dwashealingandwithherhealthystitution,shewouldbeupandaboutinafewdays.KingDimitripattedheronhershoulderssaying,

    “Restwell.Youarethepilrdohavedemandedjusticeforyoufromthesungodwhosegoldarrowwoundedyou.Rest.”Medusadidnotanswer.Inhermindshehaddecidedtodevoteherheartandsoult,willingtoevenydownherlifeforhim.Wordswerenotadequatetoanswersuchabraveandceousmasterwhohadfoughtthesungodioavengeher.KingDimitrisatonhisthroneandsaid,

    “Let’seatandtalkatthesametime.”ThebattlehadtakenatollonhisstrengthandKingDimitriwasbothtiredandhungry.Heateravenouslyandgulpeddownhiswihebeautiesallsmiledathisveraciousappetite.Soonhewasfull.ThepaceattendantofferedhimteatorinsehismouthandthenbroughthimacupofhisfavoriteOolongtea.KingDimitrisippedtheteaandsaid,

    “JustnowasIwasgoingbytheke,Ilookedatthegoldpadthesurroundingmountainsandcametoaclusionastowhatweshoulddo.Isawthereisatall,bald-lookingmountainjustbehindthegoldpace.Ifwebuildapathfromthebottomtothetop,wetransportthemeltedironthatouritdownontothepace.Wecouldgettwicetheresultwithhalftheeffort.Inaddition,Iwouldneedargecaliberleatherpipetopumpouttheicycoldwaterfromthekeandpouritontotheliquidirontocoolit.PerhapsthatwouldgilditontothegoldpadcealitsdazzlingradiaurningtoDeanna,hesaid,

    “Deanna,pleasegathertogetherthetribalchieftainsandeldersahemofthisphemdiscussittoseeifitisfeasibleandthenebadtellifwhattheysay.”

    “Yes,yourmajesty”saidDeannaa.

    14

    Thebeautiesagaintookuptheirknivesandforksaocuttheirfoodintosmallportionsanddaintilychewedthem,forwhileKingDimitriwastalkingtheyhadpolitelyputdowensilsandstoppedeatingtolistentohisideas.SoonDeannacamebacktoreporttoKingDimitritheresultsofthechieftains’discussion.Shesaid,

    “Pavingapathfromthebottomofthemountainstothetopisnotdifficult.Theysaidtheycouldquiteasmoothandlevelone.Argecaliberpipeisalsonottoohardtomake.Thepofmeltedironontothepaceisalsodoable.Theproblemishowtogetthemoltenirontothetopofthemountaiheychosetheyouandstroyoungmenforthejobahemwearthethickestclothing,itisnoguaratheredhotliquidironwouldnotsptterontotheirbodyduririp.Theliquidironissohotthatevenifonedropspshedontotheirbody,itwouldburnthroughtheirclothing,theirskin,theirflesh,rightontotheirboheonlyremedywouldbeamputation.”KingDimitri’sbrowkhereport.

    “Oh!Isitasbadasthat?Thatwouldbeacatastrophe!Perhapsthatisnotagoodphinkofsomethingelse.”Someooodupandsaid,

    “Ireendadidateforthejob.Heispreternaturallystrongandeasilycarrytheheaviestweight.Evenifdropsofliquidironspshedontohisbodyandburhroughskinandfleshrightdowntothebone,hewillrecoververyquickly.”ThespeakerwasMedusa.

    “DoyoumeanCyclops?’askedKingDimitri.“Ourretionshipisratherpeculiar,herfriendnorfoe.Idonotknowifheiswillingtohelpanddoussuchabigfavor.”Heseemedhesitantandundecided.

    “Don’tfet,KingDimitri”remindedMedusa“thatheowesyouforpardoninghimandnotkillinghimfortreason.”

    “Butafterhehasrepaidmeforsparinghislife”saidKingDimitri“willheretaliatearetribution,foracctohimhehasascoretosettlewithme.”Medusadidnotanswer.

