Поющие в терновнике

           You’regoingtohavetocontentyourselfwithLuke,andLuke’schildren.Byhookorbycrookyou’regoingtoweanLukefromthewretchedsugar,andlivewithhimoutwheretherearen’tevenanytrees.You’regoingtotelltheGillybankmanagerthatyourfutureincomestaysinyourownname,andyou’regoingtouseittohavethecomfortsandconveniencesinyourtreelesshomethatLukewon’tthinktoprovideforyou.You’regoingtouseittoeducateLuke’schildrenproperly,andmakesuretheyneverwant.

           Andthat’sallthereistobesaidaboutit,MeggieO’Neill.I’mMeggieO’Neill,notMeggiedeBricassart.Itevensoundssilly,MeggiedeBricassart.I’dhavetobeMeghanndeBricassart,andI’vealwayshatedMeghann.Oh,willIeverstopregrettingthatthey’renotRalph’schildren?That’sthequestion,isn’tit?Sayittoyourself,overandoveragain:Yourlifeisyourown,MeggieO’Neill,andyou’renotgoingtowasteitdreamingofamanandchildrenyoucanneverhave.

           There!That’stellingyourself!Nousethinkingofwhat’spast,whatmustbeburied.Thefuture’sthething,andthefuturebelongstoLuke,toLuke’schildren.Itdoesn’tbelongtoRalphdeBricassart.Heisthepast.

           Meggierolledoverinthesandandweptasshehadn’tweptsinceshewasthreeyearsold:noisywails,withonlythecrabsandthebirdstohearherdesolation.

           ***

           AnneMuellerhadchosenMatlockIslanddeliberately,planningtosendLukethereassoonasshecould.