Поющие в терновнике

           "But,Meg!That’sflamingeighteenmonthsago!AndIgaveyouaholiday!FourbloodyexpensiveweeksontheAtherton!Icouldn’taffordtotakeyoutoSydneyontopofthat!"

           "You’vebeentoSydneytwicesincethen,bothtimeswithoutme,"shesaidstubbornly."Icanunderstandthefirsttime,sinceIwasexpectingJustine,butheavenknowsIcouldhavedonewithaholidayawayfromTheWetthislastJanuary."

           "Oh,Christ!"

           "Whataskinflintyouare,Luke,"shewentongently."Twentythousandpoundsyou’vehadfromme,moneythat’srightfullymine,andyetyoubegrudgethefewmeaslypoundsitwouldhavecostyoutotakemetoSydney.Youandyourmoney!Youmakemesick."

           "Ihaven’ttouchedit,"hesaidfeebly."It’sthere,everypennyofit,andmorebesides."

           "Yes,that’sright.Sittinginthebank,whereitalwayswill.Youhaven’tanyintentionofspendingit,haveyou?Youwanttoadoreit,likeagoldencalf.Admitit,Luke,you’reamiser.Andwhatanunforgivableidiotyouareintothebargain!Totreatyourwifeanddaughterthewayyouwouldn’tdreamoftreatingapairofdogs,toignoretheirexistences,letalonetheirneeds!Youcomplacent,conceited,self-centeredbastard!"

           White-faced,trembling,hesearchedforspeech;tohaveMegturnonhim,especiallyafterthenight,waslikebeingbittentodeathbyabutterfly.Theinjusticeofheraccusationsappalledhim,buttheredidn’tseemtobeanywayhecouldmakeherunderstandthepurityofhismotives.