you had every reason to be in that place at that time, as part of your routine. You only ceased, in the moment of the crime, to be a thing apart from the background, and immediately thereafter, you returned to it. The only thing the New State can do is to clamp down tighter, and that only earns them more hate, activates more of the population. The method is reaching us here only now, but it has been around for two years. And a year ago, do you remember what happened?
—They disbanded the police. Now, only secret police.
—Exactly, and they never said why. But a man I spoke to …
The door opened and a woman stuck her head through.
—Gerard, can you come? I’m trying to convince Leonard that there’s a growing sentiment abroad, but I can’t remember all the figures.
—In a minute.
—All right.
She shut the door.
—This man said that they moved the police force entirely into plainclothes because in another sector, the police were getting mowed down. A policeman couldn’t walk down a street without being hit by a slate tile. First they tried making the police paramilitary, with jeeps, etc. But ultimately, to do the job, they have to get out of the jeeps, and then the same opportunities present themselves. It’s a matter of patience, and decisiveness. The point is, we’re winning. It’s only a matter of time.
—But how do you know who the police are?
William thought of his conversations with Oscar. It was virtually impossible to tell.
—You err on the side of false positives. Everyone shifts their behavior to simple routines, and the secret police are forced to become visible, simply to do their work. Then they become available as targets.
The ringing of a bell could be heard in the distance. The room had become very quiet. Gerard was looking at William and William, he was looking at Gerard. Louisa was not there, for she was dead, but in that way she was in fact there.
—Shall I say it? said Gerard.
William nodded.
—Someone I know, who was, well, he was working for the government then, before he came over. He saw what happened to her. I can’t relate it. I don’t want to. But I have everything about the file here.
He produced a folder from behind one of the boxes and handed it to William. It was tied around with string and was quite thick.
—I imagine you’ll want to look at that at home, or somewhere without company.
The door opened again.
—Gerard, will you come?
—All right, here I am. Hold on a moment.
He stood up.
—Well, that’s it, William. I wanted to show you something else, too, but I guess it can wait.
—What is it?
The girl pulled on Gerard’s arm.
—Hold on, he said.
He knelt down and opened a cabinet that was on floor level. Out of it, he removed a flat black leather case. He set it down.
William could feel his pulse in his hands.
Gerard unfastened two buckles and opened the case.
It was a violin.
—Where did you get it?
—Can’t say.
William looked at the girl.
—Don’t worry about me, she said. I’m the one who got it.
—It’s for you, William, said Gerard. You should probably go home now. Having you here, it’s out of the routine, and a danger for both of us. You have a safe route home? You planned it, no?
—I …
William looked away.
—Perhaps it’s best you stay, then. If you don’t have transportation, or a clear route. I thought you had, well, don’t worry about it. Just stay. If you don’t want to be among people, you can read upstairs in the bedroom, and leave first thing.
—I have to be home. My daughter, you see.
—I see.
William paused a moment on the stair.
In one hand he had the violin case, in the other the scrip of files.
Laughter came from within. William shook his head. The lights along the streets blinked on then off.
Gerard shut the door and watched the figure go away along the street, the black case apparent under his arm.
—Do you think he’ll …?
—He won’t play it, not ever. But at least he will
—They disbanded the police. Now, only secret police.
—Exactly, and they never said why. But a man I spoke to …
The door opened and a woman stuck her head through.
—Gerard, can you come? I’m trying to convince Leonard that there’s a growing sentiment abroad, but I can’t remember all the figures.
—In a minute.
—All right.
She shut the door.
—This man said that they moved the police force entirely into plainclothes because in another sector, the police were getting mowed down. A policeman couldn’t walk down a street without being hit by a slate tile. First they tried making the police paramilitary, with jeeps, etc. But ultimately, to do the job, they have to get out of the jeeps, and then the same opportunities present themselves. It’s a matter of patience, and decisiveness. The point is, we’re winning. It’s only a matter of time.
—But how do you know who the police are?
William thought of his conversations with Oscar. It was virtually impossible to tell.
—You err on the side of false positives. Everyone shifts their behavior to simple routines, and the secret police are forced to become visible, simply to do their work. Then they become available as targets.
The ringing of a bell could be heard in the distance. The room had become very quiet. Gerard was looking at William and William, he was looking at Gerard. Louisa was not there, for she was dead, but in that way she was in fact there.
—Shall I say it? said Gerard.
William nodded.
—Someone I know, who was, well, he was working for the government then, before he came over. He saw what happened to her. I can’t relate it. I don’t want to. But I have everything about the file here.
He produced a folder from behind one of the boxes and handed it to William. It was tied around with string and was quite thick.
—I imagine you’ll want to look at that at home, or somewhere without company.
The door opened again.
—Gerard, will you come?
—All right, here I am. Hold on a moment.
He stood up.
—Well, that’s it, William. I wanted to show you something else, too, but I guess it can wait.
—What is it?
The girl pulled on Gerard’s arm.
—Hold on, he said.
He knelt down and opened a cabinet that was on floor level. Out of it, he removed a flat black leather case. He set it down.
William could feel his pulse in his hands.
Gerard unfastened two buckles and opened the case.
It was a violin.
—Where did you get it?
—Can’t say.
William looked at the girl.
—Don’t worry about me, she said. I’m the one who got it.
—It’s for you, William, said Gerard. You should probably go home now. Having you here, it’s out of the routine, and a danger for both of us. You have a safe route home? You planned it, no?
—I …
William looked away.
—Perhaps it’s best you stay, then. If you don’t have transportation, or a clear route. I thought you had, well, don’t worry about it. Just stay. If you don’t want to be among people, you can read upstairs in the bedroom, and leave first thing.
—I have to be home. My daughter, you see.
—I see.
William paused a moment on the stair.
In one hand he had the violin case, in the other the scrip of files.
Laughter came from within. William shook his head. The lights along the streets blinked on then off.
Gerard shut the door and watched the figure go away along the street, the black case apparent under his arm.
—Do you think he’ll …?
—He won’t play it, not ever. But at least he will
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