The Alice Network

After smashing Eve’s knuckles, René ties her to a chair so that he can interrogate her. René is determined to ferret out the name of the head of Eve’s spy ring because he needs to remain on good terms with the Germans. Over the course of the next day, René systematically smashes every finger joint in both of Eve’s hands, but she still refuses to talk. He forces her to swallow some brandy that has been laced with opium, which makes her hallucinate. In her delirium, Eve begins babbling incoherently.

Just before the Germans arrive to take her to prison, René tells Eve that while she was in a drugged state, she gave him Lili’s real name and all her aliases. Eve is overcome with remorse: “There were not enough tears in the world for her shame and her horror. She was a Judas; she had betrayed her best friend in all the world to her worst enemy in all the world” (372).

Charlie and Finn listen as Eve recounts the story of her capture. Having heard the old woman’s ghastly tale of torture and betrayal, Finn and Charlie are speechless. Eve then reveals that Charlie, too, may have a reason for seeking vengeance against René.