xhibitedthere,butthenrealizedhemsuitedhim,sohewalkedontotheorewhichhappeoselllkindsoftobadpipes.Hewasnotiedinthoseeithersohetiothefollowingonewhichwasabookshopwithallkindsofneersandmagazihefront.Hepeekedinsideandsawthatitwaslihbookshelvesfromfloortoceiling,andtherewasanareawhereerscouldsitandreadanddrinkcoffee.DwarfMickeywalkedin.Hecouldohebottomshelvesasthetopooohighforhim,sohecasuallygrabbedoneandfounditraphicmagazine.Justashewasentranced,avidlystaringatthepictures,agentle,admonishingvoicebehindhimsaid,

    “Ahmylittleboy,don’treadsuchtrash.It’snotgoodforyou.”Itwasawomanaboutfortyyearsold,amotherofthreeperhapswhohadagedwell.DwarfMickeyraisedhisheadandlookedathersaying,

    “It’sbadforme?Butlookingatthepicturesmakesmefeelyoungandstrongagain.InfactIthinktheyarebeneficialtome!”

    “I’msoahead.Idon’twanttobotheryou”saidthewomanhurriedly,greatlyembarrassedwhenshesawDwarfMickey’sdeeplywrinkledfadrealizedthathewasnotanaughtyyoungboyasshehadfirstassumedbyjustlookingathisback,butawhite-beardeddwarf.Justatthatmomelemaninhispocketwokeup,stretchedhisarmsandlegsandshouted,“Letmeout!Letmeout!”Thewomanlookedaroulysurprisedatthevoiingoutofnowhere.DwarfMickeyquicklycoveredupbysaying,“Oh,don’tbesurprised,thatonlyameicaltoyIhaveinmypocketthattalk.”Sayingso,heputthemagazinebatheshelfandquicklyleftthestore.

    DwarfMickeylefttheaisandwalkedonmakingseveraltwistsandturnsuntilhecametoaquiet,narrowalleywherenootherpedestrianswerewalkingby.OnlythendidhetakeMr.Fingercarefullyoutofhispocketandpcedhimontheground.Whelemangothisbearings,hestretchedhisarmsandlegsaurningtothewhite-beardedolddwarfbeganhistirade,

    “Youoldson-of-a-bitch,whydidyouleavemeinyourpocketforsolong?Youcouldhavesuffocatedme!Didyouwanttomurderme?”DwarfMickeywastakenbysurprisethatthefirstthingMr.Fingerdiduponwakingupwastoshoutathimsorudely.Thoughhewasveryold,histemperwasnolessvotile,sopushingupthesleevesofhisjacketasiflookingfht,hesaid,

    “Youdisrespectfullittleson-of-a-gun,notonlyareyouunappreciativeforwhatIhavedoneforyou,youaredhtungratefundrude!Iputyouinmypocketsoyoucouldsleepfortably.IwasafraidtocrushyouorcauseyouanydisfortsoItookgreatcautionontheway.Afterallthisyoudaretopointyersinmyfadcurseandshoutatme?IamdoingthisonlybecausemygoodfriendDimitriaskedusalltolookafteryou.Ifnotonhisbehalf,Iwon’tevenliftafingerforyou.”

    “Alright,Idon’twanttodealwithyoueither.Idon’twanttoquarrelwithyouasitwouldbeawasteofenergy.”Hestretchedhimselfzilyandthentinued,“NowIamawake.Iodrink.Gogetmesomeliquor.”

    “Liquor?Youwanttodrinkliquor?Whatdoyoutakemefor?Yourservant?”repliedDwarfMickeyangrily.“Ifyouwanttodrink,goasomeyourself.Idon’thaveasinglepennyinmypocket,soIcertainlyotbuyanyforyou.”

    “That’syourbusiness,notmine.IamjusttellingyouIwantliquoranditisyourjobtogetsomeforme,otherwiseIwillgoandtellDimitri.”Thatmadetheoldmanveryangry.

    2

    “GoandtelndseeifIcare.Ihavenomoneyanditmakesnodifferenyoutellyourstoryto!YougoawineyourselfifyouwantanyasIcertainlywillnot.”

