Поющие в терновнике

           Oh,shewassothin,solifeless!Eventhelovelygoldyhairhaddulled.

           "Meggie,Idon’tknowwhetherI’vedonethewrongthing,butI’vedoneitanyway,andIwantyouatleasttolistentomebeforeyousayno."

           Meggieturnedfromtherainbows,smiling."Yousoundsosolemn,Anne!WhatisitImustlistento?"

           "LuddieandIareworriedaboutyou.Youhaven’tpickedupproperlysinceJustinewasborn,andnowTheWet’shereyou’relookingevenworse.You’renoteatingandyou’relosingweight.I’veneverthoughttheclimatehereagreedwithyou,butaslongasnothinghappenedtodragyoudownyoumanagedtocopewithit.Nowwethinkyou’resick,andunlesssomething’sdoneyou’regoingtogetreallyill."

           Shedrewabreath."SoacoupleofweeksagoIwrotetoafriendofmineinthetouristbureau,andbookedyouaholiday.Anddon’tstartprotestingabouttheexpense;itwon’tdentLuke’sresourcesorours.TheArchbishopsentusaverybigcheckforyou,andyourbrothersentusanotheroneforyouandthebaby—Ithinkhewashintinggohomeforawhile—fromeveryoneonDrogheda.Andafterwetalkeditover,LuddieandIdecidedthebestthingwecoulddowasspendsomeofitonaholidayforyou.Idon’tthinkgoinghometoDroghedaistherightsortofholiday,though.WhatLuddieandIfeelyouneedmostisathinkingtime.NoJustine,nous,noLuke,noDrogheda.Haveyoueverbeenonyourown,Meggie?It’stimeyouwere.