“But, Excellence, Treitschke says regarding retreat——”
“There will be no retreat. At [MFunya] MPopo’s is the idol, the fetish. We destroy it and they’re done!” He brought down his fist with a crash on the table. “Faith unites a people; in unity is strength. Break the faith and you’ve broken the people.”
“But, Excellence!” exclaimed the Lutheran sergeant, aghast.
Zu Pfeiffer’s blue eyes hardened.
“Understand, you fool, these are savages. You have an abstract deity—which you cannot break in the concrete—obviously: they have a concrete god which we can and shall smash.”
“Excellence, you are right,” said the sergeant humbly.
Zu Pfeiffer flicked cigar ash from his sleeve and lolled back.
“Those are your orders. Commandeer the necessary canoes and notify Ludwig to have the men in [pg 15] readiness for the full moon. Work out the details and give them to me to-morrow.”
“Ja, Excellence.” Schultz stood to attention. “But, Excellence, this creature——”
Zu Pfeiffer glanced casually at Sakamata.