Поющие в терновнике

           "Justaswellyouseistwins,Jims,"saidCol,throwingpebblesatthelizard,whichdidn’tseemdisposedtomove."Youselooklikeapairofpoofters,alltieduptogether."

           "You’rejustjealous."Jimsgrinned,strokingPatsy’sbelly."Patsy’sthebestpillowinTobruk."

           "Yair,allrightforyou,butwhataboutpoorPatsy?Goon,Harpo,saysomething!"Bobteased.

           Patsy’swhiteteethappearedinasmile,butasusualheremainedsilent.Everyonehadtriedtogethimtotalk,butnoonehadeversucceededbeyondanessentialyesorno;inconsequencenearlyeveryonecalledhimHarpo,afterthevoicelessMarxbrother.

           "Hearthenews?"askedColsuddenly.

           "What?"

           "TheSeventh’sMatildasgotplasteredbytheeighty-eightsatHalfaya.OnlyguninthedesertbigenoughtowipeoutaMatilda.Wentthroughthembigbuggersoftankslikeadoseofsalts."

           "Oh,yeah,tellmeanother!"saidBobskeptically."I’masergeantandIneverheardawhisper,you’reaprivateandyouknowallaboutit.Well,mate,there’sjustnothingJerry’sgotcapableofwipingoutabrigadeofMatildas."

           "IwasinMorshead’stentonamessagefromtheCOwhenIhearditcomethroughonthewireless,anditistrue,"Colmaintained.

           Forawhilenoonespoke;itwasnecessarytoeveryinhabitantofabeleagueredoutpostlikeTobrukthathebelieveimplicitlyhisownsidehadsufficientmilitarythrusttogethimout.Col’snewswasn’tverywelcome,moresobecausenotonesoldierinTobrukheldRommellightly.