Hornet Flight

Fear could paralyse. Action was the antidote.

There’s a time and place for spontaneity,

We didn’t have analytical minds, you see. We were more suited to homemaking and child-rearing. But since war broke out, women’s brains have undergone a remarkable change, and we have become capable of work that previously could only be accomplished by the masculine mentality.

Holberg and Oehlenschläger.” He recognized the names. They were both great Danish playwrights.

his naval namesake. He spoke German as a

It’s guarded by the watchman of the gods . . . Heimdal, I think his name is.

Not my usual role,’ she said,

The war is the reason for that. Before, no woman ever rose above the level of secretary-assistant in MI6. We didn’t have analytical minds, you see. We were more suited to homemaking and child-rearing. But since war broke out, women’s brains have undergone a remarkable change, and we have become capable of work that previously could only be accomplished by the masculine mentality.

Fascism blames problems on a false cause—people of other races.

might spook Harald and cause him to flee. She had to visit in person. This would be even more risky. Morlunde was a town, but on the small island of Sande every resident knew all the others. She could only hope that islanders might take her for a holidaymaker, and not look too closely. She had no better option. The full moon was five days away. She made her way to the harbour, carrying her small suitcase, and boarded the ferry. At the top of the gangway stood a German soldier and a Danish policeman. She showed her papers in the name of Agnes Ricks. The documents had already passed three inspections, but nevertheless she suffered a shiver of fear as she offered the forgeries to the two uniformed men. The policeman studied her identity card.

preocupante posibilidad de que ese día no consiguiera

—Ofrecer resistencia hubiera causado un derramamiento de sangre innecesario, y el resultado final no habría variado.

Noruega fue invadida el mismo día que Dinamarca, pero los noruegos estuvieron luchando durante dos meses. ¿No nos convierte eso en unos cobardes?

Dinamarca ha demostrado que una pérdida parcial de independencia, debida a las exigencias de la guerra, no tiene por qué conducir necesariamente a penalidades y pruebas indebidas.

había descolgado de la pared su póster favorito, una fotografía de un biplano Tiger Moth con los emblemas circulares de la RAF en sus alas.

su educación le había enseñado que actuar era preferible a quejarse.