‘Have you come back? said the woman. ' I thought that no one had come back. ’ Does this statement give some clue about the story? If yes, what is it?

Certainly, these words of Mrs Dorling to the narrator give some clue about the story. Even when the war was not in its full fury, Mrs Dorling visited Mrs S. The narrator was Mrs S’s daughter. Mrs Dorling’s visits were becoming quite frequent. She used to come and went away with one thing or the other. In this way she went away with all the silver cutlery, vases and antique plates. The narrator’s mother had faith in Mrs Dorling but the girl had no faith in her. They had to leave Holland to save their lives. The war was over. Mrs S, the narrator’s mother, was now no longer in the world. She was dead.

The narrator went to 46, Marconi Street to meet Mrs Dorling. She went there in search of her mother’s belongings. She rang the bell. Mrs Dorling came out. She was shocked and surprised to see a young lady standing there. After the war, the narrator came back to her town. She refused to recognize the girl. The girl reminded Mrs Dorling of her mother. Mrs Dorling only uttered : Have you come back?

Naturally, Mrs Dorling didn’t expect Mrs S or her daughter to come back alive. She didn’t ask her to come inside. Her behaviour was cold and unfriendly. Mrs Dorling very unceremoniously turned the narrator away. She asked her to come at another time.