Gregory Benford & Martin H. Greenberg (eds.) What Might Ha

[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

effect on people who aren t ready for his peculiar brand of stubbornness.
That, however, does not include me.
He tapped the driver on the shoulder. Pull up about two hundred meters in
front of the first rank of them, Joachim.
Yes, sir.
Even before the car had stopped moving, Model jumped out of it. Lasch, hand on
his pistol, was close behind, protesting, What if one of those fanatics has a
gun?
Then Colonel-General Weidling assumes command, and a lot of Indians end up
dead.
Model strode toward Gandhi. As it had at the surrender ceremony, India s damp
heat smote him. Even while he was sitting quietly in the car, his tunic had
stuck to him. Sweat started streaming down his face the moment he started to
move. Each breath felt as if he were taking in warm soup; the air even had a
faint smell of soup, soup that had gone slightly off.
In its own way, he thought, surprised at himself, this beastly weather was
worse than a
Russian winter. Either was plenty to lay a man low by itself, but countless
exotic diseases flourished in the moisture, warmth, and filth here. The snows
at least were clean.
The field marshal ignored the German troops who were drawing themselves to
stiff, horrified attention at the sight of his uniform. He would deal with
them later. For the moment, Gandhi was more important.
He had stopped which meant the rest of the marchers did too and was waiting
politely for
Model to approach. The German commandant was not impressed. He thought Gandhi
sincere, and could not doubt his courage, but none of that mattered at all. He
Page 31
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
said harshly, You were warned against this sort of behavior.
Gandhi looked him in the eye. They were very much of a height. And I told
you, I do not recognize your right to give such orders. This is our country,
not yours, and if some of us choose to walk on our streets, we will do so.
From behind Gandhi, Nehru s glance flicked worriedly from one of the
antagonists to the other. Model noticed him only peripherally; if he was
already afraid, he could be handled whenever necessary. Gandhi was a tougher
nut. The field marshal waved at the crowd behind the old man. You are
responsible for all these people. If harm comes to them, you will be to
blame.
Why should harm come to them? They are not soldiers. They do not attack your
men. I told that to one of your sergeants, and he understood it, and refrained
from hindering us. Surely you, sir, an educated, cultured man, can see that
what I say is self-evident truth.
Model turned his head to speak to his aide in German: If we did not have
Goebbels, this would be the one for his job. He shuddered to think of the
propaganda victory Gandhi would win if he got away with flouting German
ordinances. The whole countryside would be boiling with partisans in a week.
And he had already managed to hoodwink some Germans into letting him do it!
Then Gandhi surprised him again. Ich danke Ihnen, Herr Generalfeldmarschall,
aber das glaube ich kein Kompliment zu sein, he said in slow but clear
German: I thank you, field marshal, but I believe that to be no compliment.
Having to hold his monocle in place helped Model keep his face straight. Take
it however you like, he said. Get these people off the street, or they and
you will face the consequences.
We will do what you force us to.
I force you to nothing. As for these people who follow, each does so of his
or her own free will. We are free, and will show it, not by violence, but
through firmness in truth.
Now Model listened with only half an ear. He had kept Gandhi talking long
enough for the platoon he had ordered out to arrive. Half a dozen SdKfz 251
armored personnel carriers came clanking up. The men piled out of them. Give
me a firing line, three ranks deep, Model shouted. As the troopers scrambled
to obey, he waved the halftracks into position behind them, all but blocking
Qutb Road. The halftracks commanders swiveled the machine guns at the front
of the vehicles troop compartments so they bore on the Indians.
Gandhi watched these preparations as calmly as if they had nothing to do with
him. Again
Model had to admire his calm. His followers were less able to keep fear from
their faces. Very few, though, used the pause to slip away. Gandhi s
discipline was a long way from the military sort, but effective all the same.
Tell them to disperse now, and we can still get away without bloodshed, the
field marshal said.
We will shed no one s blood, sir. But we will continue on our pleasant
journey. Moving carefully, we will, I think, be able to get between your large
lorries there. Gandhi turned to wave his people forward once more.
You insolent Rage choked Model, which was as well, for it kept him from
cursing
Gandhi like a fishwife. To give him time to master his temper, he plucked his
monocle from his eye and began polishing the lens with a silk handkerchief.
He replaced the monocle, started to jam the handkerchief back into his trouser
pocket, then suddenly had a better idea.
Come, Lasch, he said, and started toward the waiting German troops. About
halfway to them, he dropped the handkerchief on the ground. He spoke in loud,
simple German so his men and Gandhi could both follow: If any Indians come
past this spot, I wash my hands of them.
He might have known Gandhi would have a comeback ready. That is what Pilate
said also, you will recall, sir.
Page 32
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Pilate washed his hands to evade responsibility, the field marshal answered
steadily; he was in control of himself again. I accept it: I am responsible
to my F�hrer and to the
Oberkammando-Wehrmacht for maintaining Reichs control over India, and will do
what I see fit to carry out that obligation.
For the first time since they had come to know each other, Gandhi looked sad.
I too, sir, have my responsibilities. He bowed slightly to Model.
Lasch chose that moment to whisper in his commander s ear: Sir, what of our
men over there? Had you planned to leave them in the line of fire?
The field marshal frowned. He had planned to do just that; the wretches
deserved no better, for being taken in by Gandhi. But Lasch had a point. The
platoon might balk at shooting countrymen, if it came to that. You men,
Model said sourly, jabbing his marshal s baton at them, fall in behind the
armored personnel carriers, at once.
The Germans boots pounded on the macadam as they dashed to obey. They were
still all right, then, with a clear order in front of them. Something, Model
thought, but not much.
He had also worried that the Indians would take advantage of the moment of
confusion to press forward, but they did not. Gandhi and Nehru and a couple of
other men were arguing among themselves. Model nodded once. Some of them knew
he was in earnest, then. And
Gandhi s followers discipline, as the field marshal had thought a few minutes
ago, was not of the military sort. He could not simply issue an order and know
his will would be done.
I issue no orders, Gandhi said. Let each man follow his conscience as he
will what else is freedom?
They will follow you if you go forward, great-souled one, Nehru replied,
and that German, I fear, means to carry out his threat. Will you throw your
life away, and those of your countrymen?
I will not throw my life away, Gandhi said, but before the men around him [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Pokrewne