1984
Chapter 3
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.