pacehall.ClementineawinsisterCharmainewereferringtogetherquietly.

    “IthinkitistimetotellKingDimitrithetruth”saidClementine”Charmaihemirrornoddedhersent.SoClemeoodupandsaid,

    “Iknowtheinofthesebats.TheyefromtheSeventhHeavenahescoutsandvanguardsofKingZeus.AfteresgfromthegoldenwebofApollo,Ihavepletelydisappearedfromtheirview.Perhapssomehowthesebatsdiscoveredmywhereaboutsandhaveetofindoutthetruth.”

    4

    “Orperhapsitisme.”saidCharmaine.“PerhapsmyainusingthenameofFatherZeustoamassthecelestialgoldsmithstobuildthegoldpaonenighthasetolight.ItrembletothinkofFatherZeus’angerandrage.Hewilluseallhispowertoteardownthegoldpace.Thismaybriruontdom.”KingDimitrifrowned.Hefeltthatthissituationwassomuchmoreperilousandmenagthanthe200,000RomansoldierswhoysiegetohisKingdomallthoseyearsago.QueenAishasaid,

    “Ihavebeenthinkingofthissituationeversinightthegoldpacewasbuilt.Ihavealsothoughtofasolutiontotheproblem,butIdon’tknowifitwillwork.”

    “Let’shearaboutit!”criedKingDimitri.“Ihavealwayshadthegreatesttrustandrespectforyourintelligendwisdom.Itisalwaysanotchabovetherestofus.”AishaturhetwiineandCharmaineandsaid,

    “IhavereadaboutGreekmythologyfromascripts.TheysaythatZeusifthefatherofthegods.Thoughheisalmightyandpowerful,hehasajealousnatureandotbeartoseeanyoneoranythihebetterofhisthattrue?”ThetwonoddedandCharmainesaid,

    “FatherZeusisnotonlyveryjealous,hewillandforsomemortaldowhowningapaceold,overshadowinghisbronzeone.Heissuretoedownaroythegoldpadmayeverdohavebroughtdangeranddisastertdom.Iamsoverysorry.”

    “Pleasedon’tbmeyourselftoomuch,”fortedQueenAisha.“ActuallyyouarenotonlybmelessbutyouhavetributedgreatlytotheKingdowtheproblemishowtoavertdisaster.”Shethoughtforamomentandthensaid,

    “Ihavethoughtofapn.Wecouldgildthegoldpacewithacheapmetal,makingitlookcheapandofmuchlessvaluethatZeus’bronzepace.Wouldthatbeenoughtoappeaseandbancehisjealousnature?IknowKingDimitrialwaysthoughtthatlettingapricelessgoldpacestandhereinthewildernesswastoospicuousandostentatious,easytoprovokeenvyandjealousy.Bydimmingitsbrilliance,gildingitspricelessexterior,wepullthewoolovertheireyesandappeaseZeusjealousy.Isn’tthatagoodpn?”

    “That’sgreat!That’sgreat!”saidDimitri,feelingasifagreatweighthadbeenliftedfromhisshoulders.“Let’sdoasyousay.Butwherewegetrgequantitiesofcheapmetaltodothejob?”

    “TherearergequantitiesofmetalsinthemountainsaroundtheKingdom”excimedDeaedly.“Bronze,iron,tinamongothers.Therearealsequantitiesofgold.Wehaveboughtgoldontheworldmarket.What’sherewouldhavebeenenoughandwouldn’thavecausedanyripplesisideworld.”KingDimitrinoddedandsaid,

    “Wewillmiheironandgildthepace.WewillleavethedetailsofallthistoRomybecausesheisfamiliarwithitall.”Romyhesitated.Shewasanarchitectbytraining,notametallurgist,soshewasn’tsureshetothisenormoustask.Butundersuchdireandcatastrophiccircumstances,shecouldonlyitherselftothejob.

    4

    “Alright.I’lltakethechalleIoleavetheKingdomofDreamsaurntothemundaneworldtolearnaboutmethodsmetandaboutwelding.”KingDimitriwasveryhappy

pacehall.ClementineawinsisterCharmainewereferringtogetherquietly.

