cc.themediterraneancaper2-第6章

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ely　　calm。　The　moon　cast　its　glow　on　the　dark　water　and　left　a　shaft　of　silver　that　　traveled　over　the　surface　to　the　horizon　where　the　sea　and　sky　melted　together　　into　absolute　blackness。　Pitt　soaked　up　the　warm　stillness　and　moved　into　the　　water；　swimming　along　the　silver　shaft
　An　inner　feeling　always　overcame　Pitt　when　he　was　alone　and　near　the　sea。　It　was　　as　though　his　soul　seeped　out　of　his　body；　and　he　became　a　thing　without　　substance；　without　form。　His　mind　was　purified　and　cleansed：　all　mental　labor　　ceased　and　all　thoughts　vanished。　He　was　only　vaguely　aware　of　hot　and　cold；　　smells；　touch；　and　all　the　other　senses；　except　hearing。　He　listened　to　the　　nothingness　of　silence；　the　greatest；　but　most　unknown；　treasure　of　man。　　Forgotten　for　the　moment　were　all　his　failures；　all　his　victories　and　all　his　　loves；　even　life　itself　was　buried　and　lost　in　the　stillness。
　He　lay　dead　and　floated　in　the　water　for　nearly　an　hour。　Finally；　a　small　swell　　slapped　at　his　face　and　he　unwittingly　inhaled　a　few　drops　of　salt　water。　He　　snorted；　dispelling　the　disfort　and　again　became　aware　of　his　bodily　　sensations。　Without　watching　his　progress；　he　effortlessly　backstroked　toward　　　the　shore。　When　his　hands　arched　and　touched　the　dense　sand；　he　stopped　swimming　　and　drifted　onto　the　beach　like　a　piece　of　flotsam。　Then　he　dragged　himself　　forward　until　he　was　only　half…out　of　the　water；　letting　it　swirl　around　his　　legs　and　buttocks。　The　warm　Aegean　surf　rose　out　of　the　dim　light　and　flooded　up　the　beach；　caressing　his　skin；　and　he　dozed　off。
　　　The　stars　were　beginning　to　blink　out　one　by　one　with　the　pale　light　of　the　　approaching　dawn　when　an　inner　alarm　sounded　in　Pitt's　brain；　and　he　suddenly　　became　alert　to　a　presence。　Instantly　he　was　awake；　but　he　made　no　movement；　　other　than　peering　through　half…open　eyes。　He　barely　could　make　out　a　shadowy　　form　standing　over　him。　Focusing　and　straining　his　eyes　in　the　faint　light；　he　　tried　to　distinguish　a　detailed　shape。
　Slowly；　an　outline　materialized。　It　was　a　woman。
　〃Good　morning；〃　he　said　and　sat　up。
　〃Oh　my　God；〃　the　woman　gasped。　She　threw　a　hand　to　her　mouth　as　if　to　scream。
　It　was　still　too　dark　to　see　the　wild　look　in　her　eyes；　but　Pitt　knew　it　was　　there。　〃I'm　sorry；〃　he　said　gently。　〃I　didn't　mean　to　startle　you。〃
　The　hand　slowly　dropped。　She　just　stood　there　looking　down　at　him。　Finally　she　　found　her　voice。　〃I。。。　I　thought　you　were　dead。〃　She　stammered　the　words　softly。
　〃I　can　hardly　blame　you。　I　suppose　if　I　stumbled　on　someone　sleeping　in　the　tide　　at　this　time　of　morning　I　would　think　the　same　thing。〃
　〃You　gave　me　quite　a　frightful　shock；　you　know；　sitting　up　and　talking　like　　that。〃
　〃Again；　my　sincere　apologies。〃　It　suddenly　occurred　to　Pitt　that　the　woman　was　　speaking　English。　Her　accent　was　decidedly　British；　but　it　had　a　trace　of　　German。　He　rose　to　his　feet。　〃Please　allow　me　to　introduce　myself；　my　name　is　Dirk　Pitt。〃
　〃I'm　Teri；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　can't　tell　you　how　happy　I　am　to　see　you　alive　and　　healthy。　Mister　Pitt〃
　She　didn't　offer　her　last　name；　and　Pitt　didn't　press　for　it。
　〃Believe　me；　Teri；　the　pleasure　is　all　mine。〃　He　pointed　to　the　sand。　〃Won't　you　　join　me　and　help　raise　the　sun？〃
　She　laughed。　〃Thank　you；　I'd　like　that　But　then　again；　I　can　hardly　see　you。　For　　all　I　know　you　might　be　a　monster　or　something。〃　There　was　a　note　of　whimsy　in　　her　tone。　〃Can　I　trust　you？〃
　〃To　be　perfectly　honest；　no。　I　think　it　only　fair　to　Warn　you　that　I've　　assaulted　over　two　hundred　innocent　virgins　right　here　on　this　very　spot。〃　Pitt's　humor　was　overly　forward；　but　he　knew　it　was　a　good　system　for　testing　a　　female's　personality。
　〃Oh　blimey；　I　would　dearly　loved　to　have　been　number　two　hundred　and　one；　but　　I'm　not　an　innocent　virgin。〃　There　was　enough　light　now　for　Pitt　to　see　the　　White　of　her　teeth　arched　in　a　smile。　〃I　certainly　hope　you　won't　hold　that　　against　me。〃
　〃No；　I'm　very　broadminded　about　that　sort　of　thing。　But　I　must　ask　you　to　keep　　secret　the　fact　that　two　hundred　and　one　wasn't　pure　as　the　driven　snow。　If　it　　ever　leaked　out；　my　reputation　as　a　monster　would　be　ruined。〃
