sha．You’vebinonyourfeetalldayandmustbetired．Here,I’llmassageyoulegsforyou…PeoplesaytheydoneseeMr．Silkise’sghostwalkingaroundthehouseandgarden．Haveyouseenhim?"

    Justthen,therewasaloudcrash,followedbypitifulscreeg．Themouse,luredbythebeefstewandhoney,hadgohekit．Hefirstjumpedontoachair,thenontotheterandbegannibblingatthehoney．Ashetookonemorestepforward，theknifecrashedtothefloortakingthemousewithit．Thefatmousendedfirstwithathudandtheknifefellonit,nailingittotheground．

    4

    "Mytrapworked!"MarshacriedtriumphantlyandhurriedoutfollowedbyJamaz．Theypulledtheknifefromthebodyofthebleedingandmortallywoundedmouse,whledtohisfeetandstilttemptedtoescape．Jamazra，choppingatitmercilesslyseveraltimesuntilitbecameabloody,imass.Initsshortlifethemousehadbeenfortunateenoughtoescapeinnumerabletrapsanddangers,butthissttimehewasnotsolucky．Lowerlevenimalslivingwithinthefinesofhumansocietyusuallysharethistragid．

    Takingtheoppositedirefromthemouse,Dimitriwentonhisway;buthehadonlytakeepswheextremepaininhislefteye,likebeingstabbedbyasharpneedleorpiercedbyaknife．Hisrighteyehadbeenblindsincechildhood,andnowhisleftvisionwasgoingtoo．Heitentlyopenedhiseyestolookaheadofhimandthenwouldwalkforawhilewithhiseyesclosed.Theterriblepaincausedtearsandnasalmucustostreamuntrolblydownhisface．Hewouldwipeatthemsurreptitiouslywithhissleeves，buttheykepting．Dimitribowedhisheadaclosetothewalltoavoidtheattentionofpassersby．Thepedestrianstalkingandughing，themotoristswhizzingbyintheircarsseemedhappyandpurposeful,makingDimItrifeelhewasthemostunfortunatemanoreetbecausehehadtoputupwithsuchexcruciatingpain．Passingthescorchedremainsofanadultmovietheater,DimitrirememberedhowtheyusedtogeadseveryFriday.Hewouldloiteraboutandstareatthem,fetfulofhiswhereaboutsuntilpeoplewouldstopincuriositytoseewhathewasstaringatandhewouldbedrivenawaybytheirsnickering．Occasionallyhewouldbuyaticketandgoin．Butnowitwasonlyaheapofruins．Onlyhalfaposterremainedshowingtherumpofanakedwomandoggiefashionhighupintheair．Themenandwomenwhohadmadelovewiththeirfleshbodiessofuriouslyandwithsuchabando,hadnowallgoneupinsmokeandfire．Hewastherewhenthefirebrokeoutandhesawanunreizablebodybeingcarriedout,coveredwithneer．Hestillfeltnauseouswhenherememberedthesmellofhumanfleshburnttoacharcoallogsothatnoonecoulddeterminewhoitwas，orwhetheritwasmaleorfemale...

    Dimitriwokefromhisreveriewithastart，rememberioseeDr．ElinaGelbart．Buthowcouldhegotoseethatbeautifulyoungwoman，dirtyandsmellyashewas?Heturnedbaton9thStreet,turoghatowothelounityCollegeandmadefym．Hehadalockerthere,#45,whereheputhisestclothes．HeohisoldfriendDavid,theharelippedjanitavehimatowein.Dimitriwasgreetedbyawaveofhotsteam,apaniedbynoisyshoutsandughterofyoungathletesshafterpractice．Ifitweren’tforhisappoiwithDr．Gelbart，hewouldbecurledupinadarkerofhisdipidatedshelter,motionless，eyesclosed，sufferinginsilendresignation．Thepain，whichwasrendinghissoupart,wasliketherippingsoundoftearingpaper,butDimitrienduredallthiswithinfiiehefleshbodycouldgivepleasure，hereasowasonlytobeexpectedthatit

sha．You’vebinonyourfeetalldayandmustbetired．Here,I’llmassageyoulegsforyou…PeoplesaytheydoneseeMr．Silkise’sghostwalkingaroundthehouseandgarden．Haveyouseenhim?"

