Поющие в терновнике

           Notoncedidamuscleinhisfacemove,orachangecomeintothosedetachedlybeautifuleyes.HehadlearnedmuchsincebeingintheserviceofVittorioScarbanza,CardinaldiContini-Verchese.

           Whenthetalewasdonehesighed,andshiftedhisgazetotheiranxiousfaces."Well,itseemswemusthelpher,sinceLukewillnot.IfLuketrulydoesn’twanther,she’dbebetteroffbackonDrogheda.Iknowyoudon’twanttoloseher,butforhersaketrytopersuadehertogohome.IshallsendyouacheckfromSydneyforher,soshewon’thavetheembarrassmentofaskingherbrotherformoney.Thenwhenshegetshomeshecantellthemwhatshelikes."Heglancedtowardthebedroomdoorandmovedrestlessly."DearGod,letthechildbeborn!"

           Butthechildwasn’tbornuntilnearlytwenty-fourhourslater,andMeggiealmostdeadfromexhaustionandpain.DocSmithhadgivenhercopiousdosesoflaudanum,thatstillbeingthebestthing,inhisold-fashionedopinion;sheseemedtodriftwhirlingthroughspiralingnightmaresinwhichthingsfromwithoutandwithinrippedandtore,clawedandspat,howledandwhinedandroared.SometimesRalph’sfacewouldcomeintofocusforasmallmoment,thengoagainonaheavingtideofpain;butthememoryofhimpersisted,andwhilehekeptwatchsheknewneithershenorthebabywoulddie.