As
he spoke, she walked to the table, helped herself to a cigarette from
Brian's silver case which lay open, and asked its owner for a light. It
struck me that she did not realize his blindness.
Certainly the young woman did not "need taking care of." Nor did I!
Deliberately I turned my back upon the man; but he snatched at the end
of a scarf I wore. "No one's looking," he said. "Take this--for your own
sake." And he thrust into a little outside pocket of my dress a folded
bit of paper. Then he let me go, stepping back to prevent my returning
the note.
For a second I hesitated, not knowing which of two evils to choose; but
the woman who hesitates is inevitably lost. Before I could make up my
mind, the door opened and the landlord appeared, apologizing for the
raid as if it had been an accident of his kitchen. We must have no fear.
All danger was over. The avion--only one!--had been chased out of our
neighbourhood. The noise we heard now was merely shrapnel fired by
anti-aircraft guns. We would not be disturbed again, that he'd guarantee
from his experience!
Mrs. Beckett emerged from her husband's coat. Mr. Beckett laughed, and
patting his wife's shoulder, complimented her courage. "I'm not sure we
haven't behaved pretty well for our first air raid," he said. "The rest
of you were fine! But I suppose even you ladies have seen some of these
shows before? As for you, Brian, my boy, you're a soldier. What we've
been through must seem a summer shower to you.
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