Think of England

He slipped out of the cottage just after midnight with a bottle of water, a decanter of whiskey, cold chicken pie stolen from the kitchen, and a revolver.He crossed the gravel road around the house as lightly and silently as possible, and walked in the shadow of the trees more cautiously than before. Even though the autumn leaves had been soaked by the rain, he still took care not to step on them so as not to make any noise.He knew the Armstrongs were probably still looking for Holt, and he only wished he could come and go as silently as Daniel, but he met no one on his cautious journey to the tower.

The door is locked.He tapped lightly, then stepped back to expose himself to the moonlight, so that he could be seen by those in the window.Hope Daniel is still awake.

There was a rattle of wooden bolts behind the door, and the door swung open.

Daniel was standing at the door, looking haggard, the stolen clothes made him look desolate, this scene immediately made Curtis's heart tighten.He walked quickly into the tower, and Daniel bolted the door behind him and turned around.

Curtis wanted to ask Daniel if anyone had found any signs here, but all words disappeared from his mind.The desire to hold the man in front of him in his arms again made him unable to move, he just wanted to hug him tightly and feel his warmth.

"Curtis."

"My God, it's great to meet you." Curtis sighed sincerely.

"I'm also very happy to see you. Although I was happier when I saw you last time, I don't want to experience that feeling of crying with joy anymore." Daniel's voice sounded stable, but there was a hint of sarcasm in it.

Curtis tried to see his expression hidden in the darkness. "are you OK?"

"Thanks to you. And of course the wonderful Miss Morton. I daresay James Armstrong would have been shot dead on the spot if he had been here."

"It's a good thing she didn't do that," Curtis said in the same dry tone as Daniel, because there was no excitement in the other's voice.Restrain yourself, you idiot. "Because I've decided to break James' neck."

Daniel stood two feet away, tilting his head and looking at him.Curtis could almost feel the distance between each other, but the other party just didn't take a step closer. "Really? Well, I think so. But you'd better not do it."

"why?"

"We need to find out what secrets they leaked and who they sold them to. Sir Hubert and Mrs. Armstrong are smart people, and Holt is dead. If caught, simple-minded James is The one who is most likely to speak. You should be able to tell that I expected you to have successfully found a rescuer."

"I have spoken to Sir Maurice this afternoon. He has sent men on the way, and they will be here before daylight. We just need to wait patiently. I have pistols, food and drink ready for this."

"Water or real drink?"

"All."

"I like you so much."

His tone was light, but the ending seemed to stay too long.Curtis stared at the dark outline, only wishing that he could see it more clearly.

"Come here, it's more comfortable." Daniel took the lead to climb up the winding stairs, and the only moonlight spilled from the window lattice into the mezzanine. "How to solve the Holt matter?"

"He disappeared, as you can imagine. James became suspicious, but Pat made up a lie to keep him from thinking about us for a while. They shouldn't panic yet."

"If we're lucky, our rescuers will arrive tomorrow before they realize something is wrong." The picnic blanket was folded on the wooden floor, and Daniel waved his hand like a hospitable host, and the two sat down side by side with their backs against the stone wall.It's cold here, but bearable.Curtis handed him food and water.

"Thanks." Daniel took a bite of the pie. "Tell me, how did you know I was in that cave?"

"I just can't figure out how you came to leave without saying goodbye. The Armstrongs claim that you cheated in a card game with Holt and Armstrong and got asked out—"

"If I bluffed at cards with them, you'd know, 'cause they'd lose nothing but a pair of underpants hanging around the room."

"I knew you could cheat without anyone noticing." Curtis became inexplicably proud of his partner's ability.

"I could; but I didn't cheat. Go on."

Curtis explained what Armstrong's words led him to infer.Daniel turned around and stared at him, Curtis moved away uncomfortably, "What's wrong?"

"You walked two miles to the cave in the middle of the night just listening to the one-sided words of that idiot Armstrong?"

"That's my only lead. I don't know what else I can do."

"I don't blame you, I'm just amazed at my good luck. Look, Curtis, I can't tell you how grateful I am—"

"Stop it, really, you thanked me enough last night." It wasn't true, but he didn't need the other party's gratitude, and he couldn't bear the anger and shame in Daniel's tone. "Any man of integrity would have done the same in that situation, and you would have done the same for me."

