t.“IbroughtthemonebyoomyKingdom,thinkingthattheretheywouldfindpeadlivehappylives.UnfortunatelymyKingdomofDreamsisnotthesafehavenIthoughtitwas.Ifsomethingshouldhappen,howIarrahefutureofthebeauties?Thereobeapletege.......”

    Thewindwaftedoverthedeliciousaromaoffreshlybakedbread.Dimitrisuddeveryhungryandhisstomachgrowled.

    50页

    “Youhaven’tbrokenyourfastyet,haveyou?”Amaliaasked.“Youmustbehungry.etomystore.Wehavefreshlybakedbread.Youhavesomeasofhotcoffeetowardoffthecold.”Dimitrifollowedhertothestore.Herememberedthattherewasasmallbakeryheke,notfarfromtheapartmenthousewherehelived.Didhespendthenightuheireaves?Thedaywasstillyoung.Themoonaarswerestillintheskyglitteringinicyglory.Suddenlyashuredartedoutfromthedoorandmadefortheemptystreet.Amaliatookherbroomandswattedatthefleeingfiguresaying,

    “Youwretchedman!You’rehereagaintostealthingsthemomentIhavemybackturned!”

    “Ha!Ha!Ha!”ughedtheoldman.“Ieal!IjusttakewhateverIwantmyself!”

    “Don’tyoueverdothatagaitimedIcatchyouIwillbreakys!”

    “Whoishe?”askedDimitri.

    “Whoknowswhoheis”repliedAmalia.“Retlysomehomelesspeoplehavebeenlaroundthisneighborhoodandheisohem–astrangelookingdwarfwithawhitebeard.Healwayssquatstherebytheeracrossthestreetdoingnothing.Whenaskedwhathewasdoingthere,hewouldsayhelikedthesmellofbakihathecouldextrautritionjustfromthearoma.Wheneveryourattentionisdistracted,hewouldsneakin,snatebreadorpastryandrun.Itoldhimagainandagaintherewasfreeday-oldfoodattheer,butheispidtakesonlyfreshly-bakedooldhim,”Ifyoureallywantafreshly-bakedloaf,justaskforitandIwillgiveyouone.Don’tsnatchityourself”Youknowwhathesaidtome?“Ihavealotofmoney.Whowantsyourbread?’Hisannerreallymakesmemad!”Dimitrismiled

    “Hisetricbehaviorremindsmeofafriendofmine.Mr.Finger.”

    Theycametothebakeryandwalkedin.Theroomwasfulloffreshlybakedbreadandpastry,waitingtobepackagedandarrangedforsale.Allthishadtobedonebeforethestoreopened.Abeautifulvoicewasheardhumminghappilywhilew.

    “Hey,Shei!”calledAmalia.“eandseewhoishere!”

    “Dimitri!”excimedSheiwhehemanstandingbehindAmalia.“It’syou!IjustheardMarysayyesterdaythatshefoundyouandhereyouaretoday!That’sgreat!“

    5

    “Yes.IsawMaryyesterdayaalkedforawhile.Butwewereinahurryandshedidn’ttellmemuchabouthowthingsarewithyouall.”

    “Youtwocatchupandtalk”interruptedAmalia.“Imustpackagethebread,anizeandarrahepastryos.Alotofwork!Ihavealottodobeforethestoreopens.”TheywatchedasAmaliahurriedouttothefront.TheDimitrilookedinquiringlyatShei.Sheuoodwhathewasaskingandanswered,

    “YokolisteoDornaandhidAmalia’smagisoshecouldnoloakeoffonawhiwsheisgettioitandbeingquiteiedintherunningofthisbakery.Butshehasabadtemperasintumentswithers.Shehasoffendedquiteafewofourolders.”

    “That’salright”saidDimitrinodding.“Solongastheproductsaresuperior,thepriceisrightandduestandaboveboard,theywillebadbusinesswillflourish.Areyouinchargehere?”

