IPROMISEDtotellyouhowonefallsinlove.

    AyoungmannamedGeoffreyCliftonhadmetafriendatOxfordwhohadmentionederedoiactedme,gotmarriedtheday,andtwoweekslaterflewwithhiswifetoCairo.Theywereodaysoftheirhoneymoon.Thatwasthebeginningofourstory.

    Wheharineshewasmarried.Amarriedwoman.Cliftonclimbedoutoftheplahen,ued,forlaheexpeditionwithjusthiminmind,sheemerged.Khakishorts,bonyknees.Inthosedaysshewastooardentforthedesert.Ilikedhisyouthmorethantheeagernessofhisnewyoungwife.Hewasourpilot,messenger,reaissance.HewastheNewAge,flyingoveranddroppingcodesoflongcolouredribbontoadviseuswhereweshouldbe.Hesharedhisadorationofherstantly.Herewerefourmenandonewomanandherhusbandinhisverbaljoyofhoneymoon.TheywentbacktoCairoaurnedamonthlater,anditwasalmostthesame.Shewasquieterthistimebuthewasstilltheyouth.Shewouldsquatorols,herjawcuppedinherhands,herelbowsonherkaringatsomestantlyflappingtarpaulin,andCliftonwouldbesingingherpraises.Wetriedtojokehimoutofit,buttowishhimmoremodestwouldhavebeenagainsthimandnoneofuswahat.

    AfterthatmonthinCairoshewasmuted,readstantly,keptmoretoherself,asifsomethinghadoccurredorsherealizedsuddenlythatwondrousthingaboutthehumanbeing,itge.Shedidnothavetoremainasocialitewhohadmarriedaurer.Shewasdischerself.Itainfultowatch,becauseCliftoncould,herself-education.Shereadeverythingaboutthedesert.ShecouldtalkaboutUweinataoasis,hadevenhunteddownmarginalarticles.

    Iwasamanfifteenyearsolderthanshe,youuand.IhadreachedthatstageinlifewhereIidentifiedwithicalvillainsi