"I don't want to pour water on you, my dear, but I couldn't do it even for my mother. I'm a coward down in the ground; and next time I'll keep it to myself, I'll learn a valuable lesson." Lesson one."

"I know a guy who's terrified of spiders," Curtis said. "There's a big guy in the army, a tough guy about my height, but a tiny spider can make him go limp, poor guy." .”

"You all must have laughed at him for it. I know it feels unreasonable, and it's bad, and you can call it what you want. But I'm just—I can feel the ground pressing against me, That's it. I can feel the accumulated weight of millions of years and millions of tons pressing down on my head—"

Curtis put his hand on his shoulder, signaling him to stop. "Do you know what the captain told me when I first went to the battlefield?"

"What did you say?"

"He said the best advice he could give us was to hurry up and go to the toilet, because many of us would pee our pants in fear." Daniel turned to look at him, and the look on his face made Curtis laugh . "I mean, we can't control our fears. It's not about whether you're the type to cry on the eve of a duel -- I know a lot of brave guys who are -- it's about the distance. Can you cheer yourself up in the morning?"

"What's your rank?" Daniel asked.

"Captain."

"Really. You are not a general."

It was harsh, but more like the tone of the Daniel he knew.After a second, Daniel leaned towards him, and Curtis moved his arm to the back of his neck, making them both more comfortable.

"Will you be afraid?" Daniel asked suddenly, "On the battlefield?"

"Not much. I don't have much imagination, and people with rich imaginations suffer."

"As the saying goes, 'a coward dies a thousand times'?"

Curtis shook his head. "These people are throwing their heads and blood for their country. Cowards can't do that."

Daniel was silent for a moment, but Curtis was sure that his body was not as tense as before.He looked at the back of the other's black head and neck, desperately longing to touch that piece of skin with his lips, even the slightest touch.

"What the hell happened? How did they get you?" he asked.

"Oh, just bad luck. I slipped into the servants' passage when everyone was downstairs, thinking it was unlikely that anyone would be in there then. It just so happened that that brutal Marchy came in with some of his men, and he I called Holt again. I couldn't find an excuse to get in front of these two people, and the cameras and mirrors in the aisle were clearly visible, and anyone could see their conspiracy." Daniel moved his body weight closer to Curtis, "Of course, Holt didn't like me, a lingering Jew, and I just showed my hand stupidly on the pool table. This is completely unnecessary." He sighed. "I really failed in this mission."

Curtis tightened his arms, "And then?"

"Well, Holt wants to know how I got in, and if you know what I'm doing. I tried my best to pretend to be some kind of East Ender, trying to convince him I was just an opportunistic thief, but he didn't. Believe me. Then he came up with a perfect idea to make full use of that cave." Curtis felt the other party subconsciously suppressed his emotions, "He thought I would tell the whole story after leaving me underground for a day and a night , he just wants to be wrong, that is, there is no need for a day at all, as long as the damn water is smashed down like a stone, and it is still so cold, cold--" He stopped hastily, took a deep breath and let it out heavily, waiting for him to breathe again When he spoke, the tremor in his voice was almost inaudible. "Holt's cleverness was misled by his cleverness. I think he also believes that I'm just a thief, but he still wants to find a reason to torture me. Maybe it's okay to torture anyone, but I just happened to fall into his hands."

"It was me telling that damn story that made him come up with this trick, sorry."

"Nevertheless, it's better than them taking me with a blade or a needle point anyway. And if he didn't want to watch me go crazy in the ground, you wouldn't have time to find me, I'd have to—"

"Shh—stop talking." Curtis pulled him closer, feeling Daniel turn around and wrap his hands around him.

They hugged each other wordlessly. In the biting darkness, only the faint moonlight passed through the window lattice, covering the room with a layer of gray light.Curtis didn't realize it himself, he stroked Daniel's hair unknowingly, but the other party didn't stop him.

"Holt," Daniel said finally, "you killed him."

The movements of Curtis' hands stopped for a moment. "right."

