Поющие в терновнике

           AletterhadcomefromLukeinformingherthathewouldkeeponcuttingthesugar;hethoughtshewouldliketoknowincaseshehadbeenworriedhemightjoinup.TherewasnoindicationthatherememberedawordofwhatshehadsaidthatmorningintheInghampub.Laughingwearilyandshakingherhead,shehaddroppedtheletterinFee’swastepaperbasket,wonderingasshedidsoifFeeworriedabouthersonsunderarms.Whatdidshereallythinkofthewar?ButFeeneversaidaword,thoughsheworeherbroocheverysingleday,allday.

           SometimesaletterwouldcomefromEgypt,fallingintotatterswhenitwasspreadopenbecausethecensor’sscissorshadfilleditwithneatrectangularholes,oncethenamesofplacesorregiments.Readingtheseletterswaslargelyamatterofpiecingtogethermuchoutofvirtuallynothing,buttheyservedonepurposewhichcastallothersintotheshade:whileevertheycame,theboyswerestillalive.

           Therehadbeennorain.Itwasasifeventhedivineelementsconspiredtoblighthope,for1941wasthefifthyearofadisastrousdrought.Meggie,Bob,Jack,HughieandFeeweredesperate.TheDroghedabankaccountwasrichenoughtobuyallthefeednecessarytokeepthesheepalive,butmostofthesheepwouldn’teat.Eachmobhadanaturalleader,theJudas;onlyiftheycouldpersuadetheJudastoeatdidtheystandahopewiththerest,butsometimeseventhesightofachewingJudascouldn’timpresstherestofthemobintoemulatingit.

           SoDrogheda,too,wasseeingitsshareofbloodletting,andhatingit.