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           "Areyoucold?"

           "No,butifyouarewecouldgotobed."

           "Aftermakinglovetoyouforhoursonafurrug?Whatacomedown!Evenifyoursheetsareblacksilk."

           "They’reordinaryoldwhiteones,cotton.ThisbitofDroghedaisallright,isn’tit?"

           "BitofDrogheda?"

           "Therug!It’smadeofDroghedakangaroos,"sheexplained.

           "Notnearlyexoticoreroticenough.I’llorderyouatigerskinfromIndia."

           "RemindsmeofapoemIheardonce:

           Wouldyouliketosin

           WithElinorGlyn

           Onatigerskin?

           Orwouldyouprefer

           Toerrwithher

           Onsomeotherfur?

           "Well,Herzchen,Imustsayit’shightimeyoubouncedback!BetweenthedemandsofErosandMorpheus,youhaven’tbeenflippantinhalfaday."Hesmiled.

           "Idon’tfeeltheneedatthemoment,"shesaidwithanansweringsmile,settlinghishandcomfortablybetweenherlegs."Thetigerskindoggereljustpoppedoutbecauseitwastoogoodtoresist,butIhaven’tgotasingleskeletonlefttohidefromyou,sothere’snotmuchpointinflippancy,isthere?"Shesniffed,suddenlyawareofafaintodorofstalefishdriftingontheair."Heavens,youdidn’tgetanydinnerandnowit’stimeforbreakfast!Ican’texpectyoutoliveonlove!"

           "Notifyouexpectsuchstrenuousdemonstrationsofit,anyway."

           "Goon,youenjoyedeverymomentofit."

           "IndeedIdid."Hesighed,stretched,yawned."IwonderifyouhaveanyideahowhappyIam."

           "Oh,Ithinkso,"shesaidquietly.

           Heraisedhimselfononeelbowtolookather.