trusonofficialdots,andreallyadmireherquidandresolutea.ShemustreallyhavebeehelptotheKingdom.ButIheardthatforsomereason,KingDimitriorderedherexecution.Ihaveaskedhimaboutthisrepeatedlybutheseemedtobeunwillingtodiscussit.”Aishadidnotanswerher,butkeptongazingfixedlyatMegginn.Inhermind,shesawagainthegeousandalluringformofIleen.Thoughbothofthesebeautieswereverybeautiful,Ileenwaslikearose,thornyandprickly,whileMegginnwaslikeamagnifitpeony,naiveandartless.Onewaswickedandviciousasaserpent,whiletheotherstillretainedherchildlikeinnoce.Thesayinggoes,“People’sihoughtsareasdifferentastheirexternappearances.”Oronemoreappropriatelysaythatthedifferencesarehardtocalcute.

    Justthen,Samantha,whomwehaven’tseenforquiteawhile,strolledingracefullywithaeseherhand,sippingthegreenteagiventoherbyLotus.Aformermodelofiionalfame,shehadretainedherinparablestyleandgeousfigure.ShebowedtoAishaaookherseat.WhenMegginnsawher,shesuddenlyhadagreatidea.NotwaitingforAishatospeak,sheimmediatelysaid,

    “That’sgreat!WhySamanthagobaundaneworldwithme?SamanthausedtobeamuchsoughtaftertopEuropeanmodel.Shewasiionallyfamousandknewalotofpeople.Hersocialskillsaresuperb.Withhertohelpmedealwithsociaffairs,Itrateonbusiness.DuringMr.Kaffee’sproprietorship,hehadsadlyedallspheresofbusinessofWorldBank.EverythingisinshamblesandIhavetostartfromscratdreahewholesystem,whichwilltakeupalotoftime.”SamanthawasmystifiedandlookedenquiringlyatAisha,whothenexpinedeverythingtoher.Samanthacrossedherbeautifullonglegs,exhibitinggoldenslippersadorhrubies.ShesippedherteaandlisteeoAisha’snarrative.AfterliviranquillifeoftheKingdomofDreams,withlongperiodsofidoltimeonherhands,shefeltastirringinherbreast,ahankeringforge,sowhenAishaaskedforheropinion,shesaid

    “Whynot?IhavebeenattheKingdomofDreamsforalongtimeandhavenothingmoreimportanttodohereotherthandesigningnewclothesandpractigwalkingdowntherunways.IhavebeenfeelingboredandwouldwelethecetogowithMegginntothemundaneworld.IgathererialformydesigsomeoldfriendsandhelpMegginnsociallybydoingsomep.r.work.Whynot?”AishaythatSamanthaseemedagreeabletoMegginn’spn.

    “That’sgood.Whendoyoutwopntoleave?”Megginnsuddenlythoughtofsomething,turoAishaandsaid,

    “BeforeweleavethereissomethingIneedyouropinionon.IamverycuriousaboutIleenaIcameheretootetomeether.IalwayswaoknowwhyshedecidedtobuygoldfromalroundtheworldandhavethemshippedbackheretotheKingdom.Nowadays,oilpricesaresandgoldhasgoneupmanifold.Ifwesoldthegoldinourhands,wecouldtripleorquadrupleainsandmakehugeprofits.Whatdoyouthink,Aisha?”

    “Iotdecideonthis.IthinkweshouldsultKingDimitriaboutit.”

    7

    “Idon’tthinkweshoulddoso,”saidSamantha,expressingheropinion.“Thegoldpaceisanexquisiteworkofartandotbepthesamelevesgoldmetalcalcutedbyweight.Artispriceless.Ithinkthegoldpaceisawoheworldandtheprideofthehumanrace.”Aishanoddedslightlyinagreementwithherpointofview.

