Поющие в терновнике

           Hedidn’tgreetherwithakiss,heneverdid;hejustputanarmabouthershouldersandsqueezed.

           "Ratherlikeabear,"saidJustine.

           "Abear?"

           "IusedtothinkwhenIfirstmetyouthatyouweresomesortofmissinglink,butI’vefinallydecidedyou’remoreofabearthanagorilla.Itwasanunkindcomparison,thegorilla."

           "Andbearsarekind?"

           "Well,perhapstheydoonetodeathjustasquickly,butthey’remorecuddly."Shelinkedherarmthroughhisandmatchedhisstride,forshewasalmostastallashe."How’sDane?Didyouseehimbeforehewentintoretreat?IcouldkillClyde,notlettingmegosooner."

           "Daneisasalways."

           "Youhaven’tbeenleadinghimastray?"

           "Me?Certainlynot.Youlookverynice,Herzchen."

           "I’monmyverybestbehavior,andIboughtouteverycouturierinLondon.Doyoulikemynewshortskirt?Theycallitthemini."

           "Walkaheadofme,andI’lltellyou."

           Thehemofthefullsilkskirtwasaboutmidthigh;itswirledassheturnedandcamebacktohim."Whatdoyouthink,Rain?Isitscandalous?InoticednooneinParisiswearingthislengthyet."

           "Itprovesapoint,Herzchen—thatwithlegsasgoodasyours,towearaskirtonemillimeterlongerisscandalous.I’msuretheRomanswillagreewithme."

           "Whichmeansmyarsewillbeblackandblueinanhourinsteadofaday.Damnthem!Thoughdoyouknowsomething,Rain?"

           "What?"

           "I’veneverbeenpinchedbyapriest.