"MayIhelpyou?"avoicecutincoldly．Itwasthestoremanagercomingtodrivehimaway．

        "Nowayyoucanhelpme”mumbledDimitriandpushedhiscartaway，thinkingmeanwhileabout"morematerialfortonight"．

        Heimmediatelylaydowntosleepafterhisdinnerandinnotimeheseemedtoseeanobscuremoonintheskyshiningonawindingmountainpath．AshortglitteringformsuddenlyemergedfromthewoodsaroundthepathandstartedwalkingtowardsadarkancientChinesehousefurtheron．Itwasafreakish，ugly-lookingpygmywearingtheelaboratecostumesoftheChingDynasty．Hishatandcoatweremadeofmaterialwovenwithgoldthreadandwereshininginthemoonlight．Onreachingthedoorofthehouse，whichwascompletelydark，hedrewafoot-longkeyfromhispocketandtriedtofititintotheold-fashionedChineselock．Hestoodontip-toesandwrestledwiththelockandkeyforalongtimebuttonoavail．Heflewintoarage，threwthekeyontothegroundandstompedonitagainandagain，makingsqueakysoundstoexpresshisflustration．Thenhecalmeddownabit，pickedupthekeyandtriedagain．Thistimeitworked．Hecarriedtheheavylocklaboriouslyintothehouseandclosedthedoor．Itwaspitchdarkinside．Heopenedthetrunknearesttothedoorandimmediatelytheroomlitupwiththebrillianceofthegemsinthetrunk:pricelessdiamonds,rubies,pearlsandsapphiresalllaytherepiledinaheap．

        Itwasalargerectangularroom,linedwithsturdytrunksonbothsides．Thepygmyjumpedaroundopeningthistrunkandthatuntiltheywereallopen．Hejumpedontoadeskattheendoftheroomandlookedattheimmensewealthspreadbeforehim．Sometrunksheldgoldingots，goldcoinsandgoldchains，rings，bracelets；others，silver．Hecrossedhislegselatedlyandshouted："HowrichIam!”Justthenahugepythonslitheredsoundlesslyoutfromthecornerofthedarkroomandwounditselfroundandroundthetablewherethepigmysatcross-legged．Onseeingthepython，thepygmyflewintoarageandscreamedshrilly，

        "Wherehaveyoubeento?Youweresupposedtoberighthereguardingthetreasures！Ihadtoopenthedoormyselfandalotoftroubleitcausedme!”Hegrewangrierashespoke．Onseeinghimsoangry，thepythonuncurleditselfandturnedintoaseductiveandbewitchingnakedwoman，andlikeMedusa，shehadhairofsnakes．Shekneltbeforehimandaskedforforgiveness．Thepygmypulledoutawhipfromunderhisbeltandcrackeditonherinfury．Shecriedandkowtowedtobeghimforpardon．Redweltsappearedonhersnowwhiteskin．Shelookedathimbeseechingly．Thepygmystoppedandturnedintoacreaturewiththestrongmuscularbodyofamanbuttheheadofamonster．Oneeyewasinthemiddleofhisface，andtheotheratthebackofhishead．Therewasarhinoceroshornonthetopofhishead．Hepulledthewomantoherfeet．Thegemsandtreasuresintheroomthenturnedintomulti-coloredclouds，driftingandfloatingintheroom．Someofthemcametogetherandformedasoftmattressforthetwomonsterstomakelove．Attheheightoftheirlove-making，theybothtransformedagaintohugepythons,entwinedtogetherinaninextricableknot．

        "Dimitri！Dimitri！Wakeup！"Marianna’sboomingvoicecutintohisdream．Hewokewithastartle，hisbodystillglisteningwithsweat，tofindMariannashakinghim．Whenheopenedhiseyessleepily，theseductiveandbewitchingfemalemonsterwasgoneandbeforehimwasMarianna’sfat，affablecountenance．"You’redreamingagain!”shesaid．Dimitrismiled．Hefoundthathispantswerewetwithnocturnalemission．

        "Howcomeyoudidn’tcometogetyourdinnerlastnight?"

        "ButIdid．Yougavemeshrimpsandsteak．"

        "Thatwasthedaybeforeyesterday．Aren’tyouhungry?"

        "What！I”vesleptforsolong？Nowthatyoumentionit，I’mstarved!”saidDimitriandheheardhisstomachgrowlinprotest．Mariannahandedhimacupofhotchocolate．

        "Thereisfriedchickenandhamsandwichinthebag．Heatitupandeatit．Whycan’tyoustayawakeandfindsomeworktodoinsteadoflivinginyourdreams?"shescolded．"Whydon’tyoucomeandliveinmygarage?Youwon’tbeinanybody’swayandyou’llhaveadecentroofoveryourhead.”

        "No，thankyou，ma’am．Thanksfortheoffer，butI’musedtoithere．Tomethemostimportantthingistokeepupmyvitality．Thankstoyou，Ihaveenoughfoodtosustainmyphysicalhealthandkeepupmybrainactivities．Therestissuperfluousandmeannothingtome．"

        "OK，"saidMariannaresignedly，"Youdon’thavetothankme．Youwashmycarandwearequits．Getupnow，eatyourchickenandsandwichandgooutthereandgathermaterialforyourdreams．"

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