Поющие в терновнике

           Buttherewereotherdances,asthesummerworeonandworeitselfdowninbloody,dustysplendor;graduallythehomesteadgotusedtothefactthatMeggiehadfoundherselfaverygood-lookingboyfriend.Herbrothersforboretotease,fortheylovedherandlikedhimwellenough.LukeO’Neillwasthehardestworkertheyhadeveremployed;nobetterrecommendationthanthatexisted.Atheartmoreworkingclassthansquatterclass,itneveroccurredtotheClearymentojudgehimbyhislackofpossessions.Fee,whomighthaveweighedhiminamoreselectivebalance,didn’tcaresufficientlytodoso.Anyway,Luke’scalmassumptionthathewasdifferentfromyouraveragestockmanborefruit;becauseofit,hewastreatedmorelikeoneofthemselves.

           Itbecamehiscustomtocallupthetrackatthebighousewhenhewasinatnightandnotoutinthepaddocks;afterawhileBobdeclareditwassillyforhimtoeatalonewhentherewasplentyontheClearytable,soheatewiththem.AfterthatitseemedrathersenselesstosendhimamiledownthetracktosleepwhenhewasniceenoughtowanttostaytalkingtoMeggieuntillate,sohewasbiddentomoveintooneofthesmallguesthousesoutbehindthebighouse.

           BythistimeMeggiethoughtabouthimagreatdeal,andnotasdisparaginglyasshehadatfirst,alwayscomparinghimtoFatherRalph.Theoldsorewashealing.