Поющие в терновнике

           "Iwouldn’thavemindedsomuchifevenoneofthemhaddisplayedsymptomsoftheChosenFew,"shesaidtohimaftertheyhadgone,gladofthechancetobealonewithhimandwonderinghowquicklyhewasgoingtosendherhome."Youknow,likeNapoleonorChurchill.There’salottobesaidforbeingconvincedoneisamanofdestiny,ifoneisastatesman.Doyouregardyourselfasamanofdestiny?"

           Hewinced."Youmightchooseyourquestionsbetterwhenyou’requizzingaGerman,Justine.No,Idon’t,anditisn’tgoodforpoliticianstodeemthemselvesmenofdestiny.Itmightworkforaveryfew,thoughIdoubtit,butthevastbulkofsuchmencausethemselvesandtheircountriesendlesstrouble."

           Shehadnodesiretoarguethepoint.Ithadserveditspurposeingettingacertainlineofconversationstarted;shecouldchangethesubjectwithoutlookingtooobvious."Thewiveswereaprettymixedbunch,weren’tthey?"sheaskedartlessly."MostofthemwerefarlesspresentablethanIwas,evenifyoudon’tapproveofhotpink.Mrs.Whatsitwasn’ttoobad,andMrs.Hoojarsimplydisappearedintothematchingwallpaper,butMrs.Gumfoozlerwasabominable.Howdoesherhusbandmanagetoputupwithher?Oh,menaresuchfoolsaboutchoosingtheirwives!"

           "Justine!Whenwillyoulearntoremembernames?It’saswellyouturnedmedown,afinepolitician’swifeyouwouldhavemade.Iheardyouer-ummingwhenyoucouldn’trememberwhotheywere.