The Secret War (6 page)

“Well, hardly. Most of the wilder tribes are still dyed-in-the-wool pagans. In the towns there are many Mohammedans, particularly in Harar, which is an old walled Arab city, but most of the ruling caste have been
Christians of a sort since the dark ages. Before that they followed the Jewish faith.”

“Are they Jewish by race, then?”

“Oh, no, but they consider themselves the Chosen People because they've been in possession of the Ark of the Covenant for centuries. One of their kings pinched it when he was on a visit to Jerusalem. They'd adopted the Jewish faith before that owing to the lapse from virtue of the Queen of Sheba.”

Valerie glanced at him suspiciously from under her level brows. “You're pulling my leg. She wasn't a real person, was she?”

“She was indeed,” he protested, “and by all accounts a darned good-looking girl, into the bargain.”

“Tell me about her.”

“She was the Virgin Queen of Ethiopia in King Solomon's day. The country was already rich and powerful. Probably much more civilised than it is at the present time through the influence of Egypt and Babylonia. Anyhow, her merchants used to trade as far as India and the Sudan. She's said to have lived in great luxury and been very wise and beautiful, of course an Arab type—a sort of Egyptian Shahrazade. The report of Solomon's wisdom came to her so she determined to visit him.

“It must have been a tough journey for a woman; trekking on under the blazing sun week after week with very little water, almost trackless deserts to cross, and most of the route infested with bands of marauding Arabs. But she did it—and legend relates that, when she arrived in Jerusalem, her state chariot was drawn by sixteen zebras; although they're always said to be untamable.” Lovelace picked up a book he had been reading before Valerie came on deck. “The whole story's here if you're interested.”

“What is it?” Valerie asked, taking the book from him.

“Wallis Budge's translation of the Kebra Nagast. That's
the Abyssinian Bible, or rather their own particular version of the Old Testament, mainly. I'll find you the bit about how the wily Solomon did the dirty on the lovely Queen, if you like.” He lent over and turned the pages until he came to the passage. Then Valerie read:

And King Solomon sent a message unto the Queen, saying, “Now that thou hast come here why wilt thou go away without seeing the administration of the kingdom, and how the meal(s) for the chosen ones of the kingdom are eaten after the manner of the righteous, and how the people are driven away after the manner of sinners? From (the sight of) it thou wouldst acquire wisdom. Follow me now and seat thyself in my splendour in the tent, and I will complete thy instruction, and thou shalt learn the administration of my kingdom; for thou hast loved wisdom, and she shall dwell with thee until thine end and for ever.” Now a prophecy maketh itself apparent in (this) speech.

And the Queen sent a second message, saying, “From being a fool, I have become wise by following thy wisdom, and from being a thing rejected by the God of Israel, I have become a chosen woman because of this faith which is in my heart; and henceforth I will worship no other god except Him. And as concerning that which thou sayest, that thou wishest to increase in me wisdom and honour, I will come according to thy desire.” And Solomon rejoiced because of this (message), and he arrayed his chosen ones (in splendid apparel), and he added a double supply to his table, and he had all the arrangements concerning the management of his house carefully ordered, and the house of King Solomon was made ready (for guests) daily. And he made it ready with very great pomp, in joy, and in peace, in wisdom, and in tenderness, with all humility and lowliness; and then he ordered the royal table according to the law of the kingdom.

And the Queen came and passed into a place set apart in splendour and glory, and she sat down immediately behind him where she could see and learn and know everything. And she marvelled exceedingly at what she saw, and at what she heard, and she praised the God of Israel in her heart; and she was struck with wonder at the splendour of the royal palace which she saw. For she could see, though no one could see her, even as Solomon had arranged in wisdom for her. He had beautified the place where she was seated, and had spread over it purple hangings, and laid down carpets, and decorated it with
miskat
(moschus), and marbles and precious stones, and he burned aromatic powders, and sprinkled oil of myrrh and cassia round about, and scattered frankincense and costly incense in all directions. And when they brought her into this abode, the odour thereof was very pleasing to her, and even before she ate the dainty meats therein she was satisfied with the smell of them. And with wise intent Solomon sent to her meats which would make her thirsty, and drinks that were mingled with vinegar, and fish and dishes made with pepper. And this he did and he gave them to the Queen to eat. And the royal meal had come to an end three times and seven times, and the administrators, and the counsellors, and the young men and the servants had departed, and the King rose up and he went to the Queen, and he said unto her—now they were alone together—“Take thou thine ease here for love's sake until daybreak.” And she said unto him, “Swear to me by thy God, the God of Israel, that thou wilt not take me by force. For if I, who according to the law of men am a maiden, be seduced, I should travel on my journey (back) in sorrow, and affliction and tribulation.”

