Поющие в терновнике

           "Justine,mydearest,becalm,"saidMeggiestrongly,notafalterinhervoice."Calmyourselfandtellme.Areyousure?"

           "AustraliaHousecalledme—theythoughtIwashisnextofkin.SomedreadfulmanwhoonlywantedtoknowwhatIwanteddonewiththebody.‘Thebody,’hekeptcallingDane.Asifhewasn’tentitledtoitanymore,asifitwasanyone’s."Meggieheardhersob."God!Isupposethepoormanhatedwhathewasdoing.Oh,Mum,Dane’sdead!"

           "How,Justine?Where?InRome?Whyhasn’tRalphcalledme?"

           "No,notinRome.TheCardinalprobablydoesn’tknowanythingaboutit.InCrete.Themansaidhewasdrowned,asearescue.Hewasonholiday,Mum,heaskedmetogowithhimandIdidn’t,IwantedtoplayDesdemona,IwantedtobewithRain.IfI’donlybeenwithhim!IfIhad,itmightn’thavehappened.Oh,God,whatcanIdo?"

           "Stopit,Justine,"saidMeggiesternly."Nothinkinglikethat,doyouhearme?Danewouldhateit,youknowhewould.Thingshappen,whywedon’tknow.Theimportantthingnowisthatyou’reallright,Ihaven’tlostbothofyou.You’reallI’vegotleftnow.Oh,Jussy,Jussy,it’ssofaraway!Theworld’sbig,toobig.ComehometoDrogheda!Ihatetothinkofyouallalone."

           "No,I’vegottowork.Workistheonlyanswerforme.IfIdon’twork,I’llgomad.Idon’twantpeople,Idon’twantcomfort.Oh,Mum!"Shebegantosobbitterly."Howarewegoingtolivewithouthim?"

           Howindeed?Wasthatliving?God’sthouwert,untoGodreturn.