"I was tied up all day. I was exhausted. It was cold in the cave. I admit that I was a little out of my mind in that extraordinary situation, but you don't look very conscious."

"That's right." Curtis was speechless.

"Is that what they call the Berserker state?"

"You read about my uncle in that damn book too, didn't you?"

"Yes, I have, but I have also read a couple of Icelandic saga," Daniel said unexpectedly. "My master's thesis was on Old Norse."

"Do you have a master's degree?" Curtis tensed reflexively as a person who managed to get into Oxford with boxing points.

"It happened to be a German equivalency diploma, in Heidelberg, so I read something about Berserkers. I must say, Curtis... you were tall enough, but you looked almost normal then Twice the size of yours, and what's even more creepy is that you couldn't stop laughing, and of course you broke his neck with your bare hands. What a spectacle. I don't mean to find fault with your behavior, it's just shocking," he added, " It’s as if a Roman legionary has traveled through time and space to the twentieth century.”

Curtis shrugged awkwardly. "I don't know what to say. Quatermain, the guy who wrote the book, keeps saying that my uncle and I are throwbacks to our northern ancestors, with memories in our blood and stuff. Ask me, I'm I think it's all bullshit. I just lose a little bit of self-control every once in a while when I fight. I don't want to."

"I know you don't want to. Did Holt attack you with a knife?"

Curtis was grateful to Daniel for changing the subject lightly, without sympathy or apology in his tone.This is the quality of Daniel that makes it easy to open up to him, but only if he doesn't want to be sarcastic. "My arm was scratched, but the wound was not deep, and it was almost covered by the coat." He had bundled up the torn coat into a roll, and hid it in the closet together with the blood-stained top. Adhesives treated the wound.Although it can only be an emergency, the wound will eventually heal.

"It's disrespectful to use a knife. Although he must have been frightened by you, he knew that his life was not long." Daniel shook his head, imitating Holt's tone perfectly, "Damn Nanou Planting the next three indiscriminate tricks."

Curtis said excitedly: "I think so too!" Daniel laughed silently, and the tremor spread to him.Their postures were almost snuggling together, Curtis was lying on his back, Daniel was lying on his side, if it wasn't for the unbearable protest from Curtis's spine, the current state would be considered comfortable.

"I'll have to sit up," he said a little regretfully.

Daniel rolled aside.Curtis didn't know what to say to bring him back.He sat up, with his legs slightly bent and knees wide open, and then tried to speak, "It's really cold here."

"Should we huddle together for warmth?" Daniel asked, moving between his legs and leaning back against his chest.Curtis' heart was beating a little too fast, and he put his arms around Daniel's shoulders, pampering himself to enjoy the moment of intimacy.

"Why did you go to Heidelberg to study for a master's degree?" He tried to get back on topic. "I mean, why did you choose Germany?"

"It's hard to say," Daniel said after a while, "I was expelled from Cambridge."

"Oh." Curtis didn't expect this to be the reason. "Is it because of your, uh, private behavior?"

"Probably." Daniel tilted his head back, "At that time, there was a handsome man like Adonis in the rowing team, you know, the kind of young man in his prime, full of vitality and noble British youth. For a poor kid from the East End, he was the dream girl. I was smitten with him, and he - returned my feelings. It was a beautiful Easter holiday and we were at I was bumped into by someone from the rowing team when I was having an affair at the boat house. Rumors quickly spread around, and in order to clear the suspicion, my lover decided to go to the dean and accuse me of molesting him."

"what?"

"Oh, he's got it all right." Daniel didn't look back. "He's the second son of the Duke of So-and-so, and you know that means he might lose his social status. But my father is Old Spy The locksmith in Taffield Market, the whole family paid every penny to pay for me to go to Cambridge. He belonged there, I didn't. So I had nothing to lose if I was disgraced and kicked out of the school, he was right There is no doubt about it.”

Curtis felt stuck in his throat, and it became more and more difficult to maintain a stable voice. "My God, Daniel, this is really..." He couldn't finish.