And Solomon answered and said unto her, “I swear unto thee that I will not take thee by force, but thou must swear unto me that thou wilt not take by force anything that is in my house.” And the Queen laughed
and said unto him, “Being a wise man why dost thou speak as a fool? Shall I steal anything, or shall I carry out of the house of the King that which the King hath not given to me? Do not imagine that I have come hither through love of riches. Moreover, my own kingdom is as wealthy as thine, and there is nothing which I wish for that I lack. Assuredly I have only come in quest of thy wisdom.” And he said unto her, “If thou wouldst make me swear, swear thou to me, for a swearing is meet for both (of us), so that neither of us may be unjustly treated. And if thou wilt not make me swear I will not make thee swear.” And she said unto him, “Swear to me that thou wilt not take me by force, and I on my part will swear not to take by force thy possessions”; and he swore to her and made her swear.

And the King went up on his bed on the one side (of the chamber), and the servants made ready for her a bed on the other side. And Solomon said unto a young manservant, “Wash out the bowl and set in it a vessel of water whilst the Queen is looking on, and shut the doors and go and sleep.” And Solomon spake to the servant in another tongue which the Queen did not understand, and he did as the King commanded, and went and slept. And the King had not as yet fallen asleep, but he only pretended to be asleep, and he was watching the Queen intently. Now the house of Solomon the King was illumined as by day, for in his wisdom he had made shining pearls which were like unto the sun, and moon, and stars (and had set them) in the roof of his house.

And the Queen slept a little. And when she woke up her mouth was dry with thirst, for the food which Solomon had given her in his wisdom had made her thirsty, and she was very thirsty indeed, and her mouth was dry; and she moved her lips and sucked with her mouth and found no moisture. And she determined to drink the water which she had seen, and she looked
at King Solomon and watched him carefully, and she thought that he was sleeping a sound sleep. But he was not asleep, and he was waiting until she should rise up to steal the water to (quench) her thirst. And she rose up and, making no sound with her feet, she went to the water in the bowl and lifted up the jar to drink the water. And Solomon seized her hand before she could drink the water, and said unto her, “Why hast thou broken the oath that thou hast sworn that thou wouldst not take by force anything that is in my house?” And she answered and said unto him in fear “Is the oath broken by my drinking water,” And the King said unto her, “Is there anything that thou hast seen under the heavens that is better than water?” And the Queen said, “I have sinned against myself, and thou art free from (thy) oath. But let me drink water for my thirst.” Then Solomon said unto her, “Am I perchance free from the oath which thou hast made me swear?” And the Queen said, “Be free from thy oath, only let me drink water.” And he permitted her to drink water, and after she had drunk water he worked his will with her and they slept together.

“Well!” Valerie exclaimed, closing the book with a bang. “What a rotten trick to play. Jollying a girl into a promise like that and then saying she'd broken it just because she took a drink of water.”

Lovelace grinned. “If that line hadn't come off he'd probably have thought up another and I'll bet there wasn't much forcing about it. The Arabs have a saying, ‘The fate of every man is bound about his brow,' and she must have known what to expect when she consented to sleep in his tent. The Eastern peoples have always been fatalists, you know.”

“What happened? I suppose she had a baby?”

“That's right. Menyelek, her only son, whom Solomon afterwards acknowledged as his heir. The boy became king of Ethiopia and the present Emperor's
directly descended from him. Now you know why the ruling caste in Abyssinia always followed the Jewish faith from Sheba's day until they were converted to …” Lovelace suddenly broke off and pointed. “Look, the voyage is nearly over. There's Cape Gris Nez looming up on the horizon.”

