I finished reading The Spy in Black.
I went back to my room in a strange state of exhilaration for a man who had just decided to forgo the thing he had most looked forward to, and run a horrible risk instead. For I felt in my bones that uniform or no uniform I should be shot if I were caught. I put little trust in English justice or clemency. But, as I said before, when I am obstinate, I am very obstinate; and I was firmly resolved that if Wiedermann wanted me back on board to-night, he would have to call a guard and carry me!
Last time we saw Belke, Eileen was convincing him to stay instead of going back to the U-boat. Belke accepted. As he is about to relay intel to his Commander:
"We shall wait for you here," said Tiel in a low voice, "but don't be longer than you can help. Remember my nerves!"
He spoke so cheerily and genially, that for the moment I liked him again. In fact, if it had not been for Eileen, and his love of mystery, there was much that was very attractive in Tiel.
Friends to enemies to enemies-with-benefits when?
Everythings will get a little fragmentary, my apologies.
Belke does not want to go to his room.
"After hours of loneliness! And then leave me lonelier than ever! No, thank you, I shall stay down here."
"In your uniform?" she asked, opening her eyes a little. "No, no, Mr Belke!"
"Well then, get me a suit of mufti!"
She looked at me hard.
"You will really run that risk?"
"It is now worth it," I said with meaning.
[...]
She began to smile.
"Do you propose to wear my clothes?" she inquired.
"Yours!" I exclaimed.
"Otherwise," she continued, "you must persuade Tiel to agree, for it is only he who can provide you with a suit of mufti."
You know, sometimes this book does give some good shit. I can kinda see why Michael Powell thought Eileen was perhaps not the best character to showcase Valerie Hobson's prowess, but she's got some nice dialogue.
"You must surely know one thing. What is your own part in it? Why were you brought into the islands? Such risks are not run for nothing."
"What is a woman's part in such a plan usually?" she asked in a quiet voice.
I was a little taken aback. It was not exactly pleasant to think of—in connection with Eileen.
"I believe they sometimes act as decoys," I said bluntly.
She merely nodded.
"Then that is your rôle?"
"I presume so," she said frankly.
"Who are you going to decoy?" I asked, and I felt that my voice was harsh.
"Ask Herr Tiel," she answered.
"Not that gross brute Ashington surely!"
She shook her head emphatically, and I felt a little relieved.
(It's you, you dummy.)
This man's head is so filled with duty and Eileen he's now wondering if he can marry her.
She must surrender; that is certain, for I have willed it, and what a German wills with all his soul takes place. It must!
Hey, his characterisation is very inline with the time period.
There's this guy I don't think I mentioned in the first part, he wanted a governess for his children, and Eileen was the one who got the job (she was only known to us as Miss Holland). Then she skedaddled, how I have no idea. So guy is looking for her and is now aware she was seen in the house our main characters are in. Amazing.
"[...] We've two sons at the front, you must know, and one of them's called Bob. Well, I got a letter from him, and suddenly I looked awful grave and cried, 'My God, Bob's been blown up'—you should have seen Mrs Craigie jump—'by his Colonel!' said I, and I tell you she was nearly as put about to find I'd been pulling her leg as if he'd really been blown to smithereens. Women are funny things."
He's sure a prankster, that guy! Seriously, what the fuck were you expecting, you made your wife believe one of her sons was dead!
Prankster guy reveals the whole Eileen situation and this bombshell.
"But," I stammered, before I could think what I was saying, "I thought he did preach last Sunday!"
"Not him! Oh, people are talking a lot about it."
This revelation left me absolutely speechless. Tiel had told me distinctly and deliberately that he had gone through the farce of preaching last Sunday—and now I learned that this was a lie. What was worse, he had assured me that he was causing no comment, and I now was told that people were "talking." Coming straight on top of my discovery of his reckless conduct of Eileen's affair, what was I to think of him?
You would think he would put two and two together
to make three, but alas, that would be asking too much of Belke. He does want to confront Tiel but Eileen dissuades him, suggests to tell Tiel the day after.
Everything gets revealed, basically a more complicated version of what happens in the movie. Belke is a prisoner of war now. Blacklock (Tiel) and Eileen go smooch or something.
Ngl it was a brisk read and was amusing. I kinda miss it already. (I'm reading the second Anno Dracula. I've discovered some shocking revelations. Captain Hardt may not actually be in it, so my enthusiam when I first discovered it is so damn low.)
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classicfilmx is having happening this year!