"It sucks," Daniel said. "Of course, the dean also knows that things are not so simple, but he thinks the same as my unfavorable lover, thinking that the lesser of two evils is the lesser of two evils. But after he decided to cover up the truth Afterwards, at least I still felt guilty, so I didn’t let this matter seriously affect my future. Coincidentally, I got a full scholarship to Heidelberg not long after, so I avoided a counter-accusation from my family. From then on To put it bluntly, it is undoubtedly good for everyone to deal with it this way. Maybe I have to thank him."

"That selfish bastard."

"He didn't benefit from it either. He was arrested two years later - sheer coincidence, police raided a Morley's house on Cleveland Road[3] and he was inside and was arrested Get up. He shot himself shortly after he was released."

"Oh my God." Curtis didn't know what to say about this.He often heard people say that "this kind of man should kill himself", but this was the first time he knew that someone had actually done so.

"Yes." Daniel was silent for a moment. "Okay, stop talking about it, I don't know why I'm bothering you with such disgraceful stories."

"But you told me, I'm very happy." Curtis thought for a while, and frowned, "You're very careful, aren't you? You won't get into trouble, will you?"

Daniel paused for a second. "By trouble you mean being tied to a rock all day, just waiting to die?"

"No, I mean getting troubled by the police."

"I know what you mean, honey, I just find your perspective on life interesting. You may not see it, but I'm pretty cautious."

Curtis really couldn't see it, he was starting to worry about the threat Daniel was facing, and he hadn't thought about it before. "You're not that kind of person," he retorted, "you never hide—"

"Maybe, but it's not illegal. Only people who are caught in bed are in danger. Behaving like a pussy is okay for now. Really, don't worry, I know where I am."

Curtis hasn't figured out that part yet, and Daniel's relaxed tone is a little tough, as if signaling him to stop the topic, "Well, since you've said that." Daniel's clothes are already crumpled He reached out and stroked the warm body, trying to smooth the fabric. "So how did you start working for my uncle? You, uh, don't look like that."

"My dear chap, I can pick locks, I come and go silently, I don't regard gentlemanly manners as a rule, and I speak the language of our main European rivals, it's just my kind of man he's looking for, and they have a hand to find People with those qualities.”

"Even if you're a, uh..."

"It's because of that 'uh'. Your awesome uncle told me he thought it would be easier to have a few fags at his beck and call. I told him I felt the same way."

"You can't really say that."

"I did. He didn't smile."

"I bet he won't laugh." Curtis cringed, thinking of his serious uncle, "You really have the guts."

His hands lingered on Daniel's chest, exploring deeper and deeper.Sitting here, being able to touch each other like this in the dark, is like a privilege.At this time, his outstretched fingers touched a strange hard object, which felt small and round, and very hard.He doesn't know what he's doing until Daniel lets out an inviting grunt that he realizes he's stroking the nipple ring.

"Oh." He touched it carefully again, this time gently twisting.

"Hmm..." Daniel arched his back and handed his chest to Curtis.He brushed his thumb vigorously over the center protrusion. "Uh-"

"This—I mean, can I—" He didn't know what he was asking, but Daniel replied hoarsely, "Yes." Then he reached out and undid a few buttons.Curtis's hand slid into the open shirt, past Daniel's smooth and warm skin.Now his fingers were directly on the firm nipple and the silver ring on it, both of which shuddered at his touch.Curtis kneaded with his index finger and thumb. Although he had no clue about his movements, he was very excited by the other party's reaction.Daniel's breathing became heavy, he straightened his body under Curtis' comfort, maybe it was the shadow cast by the faint moonlight, but...

Curtis cursed his deformed right hand in his heart. Fortunately, although the glove blocks most of the touch, it can also hide the ugliness.He kept caressing Daniel's chest with his left hand, while leaning forward, his right hand stroked Daniel's waist and stretched down.

That's right: Daniel was completely turned on by his actions.

He started stroking that part too, rubbing the hard erection against the black cloth.Daniel's voice was close to whimpering, his waist and hips pushed forward encouragingly, and Curtis found that using only two fingers was no longer enough to do what he wanted to do.

"Wait a minute," he murmured, pinching Daniel's nipple, and the gasp from Daniel's breath went straight to his crotch. "I just need—" His busy left hand reached down to Daniel's waist, his gloved right hand moved to his nipples.

The touch of leather made Daniel shake his head, "Take it off."

"what?"

