She taught them all a song. Learned from a para on French leave from the fighting in Algeria: Demain le noir matin, Je fermerai la porte Au nez des années mortes; J'irai par les chemins. Je mendierai ma vie Sur la terre et sur l'onde, Du vieux au nouveau monde . . . He had been short and built like the island of Malta itself: rock, an inscrutable heart. She'd had only one night with him. Then he was off to the Piraeus. Tomorrow, the black morning, I close the door in the face of the dead years. I will go on the road, bum my way over land and sea, from the old to the new world. . . .
The quote reflects the themes of farewell and hope, as the speaker prepares to leave behind the burdens of the past. The imagery of closing the door on “the dead years” signifies a desire to move forward, embracing uncertainty and adventure. It suggests a journey that transcends physical boundaries, traversing both land and sea, seeking renewal and new experiences from the old world to the new.
The character described is contrasted with his surroundings; he is short and stout like the rocky island of Malta, symbolizing resilience yet inscrutable emotions. Their brief encounter was fleeting, represented by the singular night spent together before he departed for Piraeus. This brief intimacy combined with the longing in the quote emphasizes the bittersweet nature of love and loss, capturing the essence of human connections amidst life's transient moments.
