Havingco-coordiheirpnofa,RichardandJamazquicklydriedthemselvesandputontheirjeans.Theweatherwasstillhotsotheyeachworeat-shirtontopaout.Thoughnotparticurlyhandsome,thetwoofthemexudedamasecharmandcharacter.RicharddroveMegginn’staxiouttotheentrahegardeherspiledinahreeofthemquicklydrovetowardsthecityforawildnightoowhelightswerenumerousasthestarsintheskyandjustasdazzling.
Thestraysofthesettingsunwereenvelopedbythedarknight.Theroomwasdark.Dimitritiellinghisstory,buthiswordswerebeginningtobeslurred.Hewasverytired.Hehadnotsleptatallthenightbefore,havihetimeinwildandfrenziedimagination.Hedidnothaveacetotakeanapallmandalfternoonandnowthewonderfulwinehehadbeenofferedbegantotakeeffect.Hefeltdrowsy,butCharinawassittingacrossfromhimalttention,eyeswideopen,pletelyentrancedbyhisfasatingtalesoDimitritriedhisbesttogoon.Intheeoppedtalkinginthemiddleofasentendhissoftsnrewlouderandlouder.HewasjusttellingabouttheexgbattlebetweenKingDimitriandthesungodApollointheblueskieswhenhefelsleep.Notwishingtodisturbhisslumber,Chariheroomdarktopreservethemysteriousatmosphereofnight.Shesatalohesofaandsippedfrss.ShethoughtofherversationwithDimitriawhileago.Hehadsaid,“YoumakeuseofthecreativityandimaginationthatisiinyouaeforyourselfyourowifulKingdom.”“Heisright”thoughtCharina.“Whydon’tItryanddoitmyself?”Sherememberedalsohiswordsaboutdreams.“HesaidthatIjustoscattersomeseedsiilesoilofmydreamsandtheywillnaturallygrowandblossomiifulflowers.Beautifulseryreflectedierwasjustasbeautifustheinalseryitself.Solongasmysoulispureandkind,itsrefleinthisuglyworldwillbejustasbeautifusmysoul.Flowerswouldpropagateandpeoplewouldbekindandgood.”Charina’sbrightandshiningeyesshohasacredlight.“Right!”shethought.“DimitribuilthisKingdomintheheavens.Whydon’tIbuildacalm,peadbrightparadiseonthismundaneworld?Solongasmyheartandsoulispure,goodandkind,whateverIseewouldbejustasbeautifundght!Thatwillbethetopiybht!Good...”CharinalookedatDimitrisleepingsosoundlyonthesofa,andthought,“Heismyspiritualmentor.FromthetimeIfirstsawhimIknewhewasnotasimplehomelessperson,butwhyhasfatebeensoharshonhimandnedhimtoalifeofdarknessasablindman?It’sreallysad...”
CuteandcleverMaureenjumpedontoCharina’spmakingaseriesofwhininghroughhernoselikeaspoiltchildpining.Charinalookedattheclodrealizeditwaseighto’clock.”Ohsweetie,areyouhungry?Alright,alright,Iwillgiveyousomefood.Butyou’thaveanymorehumanfoodtonight.Toomuchofitisbadforyou.Youhavesomeofyourowndogfood.”Charinascoopedupabowlofdogfoodandputitbeforeheroable.Maureensitandthenagaihewhiningnoiseinprotest.Charinaknewwhathewantedandsaid,“Alright,alright,I’lddsomemilkinit.”Sayingso,shewenttothekit,gotsomemilkandaddedittohisbowl.Maureenwassatisfiedthenaoeathappily.
CharinalookedatDimitristillsleepingsoundlyonthesofaandthought,“Whydon’tImakeaninerforthispoormanbeleagueredbyfate,thishomelesspersonwhoisatthesametimenobleasapoet?”Charinapeeledanddiassortmentoffruitsandmadeabowloffruitsad.Sheheatedovermediumheatsomeofthecmchowdershehadmadethatmandputsomebreadintheoven.Theookasteakfromtherefrigeratatheredupasmallbottleofgasandafryingpanaoutintothebackyardtocookit.Sheworkedsilently,herthoughtsstillonDimitri’smagicalstory.Shedidnotturnonthelightafraiditwoulddispersethetranquility.NoohatDimitrimadeuseofthisshortnaptogobacktohisKingdomofDreamsandcarriedoutearth-shakiions.
CharinaandDimitrisatattwoendsofthebeautifullyspreaddiningtablewithdlesburningbrightlyintheirsilverholders.Dimitriatewithgusto,appreciativelyexpressinghisheartfeltthanks.Asahomelesspersonhesidereditluckytobeabletofillhisstomach.Itwasinceivabletohavehisbeautifulhostessgotothetroubleofcookingasumptuousfeastjustforhim.Charinadidmudjustnibbledoucesadandafewsliokedmeat.
“Don’tsaysuchthings”shesaid,interruptinghiseffusivethanks.“Tomeyouaremyspiritualmentuardian.IhavereceivedmorefromyouthananythingIeverdoiurn.Fromnowon,pleasedon’tstandonceremonywithme,ok?”
“Sure”repliedDimitrinodding.“Iwon’tsayitagain.ButIreallyhaven’tdohingforyouexcepttellyousomestories.Bytheway,wherewereweuptoiory?I’mafraidIhavefotten.”
“YouweretellingmeaboutKingDimitri’sexganddecisivebattleintheskieswiththesungodApollo...”
“Ohyes,that’sright...Whydon’tIgoonwiththestoryandfinishthewholenarrativeafterwehavedoing.Actually,thereissomuchtotelboutthethingsthathappenintheKingdomthatit’shardtocovereverything.Ahemcouldbeincorporatedintoyourwriting...”
“Ohno,no.That’snotnecessary.YouhavealreadytoldmealotabouttheKingdomofDreamsaimetoabsorbanddigestthesteadofswallowingitwhole,itwouldbemoremeaningfulifIhadtimetoponderoverthembeforetinuing.Todootherwisewouldnotbedoingfulljusticetothisfasatingandwonderfulstory.”
内容未完，下一页继续阅读