"Your gloves."

"It doesn't look very good when you take it off."

"I don't need your aesthetic judgment," Daniel replied, "I just need you to touch me."

Curtis hesitated, but the surrounding light was dim, and he also wanted to touch Daniel, too bad.He tore off the black leather and tossed it aside.In low light, the hideous scar tissue is almost black.Daniel's graceful hand caressed his incomplete part, fingers wrapped around Curtis's scar, and then brought his hand to his nipple.

The conclusion is that Curtis only needs his index finger and thumb to please the other party.

He unbuttoned Daniel's trousers, and the other's penis popped into his hand, and he was surprised to remember that he obviously forgot to help him put back his underwear when he was still in shock last night.He held Daniel's erection with his undamaged hand. Like the rest of Daniel's body, this organ was slender and smooth. He stroked it up and down, not forgetting the hard nipple, and Daniel pushed himself forward He couldn't believe that this was all the pleasure he brought to the other party.

"Daniel." He whispered.

Daniel's head was thrown back, eyes closed, lips parted, back arched back.He advanced slightly towards Curtis's hand, but let Curtis lead his movements.Curtis understood that now Daniel's reaction was caused by him, this docile body was completely under his control, which made his own cock almost throbbing. "Oh my God, Daniel, I should have done this, I wanted to." Not only that, but he changed positions, caressing each other with his hands as long as possible, twisting down until he could put his face against On Daniel's chest, so smooth and warm there.His lips tasted the salty taste of sweat and found Daniel's nipple, which he kissed.

"You should have done this earlier." Curtis sucked, causing Daniel to groan, and he continued to lick lightly, so bold that even he himself was surprised. "What did we do earlier. Oh, yes, like this. Yes."

Curtis murmured: "I really want to touch you." I don't know if Daniel can hear it, maybe he wasn't listening at all.His hips moved faster and faster, and the penis was extremely hard in Curtis's hand. "I've been wanting to touch you all day long. The time you came to my room to borrow your collar button, I thought you could tell me to cum just by talking—"

Daniel gasped and laughed, "One day I will."

"I want you to cum. I want you to cum because of me."

Daniel struggled under his hands, leaned back, and was rarely speechless.Curtis tightened Daniel's nipples, moaning under his breath as the latter finally gasped and burst, convulsing in orgasm, spraying cum all over Holt's shirt and his own chest, and Curtis stroked Squeezing out the last few drops until Daniel couldn't take the pleasure anymore and whimpered and the cum dripped onto his fingers.

Daniel fell softly into his arms.Curtis' erection hadn't been relieved yet, but he bit his lower lip and concentrated on feeling this moment.He felt like a hero who had just won, and an exhausted Daniel was his result.

"What are you laughing at?" Daniel asked with his eyes closed.

"Nothing." Daniel's chest was barely hairy, and Curtis looked at the dark nipples. "Why is there a ring on only one side?"

"If both sides can enjoy this kind of treatment, I don't think I can get out of bed."

Curtis couldn't help laughing, and the corners of Daniel's mouth curled up.Curtis carefully wiped Daniel as clean as possible with a handkerchief, straightened his clothes, and pulled him closer to him, pulling the heavy, itchy blanket over them.

"Let me—" Daniel began.

"No, that's fine." He owed this happiness to Daniel.And he probably won't have such an opportunity to hold the other party in his arms all night.Two days ago he'd taken it for granted; last night he'd been grateful just to know Daniel was alive, and now he couldn't accept the fact that it was all coming to an end.He hugged Daniel tightly, hoping that the latter would feel warm and at ease.

Daniel's hands slid slowly on his legs, and after a while, he said, "Tell me, how did you bring me out of the cave?"

"I came out with you in my arms. What's the matter?"

"You really don't care about your old knee injury." Daniel sat up. "My God, Curtis, I was expecting you to say you had a bicycle, a cart, or even a local porter. Did your knee hurt again?"

"Nothing at all. It's been a long time since my injury at Jacobsdale. I kid you not." Daniel turned his head and gave him a skeptical look, and he reiterated, "My knee didn't suffer permanently. Injury, the pain should be gone by now, I just need to be more active now, the doctors I have been to have been telling me for months, maybe they are right. I have actually felt better since I came here. This Not recovering from rest, of course, but exercising is beneficial too, and it’s the same thing.”

