"Ohyes,Ifeelmuchbetter."
"Ifyouarefreethisafternoon,wouldyouliketoeandhelpmewithsomeyardwork?Mygardenisreallyinneedofsomework."
"Sure．I’mfreethisafternoon.”Sotakingr,Dimitrifollowedhertoherhousenotfarfromtheke．
InMrs．Love’sgarden，Dimitriwaswanimatedlyandily，fardeningwasoneofhispassionsandheenjoyedpruningawaythetangledbranchesandtrimmingthebushesintosymmetricalshapes．Thepeopleinthatneighborhoodknewhewasagoodworkerandaknowledgeablegardener，soeveryoedhisservice．ButDimitrilovedhisfreedomtoomuchtobepinneddowntoaschedule．Heneverhaggledaboutpay,takingwhathewasgivennomatterhowlittle，butwhehewasbeingoverpaid，hewouldinsistourningpartofthemoney．Soheworkedwhelikedit,neverhavingtoworryaboutployers,stiputingonlythathebegivenagoodmeaftertheworkwasdone．Hebecamewell-knowninthatneighborhoodasaricbutlovableman．Fromthekitcamethesoundoffluidjazzmusic，apaheappetizingfragranrs．Love’scooking,whileDimitriworkedonskillfully，trimming，cuttingandpruning．Hisbraiohaveaninvisiblesteeringwheel.Whenitsteeredtotheleft，hisbodygottheneurologicalmessageaotheleft．Whenitsteeredtht，hisbodyturherightinperfectharmony．Hismusclesandnerveswereinhightration，sohismovementswereagile．Thebrainandthebodycooperatedbeautifully．Thoughhisfleshbodywaswbusilyoninthegarden,hiseyesweredazed,forhismindhadretreatedtohisdreamndwhereheseemedtoseeLotus,oneofhistwenty-fourbeauties，walkingalohekeuhemoonlight．
Theweatherseemedtobeging．Darkcloudscoveredtheskyanditturnedhumid．Mrs．Lovemovedaboutherkit,preparingdinnerforDimitri．Roastbeefwasbeginningtosizzleintheoven,soupwassimmeringoverlowheat,boiledonionsandfreshlybakedFrenchbreadwerereadyoable.Sheeelingapplesforthebowloffruitsadshewasmaking．Fromherkitwindow，shecouldseeDimitriwzealouslyandtheshadowofasmiletouchedherlips．Dimitriwasagood-heartedman，thoughetric．Whilepeopleweredeepinslumber,hewouldroamtheneighborhoodiillnessofthenight,doinghisgooddeedsanonymously．Hewouldpickuplettersorpapersthathaddroppedonthegroundandputthembatothegapingmailboxesandclosethem．Hewouldtightendrippingfaucetsandoncewhenhediscoveredsparksoffireingoutofagarage,hejumpedoverthelowferiedtoputitout．Theowhehousethoughthewasaburgrandshotathimwithhisgun,luckilymissinghim.Afterthetwoofthemextinguishedthefmes,themanwasabouttoapologizeandthankhimwhentheetriaritanwasalreadyonhiswaywithhiscart．
"Whyisanicedetmaroamireetswithoutawifeandhome?"Mrs．lovewondered．Butthen,thinkingofherownmarriages,shethoughtthat"singleandfree"mayhavebeenawisechoiceafterall．
Durihreeyears,theohingshedidrepetitiouslywastogetmarriedanddivorced．Shemetherfirsthusbandincollegeandgotmarriedsoonaftergraduation．Hewasahardworker,stiousanddependable，withhistwofeetontheground．Lifewithhimhadbeensafeandsecure．Shecouldnotthinkofathingthathecouldhavedodidn’t．However,everythingwassostiffandrigidlyscheduledthatshefeltstifledandgottiredoftheirmonotonousmarriage．Theydidnotquarrel，butpartedamicably，ginpatibilityasthereasonfortheirdivorce．Shethenmarriedherassistantatthearchitecturalfirmwheresheworked，asolianwhoknewhowtopleaseawoman．Butsoonshefoundackofsubstanhischaracter,forhelivedonlytopleaseandhadnoambitionorpnsofhisown．Hehadnoexceptionaltalentsthatdistinguishedhimfromothers，alnxioustoclimbupthesamecorporatedder，excepttomarrythebossandtrytokeephersatisfiedwithftteryandattention．Soonshegrewtiredofhisshallow,superficiattentionandtheypartedamicablyihanayearaftershepaidhimasubstantialsumofmohinkihepast，sheaowledgedthattherewasreallynothingwrongwithhertwoexhusbands．Theywerebothodetmen,wholovedherintheirownfashioroublewasshegrewtiredeasilyaftertheyworeoff．Thenthinkingofherthirdhusband,thehandsomedevilofacharmer,herbrowscametogetherinafrownandfrustrationcastapalloverherheart．
Suddenlythewindroseandrgeraindropssptteredinadownpustofwihemintothekit,wettingMrs.Love’sfacewhileshestoodtherepeelingapplesbythesink．ShelookedoutofthewindowandsawDimitriwasstillwawaye,entirelyunsciousofthegeofweather．Shecalledouttohim，
"Dimitri!Dimitri!eonin!It’sraining!"Buthetioworkmeically．InhisKingdomofDreams，itwasabrilliantmoonlitnight．HewasdangwithLotusinthemeadowwherethesoftbreezecaressedthetallswayinggrass,whichseemedtobesingingandswayinginchorus．Mrs.Loveopehefrontdoorandcalledout，
"Dimitri!Dimitri!eonioftherain.You’reallwet．Doyouwanttocatchcold?"Dimitrilookedupatthedarkenedskiesandprain．Theraindropswhichhithisfacehardandchthimbacktoreality．Hefelthisclothesgingtohisbody,wetandunfortable．Butwheeppedintothehouse,themirageofhisdreamscameiherwithhim．
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