Free The Vatican Pimpernel by Brian Fleming

the Monsignor noticed that a patch of light was shining in and quickly realised that a coal delivery was under way. The coal was being delivered from outside the house through a trapdoor directly into the cellar. Having been distracted by the activities of the Germans, the coalmen had paused in their delivery, enabling the Monsignor to climb up the pile of coal and carefully look out to assess the situation. He saw that the two coalmen were standing by the lorry and approximately two dozen of the Gestapo were about to enter the Palazzo. He managed to pull in an empty coal sack that was lying on the ground and he slid back down onto the floor. He took off his clerical outer garments, stripped down to his trousers and vest and covered himself in coal dust. Just then, one of the German officers shouted to the coalmen to complete the delivery. As one of the coalmen approached the trapdoor, the Monsignor decided to gamble on his goodwill and, attracting his attention, advised him that he was a priest who was being followed by the Gestapo. Luckily for him, the coalman agreed to assist and came down into the cellar, allowing O’Flaherty to make the return journey towards the lorry in his place. The Monsignor had on his back a coal sack containing his outer clerical garments. Presumably any SS man looking at the situation assumed he was the coalman bringing back empty sacks to the lorry. O’Flaherty managed to walk past the Gestapo, go to the lorry and then beyond and make his escape. The sacristan of a nearby church was surprised when a coalman arrived, announcing himself as a priest. However, he quickly accepted this as genuine. O’Flaherty cleaned himself up, changed into his normal clothing and headed back to the Vatican. His extensive knowledge of the back streets of Rome, which later enabled him to write a guide to the Eternal City, surely came to his assistance. We can assume that the walk which normally would take about thirty minutes was completed in far less time. Several hours later, the Prince’s phone rang and he was surprised to hear the Monsignor at the other end.
    â€˜I am back home, are you well, me boy?’ O’Flaherty said softly. ‘Fine, now’, replied Prince Doria. ‘Some day you must tell me how you did it. I am afraid Colonel Kappler is a very angry man. He spent two hours here and he did say that if I happened to see you, I was to say that one of these days he will be entertaining you …’ 3
    This very near miss led to the Council of Three taking a slightly different approach from then on, with O’Flaherty making fewer visits out through the streets of Rome and people being encouraged to come and see him, rather than vice versa. Now O’Flaherty spent evenings at the top of the steps to the Basilica saying his prayers, of course, as he was obliged to, but also being available to those who might need assistance. It was a very strategic position to take from a number of points of view. On a practical level, it would be quite easy for his colleagues and helpers to direct those in need of assistance to him as the location was prominent and O’Flaherty himself was a man of fairly distinctive features and was six foot two inches tall. In this location also, he could be observed by the German officers on duty at the boundary between Rome and the Vatican. This boundary was indicated by a white line painted along the ground linking the end of the two arms of Bernini’s Colonnades. At the same time, the Swiss Guards on duty at their station at the Arco delle Campane were just a few yards from him. They were aware that the authorities were very anxious to get their hands on O’Flaherty and that if they did he would never be seen again. There was always the possibility that the Germans would cross the boundary in an effort to catch him and the Swiss Guard were on the alert to stop any such endeavour. Finally and most interestingly, O’Flaherty in this