Wheiqueelevatorstoppedatthetopfloor，Ileensteppedoutandclosedthetwodoorsbehindher，whiletheotherthreeelevatorsalsoarrivedonebyoingoutherstaff．Ileentookoutagoldkeyandfitteditintothegoldpadloitri’soffice，locatedattheterofthetopfloldwassoonintheKingdomthatitwasusedforeverythingthatal．Hisofficewasmodernandpractical,withnosignsofluxury，theonlyexceptiohehuge,puregoldabacusstuddedwithgemsthathekeptstandinguprightintheroom．Dimitrioftenstoodbeforeitwhilegivingoutorderstohisstaff．Itlookedbareandsimpleasa，notatallresemblingwhatitactuallywas，theheadquartersofahugefinancialkingdom．Deadeherehadrepercussionsallovertheworld．Behindthemainofficewasasmallroomkeptinsemidarknesswherethealtarofthegodofwealtht．Itwasafreakish,ugly-lookingpygmywearingtheeborateeoftheTsingDynasty．Hishatandcoatwereofmaterialwovenwithgoldthreadandshoneuhetwogigantidlesthatwerekeptlightednightandday．Everynight，wheaffcameifreshdlesandinseandeveryonebowedbeforethealtarinturn．Adozenfresheggswerepcedthereeverynightandtheofthepreviousnighttakenaway.Whiletheeggstheytookawaylookedwholeanduntouchedasfreshoheywereonlylightayshells,thewhitesandyolkshadbeeirelysuckedawaysomehow．ThiswasohemysteriesintheKingdomandthebeautiesoftenentedamongthemselvesthatthegodofWealthactuallylivedanditwaswithhishelpandblessingthatDimitrihadbeeoamasshisvastfortune．
Ontherightofthemainofficewasanimmenselivingroom，vishlyfurheveryceivablefortandluxury．Ithadinallybeendesignedasapitritoreceivehisguests,butashewasoftefromtheKingdomwanderingieersoftheearthamidforestsandmountains,theroomhadbeenturoIleen’soffice．Adescriptionofherdeskalone,whichwasmadeofexpertlysculpturedivoryusingupoverathousandtusks，would,besuffittodehecaliberofthefurnishings．Ileensatatherdesklisteningtothereportsofherstaff,reading,signingorwritingherentsoackofpaperspcedforherreview．Everynowandthen,shelookedatthetwelvergessthatsurroundedher,onwhichfshedstatisticsoftheevergingworldMarketoffinance．Shedideverythingbrisklyandeffitly,asiftherewasaninnatecalcutorinherbrainthatcouldinstantlypointouterrorsinwhatsheheardorread．Shehadents,ges,orordersforalmosteverythingthatcameunderherreview,withtheonlyexceptiosfromWorldBank,whichsheacceptedunditionally.Innotime，shehaddisposedht’swork．Shesatbafortably,tookoutherpathedrawerandcarefullyscrutinizedherimageinthemirrorbefivingherselfalittletouchup．Sheskillfullypenciledhereyebrowsandeyelids,makingheralreadybeautifundalluringeyesseemrgerandmoreluminousthahensheappliedmascaratohershes，addedcolortoherlipsandtouchedupherimmacutehair．Butallthewhilehereyeskeptdartingtothesfromtimetotimeandherbrainwasalwaysinawhirl,pnningandschemingonhowtomakemoremoney．
Howcouldaiallyhealthyworldeysuddeeriorateintoarecession?Itonlyneededaboostandshehaditwithinherpiveitthatlittlepush．Ohyes,thisrecessionwasagreatceforhertodispyherformidabletalentsandmakeorbreakprincesoffinance，shethought，especiallysinceshehadDimitri’sunlimitedresourcesatherdisposal．Satisfiedwithherimageinthemirror，sheputbackheretitothedrawer，butthen,lookingattheluxuriousbutlonelyroom,shesighedandwonderedwhysheevenbothered．Noonewouldseeherinthisgod-forsakenpceorevencareabouthowshelooked．Sheputonmakeuponlytowashitoffafewhourster．Itwasalonelylifedespitetheimmensefinancialpoweriedinherandshelongedflitteringfmboyant，old-fashionedlifestyleshehadledwithMr．Kaffee,hobnobbingwiththeridfamous，beingplimentedforherbeautyandability．Butnow，heryouthaywerehiddeninthesemountainsayearsofherlifewerewasted．Shewasjustsittingtherewaitingforoldagetoe．
"No!Iwohathappen!"shethoughtvehemently,hittingthedeskwithherfist．"Iwillbemistressofmyownfate.”ButthehoughtofhowDimitri’seyesighthadbeeerioratingfastthesestfewyearsandrumorinthepacehaditthathewouldbeblindoneday．Herinsatiablelustforpowerbadeherbepatientandwait,forwhenDimitriwentblind,hewouldbeehermercy,leavingherinsoleandactualtroloftheKingdom．Theimmehwouldbehisinnameonly．Butthehoughtofthedsavoirfaireofthemanthatwashermaster．Hemaylooksimpleandignorant,buthewasameanoppo,asshewellknew,andnotoobetakenlightly．Shesighedandwishedhewouldgowanderingallroundtheworldandneverebadbotherher．Siossible，shecouldonlyworkharderandmakeherselfindispensabletohim,tosecurehisfiderust．