"Really?" Daniel lay down again. "uh-huh."

"what happened?"

"I met a guy in Vienna who was a promising doctor who had a lot of interesting perspectives on this kind of thing. If it was him, he would probably say that this pain is created by your consciousness and is just being taken gone."

"What? How could such a thing happen?"

“His claim was that your subconscious — do you know what a subconscious is? — manipulates your body. For example, you feel guilty about not being able to go to war as a soldier anymore, so your body pretends to be You get into an injured state, creating pain that makes you feel like you can’t do anything about getting out of action. Once you’re on a mission again, you don’t have to fake the injury and the pain goes away. That’s sort of the point.”

"Bullshit nonsense. Who would do this to themselves? And how?"

"It's all about the subconscious. Listen, isn't there a rumor about witchcraft in Africa? Curses on the less fortunate, leaving them withered. Is that true?"

"Really. My uncle and father have seen it many times."

"Is that magic?"

"Of course not. The victims believed they were cursed and would die soon, so they died."

"Exactly. Your subconscious mind influences your body to make decisions. Isn't it the same thing?"

"But those are local superstitions," retorted Curtis. "I'm an educated Englishman."

"It's just that the knee doesn't hurt as much."

"Yes, but... no, I mean, it's all nonsense."

Daniel shrugged. "Well, I don't know either. It's a new theory, but the doctor seems to me to be a very smart guy. He's done a lot of research on phobias. In fact, I went to consult about my Subterranean fear, and he told me it definitely had something to do with my homosexuality. So, a matter of opinion.”

Curtis blinked. "your……?"

"Homosexuality, gender inversion, aka same-sex attraction. You must have heard of the Kraft-Ebing study, cutie."

Curtis had never heard of it, and he felt that he might not want to delve into what it was. "This charlatan said you're afraid of caves because you're a bitch?"

"According to his theory, it is."

Curtis easily found the lack of logic in this fallacy. "Well, that's not necessarily the case. I'm not afraid of—" He stopped abruptly.

For a while, the room was so quiet that you could even hear a needle fall, and then Daniel said in a normal tone, "Now we have a hypothesis that can be verified. How many times do you have to masturbate a man before you are scared to move in the basement No? Welcome to come to me for in-depth research at any time." He winked exaggeratedly.

"You are really running the train with your mouth." Curtis stroked Daniel's fingers with one hand gratefully.

"Don't blame me, blame the Viennese doctor." Daniel paused, "But he does have a lot of novel ideas. You know what he said is between fear and sex?"

Sounds like another sensational new idea.Curtis asked curiously, "What is it?"

"Fünf [5]."

It was a silly kid joke he'd heard countless times when he was learning to count in German at Eton.He never dreamed that this joke would appear in Daniel's mouth at this time.Curtis bent over laughing, not because of how ridiculous the pun was, but because he could still relax because of it.Daniel on top of him also trembled from the smile, and Curtis hugged him tightly.In this secluded safety, for the first time since his return from Jacobsdale, he laughed until tears flowed.

[1] Icelandicsagas, or Icelandic legends, is a narrative literature in prose, written between the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, describing the lives of the first settlers of the Viking period, recording prominent figures, family feuds, and the state of Iceland. Establish.

[2] Also known as Old Norse, Old Scandinavian, Old Icelandic, and Old Norse, it was spoken in Scandinavian residents and overseas colonies from the Viking period to about 1300 AD.

[3]MollyHouse, a social place for homosexuals and transvestites in England from the eighteenth to the nineteenth century, is one of the prototypes of today's gay bars.

[4] Richard Freiherrvon Krafft-Ebing, an Austrian psychiatrist, the founder of sexology research, and the inventor of the terms homosexual and heterosexual.He expounded the psychology of abnormal sexual behavior in "Sexual Psychopathology", which marked the beginning of medical intervention in human sexual life and broke the monopoly of the Christian Church in this area.

[5] The number five in German.The pronunciation of fear (fear) and sex (sex) is close to the pronunciation of the German numerals four (vier) and six (sechs).