Поющие в терновнике

           SoshetookaDistrictLinetraintoKewGardens,pleasedthatitwasaTuesdayandshewouldhavetheplacealmosttoherself.Norwassheworkingthatnight,soitdidn’tmatterifsheexhaustedherselftrampingtheby-ways.

           Sheknewtheparkwell,ofcourse.LondonwasajoytoanyDroghedaperson,withitsmassesofformalflowerbeds,butKewwasinaclassallitsown.IntheolddayssheusedtohauntitfromApriltotheendofOctober,foreverymonthhadadifferentfloraldisplaytooffer.

           Mid-Aprilwasherfavoritetime,theperiodofdaffodilsandazaleasandfloweringtrees.Therewasonespotshethoughtcouldlaysomeclaimtobeingoneoftheworld’sloveliestsightsonasmall,intimatescale,soshesatdownonthedampground,anaudienceofone,todrinkitin.Asfarastheeyecouldseestretchedasheetofdaffodils;inmid-distancethenoddingyellowhordeofbellsflowedaroundagreatfloweringalmond,itsbranchessoheavywithwhitebloomstheydippeddownwardinarchingfallsasperfectandstillasaJapanesepainting.Peace.Itwassohardtocomeby.

           Andthen,herheadfarbacktomemorizetheabsolutebeautyoftheladenalmondamiditsripplinggoldensea,somethingfarlessbeautifulintruded.RainerMoerlingHartheim,ofallpeople,threadinghiscarefulwaythroughclumpsofdaffodils,hisbulkshieldedfromthechillybreezebytheinevitableGermanleathercoat,thesunglitteringinhissilveryhair.