xcimedexcitedly,“It’shere!It’shere!Ihavenewsfromtheworldbeyondtheblueskies.It’sahisisreallytoofasating!”Affectedbyheremotions,Dimitrialsobecameexcited.Hetookuphiswhitee,gropedhiswaytowardstheFrendows,alsowalkedoutintothebackyard.Charinaheldapieceofpaperinherhandandsaid,“It’shere.It’shere.”Thetwoofthemstoodtoreadthenotefromheaven.Itsaid,“DearKingDimitri,Knowingyourloveforroamingfreelyaroundtheworld,Iwouldnothaveintrudedonyouexceptforrealemergencies.Retlyemissariessentbythealmightygod,Zeushavebeenflyingoverdom.TheyreportedtohimthatnifitpacehadbeenburntdowntothegroundaofironcthegoldpaceattheotherendoftheKingdomhadbeentornoffanditisagainshiningbrilliantlyinallitsglory.Zeuswasmystifiedastowhathadhappened.HewantsyoutoebacktdomofDreamsandwantstomeetwithyou.SignedMedusa”

    “Medusa...Medusa...thenamesoundssofamiliar.Issheohegoddessesihology?”

    “Yes,”noddedDimitri.“That’sher,Medusa.”

    “Howcouldthatbe?Howcouldthatbe?”mutteredCharina.

    “Whycouldn’tthatbe?”askedDimitri.“Anythingispossibleindreams.”

    “eon.eedCharina.“ebacktothelivingroomandtellmeiaibouteverythingthathappenedinydomofDreams.”Dimitrisatdownathisiinthelivingroomandfellintoadeepreverie.“WhydoesZeuswanttoseeme?HeknowseverythingthathappeheKingdom.HistwobeloveddaughtersCharmaineainewouldhavetoldhimiaiboutit.Whatmoreisthattotalktomeabout?”Charinacameoutofherroomcarryingabottleofwineinherarms.Thebottlelookedcssidantique,obviouslyquiteaged.Shesaid,“eon.Thisisabottleofwireasure.Iieditfrommyfatherandhavekeptforalongtime.UptonowIhaveneverbeeedtoopenitwhatevertheoccasion.Today,Iwillmakeaionahebottleforyou.Youdrinkthisrareanddeliciouswiellmeyourstoryatthesametime.”

    1

    “No.No.No.Thiswhiskyisgoodenoughforme”saidDimitri.“Don’topenthisbottlejustforme.”

    “Ohno”repliedCharina“Thisisthehighestformofenjoyment.Agoodstoryshouldbeapaniedbygoodwine.”Sayingso,shepulledthecorkoutofthebottle.Immediatelyanintoxigfragranceofagedwinefilledthewholeroom.EvenMaureenwokeupandsniffedherearsuprightandhereyesbright.

    “Alright”saidDimitri“Sinceyouhavealreadyopehebottle,Iwillgoonwithmytale.”SohetoldthestoryofhisKingdomintheDreamsmuchasaminstrelofold.

    Itwasafternoonutetimearaffithefreewaywasbumpertobumper.Inthelineupwasanold,dipidatedpickuptruckchuggingalonglikeatiredoldox.Thesettingsunbzeddownwitheye-dazzlingbrilliaherearviewmirror,causingRichardtoadjustitsangle.Keepinghisfootonthegaspedal,heinchedalongwiththeslowtraffieedlesstosay,hispanionwasJamaz.Thetwoofthemwereidealpartnersandinseparable.TheyhadbeenwhardforMrs.NovelSilkesthesestfewdays,mowingthewn,cuttingandprunireesandbushes,sprayiilizersandiicidesandwererewardedbyagenerouspayment.

    “Wegotpaidtoday”saidRichard.“Whereshallwego?”

    “Uptoyou.Youarethebrainssoyoudecide.”

    “WhatdoyouthinkofMr.O’Brian,Novel’sfiancé?”askedRichard,gingthesubject.“Iheardtheyareabouttogiveahugewedding”

    “Iknow.Heseemslikeagoodguy,veryrefined,esfromapedigreefamily,hasanenormousfortuneandistheenvyofeveryo,iIfeelpretty...IfeelbadforDimitri.”

