nw，whileoswherepatronslosttotheownerswereprohibited,gamblinghousesmaylegallyprovidesiteforpeoplewhowaogambleamongthemselves，andtheycouldtakeapertageofthewinningsasission．ThereforetheownersofthegambtinghouselookeduponrichtslikeMr．Kaffeeastheirbreadandbutter,andfawhemunabashedly．Richardwouldnothavenormallybeenadmittedtothisexclusiveroom，butbeinganolder，hekheattendants，andtheywereawarehehad35，000onhim，sotheygrudginglylethimpcetheminimumbetoryhisluck．Richard’sheartwasinaflurry．Ifhelost，Jamaz’shospitalbillsandhisitmenttoYokowouldbeallgoifhewon，hiswinningswoulddoubleortriple，andifhewoimessecutively,why,hewouldbemade!Suchwasthegambler’sdream,soeasilyinftedandwhieverknewwhentostop,whichwasthecrucialpoiweenwinningandlosing．

    Mr．Kaffeesattheredetachlypuffingathiscigar，butRichard’seyesweregluedtothetable,whilergebeadsofperspirationstoodoutonhisforehead．Mr．Kaffee’slewdeyesfellonYoko，standingbesideRichardaookstockofherupanddown．Yokobowedherheadinembarrassment．Mr．Kaffeesmiledandentedrudelytohispanions，

    9

    "That’satastydish!"EveryohetableughedandlookeddesdinglyatthegirenseandobviouslydesperatepaniohecardsopenedupRichardunfortunatelylost，asdidmostoftheothers．Mr．Kaffeewasthesolewinnerandchipsstackeduphighinfrontofhim．Richardlookedaround．Insuchmercilessandcoldlypracticalsurroundingstherewasnosympathy,nopity．Whatcouldhedo?Hestooduptogo．

    "Stop!ebackhere,”cameMr．Kaffee’sarrogantvoice．"I’llgiveyouanotherce．I’llbet10,000.Ifyoulose，givemethatgirlwhoiswithyou.Youarenotworthyofsuchatenderandjuicymeatanyway.”Richard’sselfrespectwasdeeplyhurt,butwhatwasselfrespethisgamblinghouse?HeturnedhisheadtolookatYoko．Atthesametime,Ileenwaseyeioowithenvyandjealousy．Expensively-dressedaifullymadeup,Ileenwasayoungwomanthatturnedheadswherevershewent，butherebeforeherwasyouth，eandnaturalbeauty,whichhadcaughtMr．Kaffee’seyeinspiteofthecheapdressandentation．ButYokowasshakingherheadandsaying，

    "Nobigdeal.What’sinaloss?Ifwelose,welose.There’salwaysaime．eo’sgo.”Shetookhisarmawowalkeddejectedlyoutofthegamblinghouse．Theywentoutontothecoldloreets,feelingsnubbedandhumiliated．Richardwasstilldevastatedandsaid，

    "IfIhadknown，Iwouldn’thavegoall．Wewouldstillhavethe35,000ahingwouldbefine.”

    "What’sdoneisdoneandotbeundone．Neverregret．That’sAmalia’sruleandmioo.”Richardfeltbad，butYoko’swarmhandinhismadehimfeelbetter．

    "Yht．It’snighttime．Let’sgoawhatwe.”Yokouoodhimperfectlyawofiguresdisappearedintothedarkness,whichwaslikesoft，bckvelvet，lightlycthesleepih．Thenightwaslikeanunfathomabletreasure，whereifyouwouldonlygoahereyouwouldfind．

