Читать книгу Unconditional Surrender онлайн

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"What on earth happened to him?" asked Spruce. "He can't have been drunk. What did you say to him?"

"Nothing. I asked about old times."

"You knew him well?"

"Not exactly. We always thought him odd."

"He has talent," said Spruce. "Perhaps a hint of genius. It's most annoying his disappearing like that. Well, the party's over. Will you girls shoo the guests away and then clear up? I have to go."

* * * * *

Guy spent the remaining hours of his fortieth birthday at Bellamy's playing "slosh." When he returned to his room at the Transit Camp his thoughts were less on the past than on the future.

Unheard in Bellamy's the sirens sounded an alert at eleven o'clock and an All Clear before midnight.

Unheard too in Westminster Abbey, where the Sword of Stalingrad stood unattended. The doors were locked, the lights all extinguished. Next day the queue would form again in the street and the act of homage would be renewed.

Ludovic was not successful in the Time & Tide literary competition. His sonnet was not even commended. He studied the winning entry: