Thepygmyiiewaswalkinghand-inhandwiththeseductiveandnakedMedusa．Itwasevening．Thebrightmoonlightwasreflectedontheripplingwavessoftlypattingtheshores．Thetwosanganddandfrolickedhappilyalohepygmyughedhisstrange，squeakyugh．Thewomahepygmyhighaboveherheadandspunaroundmadly，likeamotherpyingwithherson．Dimitrishookhisheadagain．"No,no.Thisisn’twhatIwanted.”aledhimselfdowntodreaminear．ItwasadenseforestintheheartofAfricaaspitchdarkasmidnight．Therhythmicbutmonotonousbeatofthedrumarousedinpeopleabarbarousimpulseandtheshoutsofthenativeslentitamysterious，primitiveandterrifyingatmosphere．Dimitriwentintotheforestandcameacrossatemple．Therewereshadowyfiguresofthenativesbeatingdrumsanddangaroundafire．Everynowaheyshoutedtheirbattlecry．Dimitrisawhumanskullsscatteredalloverthefloorawasthehabitatofmaingibals.Therewereskullsofallkindsofanimalsdecoratingthewalls，includinghumanskulls．Itwasafestival，thebirthdayofthegodofFate，andlivesacrificesweretobeofferedtohim．Thegodsatinthemiddleofthetemple，anticipatingagoodmeal．Hehadthebodyofamanbuttheheadofamoherewasarhinoceroshornatthetopofhishead.Onhisright，stoodanakedshe-mohaspearinherhand，whoservedashisattendant．ShehadthebodyofaseductivewomanbuttheheadofaMedusa．
Dimitriwastakenaback．"Oh，it’sthosetwomonstersiherdream．I’vemetthembefore.”AnAfriativecameinwithbothhandssuppahugesilverptebahetopofhishead．Therewasanenormousbamboosteameroe,freshfromthekitwithsteamingfromuhelid．Hekrespectfullybeforethem，pcedthepteonthenarrow,longtableandtookoffthelidofthesteamer．Initwasthebodyoftheyounggirl，Shei，nakedasashelledhard-boiledegg．Shelookedasthoughshewasasleep，butactuallyshehadbeensteamedtodeathasasacrificetothegodofFate．Theshe-monster’seyesshohviciousgreed，andsalivabegandrippingfromtheersofhermouth．ThegodofFatetookaknifeanddissectedaleg．Aftertakingabite，hehaotheshe-monsterwhograbbediteagerlyandviciouslydevouredittothebone．
Aheart-rendingscreampiercedhisdream．Dimitriwokewithastartle．Lookingaroundinthedarkundergroundsewer，hecouldseeahuskybrapingShei．Herhaiedbyaropeandhewasontopofher．Dimitricouldseetherapidup-and-dowsofhisbodyasthoughheingonahorse．Hethrustolessly，occasionallytakingadrinkfromatiltedbottle,whileSheiscreamedinpaiherface．Hiswhiteteethgleamedinthedarklikethoseofaskulndsaid，"Youbitch，youdidn’tgivemeanymoodaysoyouhavetopayforit.”Hebithernipplesharduntilshebled．"Goddamnyou，youdevil,“shecursedstrugglingfutilely，"IwishI’deyesonyou.”Dimitri’sbloodboiledatthesight．Hegotupsoundlessly，grabbedapieceofsteelpipenearhim，andmadeaswipefortheb’shead．Thepainoftheimpactmadehimdrophison．Heshookhisheadandlookedagain．Nob．wasadream．Hehadhitthenarrowdderwithsuchforcethatthepartofhishaweehumbandtheindexfingerwastorn．Sheihadnoteback．Shehadedtoclosethelidoftheman-holeandthefaintgraylightofdawnfilteredthrough．Itwasanotherday．Dimitrisatontheground，dazed，holdinghisinjuredhandnotknowihertocryh．
