Night Music by John Connolly

brother in Bootle, but I’ve probably never spent more than a month in total away from the library in all of my years as librarian. Why would I? I’ve got books to read and characters to talk to. I’ve got worlds to explore, all within these walls.”
    At last they reached a closed door upon which Mr. Gedeon knocked tentatively.
    â€œ Oui? ” said a female voice.
    â€œ Madame, vous avez un visiteur ,” said Mr. Gedeon.
    â€œ Bien. Entrez, s’il vous plaît .”
    Mr. Gedeon opened the door, and there was the woman whom Mr. Berger had watched throw herself beneath the wheels of a train, and whose life he felt that he had subsequently saved, sort of. She was wearing a simple black dress, perhaps even the very one that had so captivated Kitty in the novel, her curly hair in disarray, and a string of pearls hanging around her firm neck. She seemed startled at first to see him, and he knew that she recalled his face.
    Mr. Berger’s French was rusty, but he managed to dredge up a little from memory.
    â€œMadame, je m’appelle Monsieur Berger, et je suis enchanté de vous rencontrer.”
    â€œ Non, ” said Anna after a short pause, “ tout le plaisir est pour moi, Monsieur Berger . Vous vous assiérez, s’il vous plaît .”
    He took a seat, and a polite conversation commenced. Mr. Berger explained, in the most delicate terms, that he had been a witness to her earlier encounter with the train, and it had haunted him. Anna appeared most distressed and apologized profusely for any trouble that she might have caused him, but Mr. Berger waved it away as purely minor and stressed that he was more concerned for her than for himself. Naturally, he said, when he saw her making a second attempt—if attempt was the right word for an act that had been so successful the first time around—he had felt compelled to intervene.
    After some initial hesitancy, their conversation grew easier. At some point Mr. Gedeon arrived with fresh tea and some more cake, but they barely noticed him. Mr. Berger found much of his French returning, but Anna, having spent so long in the environs of the library, also had a good command of English. They spoke together long into the night, until at last Mr. Berger noticed the hour and apologized for keeping Anna up so late. She replied that she had enjoyed his company, and she slept little anyway. He kissed her hand and begged leave to return the next day, and she gave her permission willingly.
    Mr. Berger found his way back to the library without too much trouble, apart from an attempt by Fagin to steal his wallet, which the old reprobate put down to habit and nothing more. When he reached Mr. Gedeon’s living quarters, he discovered the librarian dozing in an armchair. He woke him gently, and Mr. Gedeon opened the front door to let him out.
    â€œIf you wouldn’t mind,” said Mr. Berger, as he stood on the doorstep, “I should very much like to return tomorrow to speak with you, and Anna, if that wouldn’t be too much of an imposition.”
    â€œIt wouldn’t be an imposition at all,” said Mr. Gedeon. “Just knock on the glass. I’ll be here.”
    With that the door was closed, and Mr. Berger, feeling both more confused and more elated than he had in all his life, returned to his cottage and slept a deep, dreamless sleep.
XII
    The next morning, once he had washed and breakfasted, Mr. Berger returned to the Caxton Library. He brought with him some fresh pastries that he had bought in the local bakery in order to replenish Mr. Gedeon’s supplies, and a book of Russian poetry in translation of which he was unusually fond, but which he now desired to present to Anna. Making sure that he was not being observed, he took the lane that led to the library and knocked on the glass. He was briefly concerned that Mr. Gedeon might overnight have spirited away the contents of the premises—books,