reallywereAngelidelle.Angelicasufferedfrominsomniaandellewasanightowl,wholikedtosleepte.Thetwoofthemoftenwanderedaroundthepacegroundstogetheronnightswhenthemoonwasbrightandluminous.Thephosphorestradiahemoonshinningontheirwhilebodiesmadethemappeartobepureandperfectasjade.Theywalkedquietlyforawhile.ellebrokethesilencefirstbyasking,“Doesourbeautifulpoetesshaveanynewpoemsforustoenjoy?”

    “Ididwritesome”answeredAngelicashyly“butIwasnotsatisfied,soItoremostofthemupandthrewthemintotheaperbasket.Iooitstillneedsalotofwork.”

    “Really?Thatmustbeagoodone”saidelleexcitedly.“eoeitformesoIjoyit!”Angelicaclearedherthroataedslowly,

    “Bidequietlyanddreamswille.

    Butthentheyvanishjustasstealthilyastheycame.

    Howdidspringe,andhowdiditdisappearwithoutmyknowing?

    Dayafterday,fromdawntilldusklonelinessapaniesme.

    11

    Themoonshinesanddims,thesunrisesandfalls

    Dayandnightfreelyalternateandexgeintheskies.

    Butwhathasthesegeshavetodowithme?

    Iwake,thensleep;sleepandthenbemersedindreams.

    Astimegoes,byIageandlosemybeauty.

    HowdidIetobeintheKingdomofDreams?

    AndhowwillIonedayleave?

    Bidequietlyanddreamswille.

    Butthentheyvanishjustasstealthilyastheycame.

    AfterhearingAngelica’stestpoem,ellestoppediracks,lookedupatthefullmoonintheskiesandsaid,

    11

    “Thispoemissowonderful!Itispregnantwithdeepmeaning.FromthispoemIseemtoseeabeautifulwoman,aloneinherboudoir,whilingawaythelongandlonelynight.Shebegantoquestionthemeaningofherlife,themeritofkeepingvigilforsuchalongtimebecauseofaflutteringanduaindream.Isitworthit?Totellyouthetruth,Itoo,havethoughtofthis.ButIamnotabletoputitintopoetry.”

    “Really?Youhavethoughtaboutthistoo?SofarasIknow,mostofthebeautiesintheKingdomneverhadsexualretionswithKingDimitri.Thereisonlyasubtlespiritualstrengthtosustaiionship.Thatisalsothecasewithme.ButIdoubtthataptoionshipwillstlong.”

    “Itwillstalong,longtime”saidelle,lookingupatthemoon.“Perhapsforalleternity.”

    “Youthinkso?”ellebroughthereyesawayfromthemoonandlookedatAngelicasaying,

    “Let’slookatitthisway.Throughouttheages,forhundredsandhundredsofyears,fromgeiontogeion,manhasoppedlovingandbelievinginJesusChrist.Butdidahemhavephysicalretionshipwithhim?No.hethingthattiesthebelievertoJesusisthissubtlespiritualstrength,whibecalledheroworshipiousse.Isn’tthisspiritualstrengthsimirtowhatweallfeelfDimitri?It’sakindoflove,veion,analmioussehatyouandIfindhardtoexpressliterally.”

    Angelicasilentlynoddedheragreementtowhatellehadsaid.

    JustthenKojakandCortez,thetwoferocioustigersthatwerestandingguardnearby,roaredinangeranddashedtowardsaclusteroftreesbythekeside.Angelica,whohadretlybeenthroughascaryattack,stoppeddeadandclutchedelle’shandstightlyinfright.Afigurefshedintheshadowsofthetreesaifulyounggirppeareduhemoonlight.ItwasnaughtygirlDorna.Shescoldedthetwotigerssaying,

    “Youtwomiserablecreatures!Don’tyouknowme?Whyareyourandagupthisway?Look!Youhavescaredawaymygoodfriend!”Thekewaterspshedandanotherslimyounggirlemerged

reallywereAngelidelle.Angelicasufferedfrominsomniaandellewasanightowl,wholikedtosleepte.Thetwoofthemoftenwanderedaroundthepacegroundstogetheronnightswhenthemoonwasbrightandluminous.Thephosphorestradiahemoonshinningontheirwhilebodiesmadethemappeartobepureandperfectasjade.Theywalkedquietlyforawhile.ellebrokethesilencefirstbyasking,“Doesourbeautifulpoetesshaveanynewpoemsforustoenjoy?”

