‘Of course. It is two doors away along the corridor.’

‘Thank you. My captors have no idea how hard this imprisonment is for me. I am at the edge of despair.’

‘I’m sorry about that. In other circumstances, I would suggest we adjourn this meeting until a later date, but I am on a tight schedule.’

‘That is all right, Professor – I would much rather be here with you than in my cell at Latchmere House. I think I should be in a hospital, not a prison.’

‘What are the rations like?’

‘Not good.’

Wilde nodded. ‘OK, well, if you answer my questions faithfully, I’ll go easy on you today – and I’ll have some good food brought for your lunch. That might help to build you up a bit.’

‘Thank you, sir.’

‘So tell me – Hitler?’

‘I believe he is dead.’

‘What makes you say that?’

‘It was announced. He died in the bunker.’

‘Perhaps that was a carefully constructed lie. If Hitler was escaping somewhere it would be in his interests to make out he had killed himself.’ Wilde handed his clean white handkerchief to Schellenberg, who thanked him and mopped his brow.

‘Yes, it would be in his interests, but I sincerely hope he is dead. The world has surely had enough of him.’

‘You swore allegiance to the man.’

‘Like millions of others. But I was a young fool, only twenty-two when I enlisted in the SS, and I was carried along on a wave. Which among us can claim to have made no errors at such an age?’

Wilde watched the man. He seemed genuine enough, like a puppy keen to please its new master. And yet his hands moved constantly, just below the table. His voice had a curious metallic tone and his English, though good, was stiff.

‘I would not call complicity in mass murder a mere error,’ Wilde said.

‘Professor Wilde, please. I joined the party because I needed the money. My family was not rich. Anyway, I was no more than an office boy when those terrible decisions were being made. Yes, I rose to great power by the end of the war. But by then the worst of the damage had already been done by other men. Talk to Count Bernadotte, if you wish. You know the Swedish diplomat? He will tell you I was instrumental in negotiating for the lives of thousands of Jews.’

‘I’m not here to talk about that.’

‘No, no, of course not. You want to talk about Hitler. Well, hopefully he has gone to the devil, his maker.’ Suddenly, the German grinned. ‘Would you not prefer to talk about Coco Chanel? Many people seem intrigued by my love affair with darling Coco.’

Wilde sighed and allowed the man a conspiratorial smile. ‘I’m sure it’s a fascinating story, but perhaps some other time.’

‘Our affair lasted two years. Did you know that? Of course, she was a little old for me, but she was still beautiful. Perhaps you think it ungentlemanly of me to draw comparisons between our ages . . .’