arbytgroundofthesquare,wheretherewasnograssorshrubs,butheseemedtohearthesoundofgrasshoppersorcricketsjumpingaroundinthegrassoritcouldbethefeeblerustlingofthegrassassmalnimalswalkedoverit.

    “Ha,haDimitri”soundedMr.Finger’sfamiliarvoice.“Lookatyoueatingdogfood!Whatawretchedandmiserableendyouhaveeto!Ha,ha.”

    5

    “Isthatyou,Mr.Finger?”answeredDimitri,acordialsmileonhisface.“Veryhappytoseeyouagain.IsyourbrideViowithyou?”

    “OfcourseIamhere”interruptedafemalevoicebeforeheevenfinishedspeaking.“Didn’tyousay‘aneyeforaneyeandatoothforatooth’?SoofcourseIamhere.”DimitrikhatmustbeVio.Hekepthisposureandhissmileandsaid,

    “Good.Good.That’swhatIsaidandIwillkeepmyword.PleaseputeverythingoableandtellmeinpinwordswhatyouhaveagainstmeandwhereIhavewrongedyou.IfIwasinthewrongIwilltakefullresponsibilityformyas.”

    “That’sgreat.Youarearealman”answeredVio.Outoftheblue,abrilliantfshofgoldappearedbeforetheireyesandthemagnifitpuregoldpacematerializedonthesquare.Dimitriwasshockedthathissenseofsighthadmiraculouslyrecovered.ActuallythiswasnotatallstrawasalltheworkofImaginationaivity,histwoloyalservants,whohadetohissideunseen.Viowalkedupthestepstothesolidgoldthroneandsatdown.Dimitrisaearingatiaraectacurrubyrgeasaneggmountedinfront.Alrounditwasanarrayofpricelessjewelsofallr.Fingerhadtransformedhimselftotheshapeofanormalmanandwasrespectfullyattendingtoher.ViomadeasignwithherhandandMr.Fiodowntohearherwhisperedinstrus.Dimitrikhatitwastimeforrealface-to-facebattle.Heremainedcalmlysquattingonthegroundscoopingsomemoreofthedogfoodinhisbowlwithhisfingersintohismouth.Beforehehadtimetochewedproperlyandswallowdownhisfood,Mr.Fingersaidloudlyinanarrogantvoice,

    “Dimitri!Thoughyouhavebeenothingbutapitifulbeggareatingdogfood,ouresteemedQueenVihefactthatyouusedtobeapowerfulmonardakinginyourownrealm.Shepitiesyouandthereforehasorderedafeasttoaccordyoucourteousreception.”Sayingsohecppedhishandsthreetimesandmelodiousmusicfloatednaturallyihroughoutthepaceasifananizedorchestrawashiddeniroom,buttherewasnosignofanymusiusistrument.Thenaprocessionofattendantsdressedinesoftheirowntryandtribecamein,carryingsilvertraysoffoodsideredthebestintheirnds.Somedishesweresteaminghivingoffasizzlingsound.Thepacewassoonfilledwiththeentigaromaoffoodandwine.Dimitriscrapedthestofthefoodinhisbowlintohismouth,chewedthhlybeforeswallowingathebowlbatohispocket.Hekepthissmileonhisfacewhilehesaidtothem,

    “AlthoughIhavenowbeerebeggaroreets,thereisnothingIhavenottasted.Tomefoodismerelynutritiontokeepmealiveandnothingelse.Pleasedismissyourattendantsandthefoodanddispehalltheseunnecessaryprotocol.Let’sgetdowntoessentials,talkaboutwhatenmitythereisbetweenusandetoaclusion.Thenweallgoonoureacefullyandliveourownlives.”Vionoddedinagreement.Mr.Fingerwavedhishandsindismissaendainanorderlymahewaytheycame,butthemomeeppedoutofthegoldpacetheyandtheirsilverptesoffoodalldisappearedlikeapuffofsmokeintothinair.Theywerelikeamirage,ingfromillusionanddisappearingintooneaswell.Themusictoostoppedawosidesreturheirfrontati

arbytgroundofthesquare,wheretherewasnograssorshrubs,butheseemedtohearthesoundofgrasshoppersorcricketsjumpingaroundinthegrassoritcouldbethefeeblerustlingofthegrassassmalnimalswalkedoverit.

