me their names.”
“I’m afraid I don’t remember who they were. And is this precisely a consistent
attitude when you were just speaking of his assassination?”
“That’s different. I’m as Aryan as he is. But these natives— Oh, well. How does
that traitorous nickname help you?”
“The Blue Beast is one of the personages in the prophecy. They’ve been speculating
for a hundred years on his identity. Now there’s a clue, and if I can figure out
the rest—”
“How does the whole thing go?” the captain asked idly.
Metzger recited it:
“Pelagic young spark of the East
Shall plot to subvert the Blue Beast,
But he’ll dangle on high
When the Ram’s in the sky,
And the Cat shall throw dice at the feast!”