Поющие в терновнике

           "AndRussia?There’snoneedtoworryaboutRussianow,surely.You’reinRome,theoppositedirection."

           "ThismorningIheardourcommandersayingwemightbesenttoRussiaafterall.Itisn’tgoingwellthere."

           "You’reachild,"saidArchbishopRalphabruptly."Yououghttobeinschool."

           "Iwouldn’tbenowanyway."Theboysmiled."I’msixteen,soI’dbeworking."Hesighed."Iwouldhavelikedtokeepgoingtoschool.Learningisimportant."

           ArchbishopRalphstartedtolaugh,thengotupandrefilledtheglasses."Don’ttakeanynoticeofme,Rainer.I’mnotmakinganysense.Justthoughts,oneaftertheother.It’smyhourforthem,thoughts.I’mnotaverygoodhost,amI?"

           "You’reallright,"saidtheboy.

           "So,"saidHisGrace,sittingdownagain."Defineyourself,RainerMoerlingHartheim."

           Acuriouspridesettledontheyoungface."I’maGerman,andaCatholic.IwanttomakeGermanyaplacewhereraceandreligionwon’tmeanpersecution,andI’mgoingtodevotemylifetothatend,ifIlive."

           "Ishallprayforyou—thatyoulive,andsucceed."

           "Wouldyou?"askedtheboyshyly."Wouldyoureallyprayformepersonally,byname?"

           "Ofcourse.Infact,you’vetaughtmesomething.Thatinmybusinessthereisonlyoneweaponatmydisposal—prayer.Ihavenootherfunction."

           "Whoareyou?"askedRainer,thewinebeginningtomakehimblinkdrowsily.

           "I’mArchbishopRalphdeBricassart."