Поющие в терновнике

           Howtodoit,whathadtobedone?

           "Meggie,IrealizedsomethingnotlongagowhichIoughttohaveseensooner.Youweren’tbeingquitetruthfulwhenyoutoldmewhatyouthoughtabout,wereyou?"

           "I…",shesaid,andfellsilent.

           "Youdidn’tsayyouthoughtaboutme,didyou?Iftherewasnoguiltinit,youwouldhavementionedmynamealongsideyourfather’s.Ithinkperhapsit’sagoodthingI’mgoingaway,don’tyou?You’realittleoldtobehavingschoolgirlcrushes,butyou’renotaveryoldalmost-seventeen,areyou?Ilikeyourlackofworldlywisdom,butIknowhowpainfulschoolgirlcrushescanbe;I’vesufferedenoughofthem."

           Sheseemedabouttospeak,butintheendherlidsfellovertear-brighteyes,sheshookherheadfree.

           "Look,Meggie,it’ssimplyaphase,amarkerontheroadtobeingawoman.Whenyou’vebecomethatwoman,you’llmeetthemandestinedtobeyourhusbandandyou’llbefartoobusygettingonwithyourlifetothinkofme,exceptasanoldfriendwhohelpedyouthroughsomeoftheterriblespasmsofgrowingup.Whatyoumustn’tdoisgetintothehabitofdreamingaboutmeinanysortofromanticfashion.Icanneverregardyouthewayahusbandwill.Idon’tthinkofyouinthatlightatall,Meggie,doyouunderstandme?WhenIsayIloveyou,Idon’tmeanIloveyouasaman.Iamapriest,notaman.Sodon’tfillyourheadwithdreamsofme.I’mgoingaway,andIdoubtverymuchthatI’llhavetimetocomeback,evenonavisit."