    “

xcimedexcitedly,“It’shere!It’shere!Ihavenewsfromtheworldbeyondtheblueskies.It’sahisisreallytoofasating!”Affectedbyheremotions,Dimitrialsobecameexcited.Hetookuphiswhitee,gropedhiswaytowardstheFrendows,alsowalkedoutintothebackyard.Charinaheldapieceofpaperinherhandandsaid,“It’shere.It’shere.”Thetwoofthemstoodtoreadthenotefromheaven.Itsaid,“DearKingDimitri,Knowingyourloveforroamingfreelyaroundtheworld,Iwouldnothaveintrudedonyouexceptforrealemergencies.Retlyemissariessentbythealmightygod,Zeushavebeenflyingoverdom.TheyreportedtohimthatnifitpacehadbeenburntdowntothegroundaofironcthegoldpaceattheotherendoftheKingdomhadbeentornoffanditisagainshiningbrilliantlyinallitsglory.Zeuswasmystifiedastowhathadhappened.HewantsyoutoebacktdomofDreamsandwantstomeetwithyou.SignedMedusa”

    “Medusa...Medusa...thenamesoundssofamiliar.Issheohegoddessesihology?”

    “Yes,”noddedDimitri.“That’sher,Medusa.”

    “Howcouldthatbe?Howcouldthatbe?”mutteredCharina.

    “Whycouldn’tthatbe?”askedDimitri.“Anythingispossibleindreams.”

    “eon.eedCharina.“ebacktothelivingroomandtellmeiaibouteverythingthathappenedinydomofDreams.”Dimitrisatdownathisiinthelivingroomandfellintoadeepreverie.“WhydoesZeuswanttoseeme?HeknowseverythingthathappeheKingdom.HistwobeloveddaughtersCharmaineainewouldhavetoldhimiaiboutit.Whatmoreisthattotalktomeabout?”Charinacameoutofherroomcarryingabottleofwineinherarms.Thebottlelookedcssidantique,obviouslyquiteaged.Shesaid,“eon.Thisisabottleofwireasure.Iieditfrommyfatherandhavekeptforalongtime.UptonowIhaveneverbeeedtoopenitwhatevertheoccasion.Today,Iwillmakeaionahebottleforyou.Youdrinkthisrareanddeliciouswiellmeyourstoryatthesametime.”

    1

    “No.No.No.Thiswhiskyisgoodenoughforme”saidDimitri.“Don’topenthisbottlejustforme.”

    “Ohno”repliedCharina“Thisisthehighestformofenjoyment.Agoodstoryshouldbeapaniedbygoodwine.”Sayingso,shepulledthecorkoutofthebottle.Immediatelyanintoxigfragranceofagedwinefilledthewholeroom.EvenMaureenwokeupandsniffedherearsuprightandhereyesbright.

    “Alright”saidDimitri“Sinceyouhavealreadyopehebottle,Iwillgoonwithmytale.”SohetoldthestoryofhisKingdomintheDreamsmuchasaminstrelofold.

    Itwasafternoonutetimearaffithefreewaywasbumpertobumper.Inthelineupwasanold,dipidatedpickuptruckchuggingalonglikeatiredoldox.Thesettingsunbzeddownwitheye-dazzlingbrilliaherearviewmirror,causingRichardtoadjustitsangle.Keepinghisfootonthegaspedal,heinchedalongwiththeslowtraffieedlesstosay,hispanionwasJamaz.Thetwoofthemwereidealpartnersandinseparable.TheyhadbeenwhardforMrs.NovelSilkesthesestfewdays,mowingthewn,cuttingandprunireesandbushes,sprayiilizersandiicidesandwererewardedbyagenerouspayment.

    “Wegotpaidtoday”saidRichard.“Whereshallwego?”

    “Uptoyou.Youarethebrainssoyoudecide.”

    “WhatdoyouthinkofMr.O’Brian,Novel’sfiancé?”askedRichard,gingthesubject.“Iheardtheyareabouttogiveahugewedding”

    “Iknow.Heseemslikeagoodguy,veryrefined,esfromapedigreefamily,hasanenormousfortuneandistheenvyofeveryo,iIfeelpretty...IfeelbadforDimitri.”

    “