ury,fullofroyalmagnifidsolemnity.AfterSalinaandEmmaooktheirseats,Josephineaskedsolicitously,

    “Wouldyoulikesomethingtodrink?Coffee?Champagne?Oranythingelse?”HerwordsremindedEmmahathehadnothadanythingtodrihatdayandhisaddifordrinksdominatedhismindtotheexclusionofallelse.

    9

    “Howaboutsomewhiskey?”heasked

    “Good”smiledJosephine.“Somedrinktoloosenup.”Anattendantcameinwithabottleofgoodwhiskeyandtwogsses.“Wouldyoulikesomeice?”sheasked.

    “No,thankyou.Ialwaystakemiraight”repliedEmmanuel.

    “I’dliketwopiecesoficeplease”saidSalinafrowning.Aftertheattendaheroom,Josephinesaid,

    “Pleasewaitjustafewminutes.IwillgoandaskMr.Wolfetoeandtalktoyou.Heisalsoveryfondofwhiskey.”Sayingso,shetoolefttheroom.Emmanuelquaffedfromhisgsssaying,

    “Goodstuff.Goodstuff.”

    “Don’tdrinktoomuch.Youneedaclearheadforbusiness.Myinauspiciouspremonitiettingstrongerandstrongeranditbothersme.Don’tdrinksomuch.”

    “Ha.Ha.Ha”ughedEmmanuel.“Don’tbeafraid,baby.Iwilltakecareofyou.Youdon’thavetoworry.Noonewillhurtyou.eon,takeasip.Whiskeywillcalmyouandmakeyoumorefortable.”Salinaalsotookaquaffandthensighed,

    “Iamhereadventuringinthismundaneworld,enjoyingallthefortandluxuriesithastooffer.ButactuallywhatIamnostalgicaboutarethemountainsaheKingdomofDreams,itsquietandserenity.ItisthendwhereIwasborn,whereIgrewupandithasnourishedmealltheseyears.AlsoIamedformyparentswhoarestillinGahanna,deepinthebowelsoftheearth,repentingtheirpastmisdeedsandprayingforredemption.Iamgettingtiredofroaminginthismundaneworld.Let’sgobacktoourhomeinthequietandsereneKingdomofDreams.”

    “WhatsogoodabouttheKingdomofDreams?”askedEmmaakinganotherquaffofwhiskey.“Thepacehasbeenburnt,thegoldpacehassunktothebottomofthekeandGiantMountainhasbrokenintoseveralses.It’sawildernessbackthere.What’ssogoodaboutit?Ipromisedtotakeyouback,butonlyafterIhaveenjoyedmyselfafewmoredays.WhenIamsidtiredofthispce,Iwilltakeyouback.”

    9

    “Iknow.Iknow”saidSalina,suddenlyturningtenseaed.“IknohyIamhavingthesebadomensofthefuture.WhenIclimbedupfromthesteepcliffthatday,Ifoundthatallthesentrieshadabaheirpostsandeveryohebarbariansoldiersandnativeshaddisappeared.ImmediatelyafterthattheearthquakeandtsunamihappenedandIalmostlostmylifeiurbulentwaves.Whydidthenativesdisappear?”JustthentherewasaknockatthedoorandMr.Wolfewalkedin,smilingwidely,beamingwithsatisfa.

    Josephioppedbeforethedoorofanofficewhereindistinctmurmursofversationcouldbeheard.Whenthevoicescametoastop,shetooktheopportunitytoknodheardsomeonesay,“einplease.”JosephinepushedopenthedoorandsawMr.Seider,theowhisworld-famousjewelrystore,sittingbehindhisdeskwhichiledhighwithallkindsofbookslikearetailbookseller.Thebookcasewasfullofallkindsofbooksongeology,somewereopened,andsomewereidonthefloor.Itcouldbepresumedthatthiswastheofficeofastudiousacademicschor.SeatedacrossfromhimwasMr.Wolfe,hisright-handmanandtheaowledgedauthorityofthejewelryworld.Theroomwasfullofthesmellcoffeeandcigars.Theceilingfanwaswhirling;thewindowswereopenwithssiopreventfliesandmosquitoesfro

ury,fullofroyalmagnifidsolemnity.AfterSalinaandEmmaooktheirseats,Josephineaskedsolicitously,

    “Wouldyoulikesomethingtodrink?Coffee?Champagne?Oranythingelse?”HerwordsremindedEmmahathehadnothadanythingtodrihatdayandhisaddifordrinksdominatedhismindtotheexclusionofallelse.

