Поющие в терновнике

           "Tellme,wasDesdemonatheonlyreasonyoucamebacktoLondon?"

           Grabbinghisear,shetweakeditpainfully."Nowit’smyturntopayyoubackforallthoseheadmasterishquestions!Whatdoyouthink?"

           Heprizedherfingersawayeasily,grinning."Ifyoudon’tanswerme,Herzchen,I’llstrangleyoufarmorepermanentlythanMarcdoes."

           "IcamebacktoLondontodoDesdemona,butbecauseofyou.Ihaven’tbeenabletocallmylifemyownsinceyoukissedmeinRome,andwellyouknowit.You’reaveryintelligentman,RainerMoerlingHartheim."

           "IntelligentenoughtohaveknownIwantedyouformywifealmostthefirstmomentIsawyou,"hesaid.

           Shesatupquickly."Wife?"

           "Wife.IfI’dwantedyouformymistressI’dhavetakenyouyearsago,andIcouldhave.Iknowhowyourmindworks;itwouldhavebeenrelativelyeasy.TheonlyreasonIdidn’twasbecauseIwantedyouformywifeandIknewyouweren’treadytoaccepttheideaofahusband."

           "Idon’tknowthatIamnow,"shesaid,digestingit.

           Hegottohisfeet,pullingheruptostandagainsthim."Well,youcanputinalittlepracticebygettingmesomebreakfast.IfthiswasmyhouseI’ddothehonors,butinyourkitchenyou’rethecook."

           "Idon’tmindgettingyourbreakfastthismorning,buttheoreticallytocommitmyselfuntilthedayIdie?"Sheshookherhead."Idon’tthinkthat’smycupoftea,Rain."

           ItwasthesameRomanemperor’sface,andimperiallyunperturbedbythreatsofinsurrection.