Поющие в терновнике

           "IfI’mnot,I’llbelivinginsin!"

           "Well,asfarasI’mconcerned,livinginsinisalotbetterthanturningmycoatinsideout,"saidLuke,whowassometimesacuriouscontradiction;muchashewantedMeggie’smoney,ablindstreakofstubbornnessinhimwouldn’tlethimbackdown.

           "Oh,stopallthissilliness!"saidFee,nottoLukebuttothepriest."DowhatPaddyandIdidandhaveanendtoargument!FatherThomascanmarryyouinthepresbyteryifhedoesn’twanttosoilhischurch!"

           Everyonestaredather,amazed,butitdidthetrick;FatherWatkingaveinandagreedtomarrytheminthepresbytery,thoughherefusedtoblessthering.

           PartialChurchsanctionleftMeggiefeelingshewassinning,butnotbadlyenoughtogotoHell,andancientAnniethepresbyteryhousekeeperdidherbesttomakeFatherWatty’sstudyaschurchlikeaspossible,withgreatvasesofflowersandmanybrasscandlesticks.Butitwasanuncomfortableceremony,theverydispleasedpriestmakingeveryonefeelheonlywentthroughwithittosavehimselftheembarrassmentofasecularweddingelsewhere.NoNuptialMass,noblessings.

           However,itwasdone.MeggiewasMrs.LukeO’Neill,onherwaytoNorthQueenslandandahoneymoonsomewhatdelayedbythetimeitwouldtakegettingthere.LukerefusedtospendthatSaturdaynightattheImperial,forthebranch-linetraintoGoondiwindileftonlyonceaweek,onSaturdaynight,toconnectwiththeGoondiwindi—BrisbanemailtrainonSunday.