    9

    “Howaboutsomewhiskey?”heasked

    “Good”smiledJosephine.“Somedrinktoloosenup.”Anattendantcameinwithabottleofgoodwhiskeyandtwogsses.“Wouldyoulikesomeice?”sheasked.

    “No,thankyou.Ialwaystakemiraight”repliedEmmanuel.

    “I’dliketwopiecesoficeplease”saidSalinafrowning.Aftertheattendaheroom,Josephinesaid,

    “Pleasewaitjustafewminutes.IwillgoandaskMr.Wolfetoeandtalktoyou.Heisalsoveryfondofwhiskey.”Sayingso,shetoolefttheroom.Emmanuelquaffedfromhisgsssaying,

    “Goodstuff.Goodstuff.”

    “Don’tdrinktoomuch.Youneedaclearheadforbusiness.Myinauspiciouspremonitiettingstrongerandstrongeranditbothersme.Don’tdrinksomuch.”

    “Ha.Ha.Ha”ughedEmmanuel.“Don’tbeafraid,baby.Iwilltakecareofyou.Youdon’thavetoworry.Noonewillhurtyou.eon,takeasip.Whiskeywillcalmyouandmakeyoumorefortable.”Salinaalsotookaquaffandthensighed,

    “Iamhereadventuringinthismundaneworld,enjoyingallthefortandluxuriesithastooffer.ButactuallywhatIamnostalgicaboutarethemountainsaheKingdomofDreams,itsquietandserenity.ItisthendwhereIwasborn,whereIgrewupandithasnourishedmealltheseyears.AlsoIamedformyparentswhoarestillinGahanna,deepinthebowelsoftheearth,repentingtheirpastmisdeedsandprayingforredemption.Iamgettingtiredofroaminginthismundaneworld.Let’sgobacktoourhomeinthequietandsereneKingdomofDreams.”

    “WhatsogoodabouttheKingdomofDreams?”askedEmmaakinganotherquaffofwhiskey.“Thepacehasbeenburnt,thegoldpacehassunktothebottomofthekeandGiantMountainhasbrokenintoseveralses.It’sawildernessbackthere.What’ssogoodaboutit?Ipromisedtotakeyouback,butonlyafterIhaveenjoyedmyselfafewmoredays.WhenIamsidtiredofthispce,Iwilltakeyouback.”

    9

    “Iknow.Iknow”saidSalina,suddenlyturningtenseaed.“IknohyIamhavingthesebadomensofthefuture.WhenIclimbedupfromthesteepcliffthatday,Ifoundthatallthesentrieshadabaheirpostsandeveryohebarbariansoldiersandnativeshaddisappeared.ImmediatelyafterthattheearthquakeandtsunamihappenedandIalmostlostmylifeiurbulentwaves.Whydidthenativesdisappear?”JustthentherewasaknockatthedoorandMr.Wolfewalkedin,smilingwidely,beamingwithsatisfa.

    Josephioppedbeforethedoorofanofficewhereindistinctmurmursofversationcouldbeheard.Whenthevoicescametoastop,shetooktheopportunitytoknodheardsomeonesay,“einplease.”JosephinepushedopenthedoorandsawMr.Seider,theowhisworld-famousjewelrystore,sittingbehindhisdeskwhichiledhighwithallkindsofbookslikearetailbookseller.Thebookcasewasfullofallkindsofbooksongeology,somewereopened,andsomewereidonthefloor.Itcouldbepresumedthatthiswastheofficeofastudiousacademicschor.SeatedacrossfromhimwasMr.Wolfe,hisright-handmanandtheaowledgedauthorityofthejewelryworld.Theroomwasfullofthesmellcoffeeandcigars.Theceilingfanwaswhirling;thewindowswereopenwithssiopreventfliesandmosquitoesfro