anner.themummy-第102部分

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altogether；　he　opened　the　flask　and　drank　the　contents　in　great　easy　gulps　to　the　very　last　drop。
　
　Petrified　as　the　chills　passed　through　him；　he　let　the　flask　fell　into　the　dirt。　He　felt　the　heat　in　spasms。　He　felt　his　numb　leg　e　to　life。　The　great　weight　in　his　chest　slowly　melted；　and　stretching　his　limbs　with　the　utter　abandon　of　an　animal；　he　stared　wide…eyed　at　the　glaring　sky；　at　the　golden　disk。
　
　Before　him　the　world　pulsed；　shimmered；　then　became　solid　again　as　he　had　not　seen　it　since　his　middle　years　when　his　vision　had　begun　to　slowly　fail。　He　saw　the　grains　of　earth　at　his　feet。
　
　Stepping　over　the　silver　walking　stick；　ignoring　the　shouts　of　the　merchant　behind　him　that　he　had　lost　his　cane　and　must　wait；　he　walked　out　of　the　bazaar　with　long　easy　strides。
　
　The　sun　was　high　above　in　the　noon　sky　as　he　left　Cairo；　as　he　walked　on　along　the　thin　road　to　the　east。　He　did　not　really　know　where　he　was　going　and　it　didn't　matter。　There　were　monuments　and　wonders　and　cities　enough　to　behold。　His　steps　were　quick；　and　the　desert　had　never　seemed　so　beautiful　to　him；　this　great　monotonous　ocean　of　sand。
　
　He　had　done　it！　And　there　was　no　undoing　of　it　now。　Eyes　fixed　on　the　vast　azure　emptiness　above　him；　he　gave　a　soft　cry　intended　for　no　one；　merely　the　smallest；　most　spontaneous　expression　of　his　joy。
　
　They　stood　on　the　deck；　the　warm　sun　blanketing　them　as　they　embraced　one　another。　She　could　feel　the　magic　moving　through　her　skin　and　her　hair。　She　felt　his　lips　graze　hers；　and　suddenly　they　were　kissing　as　they　had　never　really　kissed　before。　It　was　the　same　fire；　yes；　but　now　her　strength　and　her　urgency　came　to　the　fore　to　meet　his。
　
　He　lifted　her　and　carried　her　back　into　the　little　bedroom　and　laid　her　down　on　the　bed。　The　veiling　fell　silently　around　them；　snaring　the　light　and　wrapping　them　up　in　it。
　
　〃You　are　mine；　Julie　Stratford；〃　　he　whispered。〃　My　Queen　forever。　And　I　am　yours。　Always　yours。〃
　
　〃Lovely　words；〃　　she　whispered；　smiling　at　him　almost　sadly。　She　wanted　always　to　remember　this　moment；　to　remember　the　look　in　his　blue　eyes。
　
　Then　slowly；　yet　feverishly；　they　began　to　make　love。
　
　THE　YOUNG　doctor　grabbed　his　bag　and　ran　towards　the　infirmary；　the　young　foot　soldier　running　beside　him。
　
　〃Just　dreadful；　sir；　burned　to　a　crisp；　sir；　and　wedged　down　there　under　the　crates　at　the　very　bottom　of　the　freight　car。　I　don't　know　how　she　can　be　alive。〃
　
　What　in　God's　name　was　he　going　to　be　able　to　do　for　her；　out　here　at　this　godforsaken　outpost　in　the　jungles　of　die　Sudan？
　
　He　steadied　himself　against　the　doorjamb　as　he　came　to　a　halt　inside　the　room。
　
　The　nurse　shook　her　head　as　she　came　towards　him。　〃I　don't　understand　it；〃　　she　said　in　a　stage　whisper；　with　a　pointed　glance　at　the　bed。
　
　〃Let　me　see　her。〃　　He　pulled　back　the　mosquito　netting。〃　Why；　this　woman's　not　burned　at　all。〃
　
　She　lay　asleep　against　the　white　pillow；　her　black　wavy　hair　stirring　in　the　sunlight；　as　if　there　actually　were　a　ghost　of　a　breeze　ing　from　somewhere　through　this　infernally　hot　room。
　
　If　he　had　ever　seen　a　woman　this　beautiful；　he　couldn't　remember　it　and　frankly　didn't　want　to　be　reminded　of　it　just　now。　It　was　almost　painful　to　look　at　her；　she　was　so　beautiful。　And　it　wasn't　a　china　doll　prettiness　she　had；　her　features　were　strong　though　exquisitely　proportioned。　Her　rippling　hair；　parted　in　the　middle；　made　a　great　shining　pyramid　of　darkness　beneath　her　head。
　
　As　he　came　round　the　side　of　the　bed；　she　opened　her　eyes。　How　remarkable　that　they　should　be　so　startlingly　blue。　Then　the　miracle　of　miracles。　She　smiled。　He　went　weak　looking　down　at　her。　Words　like　〃fate〃　　and　〃destiny〃　　came　to　his　mind；　idly；　yet　persistently。　Who　in　the　world　could　she　be？
　
　〃What　a　handsome　man　you　are；〃　　she　whispered。　Perfect　British　accent。　One　of　us；　he　thought；　hating　himself　instantly　for　the　snobbish　thought。　But　her　voice　was　purely　aristocratic。
　
