Поющие в терновнике

           AlltheseyearsI’vebeenflippinginandoutoftheVaticanwithnaryapinchtomycredit.SoIthoughtmaybeifIworeaminiskirt,Imightbetheundoingofsomepoorprelateyet."

           "Youmightbemyundoing."Hesmiled.

           "No,really?Inorange?Ithoughtyouhatedmeinorange,whenI’vegotorangehair."

           "Itinflamesthesenses,suchabusycolor."

           "You’reteasingme,"shesaid,disgusted,climbingintohisMercedeslimousine,whichhadaGermanpennantflutteringfromitsbonnettalisman."Whendidyougetthelittleflag?"

           "WhenIgotmynewpostinthegovernment."

           "NowonderIratedamentionintheNewsoftheWorld!Didyouseeit?"

           "YouknowIneverreadrags,Justine."

           "Well,nordoI;someoneshowedittome,"shesaid,thenpitchedhervoicehigherandendoweditwithashabby-genteel,fraightfullynaiceaccent."Whatup-and-comingcarrot-toppedAustralianactressiscementingverycordialrelationswithwhatmemberoftheWestGermancabinet?"

           "Theycan’tbeawarehowlongwe’veknowneachother,"hesaidtranquilly,stretchingouthislegsandmakinghimselfcomfortable.

           Justineranhereyesoverhisclotheswithapproval;verycasual,veryItalian.HewasratherintheEuropeanfashionswimhimself,daringtowearoneofthefishing-netshirtswhichenabledItalianmalestodemonstratethehairinessoftheirchests.

           "Youshouldneverwearasuitandcollarandtie,"shesaidsuddenly.