“Legally?”
“His mother is American. He was born there, and we are being very careful with the Americans.”
“Does he also have a Gennan passport?”
“No. @1 “Why not?”
“He’s a very clever young man von Heurten-Mitnitz said, who realized that accepting a German passport meant accepting German nationality, and that German nationals were expected to serve the fatherland in uniform.”
“Has he lived here?”
“Oh yes,” von Heurten-Mitnitz said, chuckling. “Oh yes. He spent four years at Philip’s University in Marburg as a candidate for a degree in electrical engineering. He’s perfectly fluent in German; and he is tall, blond, good-looking, and rather resembles the young man on the Waffen-SS recruiting posters.”
: MULLER chuckled. “I see the problem,” he said. “And the solu ,ton. Arrest him for the currency violations, bring him to German and put him in uniform.”
“It’s not so easy as that, unfortunately. No one seems to be ab to prove that he is smuggling. And if he were arrested, it would I embarrassing to both his father and the Party generally.”
“Uhhh,” Moller grunted in agreement.
“But there’s more to the tale,” von Heurten-Mitnitz said. “He was in Paris in August with the son of the pasha of Ksar es Soukand traveling on documents issued by the kingdom of Morocco.”
“How does he get Moroccan travel papers?”
“Through Sidi Hassan el Ferruch,” von Heurten-Mitnitz said.
“That’s the son of the pasha?”
Von Heurten-Mitnitz nodded. “They were at school tog ther in e Switzerland, and at Philip’s University.”
“Who’s the pasha? Somebody important?”
“There are two factions in Morocco,” von Heurten-Mitnitz said. “The king’s and the Pasha of Marrakech’s. The pasha’s loyalty to the king is questionable-”
“How powerful is a pasha?” Moller interrupted him.
“That depends on the pasha,” von Heurten-Mitnitz said. “The pasha of Marrakech, Thami el Glaoui, is nearly as powerful as the king. He commands several hundred thousand tribesmen-armed tribesmen, Other pashas have only a handful.”
“And the smuggler’s father?” Moller asked.
“The pasha of Ksar es Souk,” von Heurten-Mitnitz explained, commands nearly as many tribesmen as the pasha of Marrakecb. Together, they have roughly as many as the king. And they are close allies.”
“And his son is a smuggler? Why?”
“The amount of money involved boggles the mind,” von Heurten-Mitnitz said, “In wartime, it seems that people with a lot of money-Americans, South Americans, and we Germans, Mollerare willing to pay extraordinary prices for works of art. So much money is really a matter of state, rather than a mere crime.” _–afta ‘all @how are we supposed to stop this, right?- Moller asked. “And YOU. ans have an expression Max von Heurtcn-Mitnitz The Amenc said, fighting with one hand tied behind you.’ But in this case I ne hand, I am have both of mine tied behind me. On o not to embaf- because of Baron Fulmar’s son, and on the other, it is rass the Party of Morocco may have to be replaced if he possible that the king continues to prove uncooperative. If that becomes necessary, it is intended to replace him with the pasha of Marrakech. How cooperative w,ould he be if we threw the son of his ally in jail’) Or executed him?
“Then why don’t we just find some other suitable pasha?” Mijiler said practically.
“I don’t think You u ould be like a holy war.” nderstand the Moroccans ” von 1eurten-Mitnitz said. “They’d go berserk. It w “Then you have to let this el Ferruch alone-”
“I have been ordered to Stop the flow of gold, currency, Precious jewels, and fine art through MOFOCCOL” von 14eurten-Mitnitz said, 6 ors who believe I will be dealing with picturesque char’by superi acters in bathrobes.”
“And I was so happy when I heard I was Moller chuckled again. escaping from Berlin.” g saying von Heurten-Wffie,@Vneric ans have another interestin ee lunch.1 I mitnitz said. 444Tbere’s no such thing as a fr moment and then chuckled-Moller thought that over for a olution” he said. ,We could arrange “Thews one Obvious s some accidents.” eurten-Mitnitz did not appear to have, heard him, von H “One that would possi-“There is one other alternative,” he said. nly solve our problems with young Fulmar, but would be bly not o of value to the fatherland.” Iler asked.