Поющие в терновнике

           "I’vealwayshadatalentforlanguages,andIcultivateditdeliberately.ItwasinevitablethatIwouldbetransferred."

           "Well,YourGrace,unlessyou’resailingtomorrowyoucanstillseeMeggie."

           ThewordspoppedoutbeforeAnneletherselfstoptothink;whyshouldn’tMeggieseehimoncebeforehewentaway,especiallyif,asheseemedtothink,hewasgoingtobeawayaverylongtime?

           Hisheadturnedtowardher.Thosebeautiful,distantblueeyeswereveryintelligentandveryhardtofool.Oh,yes,hewasaborndiplomat!Heknewexactlywhatshewassaying,andeveryreasonatthebackofhermind.Annefoundherselfhangingbreathlesslyonhisanswer,butforalongtimehesaidnothing,justsatstaringoutovertheemeraldcanetowardthebrimmingriver,withthebabyforgotteninthecrookofhisarm.Fascinated,shestaredathisprofile—thecurveofeyelid,thestraightnose,thesecretivemouth,thedeterminedchin.Whatforceswashemarshalingwhilehecontemplatedtheview?Whatcomplicatedbalancesoflove,desire,duty,expediency,willpower,longing,didheweighinhismind,andwhichagainstwhich?Hishandliftedthecigarettetohislips;Annesawthefingerstrembleandsoundlesslyletgoherbreath.Hewasnotindifferent,then.

           Forperhapstenminuteshesaidnothing;AnnelithimanotherCapstan,handedittohiminplaceoftheburned-outstub.It,too,hesmokeddownsteadiliy,notonceliftinghisgazefromthefarmountainsandthemonsooncloudsloweringthesky.