Atanearbytabletheyoungwoman，el，keptgngatthemuzzledexpression;asifshetoo,wassearghermemoryforhisfamiliarfigure,tryingtorecollectwheretheyhadmetbefore．Oform,thevicepresidentwasdrummingupdonations．Theamountbecamergerandrger，asifthedonors，unwillingtobeoutdoherswerepetingtoprovetheirwealthandstatus．Dimitrisatthere,aloofandquiet，anoutsider,untouchedbythenoisy,excitedenthusiasm.Suddenlyitdawnedonhimthatshewasthespirituaifulnunhehadmetatdaybreakoreetduringhiswanderings．Itwasshewhoedhiswoundedhandsosoftlywithherhandkerchiefsothatthoughhiswoundedhandwastornandbleeding,hedidhepain．Whywasshedressedlikethatnow?hewondered．Hadshelefttheorders?Hethenrememberedthathehadcaughtaglimpseofherasshebathedinahpolikeapearlinthemidstoftalltreesandluxurianttropicalflowers,whenahugeivorousleaf,freshanddewy，curledupandenvelopedher．Hehadcriedoutandruntohelpher,buthadwokenupwithastartfromhisdream，therebylosingalltracesofherwhereabouts．Faingherhere!Hedidnotknowhowlonghehadsatthereimmersedinthoughtandreverie,butthewordsofthevicepresidentwokehimuptoreality，
"Thoughthedonatioillfarfrommeetingoal,itismorethanwhatthePresidentwasabletoamassforhispresidentialcampaign．Thankyou，diesalemen，foryenerosity．Wehavetostopnowandgoonwiththeotheritemsoftonight’sprogram，butaspeciathasbeenopeWorldBank．Ihopethoseofyouwhoareiedinaidingthecauseofthedisabledwilltiosendinyourcheckstothatat.”
"Waitaminute,”calledoutDimitristandingup．"I’lldowobilliondolrs.”
"Twomilliondood!Ladiesalemen,thisgentlemanherehasdowomilliondolrs!Thankyouverymuch,sir!"
"No，no，no．Nottwomillion．Twobilliondolrs．Billion．Basinboy.”Arippleofsurpriseanddisbeliefpassedthroughtheroomasheadsturoseewhoitwasthatmadesuchapreposterousoffer．
"Twobillion,sir?DidIhearright?Orwasitaslipofthetongue?Howyouproveyouwillhonorthedonation?"Snickersofridiculeandderisiongrewlouderasdidtheexcmationsofsurpriseanddisbelief．Dimitrimadehiswaycalmlytotheptformandhandedaslipofpapertothevicepresident,saying，
"SinceyouarethevicepresidentofWorldBank,Ithinkyouwillreizethis.”Theman’seyesbulgedashelookedatthespeciallydesignedcheckassigoDimitriJaforhishuge,astronomicaltransasandreizedtheuniquescrawlresemblingasdragon．Heannounatremblingvoice，
"TwobilliondolrsfromMr.DimitriJa!"Theroomwasinanuproarandeveryoneedtheirocatchaglimpseofthemysterioustrillionairewhohadneverbeforebeenseeninpublic．Tothinkthathehadanonymouslybeenintheirmidstallnightlongandnoonehaddiscoveredit!Beforetheirexcitedexcmationssubsided,DimitrihadquicklygrabbedMegginn’sarmandstrodefortheexit．Theywereliketwobrilliantshootingstars，spinningquicklyinahugearcacrossthesky,pastthemyriadoftwinklingstarsthatstoodbyinaweandadmirationuntiltheydisappearedfromview．
Attheparkinglothewaterfront,thebeige-coloredoldCadilcarked．Discreetripplesslowlyrockedtheboatsmooredthere,likeamother’shalypushingthecradle．Iarandsofjazzmusicfloateddowtentlyfromthenearbysalooingadream-likeatmosphere．Apairofloverswasstrollingdowerfront．Megginnraisedhereyestolookathimandasked,
"AreyoureallyDimitriJa,themysterioustrillionaire?I’tbelieveit!"
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