　The　nurse　mumbled　something。　There　were　whispers　behind　his　back。　He　drew　up　the　camp　chair　and　sat　down　beside　her。　As　casually　as　he　could　he　lifted　the　white　sheet　up　over　her　half…naked　breasts。
　
　〃Get　this　woman　some　clothing；〃　　he　said　without　looking　up　at　the　nurse。〃　You　gave　us　all　quite　a　scare；　you　realize。　They　thought　you　were　burned。〃
　
　〃Did　they？〃　　she　whispered。〃　It　was　kind　of　them　to　help　me。　I　was　in　some　close　place　where　I　could　scarcely　breathe。　I　was　in　the　dark。〃
　
　She　blinked　up　at　the　sunlight　ing　in　the　window。〃　You　must　help　me　up　and　out　into　the　sunshine；〃　　she　said。
　
　〃Oh；　it's　much　too　soon　for　that。〃
　
　But　she　sat　up；　clearly　undeterred；　and　started　to　wrap　the　sheet　about　her　like　a　gown。　The　fine　dark　eyebrows　gave　her　a　distinct　look　of　will　and　determination；　which　he　found　oddly　exciting　in　a　very　direct　physical　way。
　
　Like　a　goddess　she　looked；　with　the　thing　draped　over　one　shoulder　as　she　rose　to　her　feet。　Again　that　smile　flashed　at　him；　subduing　him　utterly。
　
　〃Listen；　you　must　tell　me　who　you　are。　Your　family；　your　friends；　we'll　send　word。〃
　
　〃Walk　outside　with　me；〃　　she　said。
　
　He　followed　her　almost　stupidly；　taking　her　hand。　Let　them　whisper！　They'd　e　running　with　stories　that　she　was　burnt　like　overdone　beef！　There　was　nothing　at　all　wrong　with　this　woman！　Had　the　world　gone　mad？
　
　She　went　across　the　dusty　yard；　leading　him　through　the　gate　into　the　small　garden；　which　was　his　actually；　not　for　the　patients；　just　adjacent　to　his　bedroom　and　his　office　doors。
　
　She　sat　down　on　the　wooden　bench；　and　he　sat　beside　her。　She　threw　back　her　hair　as　she　looked　up　into　the　hot　sky。
　
　〃But　it's　no　use　your　being　out　in　this　terrible　heat；〃　　he　told　her〃　Especially　if　you　have　been　burned。〃　　But　this　was　stupid。　Her　skin　was　flawless　and　radiant　all　over；　her　cheeks　were　beautifully　flushed。　He'd　never　seen　a　healthier　human　being　in　his　life。
　
　〃Is　there　someone　I　should　contact？〃　　he　tried　again。〃　We　have　a　telephone　and　a　telegraph　out　here　now。
　
　〃Don't　concern　yourself　about　it；〃　　she　said；　lifting　his　left　hand　and　playing　idly　with　his　fingers。　He　was　ashamed　suddenly　of　what　this　aroused　in　him。　He　couldn't　stop　staring　at　her；　at　her　eyes　and　then　at　her　mouth。　He　could　see　her　nipples　through　the　sheet。
　
　〃I　have　friends；　yes；〃　　she　said　almost　dreamily；〃　and　appointments　to　keep。　And　accounts　to　settle。　But　tell　me　about　yourself；　Doctor。　And　tell　me　about　this　place。〃
　
　Did　she　want　him　to　kiss　her？　He　could　scarcely　believe　it　and　he　had　no　intention　of　passing　it　up。　He　bent　to　touch　her　lips；　hmmm。　He　didn't　care　who　was　watching。　He　ran　his　arms　around　her；　and　gathered　her　against　him；　stunned　by　the　manner　in　which　she　yielded　pletely；　breasts　hot　against　his　chest。
　
　In　another　second　he　would　drag　her　to　the　bed；　if　she　wouldn't　e　of　her　own　free　will。　But　he　knew　she　would。
　
　〃There's　no　great　hurry　to　contact　anyone；〃　　she　whispered　as　she　ran　her　hand　inside　his　shirt。　They　were　on　their　feet；　moving　together　across　the　flags　towards　the　bedroom　door。　She　stopped　as　if　she　could　not　even　wait　for　that。　He　picked　her　up　and　carried　her。
　
　Sinful；　wicked；　but　he　couldn't　stop　himself。　She　clamped　her　mouth　on　his　and　he　almost　dropped　in　his　tracks。　He　set　her　down　on　the　mattress；　and　shut　the　wooden　blinds。　To　hell　with　everyone　else。
　
　〃You're　sure　you　。。。〃　　he　faltered。　He　was　ripping　off　his　shirt。
　
　〃I　like　men　who　blush；〃　　she　whispered；　gazing　up。〃　And　yes；　I'm　sure。　I　want　to　be　prepared　before　I　see　my　friends　again。〃　　She　unwound　the　sheet。〃　Very　well　prepared。〃
　
　〃What？〃　　He　lay　down　beside　her；　kissing　her　throat；　running　his　hand　down　over　her　breast。　Her　hips　rose　against　him　as　he　climbed　on　top　of　her。　She　was　undulating　like　a　serpent　in　the　bed；　but　she　was　no　serpent。　She　was　warm　and　fragrant　and　ready　for　him！
　
　〃My　friends　。。。〃　　she　whispered；　staring　at　the　ceiling　as　if　faintly　dazed；　a　tiny　spark　of　distress　in　her　blue　eyes。　But　then　she　looked　at　him…all　hunger　suddenly；　voice　dropping　to　a　monotone　as　she　stroked　him；　her　nails　deliciously　grazing　his　shoulders。〃　My　frien