    Justthen,therewasaloudcrash,followedbypitifulscreeg．Themouse,luredbythebeefstewandhoney,hadgohekit．Hefirstjumpedontoachair,thenontotheterandbegannibblingatthehoney．Ashetookonemorestepforward，theknifecrashedtothefloortakingthemousewithit．Thefatmousendedfirstwithathudandtheknifefellonit,nailingittotheground．

    4

    "Mytrapworked!"MarshacriedtriumphantlyandhurriedoutfollowedbyJamaz．Theypulledtheknifefromthebodyofthebleedingandmortallywoundedmouse,whledtohisfeetandstilttemptedtoescape．Jamazra，choppingatitmercilesslyseveraltimesuntilitbecameabloody,imass.Initsshortlifethemousehadbeenfortunateenoughtoescapeinnumerabletrapsanddangers,butthissttimehewasnotsolucky．Lowerlevenimalslivingwithinthefinesofhumansocietyusuallysharethistragid．

    Takingtheoppositedirefromthemouse,Dimitriwentonhisway;buthehadonlytakeepswheextremepaininhislefteye,likebeingstabbedbyasharpneedleorpiercedbyaknife．Hisrighteyehadbeenblindsincechildhood,andnowhisleftvisionwasgoingtoo．Heitentlyopenedhiseyestolookaheadofhimandthenwouldwalkforawhilewithhiseyesclosed.Theterriblepaincausedtearsandnasalmucustostreamuntrolblydownhisface．Hewouldwipeatthemsurreptitiouslywithhissleeves，buttheykepting．Dimitribowedhisheadaclosetothewalltoavoidtheattentionofpassersby．Thepedestrianstalkingandughing，themotoristswhizzingbyintheircarsseemedhappyandpurposeful,makingDimItrifeelhewasthemostunfortunatemanoreetbecausehehadtoputupwithsuchexcruciatingpain．Passingthescorchedremainsofanadultmovietheater,DimitrirememberedhowtheyusedtogeadseveryFriday.Hewouldloiteraboutandstareatthem,fetfulofhiswhereaboutsuntilpeoplewouldstopincuriositytoseewhathewasstaringatandhewouldbedrivenawaybytheirsnickering．Occasionallyhewouldbuyaticketandgoin．Butnowitwasonlyaheapofruins．Onlyhalfaposterremainedshowingtherumpofanakedwomandoggiefashionhighupintheair．Themenandwomenwhohadmadelovewiththeirfleshbodiessofuriouslyandwithsuchabando,hadnowallgoneupinsmokeandfire．Hewastherewhenthefirebrokeoutandhesawanunreizablebodybeingcarriedout,coveredwithneer．Hestillfeltnauseouswhenherememberedthesmellofhumanfleshburnttoacharcoallogsothatnoonecoulddeterminewhoitwas，orwhetheritwasmaleorfemale...

    Dimitriwokefromhisreveriewithastart，rememberioseeDr．ElinaGelbart．Buthowcouldhegotoseethatbeautifulyoungwoman，dirtyandsmellyashewas?Heturnedbaton9thStreet,turoghatowothelounityCollegeandmadefym．Hehadalockerthere,#45,whereheputhisestclothes．HeohisoldfriendDavid,theharelippedjanitavehimatowein.Dimitriwasgreetedbyawaveofhotsteam,apaniedbynoisyshoutsandughterofyoungathletesshafterpractice．Ifitweren’tforhisappoiwithDr．Gelbart，hewouldbecurledupinadarkerofhisdipidatedshelter,motionless，eyesclosed，sufferinginsilendresignation．Thepain，whichwasrendinghissoupart,wasliketherippingsoundoftearingpaper,butDimitrienduredallthiswithinfiiehefleshbodycouldgivepleasure，hereasowasonlytobeexpectedthatit