Поющие в терновнике

           Theislandgenerateditsownpower,sotherewasalittlerefrigerator,electriclight,thepromisedphone,andevenawirelessset.Thetoiletflushed,thebathhadfreshwater;moremodernamenitiesthaneitherDroghedaorHimmelhoch,Meggiethoughtinamusement.EasytoseemostofthepatronswerefromSydneyorMelbourne,andsoinuredtocivilizationtheycouldn’tdowithoutit.

           LeftalonewhileRobspedbacktohissuspiciousMissus,Meggieunpackedandsurveyedherdomain.Thebigdoublebedwasagreatdealmorecomfortablethanherownnuptialcouchhadbeen.Butthen,thiswasagenuinehoneymoonparadiseandtheonethingitsclientswoulddemandwasadecentbed;theclientsoftheDunnypubwereusuallytoodrunktoobjecttoherniatingsprings.Boththerefrigeratorandtheoverheadcupboardswerewellstockedwithfood,andonthecounterstoodagreatbasketofbananas,passionfruit,pineapplesandmangoes.Noreasonwhysheshouldn’tsleepwell,andeatwell.

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           ForthefirstweekMeggieseemedtodonothingbuteatandsleep;shehadn’trealizedhowtiredshewas,northatDungloe’sclimatewaswhathadkilledherappetite.Inthebeautifulbedshesleptthemomentshelaydown,tenandtwelvehoursatastretch,andfoodhadanappealithadn’tpossessedsinceDrogheda.Sheseemedtoeateveryminuteshewasawake,evencarryingmangoesintothewaterwithher.Truthtotell,thatwasthemostlogicalplacetoeatmangoesotherthanabathtub;theyjustranjuice.