Strange Conflict by Dennis Wheatley Read Free Book Online Page A

you’ll consider that Aron is prejudiced, but whatever beliefs he may hold about the occult, his record shows him to have an extraordinarily astute—in fact, I might say brilliant—brain, and I personally vouch for his integrity. You can speak in front of him with perfect confidence that nothing you say will go outside these four walls, and I think it would be an excellent idea if you put up to him the proposition that you put up to me just after dinner.’
    â€˜Very well,’ Sir Pellinore agreed, and he gave Simon a brief outline of the grave position regarding Britain’s shipping losses.
    When he had done, Simon proceeded to embroider the subject in a quick spate of words during which he quoted accurate figures and cases in which convoys had suffered severely.
    â€˜Wait a moment, young feller,’ Sir Pellinore exclaimed. ‘How d’you know all this? It’s supposed to be highly secret.’
    Simon grinned. ‘Of course. And I wouldn’t dream of mentioning figures to an outsider, but it’s partly my job to know these things. Got to, because they affect the markets and, er—the Government aren’t the only people who have an Intelligence Service, you know. It’s never occurred to me before, but the transmission of information by occult means is definitely possible. Shouldn’t be a bit surprised if that’s the explanation of the leakage. Anyhow, I think the Duke’s idea ought to be investigated.’
    Sir Pellinore glanced at the Duke. ‘How would you set about such an investigation?’
    â€˜I should need to be put in touch with all the people atthe Admiralty who are in the secret as to the route each convoy is to take. Then I should go out at night to cover them when they leave their bodies in sleep, to see if I could find the person who is communicating with the enemy.’
    â€˜Are you seriously suggesting that your spirit could shadow theirs on the—er—astral plane?’
    â€˜That’s the idea. I see no other way in which one could attempt to solve such a mystery. It would be a long job, too, if there are many people in the secret.’
    â€˜And damnably dangerous,’ added Simon.
    â€˜Why?’ Sir Pellinore inquired.
    â€˜Because whoever is giving the information away might find out what I was up to,’ replied the Duke, ‘and would then stick at nothing to stop me.’
    â€˜How?’
    â€˜When a spirit goes out from a body that is asleep, as long as life continues in the body the spirit is attached to it by a tenuously thin cord of silver light which is capable of stretching to any distance. The cord acts as a telephone wire, and that is how, if sudden danger threatens the body, it is able to recall the spirit to animate it. But if that silver cord is once severed the body dies—in fact, that is what has actually happened when people are said to have died in their sleep. If my intentions are discovered the Powers of Darkness will do their damn’dest to break the silver cord that links my spirit with my body, so that I can never get back to it and report the result of my investigations to you.’
    The elderly Baronet had considerable difficulty in keeping open disbelief out of his voice as he grunted: ‘So even the spirits go in for murder, eh?’
    â€˜Certainly. The eternal fight between Good and Evil rages just as fiercely on the astral plane as it does here; only the weapons used are much more terrible, and if one comes into conflict with one of the entities of the Outer Circle one’s soul may sustain grievous harm which is infinitely worse than the mere loss of a body.’
    Sir Pellinore glanced at the clock and stood up. ‘Well,’ he said, with his genial bluffness, ‘it’s been a most interesting evening—thoroughly enjoyed myself—but I must be getting along.’
    â€˜No, no,’ said the Duke. ‘I can see that you still think