A Favourite Scene

    “Mopping up operations Number 6?”
    Number 2 enters 6 Private looking for the Professor’s tape recorder, and has an operative with a metal detector who sweeps Number 6 and then his cottage. Number 2 believes Number 6 took a stroll along the beach, what beach might that be? The poor old Professor has lost his tape recorder with all his notes on it, Number 6 didn’t see it of course. It was about such and such size, that big was it? The Professor is rather worried about it, or so Number 2 says. Number 6 suggests Number 2 gets his man to look in the wardrobe, but there’s nothing there but Number 6’s own suit and his other piped blazer!
   Number 2 has an air of confidence about him, which is surprising after his poor result of ‘A B and C.’
   “Tell me, are you still as keen as ever to leave us?”

    “Any more questions?”
    “I was thinking that a compromise could be arranged in exchange for the recorder.”
    “I wonder who has it?”
    “Enjoy the lecture?”
    “What lecture?”
    “It’s a great experiment Number Six, you can learn a lot.”
    “History’s not my subject.”
    “Isn’t it? When was the treaty of Adrianople?”
    “September eighteen twenty-nine.”
    “What happened in eighteen-thirty?”
    “Greek independence was assured and guaranteed.”
    “By whom?”
    “Russia, France, Britain.”
    “Who was Bismarck’s ally against the Danish Prince of Glucksburg?”
    “Frederick of Austenburg he like the German Bundestag had never accepted the treaty of London in eighteen fifty-two. Bismarck wanted war but he wanted it waged by Prussia, Austria in alliance and not by the whole German bunt. He realized that a successful war against the Danes in eighteen sixty-four would serve the same purpose as Cavour of Italy’s entrance into the Crimean war…..all together now….namely that it would indicate future leadership and would at the same time raise Prussia’s prestige.”
    “Very good, ten out of ten. Don’t underestimate yourself Number Six….and don’t underestimate me.”
    So Speed Learn would have created a field of cabbages, knowledgeable cabbages, all repeating the same answers to the same questions word for word! Hence to destroy man’s creative learning, along with the right to make mistakes. A confident Number 2, who has confidence in both the Professor and the General to deliver Speed Learn. He told Number 6 not to underestimate himself, and not to underestimate him, but he underestimated Number 6 for a second time. One would have thought he would have learned his lesson the first time, but then this is the first time these two meet, if you don’t go by the screening order!

Be seeing you