Поющие в терновнике

           Interesting,totakeafaceapartwhichwasalreadysowellknown,yetnotknownatall.

           Shecameoutofherreverietofindhimwatchingherwatchhim,whichwaslikebeingstrippednakedinfrontofacrowdarmedwithstones.Foramomenthiseyesheldhers,wideopenandalert,notexactlystartled,ratherarrested.ThenhetransferredhisgazecalmlytoBob,andaskedapertinentquestionaboutboggis.Justinegaveherselfamentalshake,toldherselfnottogoimaginingthings.Butitwasfascinating,suddenlytoseeamanwhohadbeenafriendforyearsasapossiblelover.Andnotfindingthethoughtatallrepulsive.

           TherehadbeenanumberofsuccessorstoArthurLestrange,andshehadn’twantedtolaugh.Oh,I’vecomealongwaysincethatmemorablenight.ButIwonderhaveIactuallyprogressedatall?It’sverynicetohaveaman,andthehellwithwhatDanesaidaboutitbeingtheoneman.I’mnotgoingtomakeitoneman,soI’mnotgoingtosleepwithRain;oh,no.Itwouldchangetoomanythings,andI’dlosemyfriend.Ineedmyfriend,Ican’taffordtobewithoutmyfriend.IshallkeephimasIkeepDane,amalehumanbeingwithoutanyphysicalsignificanceforme.

           ***

           Thechurchcouldholdtwentythousandpeople,soitwasn’tcrowded.NowhereintheworldhadsomuchtimeandthoughtandgeniusbeenputintothecreationofatempleofGod;itpaledthepaganworksofantiquitytoinsignificance.Itdid.Somuchlove,somuchsweat.Bramante’sbasilica,Michelangelo’sdome,Bernini’scolonnade.