The cold air outside, only a degree or so above freezing, had sobered the Russian a little. The flow of his story was arrested and Theo could not at first coax him back into his rhythm, the piston of memory driving the engine of speech.

‘Why am I telling you this?’ Nikola grumbled. ‘No one knows this. We made this plan on the spot, Henri, Vernhes and I, standing on the edge of the track. No one was listening to what we said. So I know what we agreed, but if what I say is different from what he says, then I must be wrong. I’m not French; I don’t speak French good. I’m not a communist. He’ll have two witnesses to support him, to say they heard what was said and he’s right. So I decided to say nothing. What’s the point when Henri’s dead?’

‘Wait, slow down a bit. Who’s he here? Who are we talking about?’

Nikola looked at him witheringly. ‘Him, Vernhes, the mayor, who else?’

‘He denies that you made a plan to rescue the prisoners?’

‘He doesn’t deny it. He doesn’t even acknowledge that we saw one another. After the liberation, at Henri’s funeral, he made the oration. Henri was a hero, he says. He died for France, trying to save his compatriots from the hands of the invader. He spoke to me afterwards. Henri wasn’t a soldier, he says. Pity he had to rush off to Bonnemort to get the guys back without waiting for reinforcements. If we had all attacked together that night, we might have done something. I may not speak French good, but I can tell when someone is warning me off in any language.’

He picked up the third vodka bottle and waved it at Theo, who shook his head.

‘You’re Henri’s friend. You’re high up in the Free French. You’ve got power …’

Here Theo expected a plea for help to reveal the truth and let justice prevail. Nothing of the kind.

‘You’ll want to make enquiries, demand justice. Don’t do it.’ He slapped his thigh for emphasis. ‘Don’t do it. Go back to Paris and forget about it. I’ve seen what these people, the communists, can do. I saw it in Russia, more than twenty years ago …’

‘But that was in Russia at the time of the Revolution …’

‘You mean, Russians are barbarians and it couldn’t happen here among civilised Frenchmen, who don’t denounce or torture or betray one another for the sake of politics?’ Nikola said combatively. ‘Where have you been living for the last four years? Not in France, that’s for sure. And now the communists will have their turn.’

The vodka had made him aggressive.

‘In August and September last year they were shooting prisoners, executing men from the Milice on the spot. It was only necessary for one of the comrades to accuse you and that was it.’

‘What happened to Henri?’ he asked quietly. ‘Just tell me what happened.’

Nikola looked mulish. ‘You’ve got to promise me you won’t stir things up with demands for justice.’