plan to assassinate Churchill. He wondered whether the Fuhrer was making fun of him.
‘I am sorry,’ he began tentatively. ‘I have heard nothing from our agent in London …’
But Hitler forestalled him, holding up his hand. ‘It doesn’t matter, because Churchill doesn’t matter,’ he declared, sitting up straight as if to emphasize that he was stating a fact, not an opinion. ‘The fool can rattle his rusty sabre all he wants, but he cannot do us any harm. The British are broken and alone and defeated, and behind all his speechifying Churchill knows it. Let us leave them to Goering’s bombs. Sooner or later they will have to come to terms. We have other, more important things to think about, you and I. Do you remember what I told you before about our destiny?’
‘That we must go east to find
‘Yes, and soon — before it is too late, before Stalin is ready for us.’
Heydrich nodded. He looked into the Fuhrer’s steel blue eyes and felt the same inspiration he’d experienced outside when he heard the music coming towards him through the pine trees. With Hitler’s leadership, anything was possible.
‘Well, the time has almost come,’ Hitler went on. ‘We will take the land we need to build the new Reich, and you will make it clean and fit to use. That will be your task, and it is one to which you are uniquely suited. You will do all that is necessary, and you will eliminate anyone who stands in your way. You will brew them a devil’s drink. Do you understand me, Reinhard? A devil’s drink?’
‘Yes,’ said Heydrich, keeping his eyes fixed on the Fuhrer’s. ‘Yes, I do.’
‘Good, I am glad to hear it. And now let us have some tea,’ said Hitler, beckoning to his manservant. He smiled, revealing his teeth in a wolflike grin.
