Поющие в терновнике

           "Ralph!"

           "Well,isn’titthetruth?TheHolyFatherspenthisearlyyearsinMunich,hefellinlovewiththeGermansandhestilllovesthem,inspiteofeverything.Ifproofintheformofthosepoorwastedbodieswaslaidoutinfrontofhiseyes,he’dsayitmustbetheRussiansdidit.Nothisso-dearGermans,neverapeopleasculturedandcivilizedastheyare!"

           "Ralph,youarenotamemberoftheSocietyofJesus,butyouarehereonlybecauseyouhavetakenapersonaloathofallegiancetotheHolyFather.YouhavethehotbloodofyourIrishandNormanforebears,butIbegofyou,besensible!SincelastSeptemberwehavebeenonlywaitingfortheaxetofall,prayingIlDucewouldremaintoshelterusfromGermanreprisal.AdolfHitlerhasacuriousstreakofcontradictioninhispersonality,fortherearetwothingsheknowstobehisenemiesyetwishesifatallpossibletopreserve:theBritishEmpireandtheHolyCatholicChurchofRome.Butwhenpushedtoit,hehasdonehislevelbesttocrushtheBritishEmpire.Doyouthinkhewouldnotcrushus,too,ifwepushhimtoit?OnewordofdenunciationfromusastowhatishappeninginPolandandhewillcertainlycrushus.Andwhatearthlygooddoyouthinkourdenouncingthatwouldachieve,myfriend?Wehavenoarmies,nosoldiers.Reprisalwouldbeimmediate,andtheHolyFatherwouldbesenttoBerlin,whichiswhathefears.