s you like, but I am not going to sign those
papers."

My determination provoked another animated discussion. Finally another
pile was pushed towards me, I could not curb a start. It was my defence
written throughout in English, and had undoubtedly been written
simultaneously with the German version. I eyed the Clerk of the Court
narrowly and he returned the gaze just as keenly.

I ran through the depositions. They were perfect. Picking up the pen I
signed my name without hesitation. The signature was inspected, and then
the original German papers were once more presented with the invitation
to sign. Again, I refused.

"But," expostulated the Chairman, "this is a literal German translation
from the English which you have signed!"

"So it may be, but the fact remains that I don't understand German," I
retorted.

Another storm burst, but the Tribunal saw that it was impossible to
shake my resolution. There was another brief discussion. Then the
Chairman turned to one of his colleagues, and in a despairing voice
asked, "Can you suggest a way out of the difficulty?"

"Yes!" I interrupted. "Give the interpreter the German and me the
English copy. Let him translate from the German and I will compare with
the English version."

The offer was accepted, but now another hitch arose. The interpreter
said he did not think he could read off the translation from the German
right away--at least, it would take time.

The Court was in a quandary. Seeing that this unexpected obstacle was
likely to prejudice my position I grabbed the English text and thrust
the German copy into my interpreter's hands. Telling him to go ahead I
remarked that we could make something out of it. We wrestled with the
translation, although it was a slow and tedious operation, but at last
we finished the task. The German depositions being quite in order, and
fairly translated I signed the papers without further ado.

Now I thought the ordeal was over, but it was not. Picking up my signed
depositions the Chairman proceeded to re-examine me on my defence. He
started from the moment I arrived at Flushing and traced my movements,
minute by minute, to Berlin, followed what I did in the capital between
1.30 a.m. the hour of my arrival and 1.13 p.m. the time of my departure.
The manner in which my movements had been dogged was astonishing and I
recalled the individual whom I had noticed shadowing me in the city. I
saw at once that everything turned upon the