Book3:WereMyDreamIs (第115/327页)

werestillsomethatwereleftwhole,allfamouswinefromallovertheworld.WhatlookedstraoCharinawas,shesawana-lookingporbottlepallsquaretableotheet.Thoughthebottlehadbeenscorchedbyfireandcoveredwithdustandashes,thestrahingwasthesmalltableitwasunscathed.Shewalkedoverandpulledoutthestopper.Astrongaromaofliquorrushedathernostrils.Sheedupthemouthofthebottleandtookasip.Thewidowhrhttoherstomach.Whatgoodwine,shethought.Itmustbethe100-year-oldmaotaiwineDornahadusedtopacifyMr.Fih.Sheputthesthtlybatheporbottleandputitintoherbackpackaswell,meaningtoshareitwithDimitriwheback.Charinacarefullybypassedthebrokengssandtiowalkforward.Shecametoapcethatlookedlikeakit.Alotofbowlsanddishesyiandashesbutanarrayofpletecookingutensilshunguntouchedonthewall.Shewalkedontoanopenspacethatcouldhavebeenthebackgarden.Intheerofthegardenwasarustedwaterfaucetwithtwobuckets,mopsandingcloth.Charinaeyesbrightened.“Whydon’tIusetheseingutensilstowashandupKingDmitri’sthrohatthethrosymbolizestheauthorityseesthelightofdayagain?”

    ObedientlyfollowingCharina’sorders,thetwotigersKojakandCorteztookthebucketsbetweeeethandtrottedtotheketofillthemwithwater;whileCharinacarriedthemop,broom,ingclothandotheringutensilsandmadeherwaytowardsthegreathall.Itwasboriousasherfeetwereimmersedtotheankleiheachstepshetook.SooigerswerebackwiththeirbucketsofclearkewaterandsawthatCharinawassweepingawaythedustandashesfromtheptformwithabroom.Seeingthatthedustandashesaccumutedtherewasreallytoothick,shetookthebucketsofwaterandsimplyspsheditohroertheotheraigerstooktheemptybucketsandrantowardstheketogetmore.Shescrubbednon-stopatthedirt,owice,thrice.Thetigersraninnumerabletimestoandfrofromtheruinstothekeprinnumerablebucketsofwaterforheruntitstitwasagainandthehundredsofbrilliantpreciousstonesembeddedinitoncemaveforththeirbrilliance.Seeingtherewasstilldirtlodgedbetweenthepreciousstones,Charinasprayedthegapwithabottleofsingfluidandthencarefullyedeveryinchofthethrone.Finallysatisfiedwithherwork,shespsheditagainwithkewaterandrubbeditdrywithhercloth.ThethrosymbolizestheroyauthorityofKingDimitriatstagainsawthelightofday.EverygleamingpreciousstoobetellioryofthegoldeneraoftheKingdomofDreams.Charinaspshedwateroformtoclearawaytheremainingdustandashes,straighteheoverturnedchairsandputthemintheirpce.Bythen,shewasverytiredandherarmsandlegsweresoresoshesatohroorest.Thetwotigerssatoneoneachsideguardingtheirnewmistress.

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    Charinatookoutthebinocursshehadpickedupamongtheashes,rubbedonthelensesaolookatthemountainrangesandkearoundherandatthefarawayforest.Shesawthedazzlingandbrilliantgoldpacetowardstheleftohersideoftheke.Therewasnoactivityihepacebutshesawthatthebarbariansoldierswerebusycarryingarmfulsofviheedgeofthesheercliffatthebackofthepaooneevenlookedtowardsthissideoftheke,soshewasfidentshehadnotbeeedandthereforeworryabouthersafety.Sheputdownthebinocursinherhandandabsent-mindedlystrokedthebacksofthetigerssittingbesidethethrone,findingtheirfurrathershort,coarseandprickly,sodifferentfromthelong,silkysmoothfurofherpetMaureen.Sudde