Read Online Sustenance by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro - Free Book Online Page B

smile. “If that’s the best you can—” He stopped, and when he spoke again it was calmly, with what might have been a touch of self-deprecating humor. “I made a mess of this, didn’t I? And you’ve been so courteous. Okay. We’ll talk later, when you return from Paris and I’m back from Washington.”
    “Very good.” He held out his hand. “I have to bid you good-bye for now. Rogers will see you out when you’re ready to go. If you want to remain where you are until you have had the last of your coffee, my staff will be pleased to accommodate you.” He inclined his head, then left the morning room.
    Rogers was waiting for him at the edge of the loggia. “What have you learned?” he asked in Egyptian Coptic.
    Szent-Germain answered in the same language. “He’s up to something; you’re right about that.”
    “What would you like me to do?”
    After the greater part of a minute in thought, Szent-Germain said, “I don’t know yet. Let me think about it.”

 
    TEXT OF A REPORT FROM NATHAN SINCLAIR WATERS ON ASSIGNMENT IN AMSTERDAM TO D. PHILETUS ROTHCOE IN LIEGE, BELGIUM; CARRIED BY DIPLOMATIC COURIER AND DELIVERED TWENTY-NINE HOURS AFTER BEING WRITTEN.
    October 27, 1949
    D. Philetus Rothcoe
    Hotel Saint-Sulpice
    Room 34
    17, Rue de Saule
    Liege, Belgium
    Dear Phil,
    This is my preliminary assessment on the group known as the Ex-Pats’ Coven, operating out of Paris, with members in France, England, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, and Switzerland whom we have positively identified. I send this to you now so that you may inform me of what you would like me to pursue before I submit my year-end evaluation of their activities and their capacity to do our diplomacy harm.
    You have already asked me to help identify any members of this group who have business and personal connections to any European doing business in the United States. I have enclosed a list for your perusal. Let me draw your attention to Boris King, who has a number of relatives in Belgium and France, who is rumored to have fled the Russian Revolution at the end of W W I; I personally doubt the story—it’s too pat, but in case you run into one of Broadstreet’s crowd, bear this in mind; they think spying ought to be like the movies. Also, you may be interested in the meeting between Grof Szent-Germain and Charis Treat in Copenhagen earlier this month. As far as I can determine, Doctor Treat has submitted a manuscript to Eclipse Press for publication, and that would seem to be the extent of her ventures there. A few of the rest of the so-called Coven are looking into the possibility of publication with Eclipse, even though Professor Treat has received no response in regard to her manuscript so far, but it is generally acknowledged that Eclipse takes an average of four months to decide on any title, according to their own catalogues. Others in the Ex-Pats’ Coven may follow her example, but again, there appears to be no political or philosophical connection, only a simple attempt to have a work published. Given the group’s circumstances, you cannot be surprised that they seek publishers. What the work may contain, and how it is to be distributed if it is contracted for, I cannot say, and it may be a moot point if the manuscript is rejected. The same goes for the rest of the Coven.
    I have a copy of Paul Blount’s report on the Ex-Pats’ Coven based on the two months he was allowed to participate in their Parisian meetings. I would advise you to bear in mind that Paul is very annoyed that he was so quickly identified as a spy in their midst, and is blaming others for his failings; I wouldn’t put much credence in his assertions that the Coven gets its orders from Moscow, though most of the Coven are in favor of socialism as a way of providing economic parity for all those participating in it. Blount’s ticked off because he isn’t going out on a win, and this is his way of pouting.
    Is there any way you could get our department to