    “Ourmostpr

dwashealingandwithherhealthystitution,shewouldbeupandaboutinafewdays.KingDimitripattedheronhershoulderssaying,

    “Restwell.Youarethepilrdohavedemandedjusticeforyoufromthesungodwhosegoldarrowwoundedyou.Rest.”Medusadidnotanswer.Inhermindshehaddecidedtodevoteherheartandsoult,willingtoevenydownherlifeforhim.Wordswerenotadequatetoanswersuchabraveandceousmasterwhohadfoughtthesungodioavengeher.KingDimitrisatonhisthroneandsaid,

    “Let’seatandtalkatthesametime.”ThebattlehadtakenatollonhisstrengthandKingDimitriwasbothtiredandhungry.Heateravenouslyandgulpeddownhiswihebeautiesallsmiledathisveraciousappetite.Soonhewasfull.ThepaceattendantofferedhimteatorinsehismouthandthenbroughthimacupofhisfavoriteOolongtea.KingDimitrisippedtheteaandsaid,

    “JustnowasIwasgoingbytheke,Ilookedatthegoldpadthesurroundingmountainsandcametoaclusionastowhatweshoulddo.Isawthereisatall,bald-lookingmountainjustbehindthegoldpace.Ifwebuildapathfromthebottomtothetop,wetransportthemeltedironthatouritdownontothepace.Wecouldgettwicetheresultwithhalftheeffort.Inaddition,Iwouldneedargecaliberleatherpipetopumpouttheicycoldwaterfromthekeandpouritontotheliquidirontocoolit.PerhapsthatwouldgilditontothegoldpadcealitsdazzlingradiaurningtoDeanna,hesaid,

    “Deanna,pleasegathertogetherthetribalchieftainsandeldersahemofthisphemdiscussittoseeifitisfeasibleandthenebadtellifwhattheysay.”

    “Yes,yourmajesty”saidDeannaa.

    14

    Thebeautiesagaintookuptheirknivesandforksaocuttheirfoodintosmallportionsanddaintilychewedthem,forwhileKingDimitriwastalkingtheyhadpolitelyputdowensilsandstoppedeatingtolistentohisideas.SoonDeannacamebacktoreporttoKingDimitritheresultsofthechieftains’discussion.Shesaid,

    “Pavingapathfromthebottomofthemountainstothetopisnotdifficult.Theysaidtheycouldquiteasmoothandlevelone.Argecaliberpipeisalsonottoohardtomake.Thepofmeltedironontothepaceisalsodoable.Theproblemishowtogetthemoltenirontothetopofthemountaiheychosetheyouandstroyoungmenforthejobahemwearthethickestclothing,itisnoguaratheredhotliquidironwouldnotsptterontotheirbodyduririp.Theliquidironissohotthatevenifonedropspshedontotheirbody,itwouldburnthroughtheirclothing,theirskin,theirflesh,rightontotheirboheonlyremedywouldbeamputation.”KingDimitri’sbrowkhereport.

    “Oh!Isitasbadasthat?Thatwouldbeacatastrophe!Perhapsthatisnotagoodphinkofsomethingelse.”Someooodupandsaid,

    “Ireendadidateforthejob.Heispreternaturallystrongandeasilycarrytheheaviestweight.Evenifdropsofliquidironspshedontohisbodyandburhroughskinandfleshrightdowntothebone,hewillrecoververyquickly.”ThespeakerwasMedusa.

    “DoyoumeanCyclops?’askedKingDimitri.“Ourretionshipisratherpeculiar,herfriendnorfoe.Idonotknowifheiswillingtohelpanddoussuchabigfavor.”Heseemedhesitantandundecided.

    “Don’tfet,KingDimitri”remindedMedusa“thatheowesyouforpardoninghimandnotkillinghimfortreason.”

    “Butafterhehasrepaidmeforsparinghislife”saidKingDimitri“willheretaliatearetribution,foracctohimhehasascoretosettlewithme.”Medusadidnotanswer.

    “Ourmostpr