    “IthinkitistimetotellKingDimitrithetruth”saidClementine”Charmaihemirrornoddedhersent.SoClemeoodupandsaid,

    “Iknowtheinofthesebats.TheyefromtheSeventhHeavenahescoutsandvanguardsofKingZeus.AfteresgfromthegoldenwebofApollo,Ihavepletelydisappearedfromtheirview.Perhapssomehowthesebatsdiscoveredmywhereaboutsandhaveetofindoutthetruth.”

    4

    “Orperhapsitisme.”saidCharmaine.“PerhapsmyainusingthenameofFatherZeustoamassthecelestialgoldsmithstobuildthegoldpaonenighthasetolight.ItrembletothinkofFatherZeus’angerandrage.Hewilluseallhispowertoteardownthegoldpace.Thismaybriruontdom.”KingDimitrifrowned.Hefeltthatthissituationwassomuchmoreperilousandmenagthanthe200,000RomansoldierswhoysiegetohisKingdomallthoseyearsago.QueenAishasaid,

    “Ihavebeenthinkingofthissituationeversinightthegoldpacewasbuilt.Ihavealsothoughtofasolutiontotheproblem,butIdon’tknowifitwillwork.”

    “Let’shearaboutit!”criedKingDimitri.“Ihavealwayshadthegreatesttrustandrespectforyourintelligendwisdom.Itisalwaysanotchabovetherestofus.”AishaturhetwiineandCharmaineandsaid,

    “IhavereadaboutGreekmythologyfromascripts.TheysaythatZeusifthefatherofthegods.Thoughheisalmightyandpowerful,hehasajealousnatureandotbeartoseeanyoneoranythihebetterofhisthattrue?”ThetwonoddedandCharmainesaid,

    “FatherZeusisnotonlyveryjealous,hewillandforsomemortaldowhowningapaceold,overshadowinghisbronzeone.Heissuretoedownaroythegoldpadmayeverdohavebroughtdangeranddisastertdom.Iamsoverysorry.”

    “Pleasedon’tbmeyourselftoomuch,”fortedQueenAisha.“ActuallyyouarenotonlybmelessbutyouhavetributedgreatlytotheKingdowtheproblemishowtoavertdisaster.”Shethoughtforamomentandthensaid,

    “Ihavethoughtofapn.Wecouldgildthegoldpacewithacheapmetal,makingitlookcheapandofmuchlessvaluethatZeus’bronzepace.Wouldthatbeenoughtoappeaseandbancehisjealousnature?IknowKingDimitrialwaysthoughtthatlettingapricelessgoldpacestandhereinthewildernesswastoospicuousandostentatious,easytoprovokeenvyandjealousy.Bydimmingitsbrilliance,gildingitspricelessexterior,wepullthewoolovertheireyesandappeaseZeusjealousy.Isn’tthatagoodpn?”

    “That’sgreat!That’sgreat!”saidDimitri,feelingasifagreatweighthadbeenliftedfromhisshoulders.“Let’sdoasyousay.Butwherewegetrgequantitiesofcheapmetaltodothejob?”

    “TherearergequantitiesofmetalsinthemountainsaroundtheKingdom”excimedDeaedly.“Bronze,iron,tinamongothers.Therearealsequantitiesofgold.Wehaveboughtgoldontheworldmarket.What’sherewouldhavebeenenoughandwouldn’thavecausedanyripplesisideworld.”KingDimitrinoddedandsaid,

    “Wewillmiheironandgildthepace.WewillleavethedetailsofallthistoRomybecausesheisfamiliarwithitall.”Romyhesitated.Shewasanarchitectbytraining,notametallurgist,soshewasn’tsureshetothisenormoustask.Butundersuchdireandcatastrophiccircumstances,shecouldonlyitherselftothejob.

    4

    “Alright.I’lltakethechalleIoleavetheKingdomofDreamsaurntothemundaneworldtolearnaboutmethodsmetandaboutwelding.”KingDimitriwasveryhappy