207 5 Connecting and at night you can sit in front of a logfire and drink a little brandy. Most of the tourists have gone, and the roads are quiet and almost deserted. Yes, October is the best time.’ She was silent. I wondered if my words had touched her, or whether she thought me a romantic fool. Then I made a mistake. ‘What is it like outside?’ I asked. She seemed to find nothing strange in the question. Had she noticed already that I could not see? But her next question removed my doubts. ‘Why don’t you look out of the window?’ she asked. I moved easily along the berth and felt for the window ledge. The window was open, and I faced it, making a pretence of studying the landscape. I heard the panting of the engine, the rumble of the wheels, and, in my mind’s eye, I could see telegraph posts flashing by. ‘Have you noticed,’ I ventured, ‘that the trees seem to be moving while we seem to be standing still?’ ‘That always happens,’ she said. ‘Do you see any animals?’ ‘No,’ I answered quite confidently. I knew that there were hardly any animals left in the forests near Dehra. I turned from the window and faced the girl, and for a while we sat in silence. ‘You have an interesting face,’ I remarked. I was becoming quite daring, but it was a safe remark. Few girls can resist flattery. She laughed pleasantly – a clear, ringing laugh. ‘It’s nice to be told I have an interesting face. I’m tired of people telling me I have a pretty face.’ Oh, so you do have a pretty face, thought I: and aloud I said: ‘Well, an interesting face can also be pretty.’ ‘You are a very gallant young man,’ she said, ‘but why are you so serious?’ I thought, then, I would try to laugh for her, but the thought of laughter only made me feel troubled and lonely. ‘We’ll soon be at your station,’ I said. ‘Thank goodness it’s a short journey. I can’t bear to sit in a train for more than two or three hours.’ Yet I was prepared to sit there for almost any length of time, just to listen to her talking. Her voice had the sparkle a logfire – varðeldur deserted – yfirgefinn doubt – efasemdir a berth – koja a window ledge – gluggakarmur to make a pretence – láta sem to venture – þora confidently – með sjálfsöryggi hardly any – varla nokkur daring – djarfur flattery – smjaður gallant – kurteis
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