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1、TheThornBirdsbyCOLLEENMCCULLOUGHTHEREISALEGENDThereisalegendaboutabirdwhichsingsjustonceinitslife,moresweetlythananyothercreatureonthefaceoftheearth.Fromthemomentitleavesthenestitsearchesforathorntree,anddoesnotrestuntilithasfoundone.Then,singingamongthesavagebranches,
2、itimpalesitselfuponthelongest,sharpestspine.And,dying,itrisesaboveitsownagonytooutcarolthelarkandthenightingale.Onesuperlativesong,existencetheprice.Butthewholeworldstillstolisten,andGodinHisheavensmiles.Forthebestisonlyboughtatthecostofgreatpain….Orsosaysthelegend.CON
3、TENTSONE1915-1917MEGGIE12TWO1921-1928Ralph35THREE1929-1932Paddy115FOUR1933-1938LUKE152FIVE1938-1953FEE232Six1954-1965Dane286SEVEN1965-1969Justine356Copyright378ONE1915-1917MEGGIE1OnDecember8th,1915,MeggieClearyhadherfourthbirthday.Afterthebreakfastdisheswereputawayherm
4、othersilentlythrustabrownpaperparcelintoherarmsandorderedheroutside.SoMeggiesquatteddownbehindthegorsebushnexttothefrontgateandtuggedimpatiently.Herfingerswereclumsy,thewrappingheavy;itsmelledfaintlyoftheWahinegeneralstore,whichtoldherthatwhateverlayinsidetheparcelhadm
5、iraculouslybeenbought,nothomemadeordonated.Somethingfineandmistilygoldbegantopokethroughacorner;sheattackedthepaperfaster,peelingitawayinlong,raggedstrips."Agnes!Oh,Agnes!"shesaidlovingly,blinkingatthedolllyingthereinatatterednest.Amiracleindeed.OnlyonceinherlifehadMeg
6、giebeenintoWahine;allthewaybackinMay,becauseshehadbeenaverygoodgirl.Soperchedinthebuggybesidehermother,onherbestbehavior,shehadbeentooexcitedtoseeorremembermuch.ExceptforAgnes,thebeautifuldollsittingonthestorecounter,dressedinacrinolineofpinksatinwithcreamlacefrillsall
7、overit.RightthenandthereinhermindshehadchristeneditAgnes,theonlynamesheknewelegantenoughforsuchapeerlesscreature.Yetovertheen-3suingmonthsheryearningafterAgnescontainednothingofhope;Meggiedidn'townadollandhadnoidealittlegirlsanddollsbelongedtogether.Sheplayedhappilywit
8、hthewhistlesandslingshotsandbatteredsoldiersherbrothersdiscarded,gotherhandsdirtyandherbootsmuddy.Itneveroccurredtohe
