ionenjoyingthefabulousMao-taiwineDornahadbroughthim,buthisblearyeyesseemedtohaveseenthatmanwithahornonhisheadleadafleetofboatstowardsKingDimitri’space.Afterthatheheardloudbattlecriesandear-deafeningdrums,buthehadfallenintoadruuporandknewnomore.Nowhehadwokenupandfoundthatthesituationwasgraveandcritical.Worriedandfearful,hewalkedaroundincirclesrubbinghishandstogethersaying,

    “WhatshallIdo?WhatshallIdo?HowIfacemygoodfriendKingDimitri?Iwasthecauseofallthisdamage.foundit!Alistherootofallevil.Iregretcausingthisgreattragedy,butnowit’stoote.WhatshallIdo?WhatshallIdo?”Bythistime,Mr.FingerhadgraduallybeguntorealizethatfromtheverybeginninghehadbeendupedbyVioandfellintohersextrap.Stepbystep,sheledhimonuntiltodayhehadnowayout,nopossibilityofredeeminghimself.Mr.Fihought,

    “WhenIfirstsawhowsetshewasonavengiherIpromisedtohelpher,neverrealizingherabnormambitions.ShenotonlytookDimitri’sKingdom,butalsoburntdownhispace.Vioisbeautifusaflower,butherheartisdeviousandpoisonousasaserpent.It’smyfaultthatIlovedrinkandsex,soIwasvulnerableandfellirap.HowohdoIhavethegalltofacemyoldfriendDimitri?Damnit!It’smyownfault...”

    Mr.Fingerheardthesoundofpaddlebreakingthesmoothsurfaceofthewater.Helookedcarefullyandsawthatthewomanrowingtowardshim,jumpingashoreandtyingupherboatwasVio.Asshecamecloser,Mr.Fingersawshewascarryingherbowandarrowacrosshershouldersandhadaswordatherwaist.Hisheartlurchedatthesightandthought,.

    “Whywouldshearmherselftotheteethtoeandseeme?Shehasmadeherselftalsanormalwoman.Ifshewantstodomeharm,thereisnowayIdefendmyself.Ihadbetterhideasheisupto.”Mr.FingerhidamongtheflowersandlookedfixedlyatVio,alkingsilentlyontiptoestowardsKingDimitri’sstrawhut.Whenshewasaboutanarrow’sdistanit,shestopped,surveyedhersurroundingscarefullyandtookthreearrowsshehaddesignedherselffromherquiver.Shelightedthemandshotthemonebyoothehut.Thehuthadastrawroofandaframemadeofbamboopsteredwithsolwhichhaddried.Allthreeingredientswereextremelysusceptibletofire.Onefieryarrowwouldhavebeensuffit.Threeofthemcreatedaragingfirethatreducedthestrawhuttoashesinnotime.Mr.FingerwasscaredandshockedthatViohadeexpresslytokillhim.

    “Isupposeit’snotmytimetodieyet”hethought.“It’sjustaluckycethatIwokeupandwalkedoutofthehutbecauseIwascurioustofindoutaboutwhatening.Otherwise,Iwouldhaveburnttodeathinthatinferno.Thatwomanreallyhastheheartofaserpent.Notonlyisshenotgratefultomeforhelpingher,shewantstokillmeinstead.Siissoandyouareheartless,don’tbmemeifIreciprocateinkind.Wheimeesdon’tcryfoundaccusemeofbeingdmerciless.“

    22

    Viowaiteduntilthefirewasoutbeforestandinguptoleave.Suddenlyshethoughtofsomething.

    “IfMr.Fingerisnotihehutanddidnotdiethere,hewouldknowthatImeanhimharfheseeksrevengeagaiwouldbehardtainst.Iotlethimoffthehooktonightoritwouldmeannoendsoftroubleiure.”Shesuddenlythoughtofsomething.

