CharinabroughtouttheItaliandessertshehadmadeforthem–Tiramisu!Itwasherspecialtymadewithjusttherightamountofrumaedintheirmouths.Herguestsweredelightedandwerevishintheirpraise.DwarfMickeypolishedoffmorethanhalfofthedessert.Hewastheshortestofthemallbuthisappetitewasarming.DimitriaskedMr.Kaffee,
“Howdidthejewelryexhibitionyouguyswenttoturnout?Wasitwellanizedandsuccessful?”
“Ha!”ughedMr.Kaffee.“Notonlywasitmarvelous,I’msureaspectacurshowwillsoonfollow.Ifeelinmybohatsomethingisabouttohappen.”
“Really”excimedDimitri,“Whydon’tyoutellmeiailpeoday.”JustasMr.Kaffeewasabouttotellhimaboutthejewelryexhibition,Dimitristoppedhimsaying,“Justaminute.Whydotillourbeautifulhostessesback.Shelovesagreattaleandyou,Mr.Kaffee,areagreatstory-teller.Ithinkshewilltakenotesandterincorporateitintohernovels.”CharinawhowasmakingcoffeeforthemiryheardDimitri’sremarksandsaidhappily,
“Right.Right.Ilovetohearstories.Youdoknowmewell,Dimitri.Coffeewillbereadysoon,whydon’tyouallgotothelivingroom.”
“Whydon’titandupthediningroom”suggestedRichardloudly.“Ourbeautifulhostesshasworkedhardtopreparethesumptuousfeastforus,theleastwedoistoupthemesswehavecreated.Otherwiseourbeautifulhostesswillnotinviteushereagain.”Big-Ostooduptoclearthetable.Hetookthedirtyptes,bowl,gsses,knives,forksandspoonsintothekit.ThereRichard,whohaddointasdish-washerinaeserestaurantwhenhefirstarrivedintheU.S.,rolleduphissleeves,threwthebonesa-overintothegarbagedstartedwashing.Hismovementswerequideffit.Jamazwasinthediningroomwipiableandchairsandsweepinguhetable,ingupafterDwarfMickey,pigupeveryscrapoffoodtheolddwarfhaddroppedonthecarpet.MeanwhileDimitriandMr.Kaffeehadalreadysettleddowncozilyonthefortablelivingroomsofas.DwarfMickeygrabbedholdoftheptewithremnantsofthedessertandsatinaerofthelivingroomtoenjoyit.ThehappiestofallwaslittleMaureefromthedle-litdiningroomtothekit,thenintothelivingroomwheremoonlightwasbright.HewouldjumpontoDimitri’spandstepalloverhimandthenjumpdowntosharethedessertwithDwarfMickey.Itwasamesmerizingevening,buttherewasaseensenessandexpetheatmosphere.
Wheneveryonehadfoundtheirseat,Mr.KaffeebeganretingtheeventsofthedaywhenheapaniedMegginnandSamanthatothehighcssjewelryexhibitionandau.Hespokeciselyandtothepoint,fast-fthevarioussarios.Forpurposesofsecurity,theanizationsptheauallowedonlytheirinvitedgueststopassthroughtheexhibitionhalltwoatatimeintotheroomwheretheauwastotakeptheexhibitionhall,thepricelessjewelryweredispyedunderbrightraysoflightbehindthick,bullet-proofgss,emphasizingtheirbrilliandiimableworth.MegginnapaniedbyRichardwalkedquickly,stifflyandmeicallythroughtheexhibition,stoppingonlyforafewsedsbeforethestexhibitionofahugedeeppinkdiamond,attractedbythesplendorofitsdazzlingglittermademoreshowyandostentatiousbythelightshininguponit.Itwasreallyararegem,reflegthenaturalgraceofalittlegirlstrolling.Themasterpieceofasuperbdiamondcutter,itsmanyfacetsgleamedandsparkled.Megginnlookedatitforamomentandthenwalkedintotheauroom.ThecoupletoenterwasSamanthaapaniedbyJamaz,followedterbyMr.Kaffeewalkingalohesetwolegendarybeautiesoftheworldofhighfinanceimmediatelydreweveryone’seyes.Inthisenviroheirmeidwoodesautomaticallydisappearedandtheyrevertedbacktotheirsocialpersonaofleisurely,gradbeautifulsocialites.Suchwasone’snaturalhumanrespohetemporaryscrutinyofothers.ThetinuityofmovementsofhumanlimbsisavisualenjoymentandpersistenceofvisionissurelyGod’sgifttomankind.
