Поющие в терновнике

           "Come,youdon’twanttospendyourfirsteveninginRomealone,andDaneisotherwiseoccupied,"hesaid,followingherintothecar."You’retiredandbewildered,soit’sbetteryouhavecompany."

           "Youdon’tseemtobeleavingmeanychoice,HerrHartheim."

           "IwouldratheryoucalledmeRainer."

           "Youmustbeimportant,havingaposhcarandyourownchauffeur."

           "I’llbemoreimportantstillwhenI’mchancellorofWestGermany."

           Justinesnorted."I’msurprisedyou’renotalready."

           "Impudent!I’mtooyoung."

           "Areyou?"Sheturnedsidewaystolookathimmoreclosely,discoveringthathisdarkskinwasunlined,youthful,thatthedeeplyseteyesweren’tembeddedinthefleshysurroundsofage.

           "I’mheavyandI’mgrey,butI’vebeengreysinceIwassixteenandheavysinceI’vehadenoughtoeat.AtthepresentmomentI’mamerethirty-one."

           "I’lltakeyourwordforit,"shesaid,kickinghershoesoff."That’sstilloldtome—I’msweettwenty-one."

           "You’reamonster,"hesaid,smiling.

           "IsupposeImustbe.Mymothersaysthesamething.OnlyI’mnotsurewhateitherofyoumeansbymonster,soyoucangivemeyourversion,please."

           "Haveyoualreadygotyourmother’sversion?"

           "I’dembarrassthehelloutofherifIasked."

           "Don’tyouthinkyouembarrassme?"

           "Istronglysuspect,HerrHartheim,thatyou’reamonster,too,soIdoubtifanythingembarrassesyou."

           "Amonster,"hesaidagainunderhisbreath.