Soldiers of Fortune by Richard Harding Davis
page 39 of 292 (13%)
page 39 of 292 (13%)
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``You can have another wish, Mac, you know,'' urged Langham, ``can't he, Clay?'' Clay nodded gravely, and MacWilliams frowned again in thought. ``No,'' he said after an effort, ``Owens, John E. Owens; that's the one I want to see.'' ``Well, now I want another wish, too,'' said Langham. ``I move we can each have two wishes. I wish--'' ``Wait until I've had mine,'' said Clay. ``You've had one turn. I want to be in a place I know in Vienna. It's not hot like this, but cool and fresh. It's an open, out-of-door concert- garden, with hundreds of colored lights and trees, and there's always a breeze coming through. And Eduard Strauss, the son, you know, leads the orchestra there, and they play nothing but waltzes, and he stands in front of them, and begins by raising himself on his toes, and then he lifts his shoulders gently--and then sinks back again and raises his baton as though he were drawing the music out after it, and the whole place seems to rock and move. It's like being picked up and carried on the deck of a yacht over great waves; and all around you are the beautiful Viennese women and those tall Austrian officers in their long, blue coats and flat hats and silver swords. And there are cool drinks--'' continued Clay, with his eyes fixed on the coming storm--``all sorts of cool drinks--in high, thin glasses, full of ice, all the ice you want--'' ``Oh, drop it, will you?'' cried Langham, with a shrug of his |
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