    “Ha,haDimitri”soundedMr.Finger’sfamiliarvoice.“Lookatyoueatingdogfood!Whatawretchedandmiserableendyouhaveeto!Ha,ha.”

    5

    “Isthatyou,Mr.Finger?”answeredDimitri,acordialsmileonhisface.“Veryhappytoseeyouagain.IsyourbrideViowithyou?”

    “OfcourseIamhere”interruptedafemalevoicebeforeheevenfinishedspeaking.“Didn’tyousay‘aneyeforaneyeandatoothforatooth’?SoofcourseIamhere.”DimitrikhatmustbeVio.Hekepthisposureandhissmileandsaid,

    “Good.Good.That’swhatIsaidandIwillkeepmyword.PleaseputeverythingoableandtellmeinpinwordswhatyouhaveagainstmeandwhereIhavewrongedyou.IfIwasinthewrongIwilltakefullresponsibilityformyas.”

    “That’sgreat.Youarearealman”answeredVio.Outoftheblue,abrilliantfshofgoldappearedbeforetheireyesandthemagnifitpuregoldpacematerializedonthesquare.Dimitriwasshockedthathissenseofsighthadmiraculouslyrecovered.ActuallythiswasnotatallstrawasalltheworkofImaginationaivity,histwoloyalservants,whohadetohissideunseen.Viowalkedupthestepstothesolidgoldthroneandsatdown.Dimitrisaearingatiaraectacurrubyrgeasaneggmountedinfront.Alrounditwasanarrayofpricelessjewelsofallr.Fingerhadtransformedhimselftotheshapeofanormalmanandwasrespectfullyattendingtoher.ViomadeasignwithherhandandMr.Fiodowntohearherwhisperedinstrus.Dimitrikhatitwastimeforrealface-to-facebattle.Heremainedcalmlysquattingonthegroundscoopingsomemoreofthedogfoodinhisbowlwithhisfingersintohismouth.Beforehehadtimetochewedproperlyandswallowdownhisfood,Mr.Fingersaidloudlyinanarrogantvoice,

    “Dimitri!Thoughyouhavebeenothingbutapitifulbeggareatingdogfood,ouresteemedQueenVihefactthatyouusedtobeapowerfulmonardakinginyourownrealm.Shepitiesyouandthereforehasorderedafeasttoaccordyoucourteousreception.”Sayingsohecppedhishandsthreetimesandmelodiousmusicfloatednaturallyihroughoutthepaceasifananizedorchestrawashiddeniroom,buttherewasnosignofanymusiusistrument.Thenaprocessionofattendantsdressedinesoftheirowntryandtribecamein,carryingsilvertraysoffoodsideredthebestintheirnds.Somedishesweresteaminghivingoffasizzlingsound.Thepacewassoonfilledwiththeentigaromaoffoodandwine.Dimitriscrapedthestofthefoodinhisbowlintohismouth,chewedthhlybeforeswallowingathebowlbatohispocket.Hekepthissmileonhisfacewhilehesaidtothem,

    “AlthoughIhavenowbeerebeggaroreets,thereisnothingIhavenottasted.Tomefoodismerelynutritiontokeepmealiveandnothingelse.Pleasedismissyourattendantsandthefoodanddispehalltheseunnecessaryprotocol.Let’sgetdowntoessentials,talkaboutwhatenmitythereisbetweenusandetoaclusion.Thenweallgoonoureacefullyandliveourownlives.”Vionoddedinagreement.Mr.Fingerwavedhishandsindismissaendainanorderlymahewaytheycame,butthemomeeppedoutofthegoldpacetheyandtheirsilverptesoffoodalldisappearedlikeapuffofsmokeintothinair.Theywerelikeamirage,ingfromillusionanddisappearingintooneaswell.Themusictoostoppedawosidesreturheirfrontati