Поющие в терновнике

           "ThenGod’sabiggerpoofterthanSweetWillie."

           "Youmightberight,"saidJustine."Hecertainlyisn’ttoofondofwomen,anyway.Second-class,that’sus,waybackintheUpperCircle.FrontStallsandtheMezzanine,strictlymale."

           "Oh."

           JustinewriggledoutofElectra’srobe,flungathincottondressoverherhead,remembereditwaschillyoutside,addedacardigan,andpattedMarthakindlyonthehead."Don’tworryaboutit,sweetie.Godwasverygoodtoyou;hedidn’tgiveyouanybrains.Believeme,it’sfarmorecomfortablethatway.You’llneveroffertheLordsofCreationanycompetition."

           "Idon’tknow,Iwouldn’tmindcompetingwithGodforyourbrother."

           "Forgetit.You’refightingtheEstablishment,anditjustcan’tbedone.You’dseduceSweetWilliefarquicker,takemywordforit."

           ***

           AVaticancarmetDaneattheairport,whiskedhimthroughsunnyfadedstreetsfullofhandsome,smilingpeople;hegluedhisnosetothewindowanddrankitallin,unbearablyexcitedatseeingforhimselfthethingshehadseenonlyinpictures—theRomancolumns,therococopalaces,theRenaissancegloryofSaintPeter’s.

           Andwaitingforhim,cladthistimeinscarletfromheadtofoot,wasRalphRaoul,CardinaldeBricassart.Thehandwasoutstretched,itsringglowing;Danesankonbothkneestokissit.

           "Standup,Dane,letmelookatyou."

           Hestood,smilingatthetallmanwhowasalmostexactlyhisownheight;theycouldlookeachotherintheeye.