Поющие в терновнике

           "Look,"shesaid,"there’sasewingmachineinmyquarterswhichIneveruse.I’llhaveacoupleoftherouseaboutscarryitdown.IfIdoneedtouseit,I’llcomedownhere."HereyesstrayedtobabyHal,rollingonthefloorgleefully."Iliketohearthesoundofchildren,Mrs.Cleary."

           ***

           Onceeverysixweeksthemailcamebyhorse-drawndrayfromGillanbone;thiswastheonlycontactwiththeoutsideworld.DroghedapossessedaFordtruck,anotherspeciallyconstructedFordtruckwithawatertankonitstray,amodel-TFordcarandaRolls-Roycelimousine,butnooneeverseemedtousethemtogointoGillysaveMaryCarsoninfrequently.Fortymileswasasfarasthemoon.

           BlueyWilliamshadthemailcontractforthedistrictandtooksixweekstocoverhisterritory.Hisflat-toppeddraywithitsten-footwheelswasdrawnbyamagnificentteamoftwelvedrafthorses,andwasloadedwithallthethingstheoutlyingstationsordered.AswellastheRoyalMail,hecarriedgroceries,gasolineinforty-four-gallondrums,keroseneinsquarefive-galloncans,hay,bagsofcorn,calicobagsofsugarandflour,woodenchestsoftea,bagsofpotatoes,farmmachinery,mail-ordertoysandclothesfromAnthonyHordern’sinSydney,plusanythingelsethathadtobebroughtinfromGillyorOutside.