Secret and Urgent - The Story of Codes and Ciphers. Anon

a big inn with a courtyard, in the center of which stood a well. This well the Italians wired for sound, concealing a microphone under the curbing and carrying wires down through the water and underground to a point where they could be led across to the side of the river in their possession. The inn they left intact; it was an obvious spot for an Austrian headquarters, and sure enough a divisional staff established itself there.

      Unfortunately the conversations picked up by the microphone were not rich in information. But the device worked beautifully as far as audibility went, and the Italians turned it to use by sending through the Austrian lines one of their best spies, a girl named Rosita, who was a clever singer and an accomplished guitarist. She established herself in the town with the inn and well, and every night came to the courtyard to entertain the Austrian divisional staff with improvised ditties, into which were woven amusing little comments on each division and regiment that arrived in line, with personal chatter about its officers.

      Naturally, these songs also formed a convenient code by means of which she was telling her countrymen through the microphone, the name, location and characteristics of every Austrian unit facing them. In a cryptographic sense the thing is possible but very difficult; Rosita would have had to be extraordinarily clever to get that much information into her songs without arousing suspicion. But it is certain that the Italians were particularly well informed as to the enemy order of battle before they launched their troops in the great offensive of Vittorio Veneto that broke Austria and drove her out of the war.

* I acquired, moreover,

      A pretty mistress

      Dreaming of wine without water,

      And unadulterated booze,

      Stockings, fine shoes,

      A lace-covered waist,

      A feathered hat.

* See notes at back.