Поющие в терновнике

           SoshedutifullymadeteaforAgnesinthetinysquareteapotandwentthroughtheritualasifinecstasy.Andshecontinueddoggedlytouseitforyears,neverbreakingorsomuchaschippingasinglepiece.Nooneeverdreamedthatsheloathedthewillowpatternteaset,thebluetableandchairs,andAgnes’sbluedress.

           ***

           TwodaysbeforethatChristmasof1917Paddybroughthomehisweeklynewspaperandanewstackofbooksfromthelibrary.However,thepaperforoncetookprecedenceoverthebooks.ItseditorshadconceivedanovelideabasedonthefancyAmericanmagazineswhichveryoccasionallyfoundtheirwaytoNewZealand;theentiremiddlesectionwasafeatureonthewar.TherewereblurredphotographsoftheAnzacsstormingthepitilesscliffsatGallipoli,longarticlesextollingthebraveryoftheAntipodeansoldier,featuresonalltheAustralianandNewZealandwinnersoftheVictoriaCrosssinceitsinception,andamagnificentfull-pageetchingofanAustralianlighthorsecavalry-manmountedonhischarger,saberatthereadyandlongsilkyfeathersplumingfromundertheturned-upsideofhisslouchhat.

           AtfirstopportunityFrankseizedthepaperandreadthefeaturehungrily,drinkinginitsjingoisticprose,hiseyesglowingeerily.

           "Daddy,Iwanttogo!"hesaidashelaidthepaperdownreverentlyonthetable.

           Fee’sheadjerkedaroundasshesloppedstewalloverthetopofthestove,andPaddystiffenedinhisWindsorchair,hisbookforgotten.

           "You’retooyoung,Frank,"hesaid.