He reached the office of the embassy doctor without meeting any Abwehr staff and went straight into the examination room .sx The doctor , who had learned to be unsurprised by anything the Abwehr did , followed him .sx " Lock the door , " Christian said .sx " I'm dead .sx Murdered .sx Now I want you to get me on a plane to Berlin .sx " .sx " Sit down .sx " The doctor examined the pupils of his eyes and took his pulse .sx He had already noticed the patches of black blood matting Christian's hair .sx " How were you killed ?sx " .sx " Knocked out and strangled .sx Watch out for broken glass .sx " He winced as the doctor searched his scalp .sx " What's that awful stink ?sx " .sx " Disinfectant .sx You're soaked in it .sx Whoever killed you was very concerned not to contaminate the wound .sx " .sx Christian found that funny .sx He laughed so much that he reopened the cut .sx Eventually the doctor stitched it up .sx That evening Christian's coffin , packed with sandbags , was flown out of Lisbon .sx Christian was on the same plane , wearing a mask of bandages and carrying a passport that said he was Albert Meyer , fruit importer .sx Next day he telephoned Abwehr headquarters .sx Admiral Canaris , its head , was not there but his second-in-command , General Oster , was .sx Christian got through to Oster's secretary and after some insistence , bluff , threats , and the casual use of a few high-powered codewords , he got to speak to Oster himself .sx " Good morning , " he said .sx " Very sad news about Brigadier Christian .sx " .sx " Ah .sx " There was a signal lying on Oster's blotter .sx It had come from Madrid Abwehr and it said that Christian's body was being flown home for interment and would be held at Tempelhof airport mortuary , pending instructions .sx Nothing more .sx Oster had tried to telephone Madrid but the lines were down somewhere in France :sx Allied bombing or French sabotage , or maybe non-aligned mice .sx " Sad indeed , " he said .sx " You are perhaps a relative ?sx " .sx " Very close .sx If you meet me beside the coffin in an hour perhaps we can discuss it .sx " .sx Christian was waiting at the airport mortuary when Oster arrived .sx Oster took his hat off .sx " Might we be alone for a few minutes ?sx " he asked the attendant .sx The man left them to their grief .sx " I hope you won't be offended , " Oster said , " if I ask to see your papers .sx " .sx " I can do better .sx " Christian unwound the bandages and gave his unshaven cheeks a vigorous massage .sx " Sorry about the stubble , sir , " he said .sx " Sorry about the secrecy , too .sx I'm afraid I didn't completely trust your telephone .sx " .sx Oster knew Christian ; indeed he had recommended his promotion to brigadier .sx " I'm glad you're not in this box , " he said .sx " I thought I recognised your voice .sx Now what's going on ?sx " .sx " It's all rather squalid , " Christian said .sx " But in a nutshell , I believe that my Abwehr section has been infiltrated by the SD .sx " .sx The SD was the intelligence and espionage arm of the SS , the Nazi security service , which Heinrich Himmler controlled .sx In theory the SS and the SD were responsible only for the internal security of the Third Reich ; that was why Himmler also had charge of the Gestapo .sx Military intelligence as a totally separate area .sx That was the Abwehr's responsibility .sx It was the Abwehr's job to run spies in foreign countries and to collect military intelligence for the German armed forces .sx But Himmler was the most ruthlessly ambitious of Hitler's minister .sx He could never be satisfied with what he had .sx He wanted the Abwehr too .sx The rivalry between his SD and Admiral Canaris's Abwehr was an open secret .sx It was a small war within the big war .sx Oster took a little stroll around the coffin and ended up where he began .sx " I've always assumed the SD are constantly trying to penetrate us , " he said .sx " God knows they hate our guts .sx " .sx " Hate is one thing .sx Attempted murder is another , " Christian said .sx " The man the SD put into my section was on the verge of destroying my top agent in Britain , Eldorado .sx When he realised I knew what he was doing , he tried to kill me .sx In fact , he thinks he succeeded .sx " .sx " This wouldn't be Adler , would it ?sx " Oster asked .sx " Yes .sx " Christian , forgetting his stitches , scratched his head and winced .sx " How did you know , sir ?sx " .sx " Why didn't you have him arrested ?sx " .sx " I thought of it .sx Then I thought :sx No , far better to see what he does next .sx Give the SD plenty of rope and maybe they'll hang themselves , and Adler too .sx " .sx " Mmm .sx " Oster , who was an inch or two shorter , stood on tiptoe to see the injury .sx " Nasty .sx .. Well , Adler's beyond hanging , I'm afraid .sx Just after you phoned I had another signal from Madrid .sx Young Adler suffered a heart attack yesterday and passed away .sx " .sx " Heart attack ?sx " Christian said .sx " At thirty-one ?sx " .sx " He was rash and impetuous .sx Perhaps he couldn't wait .sx What's in this box ?sx " .sx " Sandbags .sx Good Spanish earth , soaked in good Spanish blood from the Civil War , I shouldn't be surprised .sx " .sx " I'll have those .sx They'll do my roses a power of good .sx " .sx Christian went to Abwehr headquarters in Oster's car , with the curtains closed .sx On the way they talked about how best to fight off the SD .sx .sx " You know , sir , " Christian said , " When I think of the sheer volume of intelligence we've been getting out of the Eldorado Network , and the shining quality , then I'm appalled the SD should try to destroy it .sx I mean , that's nothing short of treachery .sx " .sx " Himmler doesn't think so .sx Himmler thinks our existence is a kind of treachery .sx " .sx " What on earth does the man want ?sx " Christian asked .sx Occasionally a whiff of disinfectant crossed his nostrils , and the phrase 'Death in Madrid' passed through his mind like the name of some absurd new perfume .sx " The Party can't run every thing .sx " .sx " Who says ?sx It does in Russia .sx " .sx " Very badly , by all reports .sx Anyway , military intelligence is no job for a bunch of Party hacks .sx It needs imagination , flair , quick wits .sx " .sx " I wish I could say they were stupid , " Oster said .sx " That's the trouble with the SD :sx They're not at all stupid , they're bloody clever and they catch a lot of spies , real spies .sx The SD's got so many people inside the Resistance movements , they make them look like Swiss cheese .sx I've got some hard types working for me , but .sx .. " Oster sniffed .sx " Madrid isn't the only Abwehr station the SD has broken into , " he said .sx " Brussels , Brest , Oslo , Paris , Hamburg .sx We kick them out , but it never stops .sx " .sx Christian nodded .sx He didn't care what happened to Abwehr Brest .sx Only a month ago , one of his reports from Nutmeg , an Eldorado sub-agent , got mistakenly routed by teleprinter to Brest instead of to Berlin .sx Brest pinched it and claimed it as their own work .sx The SD could have Abwehr Brest , as far as Christian was concerned .sx " I'm sure Admiral Canaris gives as good as he gets , " he said .sx Oster seemed to find this simple remark very encouraging .sx He gave a smile of huge enjoyment that energised his face until he looked like a middle-aged baby in the middle of a damn good breast-feed .sx " Canaris holds a fistful of aces , " he said .sx " He knows what Hitler likes .sx Hitler likes spies , and we've got the best .sx As long as the Abwehr can tell Hitler what's happening on the other side of the hill , the Abwehr's safe , believe me .sx " .sx They drove into the basement garage of Abwehr headquarters and took the lift to the top floor .sx Oster had the keys to a spacious apartment .sx " The kitchen's well stocked , " he said .sx " Stay inside .sx And don't shave .sx I like you like that .sx Terribly tough .sx " He went out and locked the door .sx Christian made himself an omelette and drank a bottle of beer .sx He spent the afternoon on the balcony , enjoying the view and the crisp , bright weather .sx For dinner there was an excellent goulash and an apple tart .sx There was even some Spanish wine ; a tangy Rioja .sx Had Oster arranged all this specially for him ?sx Christian liked to think so .sx He went to bed , relaxed and content .sx Admiral Canaris and General Oster came in as he was having breakfast .sx " My dear Christian !sx " Canaris said .sx They shook