Поющие в терновнике

           "IfIcatchyouflaminglittletwerpstouchingthatdollagainI’llbrandyourshittylittlearses!"Frankyelledafterthem.

           HebentdownandtookMeggie’sshouldersbetweenhishands,shakinghergently.

           "Here,herethere’snoneedtocry!Comeonnow,they’vegoneandthey’llnevertouchyourdollyagain,Ipromise.Givemeasmileforyourbirthday,eh?"

           Herfacewasswollen,hereyesrunning;shestaredatFrankoutofgreyeyessolargeandfulloftragedythathefelthisthroattighten.Pullingadirtyragfromhisbreechespocket,herubbeditclumsilyoverherface,thenpinchedhernosebetweenitsfolds.

           "Blow!"

           Shedidasshewastold,hiccupingnoisilyashertearsdried."Oh,Fruh-Fruh-Frank,theytoo-too-tookAgnesawayfromme!"Shesniffled."Herhuh-huh-hairallfalleddownandsheloh-loh-lostalltheprettywiddlepuh-puh-pearlsinit!Theyallfalledinthegruh-gruh-grassandIcan’tfindthem!"

           Thetearswelledupagain,splashingonFrank’shand;hestaredathiswetskinforamoment,thenlickedthedropsoff.

           "Well,we’llhavetofindthem,won’twe?Butyoucan’tfindanythingwhileyou’recrying,youknow,andwhat’sallthisbabytalk?Ihaven’theardyousay‘widdle’insteadof‘little’forsixmonths!Here,blowyournoseagainandthenpickuppoor…Agnes?Ifyoudon’tputherclotheson,she’llgetsunburned."

           Hemadehersitontheedgeofthepathandgaveherthedollgently,thenhecrawledaboutsearchingthegrassuntilhegaveatriumphantwhoopandheldupapearl.