Поющие в терновнике

           Hefrowned."Butitwasn’tasIhadexpected.IthoughtI’dfeelclosertoOurLord,beinginHisownChurch.Insteaditwasonlyenormousandcold.Icouldn’tfeelHim."

           ArchbishopRalphsmiled."Iknowwhatyoumean.ButSaintPeter’sisn’treallyachurch,youknow.Notinthesensemostchurchesare.SaintPeter’sistheChurch.Ittookmealongtimetogetusedtoit,Iremember."

           "Iwantedtoprayfortwothings,"theboysaid,noddinghisheadtoindicatehehadheardbutthatitwasn’twhathewishedtohear.

           "Forthethingswhichfrightenyou?"

           "Yes.IthoughtbeinginSaintPeter’smighthelp."

           "Whatarethethingswhichfrightenyou,Rainer?"

           "Thatthey’lldecideI’maJew,andthatmyregimentwillbesenttoRussiaafterall."

           "Isee.Nowonderyou’refrightened.Isthereindeedapossibilitythey’lldecideyou’reaJew?"

           "Well,lookatme!"saidtheboysimply."Whentheywerewritingdownmyparticularstheysaidthey’dhavetocheck.Idon’tknowiftheycanornot,butIsupposetheSistersmightknowmorethantheyevertoldme."

           "Iftheydo,they’llnotpassiton,"saidHisGracecomfortingly."They’llknowwhythey’rebeingasked."

           "Doyoureallythinkso?Oh,Ihopeso!"

           "DoesthethoughtofhavingJewishblooddisturbyou?"

           "Whatmybloodisdoesn’tmatter,"saidRainer."IwasbornaGerman,that’stheonlyimportantthing."

           "Onlytheydon’tlookatitlikethat,dothey?"

           "No."