“What?Whatdidyousay?Ididn’tquitecatchit.Whatmanuscriptisinyourhands?”
“Doooexcited.We’lltalkaboutitwhenyougethere,okay?equickly.”Charinawasveryexcitedwhenshehungupandmarveledatthewonderfulopportunitythathadjustdroppedintoherpasitwere.“IcouldgiveQueenAishabackthemanuscriptIrescuedfromtheruinsofthepatheKingdomofDreamsasatributeatourfirstmeeting”shethought.“SheisDimitri’sroyalsortandifsheishappytogetbackthedissertatiohavethoughtshehadlostforever,shemighteveoacceptmeasthe25thbeautyintheKingdomofDreams.IfAngelidthetwinnymphsCharmaineaineallputinagoodwordforme,Idon’tseehowDimitricouldrefuse!”Atthatthought,Charigreatlyenergizedandinvigoratedandhercoldhealedwithoutfurthertreatment.Herbrainswerewfuriouslyasshethoughtofwhatshouldbedone.“IfIshouldhavethehonortomeettheiionallyrenownedsanism,IthinkIshoulddresssimplybutelegantlyasInormallydotogiveheragoodimpression.Whydon’tIwearmyskybluedresswithafullskirt,abroad-rimmedwhitesunhatandwhiteleatherwalkingshoes?ThatwaswhatIworethefirsttimeIsawDimitri.Charinastoodupaoherdressingtabletoputonsomelightmake-up.LittledogMaureencockedherheadandlookedatitsmistressinapuzzlingmannerasifwwhatwasgoingonwithher.
Thefoggraduallydispersedariaoeoutontothestreets.David’sdeeplywrinkledfacewaslightedupwithseldomseensmilesashelookedfarettebutts.Hisfloomyandwobegonetenanishedandhewaswreathedinsmilesgreetingpeoplewhopassedbywithacheery“Hi!”“Go,sir!”exudingtheairofbonneamieofahappyhomelessman.Itwasstillearlyinthem.Davidstoppedatayparkinglotothebackdoorofanofficebuildiheretefullofsandprovidedespeciallyforofficeworkerswhohadaosmokeduringtheworkday.Smokingrohibitedihebuilding,buthereotheemptyparkinglotsmokerscouldindulgewithoutcausingtoomuchairpollution.David’seyeslightedupwhehattherewerealotofcigarettebuttsihepte.Hekhatthejanitorshadteoupandthatnootherhomelesspersonshadreachedthereeither.“Ha!”heexcimedinsatisfa,“I’mtheearlybirdthatgetstheworm.”Hequiedhisstepsandpulledoutthelongcigarettebuttsahehalf-smokedonesaswell,carefullyfoldiohiswrinkledpapertowel,crowingathisbumperharvest.Thecigaretteptewaslikeabirthdaycakestuckfullofdles.Hisexuberahisgoodfortunewashanthatofafinancierwhomadeamilliondainfromadeal.Helightedupohebutts,draggeddeeplyonitandthoughtashewalkedaway.
“Itseemsthatmyluckhasged.IhavealwaysthoughtthatIwasamostunfortunateguy,scedwithbadluck,cursedwithonecamityfollowingahestubbornbeliefthatIamcursedhasalwaysblockedmyheartlikeathousandpoundstone,makingithardformetobreath.ButDimitritookmetohisKingdomofDreamsandgedmyprospectsforever.Thatdamnedcursethathaspressuredmyheartalltheseyearswasbrokenaedpletelyaway.IrealizeIamnotacursedfellow,noramIasymbolofbadluck.Morethanthat,Ihavediscoveredalimitlesstreasuretroveiwhichcouldneverbeusedup.Allofushaveatreasuretroveinourheartwaitingtobediscovered.Fateisonlyaframeofmihoughtheoutsideworldhasnotgedintheleast,solongasone’sframeofmindges,everythingges.HowIwishtoseemysaviorDimitrinow.Iwanttothankhimahimknowthatmylifehasgedpletely.”Justatthistime,Davidsawaraggedsolitaryfigurewearingdarkgsses,withawhiteeinhishandemergefromthemistandwalktowardshim.Heughedheartilyandsaid,“Ha,itseemsIamreallyinluck.WhateverIthinkoforwantwillmaterializebeforeme!Isn’tthatguywalkingtowardsmemysaviorDimitri?”
