“Orperhapsitisme.”saidCharmaine.“PerhapsmyainusingthenameofFatherZeustoamassthecelestialgoldsmithstobuildthegoldpaonenighthasetolight.ItrembletothinkofFatherZeus’angerandrage.Hewilluseallhispowertoteardownthegoldpace.Thismaybriruontdom.”KingDimitrifrowned.Hefeltthatthissituationwassomuchmoreperilousandmenagthanthe200,000RomansoldierswhoysiegetohisKingdomallthoseyearsago.QueenAishasaid,
“Ihavebeenthinkingofthissituationeversinightthegoldpacewasbuilt.Ihavealsothoughtofasolutiontotheproblem,butIdon’tknowifitwillwork.”
“Let’shearaboutit!”criedKingDimitri.“Ihavealwayshadthegreatesttrustandrespectforyourintelligendwisdom.Itisalwaysanotchabovetherestofus.”AishaturhetwiineandCharmaineandsaid,
“IhavereadaboutGreekmythologyfromascripts.TheysaythatZeusifthefatherofthegods.Thoughheisalmightyandpowerful,hehasajealousnatureandotbeartoseeanyoneoranythihebetterofhisthattrue?”ThetwonoddedandCharmainesaid,
“FatherZeusisnotonlyveryjealous,hewillandforsomemortaldowhowningapaceold,overshadowinghisbronzeone.Heissuretoedownaroythegoldpadmayeverdohavebroughtdangeranddisastertdom.Iamsoverysorry.”
“Pleasedon’tbmeyourselftoomuch,”fortedQueenAisha.“ActuallyyouarenotonlybmelessbutyouhavetributedgreatlytotheKingdowtheproblemishowtoavertdisaster.”Shethoughtforamomentandthensaid,
“Ihavethoughtofapn.Wecouldgildthegoldpacewithacheapmetal,makingitlookcheapandofmuchlessvaluethatZeus’bronzepace.Wouldthatbeenoughtoappeaseandbancehisjealousnature?IknowKingDimitrialwaysthoughtthatlettingapricelessgoldpacestandhereinthewildernesswastoospicuousandostentatious,easytoprovokeenvyandjealousy.Bydimmingitsbrilliance,gildingitspricelessexterior,wepullthewoolovertheireyesandappeaseZeusjealousy.Isn’tthatagoodpn?”
“That’sgreat!That’sgreat!”saidDimitri,feelingasifagreatweighthadbeenliftedfromhisshoulders.“Let’sdoasyousay.Butwherewegetrgequantitiesofcheapmetaltodothejob?”
“TherearergequantitiesofmetalsinthemountainsaroundtheKingdom”excimedDeaedly.“Bronze,iron,tinamongothers.Therearealsequantitiesofgold.Wehaveboughtgoldontheworldmarket.What’sherewouldhavebeenenoughandwouldn’thavecausedanyripplesisideworld.”KingDimitrinoddedandsaid,
“Wewillmiheironandgildthepace.WewillleavethedetailsofallthistoRomybecausesheisfamiliarwithitall.”Romyhesitated.Shewasanarchitectbytraining,notametallurgist,soshewasn’tsureshetothisenormoustask.Butundersuchdireandcatastrophiccircumstances,shecouldonlyitherselftothejob.
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