CHAPTER VI
THE GLITTER ON THE SNOW
I WOKE to find Lou fully dressed. She was sitting on
the edge of my bed. She had taken hold of my hand,
and her face was bending over mine like a pallid flower.
She saw that I was awake, and her mouth descended
upon mine with exquisite tenderness. Her lips were
soft and firm; their kiss revived me into life.
She was extraordinarily pale, and her gestures were
limp and languid. I realised that I was utterly
exhausted. |
“I couldn’t sleep at all,” she said, ‘after what
seemed a very long time in which I tried to pull myself
together. My mind went running on like mad—lI’ve
had a perfectly ripping time—perfectly top-hole! I
simply couldn’t get up till I remembered what that
man Feccles said about a hair of the dog. So I rolled
out of bed and crawled across to the H. and took one
little sniff, and sat on the floor till it worked. It’s
great stuff when you know the ropes. It picked me
up ina minute. So I had a bath, and got these things
on. I’m still a bit all in, You know we did overdo it,
didn’t we, Cockie ? ”’
“You bet,” I said feebly. “I’m glad I’ve got a
nurse.”
“ Right-o,” she said, with a queer grin. “ It’s time
for your majesty’s medicine.”
She went over to the bureau, and brought me a
dose of heroin. The effect was surprising! I had felt
as if I couldn’t move a muscle, as if all the springs of
my nerves had given way. Yet, in two minutes, one
small sniff restored me to complete activity.
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