Поющие в терновнике

           MaryCarsondidn’tbreedhorses,sheboughtthemfromMartinKingofBugela,whodid;unlessonebredhorsesstallionswereanuisance,soDroghedadidn’thaveanystallions.Itdidhaveabull,awildandsavagebeastwhosepenwasstrictlyoutofbounds,andMeggiewassofrightenedofitsheneverwentanywherenearit.Thedogswerekeptkenneledandchained,theirmatingascientific,supervisedexerciseconductedunderPaddy’sorBob’seagleeye,thereforealsooutofbounds.Norwastheretimetowatchthepigs,whichMeggiehatedandresentedhavingtofeed.Intruth,therewasn’ttimeforMeggietowatchanyonebeyondhertwotinybrothers.Andignorancebreedsignorance;anunawakenedbodyandmindsleepthrougheventswhichawarenesscataloguesautomatically.

           JustbeforeMeggie’sfifteenthbirthday,asthesummerheatwasbuildinguptowarditsstupefyingpeak,shenoticedbrown,streakystainsonherdrawers.Afteradayortwotheywentaway,butsixweekslatertheycameback,andhershameturnedtoterror.Thefirsttimeshehadthoughtthemsignsofadirtybottom,thushermortification,butintheirsecondappearancetheybecameunmistakablyblood.Shehadnoideawherethebloodwascomingfrom,butassumeditwasherbottom.Theslowhemorrhagewasgonethreedayslater,anddidnotrecurforovertwomonths;herfurtivewashingofthedrawershadgoneunnoticed,forshedidmostofthelaundryanyway.Thenextattackbroughtpain,thefirstnon-biliousrigorsofherlife.Andthebleedingwasworse,farworse.