Diana nodded wearily and Lyn said, How much more of this?
Not far, said Denison. You can travel the rest of the way in the punt.
McCready nodded. I think weve got clear. I havent heard any shooting for quite a while.
Harding was still doing something at the bottom of the punt. Im afraid were in trouble, he said. I thought this water was the accumulated drips from the paddles, but I think we have a leak. The punt is sinking.
Oh, hell! said McCready.
My fault, said Harding unhappily. I think I overloaded the gun. The strain on the punt was too much.
Denison blew out his breath. McCready could have been right; the barrel could have burst. He said, It seems youll have to walk the rest of the way, Doctor. Do you think you can make it?
Ill be all right when Ive given myself another injection.
Well jam the boat into the reeds, said McCready. And then get going. I think the mist is lifting and I want to be out of this swamp by then.
Thirty-Seven
Carey strolled through a stand of tall timber and looked towards the house. It was not the sort of house youd expect to see in Britain because the architecture was all wrong, mainly in matters of detail, but he supposed that if it had been in England it would have been called a manor house one of the lesser stately homes.
He stopped and lit his pipe, ruminating on history. In the days when Finland was a Grand Duchy and part of Imperial Russia the house would have been the residence of one of the minor nobility or, possibly, a bourgeois Swedish Finn of the merchant class. More recently it had belonged to a company in Helsinki who used it as a holiday home for top staff and as a venue for executive conferences. Now it was rented by British Intelligence for their own undisclosed purposes.
Certainly Carey, as he strolled in the grounds clad in Harris tweed and puffing contemplatively on his pipe, looked every inch or centimetre the squire or whatever was the Finnish equivalent. He struck another match and, shielding it with his hand, applied it to his recalcitrant pipe. If he was worried it did not show in his manner. With the back of his mind he worried about McCready and his party who had not yet shown up, but with the forefront he worried about what was happening back in London. Apparently his boss, Sir William Lyng, had been unable to do much about Thornton and the in-fighting in Whitehall was becoming severe.
He achieved satisfaction with the drawing of his pipe and glanced towards the house again to see Armstrong approaching. He waited until he was within easy conversational reach, then said, Is that boffin still fiddling with those equations?
Hes finished.
About time. Has he found it?
No one tells me anything, said Armstrong. But he wants to see you. Another thing George McCready phoned in. He couldnt say much on the phone but I gather he has a tale to tell. He wants medical supplies for a bullet in the arm.
Who?
Dr Harding.
Carey grunted. Any other casualties?
None that George mentioned.
Good! Lets go to see the boffin.
Armstrong fell in step with him. And theres a man to see you a chap called Thornton.
Careys pace faltered. Hes here now?
I put him in the library.
Has he seen the boffin?
I dont think so.
He mustnt. Carey looked sideways at Armstrong. Do you know anything about Thornton?
Ive seen him around, said Armstrong. But not to speak to. Hes a bit above my level on the totem pole.
Yes, said Carey. One of the Whitehall manipulators and as tricky as they come. These are my specific instructions regarding Thornton. Youre to go back to the library and offer him tea hell like that. Youre to keep him busy until I see him. I dont want him prowling around; he makes me nervous. Got that?
Yes, said Armstrong. Whats the trouble?
Theres a bit of an argument about policy going on back home and Thornton is pushing a bit too hard. Its nothing that should concern you as long as you obey orders my orders. If Thornton tries to order you around refer him to me.
All right, said Armstrong.
Ill tell you something about Thornton, said Carey candidly. Hes a bastrich thats a word worthy of Lewis Carroll. It means a combination of a bastard and a son of a bitch. So you dont say a word about this operation in Thorntons presence. Thats another order from me.
Not even if he asks me directly?
Refer him to me, said Carey. And you wont get into trouble. I know hes high-powered and you are but an underling, but you are in a different department. If he tries anything on just tell him to go to hell in a polite way, and Ill back you up. He smiled. And Lyng will back me so you have support all the way to the top.
Armstrong looked relieved. Thats clear enough.
Carey nodded shortly. Good. You attend to Thornton. Ill see the boffin.
The man whom Carey called the boffin was Sir Charles Hastings, F.R.S., a physicist not without eminence. Carey, whose opinion of scientists was low, treated him robustly and with a lack of deference which Sir Charles, who had a sense of humour, found refreshing. Carey now, on entering the room, said, Whats the score?
