I didn’t notice the rain had stopped until we reached the guardroom. It was father who pointed it out. “There is no sun, no rain. Why are you still holding your umbrella and looking silly?”
“Leave her alone,” mother objected, “She was rather absentminded already. It must be you. Let her be.”
Surprisingly, mother rose to his challenge for the fi rst time in my presence. On one hand, I was stunned. On the other hand, some awakenings of being poor and ridding myself of poverty gradually concentrated my thoughts. For I was deeply absorbed by what was going on inside me while being totally unaware of what was going on around me.