1984

           Sheflungherselfintohisarms,kissedhimalmostviolently,andamomentlaterpushedherwaythroughthesaplingsanddisappearedintothewoodwithverylittlenoise. Evennowhehadnotfoundouthersurnameorheraddress. However,itmadenodifference,foritwasinconceivablethattheycouldevermeetindoorsorexchangeanykindofwrittencommunication. 

           Asithappened,theyneverwentbacktotheclearinginthewood. DuringthemonthofMaytherewasonlyonefurtheroccasiononwhichtheyactuallysucceededinmakinglove. Thatwasinanotherhiding-placeknowntoJulia,thebelfryofaruinouschurchinanalmost-desertedstretchofcountrywhereanatomicbombhadfallenthirtyyearsearlier. Itwasagoodhiding-placewhenonceyougotthere,butthegettingtherewasverydangerous. Fortheresttheycouldmeetonlyinthestreets,inadifferentplaceeveryeveningandneverformorethanhalfanhouratatime. Inthestreetitwasusuallypossibletotalk,afterafashion. Astheydrifteddownthecrowdedpavements,notquiteabreastandneverlookingatoneanother,theycarriedonacurious,intermittentconversationwhichflickedonandofflikethebeamsofalighthouse, suddenlynippedintosilencebytheapproachofaPartyuniformortheproximityofatelescreen,thentakenupagainminuteslaterinthemiddleofasentence,thenabruptlycutshortastheypartedattheagreedspot,thencontinuedalmostwithoutintroductiononthefollowingday. Juliaappearedtobequiteusedtothiskindofconversation,whichshecalled‘talkingbyinstalments’. Shewasalsosurprisinglyadeptatspeakingwithoutmovingherlips. Justonceinalmostamonthofnightlymeetingstheymanagedtoexchangeakiss.