The weather was warmer now. Those nine April days at sea seemed to have put the wintry cold and sleet of Halifax among things long past. For the last twenty-four hours they had been steaming up the English Channel; all day the sunshine and light balmy air had held a foretaste of true summer.

The last rays of the westering sun caught the white cliffs of the French coast as Valerie stared out towards them. In a few hours now she knew that the ship would berth at Rotterdam.

On previous voyages she had always felt a little thrill of joy on catching her first glimpse of Europe. It meant that she would soon be seeing old friends again; a prospect of change, new scenes, and jolly parties. Now, in the fading light, with the dark shadows of night gathering about them as the ship headed up the Straits of Dover, her heart was heavy with foreboding.

The Hotel de Bayonne et Biarritz is situated in a quiet side street behind the Gare St. Lazare. It is small, old-fashioned, and unpretentious.

Christopher Penn had always occupied a suite at the Crilleon on his previous visits to Paris but, in their peculiar circumstances, Sir Anthony Lovelace had considered it imperative that they should avoid all their usual haunts. He had selected this modest hotel as their headquarters. Valerie Lorne had flown them from Rotterdam that morning and was still with them. They had only arrived half an hour before and were still busy with a breakfast of hot coffee and crisp rolls.

All three of them were waiting now, while they ate their hurried breakfast, in the stuffy little private sitting-room of the hotel, with its old-fashioned gilt-framed mirrors and worn red plush furniture, for the man who was to give Christopher further instructions which might carry him to Italy, Malta, Egypt, Eritrea, or even, perhaps, Abyssinia.

“When this chap turns up how shall we know that he is one of us?” asked Lovelace suddenly.

“Naturally he will be,” Christopher replied a little irritably. “I was given his name before I left the States and I wired him from Rotterdam soon after we landed last night, directly we'd settled where to go to earth when we reached Paris, in fact. I showed you his reply, which was waiting for us here when we arrived, saying he'd been expecting me for nearly a week and would call this morning.”

“Yes, but as the
Millers of God
have no secret sign or password, what guarantee will you have that he's
actually the man you believe him to be? We'll be in a fine mess if the enemy have intercepted your wire and send one of their own people to lead us into a trap.”

Christopher shrugged. “That's most unlikely. Anyhow it's better we should have to take such an outside chance than that the society should have permanent centres and an organised membership. With only our leaders meeting to formulate decisions, which are passed on by word of mouth, it makes it far harder for the police, or anyone else, to fix anything on an individual member. When I've done my job I shall just fade out, as others have, and there won't be a single document or tie in existence to prove I did it.”

At that moment the shabby waiter ushered in a short plumpish, smartly dressed man of about thirty, and waved him towards the little party at the table.

Christopher got up to meet the visitor who, as the door closed again, said quickly; “Mr. Penn—yes? I am Paul Barrotet. I had expected to find you alone for discussion of our business.”

“My fiancée, Miss Valerie Lorne, and Sir Anthony Lovelace.” Christopher introduced the others. “They both came over with me and know all about this thing.”

“All?” The Frenchman asked sharply, raising a pair of bushy black eyebrows.

“Yes. I exercised my discretion, as members are entitled to when they need help. Won't you sit down.”

Barrotet bowed to Valerie and then his black boot-button eyes rested for a second on the tall, brown-faced Englishman. He bowed again before pulling up a chair and said gravely, “One sees in Sir Anthony the type which has made the justice of his nation respected all over the world, and it is a war of justice which we wage. Only through the work of the
Millers of God
can there be any true hope of a permanent world peace.”

“Miss Lorne has only come as far as Paris with us,” said Lovelace slowly, “and I only volunteered to join
Penn because I know the countries to which you may be sending him, whereas he's never been east of Rome. He's told me quite a lot about the
Millers of God
in the last fortnight, and I understand that your aim is to stop future wars by killing off the war-makers. Any number of people must profit out of war though, and what I don't quite get is where certain of them reach the point when the
Millers
decide that they should be er … executed?”