Поющие в терновнике

           Brothers!"

           "Hmmm,soyoudeemnavelsunnecessary?Socrateswasofthesameopinion,Iremember,"saidRainer.

           "Socrateswas?Idon’trecollectthat!Funny,IthoughtI’dreadmostofPlato,too."Shetwistedtostareathim,thinkingthecasualclothesofaholiday-makerinRomesuitedhimfarbetterthanthesoberattireheworeforVaticanaudiences.

           "Hewasabsolutelyconvincednavelswereunnecessary,asamatteroffact.Somuchsothattoprovehispointheunscrewedhisownnavelandthrewitaway."

           Herlipstwitched."Andwhathappened?"

           "Histogafelloff."

           "Hook!Hook!"Shegiggled."Anyway,theydidn’tweartogasinAthensthen.ButIhaveahorriblefeelingthere’samoralinyourstory."Herfacesobered."Whydoyoubotherwithme,Rain?"

           "Stubborn!I’vetoldyoubefore,mynameispronouncedRyner,notRayner."

           "Ah,butyoudon’tunderstand,"shesaid,lookingthoughtfullyatthetwinklingstreamsofwater,thedirtypoolloadedwithdirtycoins."HaveyoueverbeentoAustralia?"

           Hisshouldersshook,buthemadenosound."TwiceIalmostwent,Herzchen,butImanagedtoavoidit."

           "Well,ifyouhadgoneyou’dunderstand.YouhaveamagicalnametoanAustralian,whenit’spronouncedmyway.Rainer.Rain.Lifeinthedesert."

           Startled,hedroppedhiscigarette."Justine,youaren’tfallinginlovewithme,areyou?"

           "Whategotistsmenare!Ihatetodisappointyou,butno."Then,asiftosoftenanyunkindnessinherwords,sheslippedherhandintohis,squeezed.