    “Soyousay!Dretitteron”saidM

xhibitedthere,butthenrealizedhemsuitedhim,sohewalkedontotheorewhichhappeoselllkindsoftobadpipes.Hewasnotiedinthoseeithersohetiothefollowingonewhichwasabookshopwithallkindsofneersandmagazihefront.Hepeekedinsideandsawthatitwaslihbookshelvesfromfloortoceiling,andtherewasanareawhereerscouldsitandreadanddrinkcoffee.DwarfMickeywalkedin.Hecouldohebottomshelvesasthetopooohighforhim,sohecasuallygrabbedoneandfounditraphicmagazine.Justashewasentranced,avidlystaringatthepictures,agentle,admonishingvoicebehindhimsaid,

    “Ahmylittleboy,don’treadsuchtrash.It’snotgoodforyou.”Itwasawomanaboutfortyyearsold,amotherofthreeperhapswhohadagedwell.DwarfMickeyraisedhisheadandlookedathersaying,

    “It’sbadforme?Butlookingatthepicturesmakesmefeelyoungandstrongagain.InfactIthinktheyarebeneficialtome!”

    “I’msoahead.Idon’twanttobotheryou”saidthewomanhurriedly,greatlyembarrassedwhenshesawDwarfMickey’sdeeplywrinkledfadrealizedthathewasnotanaughtyyoungboyasshehadfirstassumedbyjustlookingathisback,butawhite-beardeddwarf.Justatthatmomelemaninhispocketwokeup,stretchedhisarmsandlegsandshouted,“Letmeout!Letmeout!”Thewomanlookedaroulysurprisedatthevoiingoutofnowhere.DwarfMickeyquicklycoveredupbysaying,“Oh,don’tbesurprised,thatonlyameicaltoyIhaveinmypocketthattalk.”Sayingso,heputthemagazinebatheshelfandquicklyleftthestore.

    DwarfMickeylefttheaisandwalkedonmakingseveraltwistsandturnsuntilhecametoaquiet,narrowalleywherenootherpedestrianswerewalkingby.OnlythendidhetakeMr.Fingercarefullyoutofhispocketandpcedhimontheground.Whelemangothisbearings,hestretchedhisarmsandlegsaurningtothewhite-beardedolddwarfbeganhistirade,

    “Youoldson-of-a-bitch,whydidyouleavemeinyourpocketforsolong?Youcouldhavesuffocatedme!Didyouwanttomurderme?”DwarfMickeywastakenbysurprisethatthefirstthingMr.Fingerdiduponwakingupwastoshoutathimsorudely.Thoughhewasveryold,histemperwasnolessvotile,sopushingupthesleevesofhisjacketasiflookingfht,hesaid,

    “Youdisrespectfullittleson-of-a-gun,notonlyareyouunappreciativeforwhatIhavedoneforyou,youaredhtungratefundrude!Iputyouinmypocketsoyoucouldsleepfortably.IwasafraidtocrushyouorcauseyouanydisfortsoItookgreatcautionontheway.Afterallthisyoudaretopointyersinmyfadcurseandshoutatme?IamdoingthisonlybecausemygoodfriendDimitriaskedusalltolookafteryou.Ifnotonhisbehalf,Iwon’tevenliftafingerforyou.”

    “Alright,Idon’twanttodealwithyoueither.Idon’twanttoquarrelwithyouasitwouldbeawasteofenergy.”Hestretchedhimselfzilyandthentinued,“NowIamawake.Iodrink.Gogetmesomeliquor.”

    “Liquor?Youwanttodrinkliquor?Whatdoyoutakemefor?Yourservant?”repliedDwarfMickeyangrily.“Ifyouwanttodrink,goasomeyourself.Idon’thaveasinglepennyinmypocket,soIcertainlyotbuyanyforyou.”

    “That’syourbusiness,notmine.IamjusttellingyouIwantliquoranditisyourjobtogetsomeforme,otherwiseIwillgoandtellDimitri.”Thatmadetheoldmanveryangry.

    2

    “GoandtelndseeifIcare.Ihavenomoneyanditmakesnodifferenyoutellyourstoryto!YougoawineyourselfifyouwantanyasIcertainlywillnot.”

    “Soyousay!Dretitteron”saidM