“Haveyouheardoftwoverystrangeihathappely?”
“Whatis?Ihaven’theardofany”answeredDimitri.
“Thereisaguycalled…nowwhat’shisname…eh,he’scalled…Gosh,I’vefottenhisname.Anywayhe’safamousjewelrydesignerorsomekindofjewelryexpert.Retlyhebecamementallyunbanced.Hewouldhersleepfordaysandwouldgoaroundaskingpeople,“HaveyouseenmyPinkPuzzle?Ah,thePinkPuzzleusedtobethebrighteststarintheheavensandIwasfortunateenoughtogetholdofit.Howdiditgeintoaonrock?Couldithaveflownbacktotheskies?”Hewouldroamaroundinacrazymannerandwasfinallytakentothemadhouse.”
“Really?”saidDimitri,astohenews.“That’sreallyaraordinarypieews.”Butinhisheart,hehadalreadyguessedatthetruestory.
“There’ssomethingeverange”tinuedDavid.“Theowhatluxuriousohotelcalled…gosh,I’vefottenhisoo.Anyway,he’sareallyaheartlessrichguy.Hesaidthatwehomelessvagabondsweredirtyandourclothesweretattered.Heforbadeustobehestreetsaroundhiso/hotelsayingthatwewouldtarnishtheimageofhisbusiness.Hefurthersaidthatifwedaredtoapproachhiso,hewouldoonsquadtobeatusup.Severalofuswerebadlyhurtbythegoons,buttheownerwasnotabited.Butthistimehehadhiseuppance!Retlyhesomehowgothishandsonabatchofvaluablediamonds.Heputthemupascroupofbanksandgotalotofmoneyforthem,whichheusedtoexpandhisbusiness.Butsomehowthebatchofdiamondsturorocks.Thebankssuedhimforfraudthroughsorceryandthecourtsorderedhimtopaybackthemoandalsocloseddownhisluxuriouso/hotel.Indesperationandfrustration,heittedsuicidebyjumpingfromahighbuilding.Isn’tthatjustretribution?”
“Isthatso?”excimedDimitri.“Asthesayinggoes,mendieforwealthandbirdsdieforfood.Itseemsthatill-gottengoodsarenotreallygoodforusandarelikeaboltfromtheblue.Buthoeopleinthisworldremainunmovedihetemptatioh?Toofew,toofew….”DimitrikhatallthesevaluablediamondsandjewelswerebroughtintothemundaneworldbyVioandMr.Finger,whostolethemfromDwarfMickey’streasuretroveandsquahemallhavingagoodtime.NowthesepreciousdiamondsandjewelshavebeencalledbacktothetreasuretroveintheKingdomofDreamsbyDwarfMickey,thegodofwealth.ButDimitricouldhisiorytooutsiders.Evenifhedid,hewouldnotbebelieved,sohecouldonlyremaiandkeephisownsel.
Theblueskiesdimmedandturnedadeeperblue.Soonthatdeeperbluewouldfirupintoamyriadofcolorsoftheteafternoonsky.Davidlookedattheskiesandsaid,
“IwanttofesstoyouthatIdidsomethingbadafewdaysago.Iputonyourdarkgsses,heldawhiteeaeobeyousittingattheerofthestreet,beggingforalms.Myluckwasgoodandthediamondcouplecameby.Theguywastalndstalwart,andthewomanwasverybeautiful.Shewasalsenerous.Perhapsshepitiedmypretendedblindness.Anywayshedroppedsomethinginmyjarwithag.Ilookeddownandfounditwasargeglitteringgreendiamond.IwassohappyIpletelyfotIretendingtobeablindbeggar.Isnatcheditupranawayiation.I’mafraidthatyoungcouplewillneveragaihingtotheblind,thinkingtheywereallfrauds.Thoughitwasnotmyiion,I’mafraidIhavehurttheprospectsofrealblindbeggars.Later,Irealizedthesetwomusthavebeenthediamondcoupleeveryoalkingaboutatthetime.Iwenttovariousatownjewelrystorestryingtosellthatgreendiamond.Ohestoreowriedtofleecemeandtakingmeforafoolofferedmearidiculouslylowprice.AlthoughIamnotaprofessionaljeweler,Iamnotablindmanwhocouldbeeasilyed.AheyescouldseethatwhatIhadricelessgemdazzlinginitsglitteringbrilliawasnoordinaryjewel.Iturnedaroundandwalkedoutoftheshop.ThatstoreownerfollowedmeandforseveraldayswhereverIwenttherehewouldbesuretoturnup,beseegmetosellmydiamondtohifaedayhecaughtupwithmeseveraltimesandfshedrgequantitiesofcashbeforeme,hopingthesightofthosegreenbackswouldfacilitateaquicksale.Ithoughtthatsincehewassoobsessedwiththegreendiamond,ImightaswelllethimtinuemakingoffersuntilIwassatisfiedwiththeprice.IwouldstringhimalongandtakehimforallIcould.Butas,perhapsIwastoogreedyforwhenIlookedatthediamondwhichIheldtightlyinmyhandthefollowingday,thegreendiamondhadturoaonrock.FatepyedagreatjokeohebirdIalreadyhadinhandjustflewaway.IsupposeIwasdestiobeabeggar,notfittoenjoyenormouswealththatjustdroppedintomyp!Myluckisreallybad…IsupposeifIhadnotbeensogreedyandsoldthediamondforareasonableprice,Iwouldnowbeawealthyman.ButIwastoogreedyandmydiamondturostone…Idon’tknowhowheavenarrangesmainies.Somepeoplehavemoremohantheyeverspendintheirwholelifetime,whileIampoorasachurchmouseandroamthestreetsalldayenduringhungerandthirstlikeawilddog…Ireallydon’tknowhowheavendistributesthewealthoftheworld…Ismylifereallysocheapandinsequential?”
Theblueskiesbecamedeeperanddarker.Davidwasamannearingoldage.Thenumerouswrinklesonhisfaceseemedtobetellingofthemisfortunesofhislife.HespoketoDimitriremorsefullyandangrilyandtakingouthiscrumpledaper,selectedanarettebuttandofferedittoDimitri.
“No,thankyou,I’vealreadyeheoneyoujustgaveme”repliedDimitri.“Iamnotaddictedtosmokingsoyouhadbetterkeepitforyourself.”Davidsoftlyrolledittoitsinalroundshapewithhisfingers,looseniobasidewithoutspillingany.Helightedit,inhaleddeeplyandthenpuffedoutthesmoke.Hetinued,
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