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He walked to his own room and checked the forty…five in the drawer。 It was loaded with one clip； and there were two spare clips。 He returned the gun to the drawer and went back downstairs。
The German sat holding the scorpion paperweight； a whorl of blue cigarette smoke around his head。 When Moore came back into the room he put the object on a table beside his chair。 Moore paid no attention to him； but poured himself a shot of rum and took a long swallow。 With the afternoon sun hidden behind clouds； the light was a pale gray； though the room was dim and cobwebbed with shadows； he made no move to turn on a lamp。
〃So；〃 Moore began； finally turning to him。 〃What's your business？〃
Schiller exhaled a stream of smoke。 〃The U…boat。〃
〃I thought as much。〃
The German reached inside a shirt pocket and offered the newspaper clipping。 Moore looked at it briefly。 〃That woman。。。 Dr。 Thornton。。。 is a marine archaeologist here to take a look at the boat too。 I don't know what interest you might have in the thing； but aside from the historic value it's a worthless hulk。 I wish to God I'd never found the damned thing。。。〃 His voice trailed off； and he took another drink from his glass。
〃And you've been inside？〃
〃Yes。〃
Schiller sat back； sighed； pulled from his cigarette。 〃How much remains？〃 he asked in a strange； distant voice。
Moore examined him： white hair； sharp nose and chin； high cheekbones； weary； tormented eyes； deep lines across the forehead。 Representative of a salvage firm； perhaps； sent from Jamaica to appraise the hulk as scrap iron？ No。 He was German； and that was too much of a coincidence。 〃Not enough for salvage；〃 Moore said； testing him。
A thin smile crept across the man's face； then quickly faded。 〃Salvage？ No。 I don't care about salvage； I would think she's beyond that by now。 It's incredible； you know。 I thought by now the sea would have broken her into pieces； that there would be nothing left at all。〃 He raised his eyes to meet Moore's。 〃It's true； then； just as the paper said。〃 It was a statement； not a question。
Moore sat where he could see the man's face。 〃It's true。〃
The German raised the paperweight again； Moore saw that his hand was trembling slightly。 Schiller turned it in his grasp； running a finger along its smooth surface。 〃In 1942；〃 he said； 〃I was a seaman in the German navy。 I was aboard U…198 when she was attacked and sunk by British subchasers out beyond your island。〃
Moore leaned forward； his expression frozen。
〃Yes；〃 Schiller said。 His gaze was hard； the eyes； like bits of glass； focused on a spot at Moore's forehead。 〃I was the only survivor。 All the others。。。 except one。。。 went down with the boat； and that man who didn't was burned to death in a spillage of flaming oil。 I called for him。。。 I tried to find him but the sea was littered with bodies。 The air stunk of smoke and crisped flesh。 My boat was gone； it had dropped out from underneath me。 Oh yes； I would have done the same had I been the mander。 There wasn't time you see。 And then I was left alone with the noise of shelling and alarms and screaming。。。〃 He caught himself； his eyes softened a fraction and he stabbed the cigarette out in an ashtray。 〃Forgive me；〃 he said。 〃I didn't mean to go into that。〃
〃No；〃 Moore said； still stunned。 〃I understand。 But how is it you came to be on Jamaica？〃
Schiller absentmindedly wiped his lips with the back of his hand； it was a habit he had kept over the years。 All the men who held bridge watch on U…boats had done it to varying degrees； wiping away salt crust as the sea spray thundered against the iron bulwark； again and again； a hundred thousand times a day。 Another link with the dead； he realized； touching his mouth。 〃I live on Jamaica now；〃 Schiller said。 〃I came back in the late fifties to teach history and the German language at the University of the West Indies at Mona。 At least that's what I first told myself。 I think perhaps I really returned to the Caribbean because of the boat。〃
Moore waited for him to continue； but when Schiller was silent he asked； 〃The boat？ Why？〃
〃Because；〃 Schiller said； with an effort； 〃as long as I shall live I will be a crewman。。。 the last crewman of that boat。〃 He felt along the sides of the paperweight again and then put it down。 〃I was never a loyal patriot to the Nazi cause； and perhaps I realized all along that Hitler was driving our country to utter ruin。 But for a brief instant of history。。。 a very brief instant。。。 we were glorious； like a flame burning itself into oblivion。 That I will never forget。〃
The room was still； there was a steady drone of insects outside； and the breeze sang through the screen door mesh in a soft whisper。 〃I don't believe you've told me your name；〃 Schiller said。
〃David Moore；〃 the other man told him； putting the glass of rum down and getting to his feet。 He switched on a lamp； in the sudden light the German looked more aged than he was。 His eyes were filled with memories。
〃I would very much like a drink；〃 Schiller said。 〃Sometimes I need it； you know。〃
〃Yes。 Me too。〃 Moore poured rum into another glass and gave it to the man。
Schiller took it gratefully； sipped at it； and then listened to the song of the insects。 He stood up； went to the door； and stared out across the darkening harbor。 〃A beautiful island；〃 he said after another moment。 He did not turn back toward Moore。 〃You do know that my U…boat almost destroyed it？〃
〃Yes； I do。〃
〃Do you。。。 feel any bitterness？〃
〃Some would。〃
Schiller nodded。 〃An honest answer。 This island lay within our patrol grid； you see； and we were ordered to shell the naval yards。 We knew the British were repairing some of their ships there。。。 and； well； it was war。。。〃
Moore sat down again； watching the man。
〃I remember。。。〃 Schiller said quietly； 〃I stood on the bridge during the first shelling； and I counted the explosions on shore。 I felt so distant and detached from what was happening。 I knew we were destroying human beings； yes； but still。。。 they were the enemy。 On that particular night the subchasers didn't e； and the shelling seemed to go on for hours。 Oh； there were shore batteries firing back； but we lay beyond their range； and we watched the flames grow against the night like wild red flowers on a field of black velvet。 The mander observed through his binoculars； and after he ordered cease fire； when the echoes of the deck gun had finally all died away； we could hear the screaming。。。〃 Schiller was quiet for a long time； Moore stared at him。 〃When the mander was satisfied； we continued our patrol。〃
〃And you never felt remorse over something like that？〃 Moore asked。
Schiller turned toward him； his brow furrowed； as if pondering a question he couldn't fully understand。 〃It was my duty；〃 he said。 〃But be assured I paid for it； yes； and many times again。 We returned to the area some days later； the mander suspected work had been done to repair the yards； and he wished to shell them again； before the work could be pleted。 Some distance from your island the watch sighted a ship； moving slowly just ahead； we submerged and tracked it for some time。 It was a freighter。 We