MegginnandSamantha’sbeautifuleyeslookedthroughthecrowdandfoundthattheinvitationshadbeenveryexclusiveindeed,forthecrowdwasne,ostlyofpeopletheyknew,crèmedecrèmeofthoseatthetipofthesocialpyramid,whosehobbywascollegpricelessgems.MostwereVIPersofWorldBank,mertprinces,wivesanddaughtersofthetopfamilies.ThoughMegginnandSamanthahadlostthetitlesofpresidentandvice-presidentofWorldBank,theirauraoffasationremainedandnoonedaredtooverlooktheirfinancialpower.Theroomlightedupontheirentry.Gentlemenstoodup,smiledandnoddedorwalkeduptoshaketheirhands.Ladiestheywerefamiliarwithhuggedandair-kissedthemwarmlyandtheyallswarmedtositdowher.Mr.Kaffeealsomixedwiththecrowd,noddingandexgingpleasahpeopleheknewbeforesittingdownathisassig.Soonhewaschattinghappilywiththosearoundhim,foreveryohisfshotwhohadhisfeetinthefinancialworldaswelstheunderworld.Hemaybea“has-been”nowbutwascertainlynotoutofpower,forhisbehind-the-sebackerwasnootherthaeriousmulti-trillionaire,whoshowedsignsofmakingaebackwiththeiionoftakingbackalllostground.Inthisdayandageofgreatrecessionanddepression,whocouldsaytheywouldnotneedhelpfromthisbigshotoneday?Sotheytookthisopportunitytosocializewithhim,showtheirfriendlinessandpavethegroundforpossibletransasinthenearfuture.Althoughthetwostalwartmen,RichardandJamaz,werequiteformallyandexpetired,peoplesawatagtheywerebodyguardsandwerepolitelyshowsatatableinaerwheretheywereofferedfoodanddrinks.Buttheydidnotdarerextheirvigindkepttheireyesfixedontheirmistress,thetwobreathtakiiestheyweresenttoguard.
Muestsarrivedawastimefortheexhibitionandautobegin.Theahefunwasnootherthanthefamousdiamondjeweler,Dr.SeiderHethankedallpresentforattendingandpromisedthatthebuyerofthepricelessitemsodaywouldbesuretobepleasedwiththeirpurchase.Dr.Seiderwasanoldgentlemaninhisseventies.Hishairwasgrayishwhite,buthiseyesweresharpahoughslightlyht,hestillhadthephysiqueofamuchyoungerman.Hewasalegendaryfigure.HewasbornintoafamilyofjewelerswhoemigratedfromEuropetotheU.S.inthemiddleofthe19thturyandopenedasmalljewelrystoreocoast.Foralmostatury,thissmalljewelrystorehandeddownfromfathertosledonuntilitcamedowntoDr.Seider.Heiedthestorefromhisfatherbutatthebeginninghadlittleiinthebusiness,absorbedinsteadingeologicalresearch.HegotaPhDinthisfieldandpublishedmanyarticleswhichweregreatlyaccimed.HespecializedinfieldworkandhisfootprintscouldbefoundinthoseareasoftheworldwheretheterrainwasplexandgeologicalstructurewasuhenonedaywhilewonaprojectatadesoteanduninhabitedisndinAfrica,hediscoveredoresofdiamondandimmediatelytookstepstobuytheisndfromitsgoverforaverylowprice.Thatgedthecourseofhislife.FromtheookoverthefamilyjewelrybusinessandtratedtheningandexpandingituntilhebecameknownastheKingofDiamonds.
Dr.Seiderthenintroducedtohisaudieall,thinmanstandiohimwhowasabouthisage.Bright,razor-sharpeyeslookingoutfrombehindtheman’sgoldrimmedgssesdemonstratedhisintelligendcapability.Actuallythegentlemanneedednointrodu.HewastheMr.Wolfe,famousthroughoutthejewelryworld.Beginninglifeasahumbleapprentice,hehadbeenseasohroughmuchtravailformorethanhalfatury,
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