    “Ididwritesome”answeredAngelicashyly“butIwasnotsatisfied,soItoremostofthemupandthrewthemintotheaperbasket.Iooitstillneedsalotofwork.”

    “Really?Thatmustbeagoodone”saidelleexcitedly.“eoeitformesoIjoyit!”Angelicaclearedherthroataedslowly,

    “Bidequietlyanddreamswille.

    Butthentheyvanishjustasstealthilyastheycame.

    Howdidspringe,andhowdiditdisappearwithoutmyknowing?

    Dayafterday,fromdawntilldusklonelinessapaniesme.

    11

    Themoonshinesanddims,thesunrisesandfalls

    Dayandnightfreelyalternateandexgeintheskies.

    Butwhathasthesegeshavetodowithme?

    Iwake,thensleep;sleepandthenbemersedindreams.

    Astimegoes,byIageandlosemybeauty.

    HowdidIetobeintheKingdomofDreams?

    AndhowwillIonedayleave?

    Bidequietlyanddreamswille.

    Butthentheyvanishjustasstealthilyastheycame.

    AfterhearingAngelica’stestpoem,ellestoppediracks,lookedupatthefullmoonintheskiesandsaid,

    11

    “Thispoemissowonderful!Itispregnantwithdeepmeaning.FromthispoemIseemtoseeabeautifulwoman,aloneinherboudoir,whilingawaythelongandlonelynight.Shebegantoquestionthemeaningofherlife,themeritofkeepingvigilforsuchalongtimebecauseofaflutteringanduaindream.Isitworthit?Totellyouthetruth,Itoo,havethoughtofthis.ButIamnotabletoputitintopoetry.”

    “Really?Youhavethoughtaboutthistoo?SofarasIknow,mostofthebeautiesintheKingdomneverhadsexualretionswithKingDimitri.Thereisonlyasubtlespiritualstrengthtosustaiionship.Thatisalsothecasewithme.ButIdoubtthataptoionshipwillstlong.”

    “Itwillstalong,longtime”saidelle,lookingupatthemoon.“Perhapsforalleternity.”

    “Youthinkso?”ellebroughthereyesawayfromthemoonandlookedatAngelicasaying,

    “Let’slookatitthisway.Throughouttheages,forhundredsandhundredsofyears,fromgeiontogeion,manhasoppedlovingandbelievinginJesusChrist.Butdidahemhavephysicalretionshipwithhim?No.hethingthattiesthebelievertoJesusisthissubtlespiritualstrength,whibecalledheroworshipiousse.Isn’tthisspiritualstrengthsimirtowhatweallfeelfDimitri?It’sakindoflove,veion,analmioussehatyouandIfindhardtoexpressliterally.”

    Angelicasilentlynoddedheragreementtowhatellehadsaid.

    JustthenKojakandCortez,thetwoferocioustigersthatwerestandingguardnearby,roaredinangeranddashedtowardsaclusteroftreesbythekeside.Angelica,whohadretlybeenthroughascaryattack,stoppeddeadandclutchedelle’shandstightlyinfright.Afigurefshedintheshadowsofthetreesaifulyounggirppeareduhemoonlight.ItwasnaughtygirlDorna.Shescoldedthetwotigerssaying,

    “Youtwomiserablecreatures!Don’tyouknowme?Whyareyourandagupthisway?Look!Youhavescaredawaymygoodfriend!”Thekewaterspshedandanotherslimyounggirlemerged