SittinginCharina’slivingroom,Angelica’sbeautifuleyesstaredinamazementatthefourthingsidbeforeheronthecoffeetable:Thatgem-studdeddouble-barreledtelescope,quiteobviouslybelongingtoaroyalhousehold,wastheveryoneQueenAishahadusedtoobservetheseofbattle.Theantiqueporbottleusedtotainhundredyearoldmaotaiwinelookedveryfamiliar.Thentherewereprintedpagesofahalf-finisheddissertation“OnLifeinMatriarchalSociety”andanotebooktitled“PerceptionsoftheKingdomofDreams”.Angelicawalkedoutofthefogwhistling,wearinggraysweatshirtandpantsalmostthecolorofthefog,atingherbeautifulslimfigure.Herlonghairwascaughtinaponytailbehindherhead.WheoCharina’shouse,herhostesswasalreadywaitingsmilinglyatthefrontdoortoweleher.Nowshetookupthenotebookandturnedapageortwo.Whoelsecouldthefinehandwritingbelongtoexceptherself?Greatlypuzzled,sheturnedherrgebeautifuleyesinastonishmentatCharina,asking
“Wheredidyougetthesethings?”
“Ilookedthroughyournotebook.CouldyoufirsttellmehowyouhappeobeieriousKingdomofDreams?ThenIwilltellyouthestoryofhowIcamebythesethings.”
“Itwasastar-studdedsummerevening”saidAngelica,hereyesdispyingherfusionandperplexityasshebeganherrecollesofthepast.“IhadjustfinishedapoemthatIsideredmybestandwasafraidthatIwouldneveragainbeabletowriteowouldsurpassit.Inthesummerwhenroseswereinfullbloom,abrilliantshootingstarfshedoverthenightsky.Atthetime,Iwasfilledwithasenseofsadnessandthoughtthatlifeshouldendatitsmostbeautifulmomentiokeepitsbeautyandimmortalityforever.ItookupthesilverpistolIhavehadinmypossessionforalongtimeinpreparationofthedayIwaoendmylife.Iwalkedtardenandwasabouttoshootmyself,whenIcedtoahomelesspersonwhohadslippedunnotitothegardenandwassleepingthere.Ithinkyoucouldguesswhothatpersonwas.KingDimitristoppedmefromittingsuicideandtookmetohisKingdomofDreams.ThereIenteredunimaginableandmysteriousexperiehatgedmylifeforever.Inolongerbelievethatlifeshouldendatitsmostbeautifulmomentbecauselifeitselfisbeautifundbeyondparison.Itisstableandsistent.ThatishowIwenttotheKingdomofDreams…Butwhataboutyou?Whenandhowdidyougothere?”Likeastory-teller,Charinasummarizedherjourhemysteriouskingdom,andtoldofhowKingDimitriledhertend,howshelookedintheruinsoftheburntdownpaaterialshecouldwriteabout.Whenshecametothepartofhowshepersonallysurvivedahair-raisihquakeandtsunami,howtheGiantMountainbrokeintoseveralpartsandhowthegoldpaktothebottomofthewater,Angelicawassostunnedandshockedthatshestoodupandexcimed,
“Ohmygod!Allthisistoosuddenandued!Idon’tthinkQueenAishaknowsanythingaboutthesegesintheKingdomofDreams.Let’sgoatheserethappeningstoher.”
“It’sokay,Angelica”soothedCharina.“Thingsarenotasbadastheyseem.”ShetookoutthethreeshortlettersMedusahadsenttoKingDimitriandhahemtoherfriend,whoreadthemandwasreassuredthatthestrong,eicstrokescouldohevirilehandwritingofthebraveMedusa,ProtectoroftheKingdom.Shepattedherchestandsaid,
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