SinceIfiveher,Ialsiveyou.Letthisiophere.Wewillnevermentioniteveragain.”

    “Yes.Yes.Yes.”

    “I”saidDimitri“thereisreallynodefiniteliweenrightandwrong,truthandfalsehood,goodandevil.Therearenoabstractideasandtherebynosharptrasts.Butlivinginthemundaneworld,everyoobeythew,whichistheminimumcriterionwithwhichtojudgeone’sownmorality.Youmaydobadthingsandnotbefoundout,butyouescapethepangsofyourownsce?Todayyourfessionandtritionshowsyouhaveasce.Iamgdofit.Youarestillmygoodfriend.”DimitrifaveAishaforherindiscretionbecauseheknewshehaddrunkalotofbrandyaooksomesleepingpills,thebinationofwhichmadeheraserratic.

    “IfJamazdidn’ttellusaboutit”entedRichardwhowascookichops“noonewouldknowbecauseevenyourqueendidn’tknowwhothemanwas.”

    180页

    “No.No.Idoknowbecausetherewasalsoanesswhotoldmeeverythingthathappened.”

    “What?Therewasaness?Whocouldthatbe?”askedRichardandJamazinamazement.

    “ThesnitchwhoinformedmewasnootherthanyoursaviorMr.Finger.”

    “Mr.Finger?Wehaven’tseenhimforalongtime.Whereishenoouldliketoshratitudetohimforsavingourlives.”

    “HeisinmyKingdomofDreams.Butthatlittlemancouldrustedtoliveharmoniouslywiththebeautiesbecausehewasalwaystryingtoharassthemsexually.Itgotsobadthathearousedpubliger.SoIexiledhimtoastrawhutacrossthekethatIusedtoliveinmyselfwhenIwasthere.There’safieldoftulipsandtheseryisreallybeautiful.Isupplyhimwithgoodfood,goodwineandmagnifitclothes,soIdon’tthinkhemindsstayingthere.”

    “Notbad!Goodfood,goodwineandhes...thatthegoodlife,buttooufundsolitary.IfIknowthatlittleman,hewon’tlikeit.Soinsteadofbanishinghimtothewilderness,whydon’tyhimbackhereandleavehimwithJamazandI?Wewilltakeasrestitutionforsavingourlives.Wepromisetotakegoodahimleadthegoodlife-eating,drinkingandpying...Hewillhaveallthewinehedrink.That’ssomethinghelovesjustasmuchaswedo!”

    “Bringhimbackhere?No,Idon’tthinkhewouldwanttodothat.”

    “Whynot?”askedJamaz.

    “I’vebeentoldhemarriedaremelybeautifulwoman,soIdon’tthinkhewouldbewillingtoleavehisnewbride.”

    “What?Thatlittlemangotmarried?Youmeaninthisworldthereisatlepersonofhisdimensionswhojusthappeobefemale?Howthatbe?”

    18

    “I’vebeentoldhegotmarriedbutIhaveneverseenhermyself.”

    “Mr.Fimarriedeh?...”mutteredRichardafterapause.“Asforme,Idon’tthinkIeverwillmarry.YokoandIhavebeenengagedforalongtime,butthatwasonlyahalf-jokingreementmadeinagamblinghallthatotbetakenseriously.herYokonorItookitseriously.Evenifwewereseriousaboutit,Idon’thavethehearttomakeherleadthenomadlifeIdo,roamingalloverthepdsleepingoreets.No,I’tbesoselfishastosubjecthertothat...Youarereallyverylulove,Dimitri.Yokotoldmethatallthebeautiesprivatelyiostaywithyoutheirwholelivesandkeepyoupany.”

    Onhearingthat,Dimitriwasuneasyandfullofplexthoughts.Theburdenonhisshouldersfeltheavierthanever.

    AcarstoppedattheerofthestreetandfootstepsoftwopeoplecouldbeheardwalkingtoDimitri’swindow.

    “Dimitri!Dimitri!Areyouthere?IheardmusiingfromyourwindowandIsmellthearomaofmeat.Ithinkyoumustbethere.”

    “Whoisit?”askedDimitri.

