He reached back in a practiced gesture to smooth down his ponytail, as if he were petting a cat or a ferret.

他用熟练的动作把手伸向脑后，梳弄着他的马尾辫子，好像在抚弄着一只小猫或者是一只白鼬。

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Then I lie back with my head on a smooth boulder, gaze dreamily around at the lumpy brown hillsides and let the sulphurous warmth embalm me, a benevolent gesture from the volcanic gods before they blow us all to kingdom come.

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