Поющие в терновнике

           Itstartsusuallyaroundtwelveorthirteenyearsofage—howoldareyou,asmuchasthat?"

           "I’mfifteen,Father."

           "Fifteen?You?"Heshookhishead,onlyhalfbelievingher."Well,ifyousayyouare,I’llhavetotakeyourwordforit.Inwhichcaseyou’relaterthanmostgirls.Butitcontinueseverymonthuntilyou’reaboutfifty,andinsomewomenit’sasregularasthephasesofthemoon,inothersit’snotsopredictable.Somewomenhavenopainwithit,otherssufferalotofpain.Nooneknowswhyit’ssodifferentfromonewomantoanother.Buttopassbloodeverymonthisasignthatyou’remature.Doyouknowwhat‘mature’means?"

           "Ofcourse,Father!Iread!Itmeansgrownup."

           "Allright,thatwilldo.Whileeverthebleedingpersists,you’recapableofhavingchildren.Thebleedingisapartofthecycleofprocreation.InthedaysbeforetheFall,itissaidEvedidn’tmenstruate.Thepropernameforitismenstruation,tomenstruate.ButwhenAdamandEvefell,GodpunishedthewomanmorethanHedidtheman,becauseitwasreallyherfaulttheyfell.Shetemptedtheman.DoyourememberthewordsinyourBiblehistory?‘Insorrowthoushaltbringforthchildren.’WhatGodmeantwasthatforawomaneverythinghavingtodowithchildreninvolvespain.Greatjoy,butalsogreatpain.Itisyourlot,Meggie,andyoumustacceptit."