Them,KingDimitriandthebeautiesboardedtheirsailboataintheearlydawnbeforethemistdispersed.Experiendwell-trainedpaceattendantsrowedtheboatswiftlyandsteadily.Whentheycametotheteroftheke,KingDimitrigaveorderstodropanchorandstabilizetheboat.HelookedovertotheoppositeshoreandsawthatMedusawasalreadythereoverseeiivescarryfirewoodandaddihefurnaces,makingthefmesleapevenhigherandburnbrighter.Thepeoplehadbeenwallnightandtheyalllookedwornout.TheonlyoneearedtobefreshandvigorouswasCyclops.Hecarriedtheheavytripodtirelesslyupthemountain,makiripafteranother,pthemeltedliquidironontothegoldpace.Hisspeedimprovedwithrepetitionanditwashewhooftenwaitedbythefurheripodtobefilled,whilingawaythetimebydevmeatofsheepandbulndgulpingdownliquorfromthevat.Hedidthisfromdawntonoonandnowitwasdusk.Timewenton,KingDimitrifottothowmanytripsCyclopshadmadeorhowmanytripodswerepouredontothegoldpace.QueenAishaaskedKingDimitritoeintotheandsaidtohim,
“Yourmajesty,lookatCyclops.Heisreallytirelessandhasmorandendurahanmost.Butlookatthewayheiswalking.Heisbeginningtostagger.I’mafraidhehasdrunktoomuchhardliquor.Ifthisgoeson,hemaygetintoanact.”KingDimitrilookedoutofthewindowandsawthatCyclopswasindeedbeginningtowobbleunsteadilyfromsidetoside.ThoughCyclopswasstrohanmostandcouldrecoverquicklyfromhotliquidironspshedontohisbody,itwouldbeadifferentstoryifthewhole10,000lbstripodofboilingliquidirournedandcapsizedonhim.Hisbodywouldbepletelydisiedandreducedtodustandsmoke.SoKingDimitriimmediatelygaveordersforworktostopfortheday.Cyclopshappilypnkeddowytripod,walkedswiftlydownanothersidepathanddisappearedintotheforest.
KingDimitrimountedhismagichorse,Lightning,andflewovertheketowardsnd.Thedouble-tailedsailboatfollowedinhiswakeandalsomadefortheshore.Thepeoplewereenergizedtoseetheirheroigepersonallytoiheprogressoftheirwork.Loudcheersandshoutsroseintheirmidst.Ridinghishorse,KingDimitricircledthegroundsofthegoldpadsawthattheprojectwasabout95%pleted.Therewasonlyochofgoldoheasterhepacethatobecoated.Afewtripodspouredontothatareawouldtakecareofitandtheworkwouldbepleted.Buttheformerbrilliantandmagnifitpacehadbeenpletelygedbeynition.Theliquidironouredcarelesslyatrandom,withnorhymeorreason,sosomespotswerecoatedthickerthahers.Thesurfacewas,therefore,quiteuneven:somespotswerehigh,lookinglikeasmallmound,whileotherswerescarcelycoated.Allinall,itwasanuglypieceofgildingandwouldlookeveesquewhentheironbeginstorustandbeecoveredwithmoss.Havingfinishedhisiion,KingDimitriflewbacktohisboat.Hereleasedhistwobelovedpettigersandtoldthemtopatrondsecurethearea.Thenhegaveorderstohavethepeoplesetupcamp,cookdinneraforthenight,leavingonlyaskeletooseethatthefireiskeptburning.ThencallingforMedusatoeback,theyallsetsaidforthepace.
Arrivingatthemiddleoftheke,KingDimitrilookedattheever-gingcloudsandthecrystalclearwaters.Thegeousndscapeofwater,mountainsandskiesbroughthimasenseofpeadcalmthatmadehimfetthetroublesofthestfewdays.Heorderedthepaceattendantstoagaindropanchorandsaidtothebeauties,
“Inthefaceofsutastiery,howcouldwenothavewine?”Hewavedhishandintheair.Loandbehold,acrystalgobletfullofdarkredearedinhishand.Thebeautiesfollowedsuitandalsowavedtheirhandsintheair.Innotime,crystalgobletsofdarkredwierializedintheirhands.
“Cheers!”saidKingDimitri,raisinghisgobletofwine.
“Cheers!”repliedthebeautiesinachorus.KingDimitrisippedhiswineandsaidwithdeepfeeling,
“ThistimewheurheKingdom,Ihadinteospendsometimewithyoualndhaveamemorablegathering.Ineverimaginedsomuchwouldhappeniwothreedays.Imustreturntothemundaneworldtomorrow.Solittletimeremains!Lifeisliketheever-gingcloudsintheskies.Itmayloeousandmagnifiow,butsoonitwillbeswallowedupbythedarknight.Sowemustenjoyourselveswhilewedopportunitiesslipby.”Heagainraisedhisgobletandtookanothersip.Thebeautieskheirkingwelndwereawarethathehadateothinkofpoetiessinhisheartwhenalroundhimwasrejoig,sotheydidionunhappyorkilljoythings.Manydessertshadappearedoable,asetizersforthewihebeautieswereeatinganddrinkingandtalking.SuddenlyAmaliasaid,
“pehatbigguycarryiripods?Whydon’tweaskhimtojoinushereandhaveadrink?”Everyonewasstruckdumbbyherartlessquestion.
“Hewenthome”repliedYokohurriedly,tryingtoheadofffurtherquestions.“Helivesfarawayoverthere”shetinued,pointingtothedenseforestsohersideoftheke.
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