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Victorian novelist's plot； Mr Dragonpol。〃 ‘Maybe。 But it's true。 All of it's true； and； yes。
Yes； by some miracle he came out of the a。 He was unconscious for almost a week； I was told。
Yes； when he came out； he could hear； and he made noises。 Within a year he could speak。 Within two years he was like all other little boys。 He could read； play； get into scrapes。。 ‘ ‘Is there any supporting evidence of this？〃 ‘Yes。 Plenty。 At Schloss Drache we have letters； and our parents' diaries。 I've only briefly looked at them。
I like to live with what I can remember； but Maeve's read them。〃 ‘So； suddenly； all was changed。 You had a playmate。 Your brother。〃 ‘We had a wonderful childhood together。
Except ‘Except what？〃 This time it was Bond's turn to sound doubtful。
‘He was a little obsessive 。。。 And he was cruel。
Very cruel。〃 ‘In what way？〃 ‘Obsessive？〃 ‘If you like； that first。
‘Well； the family did not make any fuss about David and his newfound normality。 They didn't even deny the stories that he was dead。 In a way； I think my parents had some idea that he was not truly normal； even though they didn't say anything to suggest abnormality。
You see； David liked to work to a routine。 He set himself tasks； goals； and if he did not or could not meet the goal； then he would fly into terrible rages。 Later； of course； he became obsessive about being an actor。 As with everything else he had to be the best actor ever。
He could not settle for second best。 If something he did was not quite right； he would bee uncontrollable with rage。 He learned to check it in time； but in private it could be very frightening。〃 ‘So you rather played second fiddle to him？〃 M again。
‘Very much so。 He was a brilliant man。 In the end； I suppose I was the only one who really knew him。 He learned to control himself in public； and even among his peers； but never in front of me。 I suppose I became his real keeper。
Bond remembered Carmel Chantry on the previous night ‘I suppose he looks on me as a sister； and； as such； I am my brother's keeper。〃 ‘And the streak of cruelty？〃 Daniel Dragonpol let out a long sigh。 ‘Animals to start with。 He would invent the most terrible traps and snares for animals； and revel in it when he caught one birds； squirrels； sometimes a dog or cat。 They were like old…fashioned man traps。
Awful things； which caused distress and pain； but usually did not kill the creatures。〃 Another pause。
‘He would do that。 He would kill them。
‘And eventually； the animals became human beings？〃 ‘Yes； something like that。 With the traps； he became elated while he was designing them。 The actual catch was something he looked forward to。
But the killing？ Well； that seemed to be nothing。〃 ‘But； eventually； the animals became people？〃 M repeated。
‘I've told you。 Yes。〃 Sharp； on the brink of anger。 ‘Yes。 He killed people。 But that only happened recently。〃 He closed his eyes； shook his head。 Then； softly； ‘I think it was only recently。
There might have been something during the height of his success。
I know of one actor and a theatre technician who died by accident while working with him。 Those accidents could have been planned traps。
But I really believe all the rages； the obsessions； and the cruelty were mainly contained by the brilliance of his career； because he was bloody brilliant。〃 He stared about him； as though challenging them。
‘Oh； he was bloody all right。 Yes； bloody brilliant；' M snapped。
‘Your problem； Daniel； is that you knew。 You knew what he was up to； and you said nothing。 You reported nothing。〃 ‘I know。 I take full responsibility for it。 They'll probably lock me up‘And throw away the key； I hope。〃 M had bee very angry。 ‘Now tell us about his retirement from the theatre。 This time the truth。
What happened。 How it happened。 Who did what？〃 Dragonpol nodded； meekly。 ‘I believe that my brother was； in some ways； insane from birth。 Or maybe it was simply a case of what happened when he had that fall at three years old。 It brought back his hearing； loosened his vocal cords； but left him 。。。 oh； I don't know left him some kind of emotional cripple。 A very dangerous emotional cripple。〃 ‘The retirement；' M prodded。
‘In that final year I spent a lot of time with him e to that I've spent most of my life with him。 But in that last year he began to crack。 The strain of performing； even of rehearsing and learning； became too much。 By then； of course； he was channelling a lot into his dream of the theatre museum at Schloss Drache。 In the end； he did have a breakdown。 pletely。 Maeve and I nursed him。 Lester his dresser…came with him； and we brought in the two nurses： Charles and William。 Eventually； I persuaded him to stay at Schloss Drache and just work on the museum。 I don't think he even realized that he had retired from the theatre。
‘But he'd gone into a new line of business as well； hadn't he？
The assassination business。
This time the pause was even longer than before。
‘You want to tell us about your brother's penchant for organizing public executions； Daniel？ You want to tell us why you didn't even try to stop him？〃 ‘There are two sides to everything。〃 Daniel seemed to have gathered strength and was prepared to fight back。 ‘Yes。 Sure。
I'll tell you what happened； and I'll tell you how I tried to stop it。
I did everything I could。 I。。 ‘ ‘You did everything short of actually bringing it to the attention of the police； I think。〃 ‘Well； you know it all； I suppose。〃 Now he suddenly changed。 It was the third or fourth time that Bond had sensed a sudden mood swing。
They didn't break for another four hours。 M went meticulously through every suspected killing： from the February 1990 shooting of the terrorist in Madrid； the bomb blast that had killed the Scandinavian politician in Helsinki； followed by the musician whose brakes had failed outside Lisbon； right through to the series of recent deaths； ending in the murder of Laura March。
‘She was your fiancee； after all；' M thundered。
‘You must have known that he killed her； and you still didn't do anything about it。〃 ‘That was his revenge；' Daniel said quietly； he looked ready to drop with fatigue。 ‘I was shattered because Laura had called off the engagement and quite rightly； once I'd told her the truth about David。〃 ‘But she thought you were David； right？〃 from Bond。
‘Yes。 Yes； I played the part of David for most people。
Especially Laura。 He knew。 There was no doubt about that。 It was his revenge and； yes； it was the last straw。 I knew it couldn't go on after that。 I'd already made up my mind that David would have to disappear。 To tell you the truth； I was going to do away with him。
But your Captain Bond and Fraulein von Grusse suddenly turned up。
We knew he was planning something else； and。。。〃 ‘You knew what he was planning？〃 ‘A December spree。 He came here to make his arrangements and d？ a dry run。 I was sure of that。〃 ‘Tell us about it。
‘You know already。
‘All the same； we'd like to hear it again。
‘I'm pretty certain he was planning to kill Dame Kiri Te Kanawa on the stage of La Scala； then go on and do away with Arafat in Athens。
He came