In the darkness a faint spot of light appeared, pale yellow, the reflection of a star untouched by cloud. It blinked out for a few seconds, then reappeared, moving up and down, intermittently hidden behind branches heavy with leaves. Kneeling on the arm of a chair in the darkened study lined with books - smelling of books - he watched the light greedily, his nose pressed against the window, his breath misting the glass.

LRB 20 June 1985 | PDF Download