    “Yes”saidSheiproudly“Butnotalone.MaryandImaogether.HaveyottenthatMaryandIusedtoworkherepart-timeereinschool?Aftergraduation,theowMaryandItak

t.“IbroughtthemonebyoomyKingdom,thinkingthattheretheywouldfindpeadlivehappylives.UnfortunatelymyKingdomofDreamsisnotthesafehavenIthoughtitwas.Ifsomethingshouldhappen,howIarrahefutureofthebeauties?Thereobeapletege.......”

    Thewindwaftedoverthedeliciousaromaoffreshlybakedbread.Dimitrisuddeveryhungryandhisstomachgrowled.

    50页

    “Youhaven’tbrokenyourfastyet,haveyou?”Amaliaasked.“Youmustbehungry.etomystore.Wehavefreshlybakedbread.Youhavesomeasofhotcoffeetowardoffthecold.”Dimitrifollowedhertothestore.Herememberedthattherewasasmallbakeryheke,notfarfromtheapartmenthousewherehelived.Didhespendthenightuheireaves?Thedaywasstillyoung.Themoonaarswerestillintheskyglitteringinicyglory.Suddenlyashuredartedoutfromthedoorandmadefortheemptystreet.Amaliatookherbroomandswattedatthefleeingfiguresaying,

    “Youwretchedman!You’rehereagaintostealthingsthemomentIhavemybackturned!”

    “Ha!Ha!Ha!”ughedtheoldman.“Ieal!IjusttakewhateverIwantmyself!”

    “Don’tyoueverdothatagaitimedIcatchyouIwillbreakys!”

    “Whoishe?”askedDimitri.

    “Whoknowswhoheis”repliedAmalia.“Retlysomehomelesspeoplehavebeenlaroundthisneighborhoodandheisohem–astrangelookingdwarfwithawhitebeard.Healwayssquatstherebytheeracrossthestreetdoingnothing.Whenaskedwhathewasdoingthere,hewouldsayhelikedthesmellofbakihathecouldextrautritionjustfromthearoma.Wheneveryourattentionisdistracted,hewouldsneakin,snatebreadorpastryandrun.Itoldhimagainandagaintherewasfreeday-oldfoodattheer,butheispidtakesonlyfreshly-bakedooldhim,”Ifyoureallywantafreshly-bakedloaf,justaskforitandIwillgiveyouone.Don’tsnatchityourself”Youknowwhathesaidtome?“Ihavealotofmoney.Whowantsyourbread?’Hisannerreallymakesmemad!”Dimitrismiled

    “Hisetricbehaviorremindsmeofafriendofmine.Mr.Finger.”

    Theycametothebakeryandwalkedin.Theroomwasfulloffreshlybakedbreadandpastry,waitingtobepackagedandarrangedforsale.Allthishadtobedonebeforethestoreopened.Abeautifulvoicewasheardhumminghappilywhilew.

    “Hey,Shei!”calledAmalia.“eandseewhoishere!”

    “Dimitri!”excimedSheiwhehemanstandingbehindAmalia.“It’syou!IjustheardMarysayyesterdaythatshefoundyouandhereyouaretoday!That’sgreat!“

    5

    “Yes.IsawMaryyesterdayaalkedforawhile.Butwewereinahurryandshedidn’ttellmemuchabouthowthingsarewithyouall.”

    “Youtwocatchupandtalk”interruptedAmalia.“Imustpackagethebread,anizeandarrahepastryos.Alotofwork!Ihavealottodobeforethestoreopens.”TheywatchedasAmaliahurriedouttothefront.TheDimitrilookedinquiringlyatShei.Sheuoodwhathewasaskingandanswered,

    “YokolisteoDornaandhidAmalia’smagisoshecouldnoloakeoffonawhiwsheisgettioitandbeingquiteiedintherunningofthisbakery.Butshehasabadtemperasintumentswithers.Shehasoffendedquiteafewofourolders.”

    “That’salright”saidDimitrinodding.“Solongastheproductsaresuperior,thepriceisrightandduestandaboveboard,theywillebadbusinesswillflourish.Areyouinchargehere?”

    “Yes”saidSheiproudly“Butnotalone.MaryandImaogether.HaveyottenthatMaryandIusedtoworkherepart-timeereinschool?Aftergraduation,theowMaryandItak