Поющие в терновнике

           "IamaCatholic,andmyreligionhasbeentheonethinginmylifewhichhasneverfailedme,thoughIhavefaileditmanytimes.IdislikespeakingofDane,becausemyhearttellsmesomethingsarebetterleftundiscussed.Certainlyyouaren’tlikehiminyourattitudetolife,orGod.Let’sleaveit,allright?"

           Shelookedathimcuriously."Allright,Rainer,ifyouwant.I’llmakeapactwithyou—nomatterwhatwediscuss,itwon’tbethenatureofDane,orreligion."

           ***

           MuchhadhappenedtoRainerMoerlingHartheimsincethatmeetingwithRalphdeBricassartinJuly1943.AweekafterwardhisregimenthadbeendispatchedtotheEasternFront,wherehespenttheremainderofthewar.Tornandrudderless,tooyoungtohavebeenindoctrinatedintotheHitlerYouthinitsleisurelyprewardays,hehadfacedtheconsequencesofHitlerinfeetofsnow,withoutammunition,thefrontlinestretchedsothintherewasonlyonesoldierforeveryhundredyardsofit.Andoutofthewarhecarriedtwomemories:thatbittercampaigninbittercold,andthefaceofRalphdeBricassart.Horrorandbeauty,theDevilandGod.Halfcrazed,halffrozen,waitingdefenselessforKhrushchev’sguerrillastodropfromlow-flyingplanesparachutelessintothesnowdrifts,hebeathisbreastandmutteredprayers.Buthedidn’tknowwhatheprayedfor:bulletsforhisgun,escapefromtheRussians,hisimmortalsoul,themaninthebasilica,Germany,alesseningofgrief.