    “IamO

SinceIfiveher,Ialsiveyou.Letthisiophere.Wewillnevermentioniteveragain.”

    “Yes.Yes.Yes.”

    “I”saidDimitri“thereisreallynodefiniteliweenrightandwrong,truthandfalsehood,goodandevil.Therearenoabstractideasandtherebynosharptrasts.Butlivinginthemundaneworld,everyoobeythew,whichistheminimumcriterionwithwhichtojudgeone’sownmorality.Youmaydobadthingsandnotbefoundout,butyouescapethepangsofyourownsce?Todayyourfessionandtritionshowsyouhaveasce.Iamgdofit.Youarestillmygoodfriend.”DimitrifaveAishaforherindiscretionbecauseheknewshehaddrunkalotofbrandyaooksomesleepingpills,thebinationofwhichmadeheraserratic.

    “IfJamazdidn’ttellusaboutit”entedRichardwhowascookichops“noonewouldknowbecauseevenyourqueendidn’tknowwhothemanwas.”

    180页

    “No.No.Idoknowbecausetherewasalsoanesswhotoldmeeverythingthathappened.”

    “What?Therewasaness?Whocouldthatbe?”askedRichardandJamazinamazement.

    “ThesnitchwhoinformedmewasnootherthanyoursaviorMr.Finger.”

    “Mr.Finger?Wehaven’tseenhimforalongtime.Whereishenoouldliketoshratitudetohimforsavingourlives.”

    “HeisinmyKingdomofDreams.Butthatlittlemancouldrustedtoliveharmoniouslywiththebeautiesbecausehewasalwaystryingtoharassthemsexually.Itgotsobadthathearousedpubliger.SoIexiledhimtoastrawhutacrossthekethatIusedtoliveinmyselfwhenIwasthere.There’safieldoftulipsandtheseryisreallybeautiful.Isupplyhimwithgoodfood,goodwineandmagnifitclothes,soIdon’tthinkhemindsstayingthere.”

    “Notbad!Goodfood,goodwineandhes...thatthegoodlife,buttooufundsolitary.IfIknowthatlittleman,hewon’tlikeit.Soinsteadofbanishinghimtothewilderness,whydon’tyhimbackhereandleavehimwithJamazandI?Wewilltakeasrestitutionforsavingourlives.Wepromisetotakegoodahimleadthegoodlife-eating,drinkingandpying...Hewillhaveallthewinehedrink.That’ssomethinghelovesjustasmuchaswedo!”

    “Bringhimbackhere?No,Idon’tthinkhewouldwanttodothat.”

    “Whynot?”askedJamaz.

    “I’vebeentoldhemarriedaremelybeautifulwoman,soIdon’tthinkhewouldbewillingtoleavehisnewbride.”

    “What?Thatlittlemangotmarried?Youmeaninthisworldthereisatlepersonofhisdimensionswhojusthappeobefemale?Howthatbe?”

    18

    “I’vebeentoldhegotmarriedbutIhaveneverseenhermyself.”

    “Mr.Fimarriedeh?...”mutteredRichardafterapause.“Asforme,Idon’tthinkIeverwillmarry.YokoandIhavebeenengagedforalongtime,butthatwasonlyahalf-jokingreementmadeinagamblinghallthatotbetakenseriously.herYokonorItookitseriously.Evenifwewereseriousaboutit,Idon’thavethehearttomakeherleadthenomadlifeIdo,roamingalloverthepdsleepingoreets.No,I’tbesoselfishastosubjecthertothat...Youarereallyverylulove,Dimitri.Yokotoldmethatallthebeautiesprivatelyiostaywithyoutheirwholelivesandkeepyoupany.”

    Onhearingthat,Dimitriwasuneasyandfullofplexthoughts.Theburdenonhisshouldersfeltheavierthanever.

    AcarstoppedattheerofthestreetandfootstepsoftwopeoplecouldbeheardwalkingtoDimitri’swindow.

    “Dimitri!Dimitri!Areyouthere?IheardmusiingfromyourwindowandIsmellthearomaofmeat.Ithinkyoumustbethere.”

    “Whoisit?”askedDimitri.

    “IamO