    “It’sjustasuggestion”saidMegginn.“Iwon’tinsistondoingso.Actually,Iamquitemystifiedbythepresentstateofworldey.Inftionandrecessioatthesametime.Thisneverhappened

trusonofficialdots,andreallyadmireherquidandresolutea.ShemustreallyhavebeehelptotheKingdom.ButIheardthatforsomereason,KingDimitriorderedherexecution.Ihaveaskedhimaboutthisrepeatedlybutheseemedtobeunwillingtodiscussit.”Aishadidnotanswerher,butkeptongazingfixedlyatMegginn.Inhermind,shesawagainthegeousandalluringformofIleen.Thoughbothofthesebeautieswereverybeautiful,Ileenwaslikearose,thornyandprickly,whileMegginnwaslikeamagnifitpeony,naiveandartless.Onewaswickedandviciousasaserpent,whiletheotherstillretainedherchildlikeinnoce.Thesayinggoes,“People’sihoughtsareasdifferentastheirexternappearances.”Oronemoreappropriatelysaythatthedifferencesarehardtocalcute.

    Justthen,Samantha,whomwehaven’tseenforquiteawhile,strolledingracefullywithaeseherhand,sippingthegreenteagiventoherbyLotus.Aformermodelofiionalfame,shehadretainedherinparablestyleandgeousfigure.ShebowedtoAishaaookherseat.WhenMegginnsawher,shesuddenlyhadagreatidea.NotwaitingforAishatospeak,sheimmediatelysaid,

    “That’sgreat!WhySamanthagobaundaneworldwithme?SamanthausedtobeamuchsoughtaftertopEuropeanmodel.Shewasiionallyfamousandknewalotofpeople.Hersocialskillsaresuperb.Withhertohelpmedealwithsociaffairs,Itrateonbusiness.DuringMr.Kaffee’sproprietorship,hehadsadlyedallspheresofbusinessofWorldBank.EverythingisinshamblesandIhavetostartfromscratdreahewholesystem,whichwilltakeupalotoftime.”SamanthawasmystifiedandlookedenquiringlyatAisha,whothenexpinedeverythingtoher.Samanthacrossedherbeautifullonglegs,exhibitinggoldenslippersadorhrubies.ShesippedherteaandlisteeoAisha’snarrative.AfterliviranquillifeoftheKingdomofDreams,withlongperiodsofidoltimeonherhands,shefeltastirringinherbreast,ahankeringforge,sowhenAishaaskedforheropinion,shesaid

    “Whynot?IhavebeenattheKingdomofDreamsforalongtimeandhavenothingmoreimportanttodohereotherthandesigningnewclothesandpractigwalkingdowntherunways.IhavebeenfeelingboredandwouldwelethecetogowithMegginntothemundaneworld.IgathererialformydesigsomeoldfriendsandhelpMegginnsociallybydoingsomep.r.work.Whynot?”AishaythatSamanthaseemedagreeabletoMegginn’spn.

    “That’sgood.Whendoyoutwopntoleave?”Megginnsuddenlythoughtofsomething,turoAishaandsaid,

    “BeforeweleavethereissomethingIneedyouropinionon.IamverycuriousaboutIleenaIcameheretootetomeether.IalwayswaoknowwhyshedecidedtobuygoldfromalroundtheworldandhavethemshippedbackheretotheKingdom.Nowadays,oilpricesaresandgoldhasgoneupmanifold.Ifwesoldthegoldinourhands,wecouldtripleorquadrupleainsandmakehugeprofits.Whatdoyouthink,Aisha?”

    “Iotdecideonthis.IthinkweshouldsultKingDimitriaboutit.”

    7

    “Idon’tthinkweshoulddoso,”saidSamantha,expressingheropinion.“Thegoldpaceisanexquisiteworkofartandotbepthesamelevesgoldmetalcalcutedbyweight.Artispriceless.Ithinkthegoldpaceisawoheworldandtheprideofthehumanrace.”Aishanoddedslightlyinagreementwithherpointofview.

    “It’sjustasuggestion”saidMegginn.“Iwon’tinsistondoingso.Actually,Iamquitemystifiedbythepresentstateofworldey.Inftionandrecessioatthesametime.Thisneverhappened