She shakes off the slight uneasiness that arose in her when she saw him, and returns to her reason for coming. She is radiant. She forgets that he is not just as interested in what is going on as she is. As the whole house is.

‘Can you understand how they could have managed to hold out?’ she says.

He is silent. He does not know what she is talking about.

‘Can you?’

She goes up to him, in her happiness because of what she knows, because of something that is great in her eyes. Great. Great.

‘What are you talking about?’ he asks thoughtlessly. The instant he says it it occurs to him that he could have pretended he knew and saved himself trouble.

Now it is too late. Her mouth is open with astonishment.

‘Haven’t you heard?’

He cannot escape now. He knows nothing; he has not set foot outside his door and nobody has come to see him. He stands in silence.

‘What are you made of?’ she asks, astounded. ‘Then you’re not going to learn anything from me either. You ought to be ashamed of yourself.’

That really hurts. She is shutting him out. He shrugs his shoulders helplessly.

‘I haven’t had time to get out recently,’ he explains. ‘I’m working non-stop. I must get this finished in case anything happens to me. You never know how much time you’ve got these days. It may be up before you can do an about turn.’

Filled with antipathy she turns towards his desk.

‘And then this! – This!’ she repeats. ‘How can you sit doing this when so many others….’

She pauses. Then begins again, before he can interrupt.

‘And then the way you talk. Don’t you see how shameful it is? How you’ve tried to sneak your way to something that was never yours?’

He has a tall stack of truths so he had better take out a couple of them. Anna’s attitude is hurtful.

‘Now listen to me, Anna, can you tell me what would have been gained if…’

‘I won’t listen to a word you say! You must come out. Out of this damned hibernation. You must come out to open your eyes.’

Out? he thinks in terror. No, no. What should I do there? That’s not for me. No, I shan’t do it.

He says, ‘Yes, but first I have to wind up something I’ve contracted to finish. Then, when the time comes, we’ll have to see what I may decide to do.’

Anna does not look as if she has much faith in this.

‘You’re not working on anything important now, Martin. It can easily be done later, by you or by someone else. You’re only saying that to wriggle out of it. I expect you thought it up this very minute.’

‘Oh, do you?’

‘Yes, I do. And I don’t like it. I didn’t think things were quite as bad as this.’

‘You’re talking about something you don’t begin to understand, let me tell you. I dare say there isn’t anyone who has studied this field as thoroughly as I have. None of the younger generation at any rate. And many people are waiting for my findings.’