Dimitrifoldeduphissleepingbagandputeverythingintepsticbag．Heclimbedupthestepsandfoundthathehadhititsohardwiththesteelpipethatitwascrooked．Hesmiledgrimlyasherecalledtheseinhisdream．Ifhehadreallyhitthedevil,hewouldhavebashedhisheadin．Ohwell!Heputhisbelongingsbatohiscartandpusheditinfrontofhim．Thelightswerestillonintheshops，butthedawnwasgraduallydrivingawaythedarkherewasnoonearouhedesertedstreets．ItwastooearlyandDimitrireallydidn’thaveaogo．Pushinghiscart，hefeltasearingpaininhishand．"ImustgoandfindMariannatoba,”hethought．Theashamed．Whydidhealwaysthinkofherwhenhewashurtry?Heagainpassedtheparkbenchwheretheoldcouplehadsatthenightbefore．Theolddymusthavebeeygirlwhenshewasyoung，andherhusband，ahandsomeyoungmaheywereanidealcoupleandhavehadaperfectlife，hemused．ThenhisthoughtsturoShei，theyoungprostitute，whoseprofessionwastosellcheaplytheuseofhersexualans.Dimitrididnotlookdownonher.Hewasedaboutherwhereabouts．Prostitutionwastheoldestprofessionintheworldbecausesocietycouldnotdowithoutit.Itwasobaheunbancedpartofhumannature，justasaunityneededsewerstodrainitswastewaterandraintopreventflooding．Sheioor，unfortunateyounggirlbutherprofessionwasaformoflife．herbodywasbutasacrifithealtarofFate．
Dimitripushedhiscartaimlesslyaloreets,whichgraduallybrighteraffidpedestriansincreased．Thenoiseandcmorofcitylifehadbegun．Theslim，nymph-likefigureinbckappearedintheearlymsunlightandarrestedhiseyes．Itwasanun．Dimitrihadagreatrespectfornuns，lookinguponthemasangelsexpelledfromheavenfortheirsinsadowntotheearthtoatohem．Toughiscapwithhishand，hesaidgruffly，"Go，sister.”Thenunblessedherselfandsaid，"Go，sir,"inamelodiousvoithebrighteninglightofday,Dimitrisawshewasyoungayandherveilflutteringinthebreezegaveheranunworldlyairofspiritualintelligence．AsDimitriturogo，thenunnoticedfromtheerofhereyethathishandwaswouornandbleeding．
"Youhavebeenhurt！"sheexcimed．Shesearchedfranticallyforsomethingtoputoverthewound．Thehoughtofherhandkerchief．Pullingitout，sheeditaroundhishandandsaid，"Youshouldnotleaveitlikethat，itwillgetied．Gototheidhaveittakencareofproperly.”Meanwhileherslendernimblefingerswerewbusily．Dimitrilookedatthementranced，feelingnopainatall．Insteadhestoodtherewithhishandout-stretched，enjoyingtherareoccasionofbeingmademuchof，feelingasfortableaswhenhisearwasbeingscratchedbyaQ-tip．"Thereyouare!”thenunsaid，"That’lldo．Godblessyou!”Shetappedhimslightlyonthearmandwalkedbrisklyaway．
Dimitriwalkedohishandtohishehandkerchiefhadafeminineaurawhichhefoundverypleasant．Hehadn’tsleptwellsohewastired，buthewaofollowthenun．Finally，hedecidedthebestwaywastofindafortablespotandfollowherwithhisdreams．Hecametoatreeatthesideoftheparkwhoseleafyshadowsseemedquiteinviting．Layinghimselfdownhefelsleepatonhisdream,Dimitriwaoaventwhichlookedlikeanacastle．Thehallwashuge，dismandaustere，litonlybyadimgaslight．Dimitristoodtheretryingtoadjusthiseyestothedarkhenhewalkedon．Hecouldhearthehollowechoofhisfootsteps．Thepcegavehimtheimpressionofaprison．Suddenly，heheardsweetyoungvoiharmoniouscresdo，singinginpraiseofGod．"Howdidtheseyoungwomenndinsuchagruesomepce?"hewondered．Hewalkedovertothewindowwherethevoicescamefromandpeekedin．Therewereagroupofnuthealtarsinginghymns．Buttheonehehadmetintheearlymwasnotthere，sohelostiandwalkedon．
Hewalkedaroundtothebackofthebuildingandsawawoodedareafurtherdown，sohewalkedonandonuntilhecametoapthewoodswheremistysteamrosefromtheshadowsoftrees．Partingtheexuberantbranches,hesawahpolikeapearlinthemidstoftalltreesandluxurianttropicalflowers．Thenunhewasseekingwasthere，gettingreadyforherbath．Shecarefullytookoffherhabitandveilexposinggoldentressesaifulsnow-whitebodyerfectlyproportionedfigurethatwouldbetheenvyofanywoman．"Whyshouldagirllikethattakethevowandbeeanun?"Dimitriwondered，ashestoodtheretransfixed．Shewalkedintothewateruntilitcametoherwaistandleisurelybegah．