The Quality of Mercy by David Roberts Page A

heard I was trying to become a German citizen and, if this were true, I could not remain a member of the Council. I tried in vain to persuade her that, though I spent a lot of time in Germany, I had no plans to take German citizenship. The old bat had it in for me from the beginning,’ she ended sulkily, ‘so I had to resign. My friend Putzi, Herr Braken – Stuart knows who I mean – said it was sheer jealousy, nothing more.’
    Verity was surprised to find that Rose was on familiar terms not only with Unity but also with this other Nazi whom she had heard Edward mention. She bit her tongue and said nothing.
    Rose opened his mouth to say something but seemed to think better of it.
    Unity continued to lecture the dinner table. ‘I gather you were in Vienna, Miss Browne, when Herr Hitler entered the city. Wasn’t it the most wonderful day? I was there with my friend Mrs Cochrane-Baillie. I was heartbroken that I did not see mein Führer when he arrived at his birthplace, Linz. I believe it was most affecting. You know he’s going to make it the capital of the new province? He told me so himself. I strained my voice shouting for that great man outside the Imperial. We cried, “ Was! Ihr beide hier! ” as we did when he occupied the Rhineland. He is a great patriot, is he not, Miss Browne? I was allowed ten minutes with him after he appeared on the balcony – an interview I shall never forget.’
    Unity spoke affectedly, hoping for a reaction. Verity knew she ought not to respond but was, in the end, unable to restrain herself.
    ‘I’m afraid, Miss Mitford, that I cannot share your enthusiasm for seeing a country raped and good men thrown into concentration camps.’
    Unity pretended to look surprised. ‘Oh, but that’s nonsense. You must have seen! The Austrians are happy and full of hope at being united with the mother country. How can you call it rape when I witnessed, as I am sure you did, the people going mad with joy shouting “ Heil Hitler! Anschluss ” at the top of their voices and waving swastika flags. Did you see, when night fell, the bonfires in the shape of swastikas on the hills round the city? It was inspiring.’
    ‘And were the Jews cheering too?’ Verity inquired coldly.
    ‘The Jews, the Communists . . . who cares about them? Oh, but of course,’ she smiled sweetly, revealing her bad teeth and opening wide her baleful blue eyes, ‘I forgot that you and Stuart share my sister’s sympathies for those evil people.’
    Before Verity could reply, Churchill broke in.
    ‘My friend Georg Franckenstein, the Austrian Ambassador, tells me that just thirty-five per cent of the population supported Anschluss. He tells me that there are great numbers of Austrians who are vigorously opposed to having a regime forced upon them which is alien in aims and methods to their traditions. Why else did Hitler forbid the plebiscite which would have shown the level of support he had? I consider Hitler’s rape – yes, I too use that word – his rape of Austria a dastardly outrage. Tens of thousands of liberals, democrats, socialists and Jews will now try to leave the country and I very much fear that many of them will not succeed. Their fate can only be imagined.’
    Churchill pugnaciously leant across the table like an old bulldog whose snarl could easily become something worse but Unity seemed unperturbed. Stuart Rose tried to lighten the atmosphere by asking Unity about her painting. ‘I remember particularly a picture of yours of Hannibal crossing the Alps – most striking. You had an exhibition at the Brook Street Gallery, did you not?’
    ‘Oh, I have no time for that now,’ Unity said brusquely, ‘but I have started on a portrait of the Führer . . .’
    Unity Mitford was so much of a monster that Verity could not feel her own dislike of Churchill as she might have done in other company. What was more, he asked her intelligent questions about the situation in Austria and, which was even more