Sir Charles picked up a set of papers. The answer is unequivocal. This is the crucial document. In it Dr Merikken outlines the germ of an idea, and develops it in a most interesting way. As you may know, the concept of the grazing angle has been utilized in the X-ray telescopes we now use, but Merikken took the idea much farther which is strange considering he worked so many years ago.
Sir Charles paused, contemplating a vision of genius. Merikken not only worked out the theory but subjected it to tests in the laboratory the only way, of course. Here is a list of his tests, the results of which are frankly astounding. In his first test he was able to obtain an X-ray reflectance of nearly 25 per cent of the incident illumination.
Hold on a minute, said Carey. How does that compare with what weve been able to do up to now?
Sir Charles laughed shortly. Theres absolutely no comparison. Apart from anything else, this is going to revolutionize X-ray astronomy; it makes possible an X-ray lens of considerable resolution. But that was just the first of Merikkens tests; in his final test before he ended the series hed done considerably better than that and his apparatus was not up to modern standards.
Carey felt his hands empty and took out his pipe. So if we put a team on to this, gave it a hell of a lot of money and a reasonable amount of time, we could improve on what Merikken did. Would you agree with that, Sir Charles?
Indeed I would. Theres nothing in here that offends any of the laws of physics. It reduces itself to a matter of engineering advanced engineering, mark you, but nothing more than that. He spread his hands. The X-ray laser has now moved from the barely possible to the probable.
Carey gestured with his pipe. Anything else of value in those papers?
Sir Charles shook his head. Nothing at all. This, for instance he picked up the hardbound exercise book ...this is a series of calculations of nuclear cross-sections. Quite primitive and totally useless. His voice was a trifle disparaging. All the rest is the same.
Thank you, Sir Charles. Carey hesitated. Id be obliged if you would stay in this room until I return. I dont think Ill be more than a few minutes. He ignored Sir Charless expression of polite surprise and left the room.
Outside the library he paused and squared his shoulders before opening the door. Thornton was lounging in a leather chair and Armstrong stood at the window. Armstrong looked harassed and was visibly relieved when he saw Carey. Good morning, said Thornton. His voice was cheerful. I must say you have your staff well trained, Carey. Mr Armstrong is a positive oyster.
Morning, said Carey curtly.
I just popped in to find out how Sir Charles Hastings is doing. You must know were all very keen to see the results of your labours.
Carey sat down, wondering how Thornton knew about Sir Charles. More and more he was certain there was a leak in Lyngs office. He said blandly, Youll have to get that from Sir William Lyng.
Thorntons cheerfulness diminished a shade. Well, Im sure we can excuse Mr Armstrong while we have a discussion on that matter. He turned to Armstrong. If you dont mind.
Armstrong made as though to move to the door but stopped as Carey snapped, Stay where you are, Ian.
Thornton frowned. As you know, there are certain... er... details which Mr Armstrong is not entitled to know.
He stays, said Carey flatly. I want a witness.
A witness! Thorntons eyebrows rose.
Come off it, said Carey. When this operation is finished I make out a final report including what I hear in this room. So does Armstrong independently. Got the picture?
I cant agree to that, said Thornton stiffly.
Then you dont have to talk. What you dont say Armstrong cant hear. Carey smiled pleasantly. What time is your plane back to London?
I must say youre not making things easy, said Thornton querulously.
Carey was blunt. Its not my intention to make things easy. Youve been getting underfoot all through this operation. I havent liked that and neither has Lyng.
All cheerfulness had deserted Thornton. I think you misunderstood your position, Carey, he said. Youre not yet so big that you cant be knocked over. When the Minister reads my report I think youll be in for a shock.
I must say youre not making things easy, said Thornton querulously.
Carey was blunt. Its not my intention to make things easy. Youve been getting underfoot all through this operation. I havent liked that and neither has Lyng.
All cheerfulness had deserted Thornton. I think you misunderstood your position, Carey, he said. Youre not yet so big that you cant be knocked over. When the Minister reads my report I think youll be in for a shock.
Carey shrugged. You make your report and Ill make mine. As for the Minister I wouldnt know. I dont rub shoulders with the Cabinet I leave that to Lyng.
Thornton stood up. After this is over Lyng may not be around. I wouldnt rely on him to protect you.
Lyng can fight his own battles, said Carey. Hes been very good at it so far. Ian, will you escort Mr Thornton to his car. I dont think he has anything more to say.