Charinatookoutthebinocursshehadpickedupamongtheashes,rubbedonthelensesaolookatthemountainrangesandkearoundherandatthefarawayforest.Shesawthedazzlingandbrilliantgoldpacetowardstheleftohersideoftheke.Therewasnoactivityihepacebutshesawthatthebarbariansoldierswerebusycarryingarmfulsofviheedgeofthesheercliffatthebackofthepaooneevenlookedtowardsthissideoftheke,soshewasfidentshehadnotbeeedandthereforeworryabouthersafety.Sheputdownthebinocursinherhandandabsent-mindedlystrokedthebacksofthetigerssittingbesidethethrone,findingtheirfurrathershort,coarseandprickly,sodifferentfromthelong,silkysmoothfurofherpetMaureen.SuddenlyshesmiledasshethoughtofhowMaureenwouldreactwhehrgetigersahuimeshissize.Thedogwouldprobablytrembleinfear.Ifheheardtheirloud,ferociousroarshewouldreallybeterror-stri.Iwouldhavetotakehimintomyarms,holdhimtightlyandforthimtogivehimasenseofsafetyagain.Suddenlyastrahoughtoccurredtoher.“WhatifIsetupatenthere?Whoistosayitisnotlikeahome?ThereissomutheseruinsthatbydiggingcarefullyandsalvagingwhatIfind,Isurelyprocureallthatisnecessarytomakeawarm,fortablehomehere.Ofcoursethatwilltakealotoftimeandeffort.”CharinawassuddenlystruckwiththethoughtthatsomehowatthebackofhermindtherealwayswasalongingtomakeahomeforDimitri,willingtojoinherlifetohis,alwaysthinkingofthetwoofthemasbelongingtogether.WhatmysteriousmagismdoesDimitrihavethatheisstantlyinhermind?Uptoafewdaysago,hewasonlyastranger,ahomelesspersonwhosometimesappearedinherneighborhood.Theywouldnodtoeachotherorexgeafewcasualwordsbutthatwastheextentoftheirretionship.Thenifewdaystheygottoknoweachbetter.ShediscoveredthatthishomelessbeggarhadaKingdomofDreamsinhisheartandthathewasitssnruleranda,firmingthesayiojudgeabookbyitscover.Oneshouldneverlookdownuponlowlyhomelessbeggarslyingdrunkbythewayside,fortheymayhaveKingdomofDreamsintheirheartsandaresnkingsas.Charinasmiledwrylyatherselfinself-mockery,wifherimaginationwasgettingfancifulmosttothepointofabsurd.Thesunwassettingonthehorizon.Themoonwasrisingi.Afewstarsbegantotwiheblueskies.Soonherprincewouldflydownonhiswhitehorseandtakeherbacktothefamiliarmundaneworld.
Thepalecrestmoonwastravelingslowlytowardstheterofthesky,andwillgraduallygrowtobeafullmoon.Uheluminousmoonlight,theseawascalmwithpilyagainstthebeaapathbythewhitesand,amanandawomarollingalongtalkingandughing.Salinaworearemelywelldesignedbluesilkdressasblueasthebluesea.Infactshelookedlikeanymphwhojustroseoutofthedeepsea.Hersilkdressreflectedluminousmoonlight,givingforthafaintgleam.Herpanion,whoofcoursewasEmmanuel,wasinabeigesuit.Hedidnotuseatieahecolrofhisbrightredshirtopen,emanatinganairofurained,brawnymasecharmandfasation.Thefawn-coloredsafaristrawhatonhisheadaddedtohisattra.
“Youmeanyoureallydrive?”askedSalinawithasmile.