Evehingmovementsweregradelegant．Dimitricouldseeacrystaldropofwaterrollslowlydownfromhernobleforeheadtoherflushedcheeks．Thenittraveledtoherfinelychiseleduntilitdroppedontoherbeautifulbreast．Itslippeddownherbreast，caressingitandgingtohernippleuntilitcouldholdonnolongeraantlydroppedbatothewater．Justthen，twoareesbythesideofthepond，whosebrancheshadgraduallyleanedcletherastheywatchedherbathe，walkedtowardseachotherandembraced．TheyturotwomohepygmyandMedusa．Excitedbythesightofherbeauty，theymadelove，thepygmykissingMedusa’sbody．Eventhevegetationhrodisiac．Thenthemournedbatotreesagain．Theyswitchedfromoneformtotheotherflickeringly.Dimitridisregardedthemandturnedhisthoughtsbacktothenun．"Itissuchawaste,”hethought，"Thosebeautifulbreastsweremeanttofeedbabies．Ifshecouldhaveababyinherarms，bathingtogether，itwouldbeareMarkablese．Whyshouldsheblockuphermaternalinstindturnherreproductivesystemfromitsnaturalnormintoalifeofchastityandseclusion?"HecoulduandthatshewaopreserveherpurityandofferittoGod，buthestillfeltitwasdunnaturandcouldnotdo，eventhoughherespectedherresolution．Hekheremusthavebeenalotofpainandstruggleinherresolution；theprocesswaslikecloggingapipe，fthewatertoflowbackwards．Justthen，ahugeleaf，freshanddewy，floatedby．Thenunclimbedontoittorestforawhile．Butassoonasshegoton，theleafcurledupandenvelopedher．ItdawnedonDimitrithenthattheleafwasivorous．"Takeiteasy，sister，I’mingtoyourrescue,”hecriedoutandrantohelpher．Hefellintothewaterandwokeup．
Dimitriopenedhiseyestofindalittleboyshootingwaterontohisfacewithhislittleistol．Hejumpedupaeorunafterhim．Theboyughedandranaway．Dimitrifeltrefreshedbyhisnapanddecidedtowalkon．Helookedbackatthetwotreesunderwhichhehadsleptandwassurprisedtofindtheyweretheveryonesinhisdream."WhyisitthatIalwayshaveludicrousdreamsofsavingdamselsindistress,whileiyIlivesuchahumdrumlife？HereIam，almostfiftyyearsoldandIhaveneverbeeninlove，neverexperieimacywiththeoppositesex．Idon’tthinkthere’sanothermanlikemeintheworld.”Heknewhehadadeepinferiorityplexahewasnotgoodenoughforanyofthem．Hecametorealizethatthereasonhecouldnotpursuethewomanhefanciedwasbecausehenevercreatedthenecessaryfoundationforhimselftoloveandbeloved．Therefore，hepcedthemoal，outeandunapproachable，onlytobelookedatandadmiredfromafar．
Onthewayhesawpedestrianswearingallkindsofclothes：meninformalsuits，casualpantsorT-shirtsandjeansandwomeninbusinesssuits，prettycolorfuldresses，miniskirtsorsizableclothes．Therewasenoughvarietytodazzleone’seyes．Therewerealsocable-cars，muni-cars，doubledeckbusesandcarsofallbrandsandmodelsscootingaboutoreets．Thebuildingswerejustasdiversified，rangingfromoldVictorianmansionstomodernskyscrapers．"Why!It’slikeahugeamusementparklikeDisneynd!”hethought．Dimitriwasamanofalmostfifty，butheretaihecuriosityofateenageraforlifeofamuchyoungerman．Theworldwasfullofinequality．Somemenwereriewerepoor．Dimitrikepthisequilibriumbythesimplephilosophyofbelievingi，presentandfuturelives．Hethoughtthatinhispreviouslife，hemusthavebeeedmillionairewhantlysquanderedhiswealthaedwomenbadly，thatwaswhyheoorinthislifeandnevercouldexperienceloveorromaookfortinthebeliefthatifhewasgoodinthislife，hewouldbehappyi．Thisseeminglylogicalbeliefwasfasatingandromantidactuallywasquiteprevalenti．Dimitricalleditasee-sawphilosophy．
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