hands .sx " Madrid sent us a signal saying you were dead .sx " He gave Christian a piece of paper .sx " You might like to have it framed .sx Hang it in the lavatory as a conversation piece .sx " .sx Christian tucked the signal into his dressing-gown pocket .sx " From now on , I plan to stay out of lavatories as much as possible , sir .sx " .sx " Very wise .sx Oster says you got brained with a bottle .sx " .sx Christian nodded .sx " Disinfectant .sx " .sx " I know exactly how you feel , only in my case it was champagne .sx " Canaris touched a small white scar above his left eye .sx " The work of a jealous husband .sx The poor man was insane with rage , which is just as well because if he had stopped to think he would have used a steak knife on me .sx " .sx " You were in a restaurant ?sx " Oster asked .sx " The Tour d'Argent , in Paris .sx Why ?sx " .sx " Oh .sx .. I just wondered who paid for the champagne , that's all .sx " .sx " Oster is enormously practical , " Canaris told Christian .sx " After I've done something he tells me whether or not it's possible , the man's invaluable , without Oster I'd be helpless .sx " He lifted the coffee pot and found it empty .sx " Who did pay ?sx " Oster asked .sx " She did .sx Famous actress , worth millions .sx Besides , I was unconscious .sx Splendid fellow , " he said as Oster carried the coffee pot into the kitchen .sx Christian was amused by the Admiral's chatter and impressed by his suit , which was grey flannel , double-breasted , sleekly tailored .sx Canaris seemed to him enviably polished and elegant , not like a sailor at all , too slim , his face too lively , his voice too rich and varied .sx He made Christian feel like a scruff ; but a favourite scruff .sx " I've been thinking about that bottle of disinfectant , " Christian said .sx " It doesn't seem quite right .sx " .sx " You're right , it doesn't .sx And I'll tell you something else .sx .. " Canaris ate a piece of sliced salami .sx " I've been thinking about the lavatory , and that seems all wrong .sx " .sx " Too public , " Christian said .sx " Far too public .sx " .sx " Unless , of course , Adler didn't plan it , he just acted spontaneously .sx Impetuously .sx " .sx " That's even worse .sx " .sx " I agree , sir .sx But I think it's what happened :sx Adler saw his chance and grabbed the nearest weapon .sx Whereas if he'd used his brains and done it properly , he'd have hit me with the marble ashtray next to the hand-basins and I wouldn't be here now .sx " .sx " Big ashtray ?sx " .sx " Like a soup bowl .sx " .sx " Ah .sx " Canaris touched the scar on his forehead with the tip of his little finger .sx " I didn't really get this from a champagne bottle , you know .sx I just said that to tease Oster .sx I fell down a companionway when I was a midshipman .sx So the question is .sx .. " Oster came in with a fresh pot of coffee .sx " What is the question , Oster ?sx " .sx " Was Adler really working for the SD , and if so why did they let him make such a hash of a simple murder , and if not who was he working for and why did they kill him , since he obviously didn't die of a heart attack ?sx " .sx " No , no , no .sx That's not the question at all .sx " Canaris took a cup of coffee and perched on the arm of a settee .sx " I mean , it might be the second , third or fourth question but it's not the first .sx The first question is why did the SD - assuming Adler was working for the SD - want Christian dead ?sx What were they hoping to achieve ?sx " .sx Christian opened his mouth to speak and then decided to eat a piece of toast instead .sx He had been going to say that Adler's purpose was to discredit the Eldorado Network , which had been his , Christian's , creation .sx But of course , Eldorado wouldn't go out of operation just because its creator died .sx Christian felt a slight flush of shame at his own vanity , and hid behind his napkin .sx " Suppose , " Oster said , " just suppose that we've been misreading the SD's motives .sx Perhaps they weren't acting from rivalry or professional jealousy , you know .sx Just knocking us down to make them look bigger .sx Perhaps they're scared of something that Eldorado is reporting .sx " .sx Canaris rolled his eyes until they looked at the ceiling .sx