“What’sthebigdeal?OfcourseIdrive”repliedEmmanuelgestigwildly.“WhenmyoldfriendRichardwasdriving,Ipokemyheadoutofhisbreastpocketandwatchwhathewasdoistepsonthegas,tureerihiswayandthat.Heusesbothhishandsandhisfeetandlookseverywherewithhiseyes.It’ssimple.Iknowhowtodrivejustby.Pieceofcake.Sawyouhadyoureyesobcksportscarparkedoutsidethesteakhouse.Yah,thecarisstreamlinedanditsshapeisunique…OhesedayswebuyoneandpywithitandIshowoffmyexcellentdrivingskills.It’sapitycarsdon’tflyintheair;otherwiseIflyitlikeanairpneandyouwillknowhowaplishedIam.”ThetwoofthemdidnotmakeuseoftheluxuriouslimousineprovidedbythehotelforitsVIPersbutchosetowalktothefamoussteakhouseafewblocksdownandenjoyedasumptuousmeal.EmmanuendSalinahadheirwholelivestastednewYorksteakasgoodasthoseservedtothem.Theyaskedthewell-knowndessertcheftheretomakeabananacakeforthem.Heusedbutter,cheeseandredientsandintheendpouredrumoveritandlighteditupbeforeserving.Thaton,everydaydessertbecameasingurandfabulouscoinhisskillfulhands.Salinawasfasatedandasusualgavethechefanakeddiamondforhiseffivingrisetocriesofenvyandadmirationofthepeoplearoundthem.Aerattheneighbtablewasanoldgentlemannearinghisseventies,withgold-rimmedgssesandeyessharpwithintelligendefficy.Heeyedthenakeddiamondfshinggreenandbluelightsinthehandsofthechefaobearealtreasure.WhenSalinaandEmmanuelwalkedoutoftherestaurantuheadmiringlooksofallthepatrons,theoldgentlemanquicklysettledhisatandwalkedoutafterthemwithhisbeautifulyoungpanion.EmmanuelwalkedaroubckcarparkedinfrontoftherestaurantadmiringlyandsaidtoSalina.
“ThiscarisathousandtimesbetterthanthedipidatedoldtruckmyoldfriendRichardhas.Itshouldhavebeenthrownawaylongago,buthesaidit’shisoldfriendandhelovestheoldthingandwillnotdiscardit.Isn’thecrazy?”JustthentheoldgentlemaoftherestaurantandwasgratifiedthatEmmanuellikedhiscar.HestoppedbesideEmmanuelsaying,
“Thiscarhas600horsepowerandrequiresonly2-3sedstogofrom0to100.It’sreallyamazing.Atmyage,drivingittakesmebacktotheheadydaysofmyyouthwhenIwastakingpartinan800meterradwonthechampionship.Thisotonlyhas600horsepower,italsoharemelywelndiswortheverypennyoftheexorbitantpriceIpaidforit.ItshiftssosmoothlythatitremindsmeofpyingbasketballwhenIwasyoung.Iwouldjumpup,turnatthewaistandshootatthebasketbiningawholeseriesofmovementsintooneseamlessflow.Thiscar’scapabilitytoshiftisjustlikemynimblenesswhenIwasyoung.Ilovetodriveitbecauseitbringsbackthegoldenageofmylife.”
“Thiscarisreallyincredible.Howmuchdidyoupayforit?”askedEmmanuel
“Talkingaboutpriceistoovulgar”repliedtheoldgentleman.“Whatbringsyouhappinessisworthanyprice.AsamatteroffactIamthinkingofgingcars.IfyouarethinkingofgettingoneIletyouhavethisone.Priceisofnosequence….eandseemeifyouareied.”Sayingso,hetookoutacard,haoEmmanuehecardoorforhisbeautifulyoungpanion.Theyoungwomanhadlongblondehairjustreaghershouldersandworeagingminibckdress,showingoffhershapelylonglegs.Aftershewasseated,hewenttothedriver’sside,opehedoorandsaidtoEmmanuel,“I’msorrythissportscarseatsonlytwo,soI’tgiveyouguysaride.Seeyou.”Heclosedthedoor,startedtheehecarshotoutlikeanunbridledhorseandsoondisappearedfromsightontheroad.EmmanuellookedatthecardinhishandandsawthattheoldmanwasthetopdesignerandappraiserofapromijewelrystorecalledSteveR.Wolfe.HelookedatSalinaandasked,
“Whataboutit?Areyouiedinthedeal?Shallwespendsomemoneyandbuyit?”
“Leavethatfortomorrow.Fortonightweshouldthinkaboutwheretogoohaveagoodtime”saidSalina.
内容未完，下一页继续阅读