TheannualFestivaloftheLakerogress．Children,boisterousaed,ranaboutimpatienttoseeanddoeverythingatonce,whiletheirparentsggedbehind．Youngcouplesstrolledhandinhand,happilyenjoyimosphereoffestivity，andproprietorsofthedifferentstallswerecallingouttheirwares．Dimitri,holdingargeballooninhishand，mihecrowdwithMr．Fingerdangihebrimofhishatatthesightofsuchgayandnoisyactivities．Luckilypeopleweretoobusyenjoyingthemselvestonoticehim．Theythoughthewasonlyahatorandpaidlittleattentiowowentfromstalltostall,butDimitri’sspiritswerenotiheairofmerrymakingandrevelry，forhewasstilldeeplyedaboutthefateofClemehatbeautifulnymphwhohadjumpedsorashlydowh．Hewouldoftenraisehisheadtolookattheblueskies,hopinginvaintoseeherpeekingdownathim,orleapingfromcloudtocloudashehadfoundheronquiteafewoccassions．Butasshewasobeseen．Hisbluemoodbecameasblueastheblueskies．
Soon，theycametoaejewelrystand,whereDimitrisawastrandofimitationpearlshethoughtwouldlookniel．"Whydon’tIgobayKingdomasomeofthe，lustrouspearlsfromthebottomoftheke．Icouldhavethemmadeintoaneckdcspitaroundherswanlikeneckwithmyownhands．Thatwouldbeeveer!"Histhoughtsturheatmosphereofmysterythatsurroundedallhismeetingswithher．Hehadseeakingabathispringpondinthewoodsamidluxurianttropicalflowers．Whenhesawahuge，ivorousleafcurlupandenvelopher，hehadrunintothewatertohelpher，butjustthenhewokeup．Hehadoftenwonderedpeoherafterthat．HisthoughtssoingruouswithhisbustlingsurroundingswerebrokenbyMr．Finger’sexcitedcry,
"Hey!Ismellliquor．Let’sgoasome!"
"Idon’tsmelnything.”
"I’mafarsmeller．Followmydiresandyou’llsee.”Dimitriacquiescedtohisdemandsandsoontheycametoanopenspotwhereacrowdhadgatheredaroundsomestreetmusis，swayingtothemerry，fast-pacedjazzmusic．Four，fiveintimidatinglyrgemensatataer，amongwhomwasBig-O，tearingravenouslyatachithighanddrinkingliquor．Thebrightredspotofnewfleshstillunhealedonhisforehead，wasthesouvenirofhisstenterwithDimitriwheriedtokidnapMaryamadehisalreadyhideousfaceevenmoreferocious．
Frombehind,Dimitrifeltsomeonepullingathisarm．Helookedbadsawamanelbowinghiswayoutofthecrowd,signalinghimtofollow．Outofcuriosityhedidso．Hesawthemanstopureeandturntosmileathim．ItwashisoldfriendRichard．Dimitrihurriedtowardshimshakinghishandsaying，
"Richard!riseseeingyouhere!IheardyouarenowpresidentofWorldBank．IseverythingOK?Howeyouhavetimetoehere?"
"Fine，everything’sfine．WhateverIdon’tuandIaskforadvidordersfromMegginn,eneradministratorfromtheKingdom．ButJamazandIstilltrytokeepourformerlifestyle.We’tresistouroldhaunts,andoccasionsliketheseareirresistible．SometimesIstillliketopracticemyoldtrade.”Hemadeaicalsignofpigpockets．Dimitriughed．
"AndJamaz?Isheheretoo?"
"Ohyes．He’ssomewherearound,keepinganeyeonBig-Oandhisgang．Weheardsomethingnewisbrewing．Thistimewewohemgiveustheslipsoeasily．We’lldoawaywiththemondforall．’tletthemremainatrgevictimizingthefairsex.”Dimitrinodded．
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