Поющие в терновнике

           Livecoral,shediscovered,wasn’tgarishlyhuedfromdyesthewayitwasinthesouvenircounterofthestore.Itwassoftpinkorbeigeorblue-grey,andaroundeveryknobandbranchwaveredamarvelousrainbowofcolor,likeavisibleaura.Greatanemonestwelveincheswideflutteredfringesofblueorredororangeorpurpletentacles;whiteflutedclamsasbigasrocksbeckonedunwaryexplorerstotakealookinsidewithtantalizingglimpsesofcolorful,restlessthingsthroughfeatherylips;redlacefansswayedinwaterwinds;bright-greenribbonsofweeddancedlooseanddrifting.Notoneofthefourintheboatwouldhavebeenintheleastsurprisedtoseeamermaid:agleamofpolishedbreast,atwistingglitteroftail,lazilyspinningcloudsofhair,analluringsmiletauntingthesiren’sspelltosailors.Butthefish!Likelivingjewelstheydartedinthousandsuponthousands,roundlikeChineselanterns,slenderlikebullets,raimentedincolorswhichglowedwithlifeandthelightsplittingqualitywaterimparts,someonfirewithscalesofgoldandscarlet,somecoolandsilveryblue,someswimmingragbagsgaudierthanparrots.Therewereneedle-nosedgarfish,pug-nosedtoadfish,fangedbarracuda,acavernous-mawedgrouperlurkinghalfseeninagrotto,andonceasleekgreynursesharkwhichseemedtotakeforevertopasssilentlybeneaththem.

           "Butdon’tworry,"saidRob."We’retoofarsouthhereforseawasps,soifanythingontheReefisgoingtokillyou,it’smostlikelytobeastonefish.