Поющие в терновнике

           "Herzchen,yourmotherislonely,"hesaid,burninghisboats.IfthiswaswhatMeggiewanted,howcouldhecontinuetothinkhimselfrightandherwrong?Justinewasherdaughter;shemustknowherfarbetterthanhe.

           "Yes,perhaps,"saidJustinewithafrown,"butIcan’thelpfeelingthere’ssomethingmoreatbaseofit.Imean,shemusthavebeenlonelyforyears,sowhythissuddenwhateveritis?Ican’tputmyfingeronit,Rain,andmaybethat’swhatworriesmethemost."

           "She’sgrowingolder,whichIthinkyoutendtoforget.It’sverypossiblethingsarebeginningtopreyuponherwhichshefoundeasiertocontendwithinthepast."Hiseyeslookedsuddenlyremote,asifthebrainbehindwasconcentratingveryhardonsomethingatvariancewithwhathewassaying."Justine,threeyearsagoshelostheronlyson.Doyouthinkthatpaingrowslessastimepasses?Ithinkitmustgrowworse.Heisgone,andshemustsurelyfeelbynowthatyouaregone,too.Afterall,youhaven’tevenbeenhometovisither."

           Sheshuthereyes."Iwill,Rain,Iwill!IpromiseIwill,andsoon!You’reright,ofcourse,butthenyoualwaysare.IneverthoughtI’dcometomissDrogheda,butlatelyIseemtobedevelopingquiteanaffectionforit.AsifIamapartofitafterall."

           Helookedsuddenlyathiswatch,smiledruefully."I’mverymuchafraidtonightisoneofthoseoccasionswhenI’veusedyou,Herzchen.