Поющие в терновнике

           TogratifyherowndesiresshehadsentDanetoGreecealone,whentohavegonewithhimmighthavemeantlifeforhim.Therewasnootherwaytoseeit.DanehaddiedbecauseofherselfishabsorptioninRain.Toolatenowtobringherbrotherback,butifinneverseeingRainagainshecouldsomehowatone,thehungerandthelonelinesswouldbewellworthit.

           Sotheweekswentby,andthenthemonths.Ayear,twoyears.Desdemona,Ophelia,Portia,Cleopatra.Fromtheverybeginningsheflatteredherselfshebehavedoutwardlyasifnothinghadhappenedtoruinherworld;shetookexquisitecareinspeaking,laughing,relatingtopeoplequitenormally.Iftherewasachange,itwasinthatshewaskinderthanofyore,forpeople’sgriefstendedtoaffectherasiftheywereherown.But,alltold,shewasthesameoutwardJustine—flippant,exuberant,brash,detached,acerbic.

           TwiceshetriedtogohometoDroghedaonavisit,thesecondtimeevengoingsofarastopayforherplaneticket.Eachtimeanenormouslyimportantlast-minutereasonwhyshecouldn’tgocroppedup,butsheknewtherealreasontobeacombinationofguiltandcowardice.Shejustwasn’tabletonerveherselftoconfronthermother;todosomeantthewholesorrytalewouldcomeout,probablyinthemidstofanoisystormofgriefshehadsofarmanagedtoavoid.TheDroghedapeople,especiallyhermother,mustcontinuetogoaboutsecureintheirconvictionthatJustineatanyratewasallright,thatJustinehadsurviveditrelativelyunscathed.So,bettertostayawayfromDrogheda.