    “Ifheisnothere,wherecouldhebe?Hm-m-m-hatisahidingplyheandIknowabout.Whydon’tIgoandmakesureheisnotthere.”SayingsoViowalkedintothepatchofflowers.Shewasveryfamiliarwiththespotandmadeherwaytherese

ionenjoyingthefabulousMao-taiwineDornahadbroughthim,buthisblearyeyesseemedtohaveseenthatmanwithahornonhisheadleadafleetofboatstowardsKingDimitri’space.Afterthatheheardloudbattlecriesandear-deafeningdrums,buthehadfallenintoadruuporandknewnomore.Nowhehadwokenupandfoundthatthesituationwasgraveandcritical.Worriedandfearful,hewalkedaroundincirclesrubbinghishandstogethersaying,

    “WhatshallIdo?WhatshallIdo?HowIfacemygoodfriendKingDimitri?Iwasthecauseofallthisdamage.foundit!Alistherootofallevil.Iregretcausingthisgreattragedy,butnowit’stoote.WhatshallIdo?WhatshallIdo?”Bythistime,Mr.FingerhadgraduallybeguntorealizethatfromtheverybeginninghehadbeendupedbyVioandfellintohersextrap.Stepbystep,sheledhimonuntiltodayhehadnowayout,nopossibilityofredeeminghimself.Mr.Fihought,

    “WhenIfirstsawhowsetshewasonavengiherIpromisedtohelpher,neverrealizingherabnormambitions.ShenotonlytookDimitri’sKingdom,butalsoburntdownhispace.Vioisbeautifusaflower,butherheartisdeviousandpoisonousasaserpent.It’smyfaultthatIlovedrinkandsex,soIwasvulnerableandfellirap.HowohdoIhavethegalltofacemyoldfriendDimitri?Damnit!It’smyownfault...”

    Mr.Fingerheardthesoundofpaddlebreakingthesmoothsurfaceofthewater.Helookedcarefullyandsawthatthewomanrowingtowardshim,jumpingashoreandtyingupherboatwasVio.Asshecamecloser,Mr.Fingersawshewascarryingherbowandarrowacrosshershouldersandhadaswordatherwaist.Hisheartlurchedatthesightandthought,.

    “Whywouldshearmherselftotheteethtoeandseeme?Shehasmadeherselftalsanormalwoman.Ifshewantstodomeharm,thereisnowayIdefendmyself.Ihadbetterhideasheisupto.”Mr.FingerhidamongtheflowersandlookedfixedlyatVio,alkingsilentlyontiptoestowardsKingDimitri’sstrawhut.Whenshewasaboutanarrow’sdistanit,shestopped,surveyedhersurroundingscarefullyandtookthreearrowsshehaddesignedherselffromherquiver.Shelightedthemandshotthemonebyoothehut.Thehuthadastrawroofandaframemadeofbamboopsteredwithsolwhichhaddried.Allthreeingredientswereextremelysusceptibletofire.Onefieryarrowwouldhavebeensuffit.Threeofthemcreatedaragingfirethatreducedthestrawhuttoashesinnotime.Mr.FingerwasscaredandshockedthatViohadeexpresslytokillhim.

    “Isupposeit’snotmytimetodieyet”hethought.“It’sjustaluckycethatIwokeupandwalkedoutofthehutbecauseIwascurioustofindoutaboutwhatening.Otherwise,Iwouldhaveburnttodeathinthatinferno.Thatwomanreallyhastheheartofaserpent.Notonlyisshenotgratefultomeforhelpingher,shewantstokillmeinstead.Siissoandyouareheartless,don’tbmemeifIreciprocateinkind.Wheimeesdon’tcryfoundaccusemeofbeingdmerciless.“

    22

    Viowaiteduntilthefirewasoutbeforestandinguptoleave.Suddenlyshethoughtofsomething.

    “IfMr.Fingerisnotihehutanddidnotdiethere,hewouldknowthatImeanhimharfheseeksrevengeagaiwouldbehardtainst.Iotlethimoffthehooktonightoritwouldmeannoendsoftroubleiure.”Shesuddenlythoughtofsomething.

    “Ifheisnothere,wherecouldhebe?Hm-m-m-hatisahidingplyheandIknowabout.Whydon’tIgoandmakesureheisnotthere.”SayingsoViowalkedintothepatchofflowers.Shewasveryfamiliarwiththespotandmadeherwaytherese