Hewaswanderingaimlesslyaroureetswhenhehappeostepintoastorepiledhighwithallkindsofproducts.Theywerenotcategorizedandexhibitedinanorderlyfashioherstoressothaterscouldseewhatwasoagnfact,everythingiledckadaisicallyontablesandstrewedaboutanyoldway.Thesalespersonwasaveryoldwoman,stoopedandwrinkled,oionherhead.Whenshesawaerstepin,hereyesshohintelligendlookedEmmanuelupanddownsaying,
“Sir,Iseeyouareschizophrenic.Wouldyouliketotalktome?Ichargeonly15forthat.ButifyouwanttoknowmoreiailIusethetarocardstotellyoufortune.ForthatIcharge50.Howaboutit,sir?”Asithappehatthiswasnotonlyanantiquestore,buyingandsellingoldthingsbutitwasalsoapceforfortuelling.
“Tohellwiththatmumbojumbo”repliedEmmanuelrudely,wavingtheoldwomanaside.“Idon’tbelieveinthatstuff.”Theoldwoman’ssharpeyesfollowedEmmanueshewanderedarouore.Theinteriorofthestorewasdimandthewaresexhibitedthereweremostlyoldradios,mps,armclocks,telephoneanddust-coatedswallow-tailedcoats,nothingmuchofi,iingonlytojunkcollectorsandpeoplewhocherishedoldthings.Emmanuelwasjustabouttoleavewhenhisfootkickedagainstsomethinghardontheground.Hepickeditupandsawitwasanoldrustybrooise.
“Putthatbackwhereyoufoundit.It’snotforsale”saidtheoldwoman.
“Whatrot”saidEmmanuelcrudely.“Whatisitdoinginyourstoreifit’snotforsale?”
“Itbelongstoawhite-beardeddwarfwholeftitwithmefiftyyearsago.Hesaidhewouldbebackforit,buthenevercameback.However,Iwillkeepmypromiseaforhim.Putitbackwhereitbelongs.”
Emmanuelrefusedtolistentotheoldwoman’sexpnations.Peelingouttendolrsfromhiswallet,hethrewitoableandwalkedquicklyoutofthestore.“Hey!Hey!Hey!eback!Robber!Thief...”criedtheoldwoman.Butperhapsbecauseshewasold,feebleandnotabletowalkveryfast,shedidnotrushoutafterhim.ThusEmmathisbrooisebycheatingtheoldwomanoutofherantiqueandpayingonlyapittance.
Emmanuelexamihetortoiseinhishand,tougandpullingit.Hefoundthatitstailwasmovableandshouldhavesomekindofmeismattachedinside.Hepulleditoutasfarasitwouldgoago.Itbouncedback.Ah!evidentlythereringinside.Justatthatmoment,athinlineofpowdersquirtedoutofthetortoise’mouthstraighttowardsEmmanuel’snoseandmouth.Heseemedtosmellthesweetfragranceofunknownflowersandfellfastasleeponthebench.
Awhileago,CharinaandDimitriweresittingatthetwoendsofheroblongdiningtablewithMaureeweenthem.Ablueballooangledinabranchofatreeinherbackyard,dahebreeze.Sheinallywareathimtoaniahighcssrestaurant,butDimitrishrugged,poiohisdipidatedclothingandpolitelydeedsayinghewasnotdressedforit.CharinatookhimtoanoptometristandboughthimapairofsuorepcethepairDavidtookandtheothegrocerystoreandboughtsomegroceryanditemsfordailyuse.Befoinghome,shestoppedatapizzashopandorderedsomepizza.Dimitrisatatthetableenjoyinghisextremelysatisfyingmeal,drinkingfromhistallgssofbeerfromtimetotime.Hefeltthatthefoodhewaseatingwasdeliciousandlifewasreallywonderful.FearingthatMaureen’slongearsmightbrushintothecheeseandothersauhisdishwhichwouldtarnishhislongsilkyfur,Charinatiedhisearstogetherwithabowatthetopofhishead,makinghimlookcuterthanever.Shehadcutupsomepizzaintobite-sizepieaureentomakeiteasierforhimtoeat.Tohismistress,Maureenwasamemberofherfamilyandequalinpositiontoanyotherhumanbeing,sohesatatthetablewiththemandpartookdaintilyofhismeal.AsforCharina,shehadapteoffreshlettucedribbledwithsomevinegarandpepperandasliceofturkey.Shemurmured,“Womeobebeautiful.Iokeeptheirfigurestheyhavetosacrificetheirenjoymentoffood!”ShelookedatMaureenandsaid,“Itisarareopportunitythatbroughthimintothisworld.Iknowdogsarenotsupposedtoeatthesamefoodashumans,butIwanthimtoexperiehedifferentgourmetfoodwehumanshavesoasnottowastethisuniqueceofhishavinglivedinthisworldofours.”
NowthetwoofthemweresittinginCharina’srgebrightlivingroom.Exhaustedbyhism’sadventureofrunningaround,jumpingandpying,Maureenybyhismistress’ssidefastasleep.CharinatookasparklinggsshalffullofcrushedidpceditinfrontofDimitriandthenpouredsomegoodwhiskeyintoit.Shealsopouredanssforherself,heldupthegsstoDimitriandsaid,“Cheers!”Dimitritoohelduphisgssawoofthembothtookasip.“Well”Charinathensaid,“nowweareallset.HowaboutgoingonwithyourstoryoftheKingdomintheDreams?Itmustbeaveryiingandfasatingstory.Iamallears.”“WhereshouldIbegin?”murmuredDimitri,gazingattheskyoutsidethewindow.“Let’sstartwithmytwenty-fourbeautiesthen.Theyarealldifferentandhavedifferentbackgrounds;Iwillintroducethemtoyou.”Hetookanothersipofthewhiskeyandasifreminisgaboutthepastbegantotellhisstory.
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