The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro

When the man speaks of wars and burning houses, it’s almost as if something comes back to me. From the days before I knew you, it must be.”
    “Was there ever a time before we knew one another, Axl? Sometimes I feel we must have been together since we were babes.”
    “It seems that way to me too, princess. It’s just some foolishness coming over me in this strange place.”
    She was looking at him thoughtfully. Then she squeezed his hand and said quietly: “This is a queer place indeed and may bring us more harm than the rain ever could. I’m anxious to leave it, Axl. Before that woman returns or something worse.”
    Axl nodded. Then turning, he called across the room: “Well,boatman, the sky looks to be clearing so we’ll be on our way. Many thanks for allowing us shelter.”
    The boatman said nothing to this, but as they were putting on their bundles, he came to assist them, handing them their walking sticks. “A safe journey, friends,” he said. “May you find your son in good health.”
    They thanked him again, and were proceeding through the arch when Beatrice suddenly stopped and looked back.
    “Since we’re leaving you, sir,” she said, “and may not meet with you again, I wonder if you’ll allow me a small question.”
    The boatman, standing at his spot by the wall, was watching her carefully.
    “You spoke earlier, sir,” Beatrice went on, “of your duty to question a couple waiting to cross the water. You spoke of the need to discover if their bond of love is such as to allow them to dwell together on the island. Well, sir, I was wondering this. How do you question them to discover what you must?”
    For a moment the boatman seemed uncertain. Then he said: “Frankly, good lady, it’s not for me to talk of such matters. Indeed, we shouldn’t by rights have met today, but some curious chance brought us together and I’m not sorry for it. You were both kind and took my part and for that I’m grateful. So I will answer you as best I can. It is, as you say, my duty to question all who wish to cross to the island. If it’s a couple such as you speak of, who claim their bond is so strong, then I must ask them to put their most cherished memories before me. I’ll ask one, then the other to do this. Each must speak separately. In this way the real nature of their bond is soon revealed.”
    “But isn’t it hard, sir,” Beatrice asked, “to see what truly lies in people’s hearts? Appearances deceive so easily.”
    “That’s true, good lady, but then we boatmen have seen so manyover the years it doesn’t take us long to see beyond deceptions. Besides, when travellers speak of their most cherished memories, it’s impossible for them to disguise the truth. A couple may claim to be bonded by love, but we boatmen may see instead resentment, anger, even hatred. Or a great barrenness. Sometimes a fear of loneliness and nothing more. Abiding love that has endured the years—that we see only rarely. When we do, we’re only too glad to ferry the couple together. Good lady, I’ve already said more than I should.”
    “I thank you for it, boatman. It’s just to satisfy an old woman’s curiosity. Now we’ll leave you in peace.”
    “May you have a safe journey.”

    They retraced their steps along the path they had beaten earlier through the ferns and nettles. The storm had made the ground underneath treacherous, so for all their anxiety to put the villa behind them, they proceeded at a careful pace. When they finally reached the sunken lane, the rain still had not ceased, and they took shelter under the first large tree they could find.
    “Are you soaked through, princess?”
    “Don’t worry, Axl. This coat did its work. How is it with you?”
    “Nothing the sun won’t soon dry when it returns.”
    They put down their bundles and leant against the trunk, recovering their breaths. After a while, Beatrice said quietly:
    “Axl, I feel afraid.”
    “Why, what is it, princess? No harm can