V for Vengeance Read Online Free Page A

rest made to follow.
    â€˜Stand back!’ shouted Georges. ‘Stand back, or I fire!’
    Uncle Luc was a tall, fair man with a narrow head; he wore a bowler hat and pince-nez. He waved his hands vaguely in protest.
    â€˜Georges, my boy: please do not do anything foolish. Put away that gun. It is not permitted for French citizens to carry arms any more in Paris; but do not be afraid. The officer here and his men only wish to question you.’
    The blood had drained from Madeleine’s face. She, stared at the elderly mayor for a second. Suddenly she burst out:
    â€˜You brought them here! How could you? How could you?’
    He shrugged and waved his hands again. ‘
Ma chère
Madeleine, please do not excite yourself. There is no cause for that. They do not mean to do Georges any harm.’
    â€˜Oh, how—how could you!’ she repeated, choking on her words as her terrified glance took in the armed Germans grouped in the tiny hall and Georges standing tense with his pistol levelled. But the Mayor of Batignolles seemed to have no appreciation of the heinousness of his act, and replied quite calmly:
    â€˜They called at my house in search of him, and they insisted that I should take them to various places where he might be. No one is more conscious than myself of the unpleasantness of such duties, but in my official position I had no option.’
    â€˜So you’ve already gone over to the enemy,’ Georges’ voice held a bitter sneer. ‘I thought you would, but not quite so soon or so openly.’
    â€˜My boy, you are overwrought by our misfortunes and have lost your sense of proportion.’ Uncle Luc drew himself up and went on with unctuous pomposity: ‘We have defended our country to the best of our ability. That we have suffered defeat is no fault of ours, and it behoves us all now to cooperate with the invader for the sake of keeping order. We must accept our defeat with calm and dignity. Yes, calm and dignity—that must be our watchword in this tragic hour. Come, Georges, be sensible and put down that pistol.’
    The German officer, a Schwartz Korps major, was standing just behind Luc Ferrière. He was a blue-chinned, knobbly-faced man, and in his hand he held an automatic, but he addressed Georges in stilted French politely and even in a friendly tone.
    â€˜
Monsieur
, the advice which your uncle gives you is excellent. I beg of you not to make our duty more unpleasant than it need be. My orders are to bring you in for questioning. If you will come with us you will have nothing to fear. Put your weapon on the table behind you, please.’
    Madeleine’s heart was beating so fast that her breath came in little gasps. What would Georges do? He had said so definitely that if the Germans once caught him they would shoot him. Knowing that, would he surrender and allow himself to be taken away, or would he make a fight for his life here and now? If he did, how could she help him? The four S.S. men were all armed and one of them had a tommy-gun resting on his hip.
    â€˜Come now,’ said the major. ‘We waste time.’
    Georges moved his pistol slightly to cover the man who held the tommy-gun, since the officer was partly protected by the fact that he was standing just behind Uncle Luc.
    The major spoke again: ‘I do not wish to take harshmeasures, but I shall have to do so if you refuse to obey me.’
    â€˜If you only want to question me you can do so here,’ Georges said abruptly.
    â€˜That will not do,’ the officer signed to his men, and the fellow with the tommy-gun took a step forward.
    â€˜Halt, or I fire!’ cried Georges, and his voice now rang with menacing determination.
    There was a moment of tense silence, then it was broken by Madame Lavallière’s shrill tones as she cried from her bedroom:
    â€˜What is it, Madeleine? What is happening out there?’
    Instinctively they all looked towards her bedroom