"I’mafraidhisabsencewilldampentheardorofthedonors.”
“No,Idon’tthinkso,”saidDimitri．"I’msuretheywilttaintheirprojectedamountandmore.”
"I’mnotasoptimisticasyouare,sir.”
"Justwaitaheyeachotheraheirownway，theirreflesdisappearingfromthepolishedmirror．
Thehallwaywasnotasdesertedasitwas．Ayoungmanwasusingthepublieatoneendandainglybeautifulwomaninapaleblue,daringly-cuteveninggownwassmokinginthelounge．Hergown,whichleftonedazzlingwhiteshoulderandarmbare,wassewedwithgoldthread．Shesatthere,legsgracefullycrossed,onehandholdingalightedcigarette，apictureofidece．ShemightbeanythingfromadissoluteharlottoaBohemianartist．AsDimitrisaunteredbyhersofa，hegncedcasuallyather．Theenteroftwopairsofeyescausedanunpretedimpactthatgavehisheartagreatjolt．Thatnobleforehead,finelychiseled,sadeyesdeepasapool，seemedhauntinglyfamiliar，buthecouldnotforthelifeofhimrememberwherehehadseenherorrecallwhichdreamshehadonceappearedin．Heheardsomeonecall，
"el,eiinghasbegun!"Andtheyoungutouthercigarettebutt,stoodupandfollowedDimitriintotheballroom．
ThemusichadstoppedandMegginnwasoform,speakingpassionatelyandpersuasivelyabouthercharity．ShethenthaheabsentMr．KaffeeforspthefunandthenannouncedheriionofdonatingalloftheonemilliondiventoherbyWorldBanktocharity．Enthusiasticappuseapaniedherbacktohertable,whereDimitristoodupgtosaluteher．
"Thankyou,”shesaidasshesatdown．"Wherewereyou?Ithoughtyouwereboredandslippedaway!"
"Ohno!Iwouldhattoyou．Ijustwenttothemen’sroom.”
"I’msorrytohaveleftyoutoyourowndevicesallnight．Oh,myfeetarekillingme!"shemoaned．"Highheelsarereallyapgue,especiallywhendang．I’dgiveanythingtotakeoffmyshoes,soakthesepoorfeetinwarmwaterandgivethemagoodmassage．Butitwasfoodcauseandmyborwillbearfruit,becauseI’vebeenlobbyinghardandtheyallpromisedtodonate.”
内容未完，下一页继续阅读