“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.Themusictoostoppedawosidesreturheirfrontation.Theairatoncekeyedupandturense.
TheredrubyonVio’stiarashohabrilliantsheenassheandMr.Fingerwhisperedtogether.Thenstraighteningfromhisultrasubservientpositionandpyingthejackaltothetiger,Mr.FiuroDimitriandsaidinaloudanddomineeringvoice,
“InowrepresenthermajestyQueenViingyoutoatfordestroyingtheKingdomofDreams,devastatingthebeautifulndscape,breakingGiantMountainintoseveralpartssothatthepowbeynition.YouevensankQueenVio’sfavoldpacetothebottomoftheke.Youhavebroughtaboutahquakeandatsunamithatalmostcausedhertodieiurbulentwaves.Doyouaowledgeyuilt?QueenViowouldhavehandeddowhpenalty,butsheiskindandgenerousbynatureandgivesyouthiscetoexpinanddefendyourself.Speak!fessyourreasonsfordoingso.”Dimitri’sfacialexpressiondidnotgeaontospeakcalmlyandfidently.
“Thatbeautifulndscapedidnotbelongtoanyoneinparticur.ItwasIwhofirstwentthereaablishedmyKingdomofDreams.IerectedbuildingsandpaditwasIwhobuiltthesolidgoldpace.Butitwasyou,Vio,togetherwithCyclopsaidedbythosebarbariantribeswhosetfiretomypace,overturnedmykingdomandforciblyoccupiedmygoldpace.
Whatreallyhappenediseasilydisibletoalobeexpinedordebated.”Lookingaroundhimhesawthatthegoldpacehewasstandingilythesameastheonehehadbuilt,accurateineverydetail,sohewentontosay,“Ihadalreadysunkthegoldpacetothebottomofthewater,butitsimagehasremainedinyourbrain,andyouareabletomakeitappearinthismundaneworldatwill.Toyou,itwasnolossatalsthereisnorealboundarybetweentrueexistendphantomimpressions.Itishardtodistinguishbetweeendence,oritbesaidthatthereisnorealdiffereweenthem.Sinceyoumakeyourbelovedgoldpaceappearwheneveryoudesire,whyentangleyourselfneedlesslywiththeohasalreadybeensunktothebottomoftheke?Isn’tthatwyourselfovernothing?”
内容未完，下一页继续阅读