    Uhemoonlight，asbrightandwarmassunshine,yDimitriandMedusa，feelingfortablyrexed,liketwoprimitivemammalsrestinginthefieldsafterthefieryheatofmatingonaspringnight．Buttheirmatingwasnotoneofanimallust,aninborninstincttoventtheirsexualurgeandpropagatetheirspecies．No,theirswasthemationofthehighestandse,mutualloveaofthebody．Dimitri’shandscaressedthevoluptuousbodyofMedusa,ohemostfearedofmonsters，butnowthemostloyalofsubjects．Medusa,oherhand,wastreasur

nw，whileoswherepatronslosttotheownerswereprohibited,gamblinghousesmaylegallyprovidesiteforpeoplewhowaogambleamongthemselves，andtheycouldtakeapertageofthewinningsasission．ThereforetheownersofthegambtinghouselookeduponrichtslikeMr．Kaffeeastheirbreadandbutter,andfawhemunabashedly．Richardwouldnothavenormallybeenadmittedtothisexclusiveroom，butbeinganolder，hekheattendants，andtheywereawarehehad35，000onhim，sotheygrudginglylethimpcetheminimumbetoryhisluck．Richard’sheartwasinaflurry．Ifhelost，Jamaz’shospitalbillsandhisitmenttoYokowouldbeallgoifhewon，hiswinningswoulddoubleortriple，andifhewoimessecutively,why,hewouldbemade!Suchwasthegambler’sdream,soeasilyinftedandwhieverknewwhentostop,whichwasthecrucialpoiweenwinningandlosing．

    Mr．Kaffeesattheredetachlypuffingathiscigar，butRichard’seyesweregluedtothetable,whilergebeadsofperspirationstoodoutonhisforehead．Mr．Kaffee’slewdeyesfellonYoko，standingbesideRichardaookstockofherupanddown．Yokobowedherheadinembarrassment．Mr．Kaffeesmiledandentedrudelytohispanions，

    9

    "That’satastydish!"EveryohetableughedandlookeddesdinglyatthegirenseandobviouslydesperatepaniohecardsopenedupRichardunfortunatelylost，asdidmostoftheothers．Mr．Kaffeewasthesolewinnerandchipsstackeduphighinfrontofhim．Richardlookedaround．Insuchmercilessandcoldlypracticalsurroundingstherewasnosympathy,nopity．Whatcouldhedo?Hestooduptogo．

    "Stop!ebackhere,”cameMr．Kaffee’sarrogantvoice．"I’llgiveyouanotherce．I’llbet10,000.Ifyoulose，givemethatgirlwhoiswithyou.Youarenotworthyofsuchatenderandjuicymeatanyway.”Richard’sselfrespectwasdeeplyhurt,butwhatwasselfrespethisgamblinghouse?HeturnedhisheadtolookatYoko．Atthesametime,Ileenwaseyeioowithenvyandjealousy．Expensively-dressedaifullymadeup,Ileenwasayoungwomanthatturnedheadswherevershewent，butherebeforeherwasyouth，eandnaturalbeauty,whichhadcaughtMr．Kaffee’seyeinspiteofthecheapdressandentation．ButYokowasshakingherheadandsaying，

    "Nobigdeal.What’sinaloss?Ifwelose,welose.There’salwaysaime．eo’sgo.”Shetookhisarmawowalkeddejectedlyoutofthegamblinghouse．Theywentoutontothecoldloreets,feelingsnubbedandhumiliated．Richardwasstilldevastatedandsaid，

    "IfIhadknown，Iwouldn’thavegoall．Wewouldstillhavethe35,000ahingwouldbefine.”

    "What’sdoneisdoneandotbeundone．Neverregret．That’sAmalia’sruleandmioo.”Richardfeltbad，butYoko’swarmhandinhismadehimfeelbetter．

    "Yht．It’snighttime．Let’sgoawhatwe.”Yokouoodhimperfectlyawofiguresdisappearedintothedarkness,whichwaslikesoft，bckvelvet，lightlycthesleepih．Thenightwaslikeanunfathomabletreasure，whereifyouwouldonlygoahereyouwouldfind．

    Uhemoonlight，asbrightandwarmassunshine,yDimitriandMedusa，feelingfortablyrexed,liketwoprimitivemammalsrestinginthefieldsafterthefieryheatofmatingonaspringnight．Buttheirmatingwasnotoneofanimallust,aninborninstincttoventtheirsexualurgeandpropagatetheirspecies．No,theirswasthemationofthehighestandse,mutualloveaofthebody．Dimitri’shandscaressedthevoluptuousbodyofMedusa,ohemostfearedofmonsters，butnowthemostloyalofsubjects．Medusa,oherhand,wastreasur