Поющие в терновнике

           Fish?Veal?"

           "Acompromise?Allright,I’llmeetyouhalfway,whynot?I’llhavepâté,somescampiandahugeplateofsaltimbocca,andafterthatI’llhaveacassataandacappuccinocoffee.Fiddlearoundwiththatifyoucan."

           "Ioughttoslapyou,"hesaid,hisgoodhumorquiteunruffled.Hegaveherordertothewaiterexactlyasshehadstipulatedit,butinrapidItalian.

           "YousaidIdon’tlookabitlikeDane.Aren’tIlikehiminanywayatall?"sheaskedalittlepatheticallyovercoffee,toohungrytohavewastedtimetalkingwhiletherewasfoodonthetable.

           Helithercigarette,thenhisown,andleanedintotheshadowstowatchherquietly,thinkingbacktohisfirstmeetingwiththeboymonthsago.CardinaldeBricassartminusfortyyearsoflife;hehadseenitimmediately,andthenhadlearnedtheywereuncleandnephew,thatthemotheroftheboyandthegirlwasRalphdeBricassart’ssister.

           "Thereisalikeness,yes,"hesaid."Sometimesevenoftheface.Expressionsfarmorethanfeatures.Aroundtheeyesandthemouth,inthewayyouholdyoureyesopenandyourmouthsclosed.Oddlyenough,notlikenessesyousharewithyouruncletheCardinal."

           "UncletheCardinal?"sherepeatedblankly.

           "CardinaldeBricassart.Isn’theyouruncle?Now,I’msureIwastoldhewas."

           "Thatoldvulture?He’snorelationofours,thankheavens.Heusedtobeourparishpriestyearsago,alongtimebeforeIwasborn."

           Shewasveryintelligent;butshewasalsoverytired.