Поющие в терновнике

           Ared,ablue,ayellow,apink,agreen,anorange;spiralingroundandround,tugginginthebreeze.

           Apipebandhadcometobidthefootballteamfarewellandstoodwithpennonsflying,plaidsbillowing,skirlingaquaintversionof"NowIstheHour."Theship’srailswerethickwithpeoplehangingover,holdingdesperatelytotheirendsofthethinpaperstreamers;onthewharfhundredsofpeoplecranedtheirnecksupward,lingeringhungrilyonthefacesgoingsofaraway,youngfacesmostly,offtoseewhatthehubofcivilizationontheothersideoftheworldwasreallylike.Theywouldlivethere,workthere,perhapscomebackintwoyears,perhapsnotcomebackatall.Andeveryoneknewit,wondered.

           Theblueskywasplumpedwithsilver-whitecloudsandtherewasatearingSydneywind.Sunwarmedtheupturnedheadsandtheshoulderbladesofthoseleaningdown;agreatmulticoloredswathofvibratingribbonsjoinedshipandshore.Thensuddenlyagapappearedbetweentheoldboat’ssideandthewoodenstrutsofthewharf;theairfilledwithcriesandsobs;andonebyoneintheirthousandsthestreamersbroke,flutteredwildly,saggedlimplyandcrisscrossedthesurfaceofthewaterlikeamangledloom,joinedtheorangepeelsandthejellyfishtofloataway.

           Justinekeptdoggedlytoherplaceattherailuntilthewharfwasafewhardlinesandlittlepinkpinheadsinthedistance;theHimalaya’stugsturnedher,towedherhelplesslyundertheboomingdecksoftheSydneyHarborBridge,outintothemainstreamofthatexquisitestretchofsunnywater.