Thefirstthinghedidwhenhegothomewastotakehisdirtyoldsleepingbagfromtheshoppingcartandspreaditoutatitsusualcorner．Then，hecountedhis"spoils"fromthegarbagecan．Apairofhalf-worntennisshoes，hissizeandstillserviceable．Whydopeoplethrowthesethingsaway?Hecouldn’tunderstand．Then，therewasashirt，quiteclean．Yes，hecouldthrowhisdilapidatedoneaway,andtomorrowhewouldputonhisnewshirtandshoesandfeelquitedebonair．Hewasashappyasarichmanwhohadjustmadeamilliondollars．HelighteduphiskerosenecookingstovetoheatupMarianna’sleftovers，andafterthissumptuousmealwouldgotobed．Hislifewassosimple．Toputitintoaformula，itwouldbe：limitedmaterialsneeds＝unlimitedsatisfaction．Thatwasbecausethefocusofhislifewasnotwhenhewasawake，butwhenhewasasleep．Hewashappytodaybecausehehadgatheredalotofmaterialtobewovenintohisdreams．Forhim，thiswasjustlikefeedinginformationintothecomputertobeorganizedandreplayedonthescreen．

        Whilehavinghisdinner，hewentovertheeventsoftheday：Thatmorninghepassedanimposingofficebuilding．AblackRolls-Roycestoppedsmoothlybeforeitandaliveriedchauffeurgotouttoopenthedoorforamanwithanexpensivehatandapipeinhismouth——obviouslyanold-fashionedtycoon．HewasallegedtobethepresidentofWorldBank．"Sowhat?"thoughtDimitri，"Icanbeonetooinmydreams”．Thenhepassedahigh-classshoestoreforwomen,sellingshoesandotherleathergoods．Apairofglitteringtoelesssilverhigh-heeledshoesdisplayedinthewindowcaughthiseye．"Whatclotheswouldgowiththem？"hemused．"Astraplessroyalblueeveninggownperhaps，oraclingingblackmini-skirt?Bothwoulddo”hedecided．Justthen，thesalesgirl’sarmreachedoutandtooktheshoesawayfromthewindowdisplaytotrythemonacustomer．Dimitriwascurioustoknowwhothewomanwas，sohewalkedtotheentranceoftheshopandpeeredin．Thebrilliantredtoenailspeekingfromthesilvershoesmesmerizedhimandkindledflamesofprimitivelustfromwithinhimlikelightedmatchesthrownintoabarrelofgasoline．

        "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?"

        内容未完，下一页继续阅读