Tatiana and Alexander: A Novel(177)

"What did the general say about Sachsenhausen?" Martin said. "You're forgetting to translate. Maybe we should get an interpreter."

"He was telling me where I'm needed most," Tatiana said, with an effort getting up out of her chair and standing on her unsteady legs. Her mouth was dry. "We would appreciate directions to the camps, sir. Maybe a relief map of the area, just in case? Will you please telegraph them to let them know we're coming? We will telegraph Hamburg for more Red Cross convoys to come to Berlin. We will get enough kits and food into your camps, we promise. It won't correct all the ills, but it will be something, it will be better."

They all shook hands. Stepanov nodded to Tatiana. "Go soon," he said. "The Russian prisoners are doing very poorly. They've been getting transferred to the Kolyma camps over the last several months. You may already be too late for them."

As they were leaving, Tatiana turned around one last time to glance at Stepanov, who was once again Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

standing stiffly beside his desk. He raised his hand. "You're not safe," he said. "You're on the class enemies number one list. I'm not safe. And he is not safe most of all."

"What did he say?" asked Martin as they left.

"Nothing."

"Oh, it's ridiculous! Governor." He turned to Bishop. "Nurse Barrington is obviously keeping important information from us."

"Dr. Flanagan," said Bishop, "you obviously don't speak another language. Whenever you translate, you translate only the salient points."

"I have certainly done that," said Tatiana. When they got outside, she had to sit down on a hunk of mortar that was lying near what used to be an esthetically pleasing fountain.

Bishop came over and perched next to her. "He said the wordvrag to you as we were leaving. I know that means enemy. What was he saying?"

Tatiana had to take a number of breaths before she could find her composed voice. Quietly she said, "He told us the Soviet army regards us--the Americans--as the enemy. Nothing we can do about that. I didn't want to say that out loud. The doctor"--she nodded in Martin's direction--"is weak-stomached as it is."

The governor smiled. "Understood." He patted her arm, looking at her with approval. "Not like you?" They walked back to Penny and Martin.

"Governor," said Martin, "do you think we should go to Sachsenhausen?"

"I don't see how it can be avoided, Doctor. That's what you came here for. Your nurse here got him to agree to let us into the camps. How did you do it, Nurse Barrington? That's a huge breakthrough for the Red Cross efforts. I will telegraph Hamburg immediately, ask them to send another forty thousand kits."

"Wait, Tania," said Penny, "I want you to explain how you took hold of a Soviet general's hand, got him to let us into the work camps, and not have him call the secret police on you?"

"I am a nurse," said Tatiana. "I touch them all."

"You shouldn't be getting so friendly with the Soviets," said Martin censoriously. "Remember we're neutral."

"Neutral does not imply indifferent, Martin," said Tatiana. "Neutral does not mean unhelpful, uncomforting. Neutral means we do not take sides."

"Not in your professional life," said the governor. "But Nurse Barrington, the Soviets are barbarous. Do you know that they closed off Berlin for eight days after the German surrender? Closed it off to our armies. For eight days! No one could get in. What do you think they were doing here?"

"I don't want to guess," she said. Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

"Raping young women like you. Killing men like Dr. Flanagan. Pillaging every house still standing. Burning Berlin."

"Yes. Have you seen what the Germans did to Russia?"

"Ah," said Martin. "I thought we did not take sides, Nurse Barrington?"

"Or the enemy's hands," said Penny.

"He was not the enemy," Tatiana said, and turned away from the others so they wouldn't see her cry.

CHAPTER FORTY

Sachsenhausen, June 1946

MARTIN WANTED TO STARTthe next day. Tatiana said no. They were going immediately. They were getting into their jeep and driving. Immediately.

Martin had a hundred reasons why they should wait until tomorrow. Stepanov's telegraph wire would not have reached the camps yet. They could wait for more Red Cross jeeps and go as a true convoy, the way the Red Cross entered Buchenwald after the war ended. They could have more support. They could go via the hospitals in Berlin itself to see if they needed help. They could have some lunch. The military governor invited them to lunch and was going to introduce them to the generals of the U.S. Marines stationed in Berlin. Tatiana was listening while making them sandwiches and taking all their belongings into the jeep. Then she took Martin's keys, unlocked the doors, pointed to the wheel and said, "Tell me everything, but tell me on the way. Should I drive, or do you want to?"

"Nurse! Have you not been listening to a word I was saying?"

"I've been listening very carefully. You said you were hungry. I have sandwiches for you. You said you wanted to meet a general. You will meet the commandant of the largest concentration camp in Germany in just over an hour if we hurry and don't get lost." Sachsenhausen was about twenty-five miles north of Berlin.