Поющие в терновнике

           Indeathhewillfindthepeacehecouldnotfindhereinthislife."

           "Theboy,Vittorio!Atragedy."

           "Doyouthinkso?Ilikerathertothinkofitasbeautiful.IcannotbelieveDanefounddeathanythingbutwelcome,anditisnotsurprisingthatOurDearLordcouldnotwaitamomentlongertogatherDaneuntoHimself.Imourn,yes,notfortheboy.Forhismother,whomustsuffersomuch!Andforhissister,hisuncles,hisgrandmother.No,Idonotmournforhim.FatherO’Neilllivedinalmosttotalpurityofmindandspirit.Whatcoulddeathbeforhimbuttheentranceintoeverlastinglife?Fortherestofus,thepassageisnotsoeasy."

           FromhishotelRainerdispatchedacabletoLondonwhichhecouldn’tallowtoconveyhisanger,hurtordisappointment.Itmerelysaid:MUSTRETURNBONNBUTWILLBEINLONDONWEEKENDSTOPWHYDIDN’TYOUTELLMEQUERYALLMYLOVERAIN

           OnhisdeskintheofficeatBonnwereanexpressdeliveryletterfromJustine,andaregisteredpacketwhichhissecretaryinformedhimhadcomefromCardinaldeBricassart’slawyersinRome.Heopenedthisfirst,tolearnthatunderthetermsofRalphdeBricassart’swillhewastoaddanothercompanytohisalreadyformidablelistofdirectorships.MicharLimited.AndDrogheda.Exasperatedyetcuriouslytouched,heunderstoodthatthiswastheCardinal’swayoftellinghimthatinthefinalweighinghehadnotbeenfoundwanting,thatthoseprayersduringthewaryearshadbornefruit.IntoRainer’shandshehaddeliveredthefuturewelfareofMeggieO’Neillandherpeople.