Поющие в терновнике

           Insteadofbeingaholeintheground,aDunnydunnywasatarredtincanwhichstank,andasitfilledcamealivewithnoisomemaggotsandworms.Onceaweekthecanwasremovedandreplacedwithanemptyone,butonceaweekwasn’tsoonenough.

           Meggie’swholespiritrebelledagainstthecasuallocalacceptanceofsuchthingsasnormal;alifetimeinNorthQueenslandcouldn’treconcilehertothem.Yetdismallyshereflectedthatitprobablywouldbeawholelifetime,oratleastuntilLukewastoooldtocutthesugar.MuchasshelongedforanddreamedofDrogheda,shewasfartooproudtoadmittoherfamilythatherhusbandneglectedher;soonerthanadmitthat,she’dtakethelifetimesentence,shetoldherselffiercely.

           ***

           Monthswentby,thenayear,andtimecrepttowardthesecondyear’send.OnlytheconstantkindnessoftheMuellerskeptMeggieinresidenceatHimmelhoch,tryingtoresolveherdilemma.HadshewrittentoaskBobforthefarehomehewouldhavesentitbyreturntelegram,butpoorMeggiecouldn’tfacetellingherfamilythatLukekeptherwithoutapennyinherpurse.ThedayshedidtellthemwasthedayshewouldleaveLuke,nevertogobacktohim,andshehadn’tmadeuphermindyettotakesuchastep.Everythinginherup-bringingconspiredtopreventherleavingLuke:thesacrednessofhermarriagevows,thehopeshemighthaveababyoneday,thepositionLukeoccupiedashusbandandmasterofherdestiny.