　They　both　laughed　and　sat　down　together　on　Pitt's　towel　and　talked　while　the　hot　　sun　reluctantly　began　its　climb　over　the　Aegean　Sea。　As　the　blazing　orange　ball　　threw　its　first　golden　rays　over　the　shimmering　horizon；　Pitt　gazed　at　the　woman　　in　the　new　light　and　studied　her　closely。
　She　was　about　thirty　and　wore　a　red　bikini　swim　suit。　The　bikini　was　not　the　　exaggerated　brief　kind；　even　though　the　lower　half　began　a　good　two　inches　below　　the　navel。　The　material　had　a　satin　sheen　to　it　and　clung　tautly　to　her　body　　like　an　outer　layer　of　skin。　Her　figure　was　a　beguiling　mixture　of　grace　and　　firmness：　the　stomach　looked　smooth　and　flat　and　the　breasts　were　perfect；　not　　too　small　but　not　too　large　and　out　of　scale。
　Her　legs　were　long；　creamy　colored　and　slightly　on　the　thin　side。　Pitt　decided　　to　overlook　this　faint　imperfection　and　swung　his　eyes　to　her　face。　The　profile　　was　exquisite。　Her　features　possessed　the　beauty　and　mystery　of　a　Grecian　statue　　and　would　have　rated　near　perfection　except　for　a　round　pockmark　beside　her　　right　temple。　Ordinarily　the　scar　would　have　been　covered　by　her　shoulder　length　　black　hair　but　she　had　thrown　her　head　back　as　she　watched　the　sunrise　and　the　　ebony　strands　angled　back　behind　her　shoulders；　touching　the　sand　and　revealing　　the　thin　blemish。
　Suddenly　she　turned　and　caught　Pitt's　examining　stare。
　〃You're　supposed　to　be　watching　the　sunrise；〃　she　said　with　a　bemused　smile。
　〃I've　seen　sunrises　before；　but　this　is　the　first　time　I've　ever　e　face　to　　face　with　a　lovely；　genuine　Grecian　Aphrodite。〃　Pitt　could　see　her　dark　brown　　eyes　flashing　with　enjoyment　at　his　pliment。
　〃Thank　you　for　the　flattery；　but　Aphrodite　was　the　Greek　goddess　of　love　and　　beauty；　and　I'm　only　half　Greek。〃
　〃What's　the　other　half？〃
　〃My　father　was　German。〃
　〃in　that　case　I　must　thank　the　gods　that　you　look　after　your　mother's　side。〃
　She　gave　a　pouting　glance。　〃You'd　better　not　let　my　uncle　hear　you　say　that。〃
　〃A　typical　kraut？
　〃Yes；　indeed。　In　fact　he's　why　I　happen　to　be　on　Thasos。〃
　〃Then　he　can't　be　all　bad；〃　Pitt　said；　admiring　her　hazel　eyes。　〃DO　you　live　　with　him？〃
　〃No；　actually　l　was　born　here　but　I　was　raised　in　England。　I　suffered　through　　school　there　and　when　I　was　eighteen　I　fell　in　love　with　a　dashing　motorcar　　salesman　and　married　him。〃
　〃I　didn't　know　car　salesmen　could　be　dashing。〃
　She　ignored　his　sarcastic　remark　and　continued。　〃He　loved　to　race　cars　on　his　　time　off；　and　he　was　good　at　it　too。　He　won　trials　and　hill　climbs　and　sporting　　car　events；〃　She　shrugged　and　began　drawing　circles　in　the　sand　with　her　finger。　Her　voice　became　strange　and　husky。　〃Then　one　weekend　he　was　racing　a　　supercharged　MG。　It　was　raining；　and　he　skidded　off　the　course　and　hit　a　tree。　He　was　dead　before　I　could　reach　his　side。〃
　Pitt　sat　silent　for　a　minute；　staring　at　her　sad　face。　〃How　long　ago？〃　he　asked　　simply。
　〃It's　been　eight　and　a　half　years　now；〃　she　replied　in　a　whisper。
　Pitt　felt　dazed。　Then　anger　set　in。　What　a　waste；　he　thought。　What　a　rotten　　waste　for　a　beautiful　woman　like　her　to　grieve　over　a　dead　man　for　nearly　nine　　years。　The　more　he　thought　about　it　the　angrier　he　became。　He　could　see　tears　　welling　in　her　eyes　as　she　lost　herself　in　the　remembrance；　and　the　sight　　sickened　him。　He　reached；　over　and　gave　her　a　hard　backhand　slap　across　the　　face。
　Her　eyes　jerked　wide；　and　her　whole　body　tensed　from　the　sharp　blow。　It　was　as　　if　she　was　struck　by　a　bullet。　〃Why　did　you　strike　me？〃　she　gasped。
　〃Because　you　needed　it；　needed　it　badly；〃　he　Snapped。　〃That　torch　you　carry　　around　is　as　worn　out　as　an　overcoat。　I'm　surprised　someone　hasn't　taken　you　　over　a　knee　and　spanked　it　off。　So　your　husband　was　dashing。　So　what？　He's　dead　　and　buried；　and　mourning　over　him　for　all　these　years　won't　resurrect　him　from　　the　grave。　Lock　away　his　memory　somewhere　and　f　orget　him。　You're　a　beautiful　　woman…you　don't　belong　chained　to　a　coffin　full　of　bones。　You　belong　to　every　　man　who　turns　and　admires　you　as　you　pass　by　and　who　longs　to　possess　you。〃　Pitt　　could　s