JustthensherememberedMr．Kaffee’srequest,askiouseDimitri’sfundstobuyasmuchgoldaspossible,sothatthepriceofgoldwouldgoup．HehadrashlyiedalltheliquidassetsofWorldBankingold,thinkingithadhitro．ItonlytinuedgoingdownandMr．Kaffeewasbeginningtofeelthepinch;sohecametohisformersecretaryforhelp．Ileen’sbrowsknittedintration，thinkingofawayoutforherformerbosswithoutincurringthedispleasureofherpresentmaster．ShehituporategyofbuildingapaceofgoldoopofGiantMountain,sowhenDimitricamebackhewouldhaveonlypraiseforhisresourcefulmanager．Shecallediaffandtoldthemthatgoldwasbottomingoutanditwastimetobuy．ShesetthewheelsinmotiontobuyingoldthroughtheiremissariesthroughouttheworldandhaveitsentbacktotheKingdomtobuildanewpatopofGiantMountain．Asthestaffscatteredtodoherbidding,shemusedabouthertwobosses．Mr．Kaffeewasaruthless，hard-headedbusinessman，butgherknowledgeandexpertise．Healwaystookheradvidtheyplementedeachothertoperfe．Nowwithouther，hewashavingahardtimeg．ThehoughtsturoDimitri,herpresentmaster．Whenshefirstmethim,hewaswearingadarkbrownthree-quarterjacket,oversizedandbaggybcktrousers,oldarmyshoes,nosodanolivecoloredsafarihat．Hetalkedwithastammerandstoodthereawkwardly,notknowingwhattodowithhishandsahatwasherimpressionofDimitriwhehimforthefirsttimeinthehallofWorldBank．
DaroagandgraylightwasjustbeginningtodispersethedarknesswhenDimitriwokefromhisslumber．HerememberedhispromisetoRichardandhowMedusatoldhimhecouldgetasmueyashewantedfromWorldBank．Butafeelingofdreadanduaintyhithim,forhowwashe,ahomelessperson,togouptothatimposingterandaskformohnothingwhatsoevertosupporthiscim?Butthatwashisonlyresource,sohoweverreluthewastocrashthegatesofthatawe-inspiringinstitutioodoso．Therefore,hegotdressed,lefthisdipidatedshelteraonhisway．
Themwasstillgrayaeejungleofbuildingshadjustbeguntorevive．Humansocietyhaditsownuemofecologicalbance．AsDimitricrossedthewideexpaheemptysquare，hissolitaryfigureseemeddwarfedandinsignifit．Ontherightofthesquarewasanabaobodyshop；o，ahospital,opeyfourhoursadayforemergencycalls．Inhisambiguousimpression，therewasn’tmuchdiffereweewo．Theywerebothrepairshops，onedealingwithmaes，theotherwiththehumanbody．AcrossthesquarewasaCatholicChurch,elegantandcssical,whereheoftenheardsoothingandpeacefulmusicofthechoirapaheaningfromtheinterior，inspiringhisimagination．Thenunsintheirflowingveilsandhabitseandgoontheirsacredandcharitablemissions，likenymphsdesdingfromheaven．Hehadoftenwishedhecouldsummonupenoughcetogetonintimatetermswiththem,butheneverdaredto．Afterpassingthesquare,hecametosomenarrowsteeltracks,whichhadalwaysbeehoughnotrainevercamethrough．Itmustbearemnantofthepioneerdays．Thenearerhegottohisdestinatioerhisheartwentpitapat．Thestreetswerestilldesertedintheearlym．Abatteredcarparkedbythesideofthestreet，withitslightsstillfshingweaklyaddedtothesenseofdesotioerieswerealmostusedupandthecarlookedwornout．Thedriverhadfallenasleepinhisseat，evidentlyexhausted．Boththedriverandthecarhadco-operatedwellontheirlongtripandnowbothweretiredandneededarest．Furtherdowicedadeadseagulllyingonthepavement．Whyhaditleftitsnaturalhabitatbythewatersauredintohumansocietyonlytoendonthesidewalks?Itwasstillearly,butcarsarianshadalreadybeguntoappear,goinghastilyontheirwaywithcoldexpressionlessfaces．Asheapproachedthefinancialdistrict，hesawthetwenty-fourstoreyWorldBankbuildingthatspreadovertheentireblock．Itwashardtobelievethatallthisbeloohim!Ithadn’topesdoorsyet,soDimitrisquatteddownonthecurbacrossthestreettowaitquietly．
Withthepassingoftime，Dimitribecametenseandworried．Hecouldhearthefranticthumpingofhisheart．ThestreetswereingalivewithcarsariahedoorofWorldBankfinallyopened．GatheringuphisceDimitrimovedslowlytowardsit．Hisraggedimagereflectedbythepolishedmarbleshamedhim,buthesteeledhimselftopushopentherevolvingdoorandsteppedintotheinterior,hisheartalmostjumpingoutofhismouth．Inthehallleyesrivetedtotheintruder,thisdirty,ragged,homelesspersonwhobravedthesanctuaryoftherich．Hesteppedohick,softcarpetashemadeforthelinefinfrontoftheterandthoughthowwonderfulitwouldbetosleeponit．Itwouldsurelybelikelyingonclouds．Whatsweetdreamsmightetohim?Hisrovingthoughtswereinterruptedbythevoiceofthetellerasking，
"MayIhelpyou,sir?"
"Ineedsomemoney,butIhaveificate.”
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