Book2:KigdomIteDreams (第240/246页)

ookforhim.I’llkeepyouposted.”

    “Thankyou”saidYokoandturnedoffhercellphone.ShetoldAishathatDimitri’sfriendshaveallgoolookforhimandthequeennodded.ShehadbeenuneasyalldayahinkingaboutDimitri’swords‘IknowwhatIshoulddo...Iknowhowtosolvethisunsolvableproblem...’“Whatdoesheiodo?”shewondered.“Howishegoingtosolvethisdifficultproblem?”

    DimstreetlightssoDimitri’slittlestudioapartment.HisfriendslookedaghastatRichardasheturnedoffhiscellphoneandexcimed,

    “Damn.Damn.Damn.Dimitrihasdisappeared!Isawhimatthreeo’clockthisafternoonaoldmethathewasgoingtohaveChristmasdihthebeautiesatAisha’shouse.Iofferedtodrivehimthere,buthesaidhepreferredtowalk.SihedistanheretoAisha’spcewasnotfarandDimitrilikedhisindependence,Ilethimgo.Yokocalledandsaidhewasn’tthereyet.Heshouldhavereachedthereevenifhecrawled!Theyareworriedandwaogoandlookforhimincasehehadanact.”

    “Ok”saidMr.Kaffee.“Whydon’tyou,JamazandBig-Otakeyourdlookforhimathisusualhaunts?DwarfMidIwillremainhereincasehegeshismindandesback.Yourcaristoosmalltoaodateallofus.”

    Richard,JamazandBig-Oatoncejumpedoutofthewindoiledintothedipidatedpick-uptruck.Richarddrove,Jamazsatinthepassengerseat,Big-Ojumpedupthebacktothecargospadthecarspedoff.Big-Ostoodholdingontotherollbar,histhin,loosemonkrobeflutteringinthecoldwind.

    InadarkerofDimitri’sapartment,DwarfMickey’sshrewdbrighteyesblinkedandlookedaroundsaying,

    “Idon’tthinkDimitridisappeared.Hehasvaemporarilyiododgeadifficultproblem.Myguessishedoesn’twanttogototheChristmasdihthebeauties.”

    “Whynot?”askedMr.Kaffeerathersurprised.“Youjustsaidhehasvaemporarily.Whatdoyoumean?He...hehasnotittedsuicide,hashe?”

    24

    “No,no,no!”scoffedDwarfMickey.“HowcouldDimitriitsuicide?Heknowslifetinuesinfinitely,withnobeginningandnoend;sohewouldempttoenditwithsuicide.That’sayman’scept.”

    “Ok.Ok.I’mnotiedinyourprofoundphilosophicalmumbojumbo.IfDimitrihasnotittedsuicide,whatdoes‘temporarilyvanished’mean?Whydoestogotothesumptuousdinnerpartypreparedbythebeauties?”

    “Youareaverycleverandcapableman,Mr.Kaffee”ughedDwarfMickey.“Howeyouhaven’tfiguredoutthisverysimpleproblemyet?DimitrihadspentalotoftimeandenergybuildinghisKingdomofDreams,hopingthatthebeautiescouldhaveasafehavenandlivepeacefullyandhappilytherefreefromworriesandcare.HeneverexpectedtheKingdomtocolpseandthemagnifitpacetobeburnttotheground.Althoughhealreadyhadaback-uppninpergendsafelyevacuatedthebeautiesbaundaneworld,hehadalwaysbeeerofgravitytothem,whetherintheKingdomofDreamsorhereoh.Heislikeamagowhichtheyallgravitate.Aslongasheexists,thebeautieswouldneverleavehim.Soinsiderationoftheirfuturehappiness,Dimitrihadtothinkofawaytosolvetheproblem.InthekingdomofDreams,hecouldlivehappilysurroundedbyallthebeauties;buthereinthemundaneworldthatwouldbeimpossible.Heuandsthissohehasarraovanishtemporarily.Withtheteroftheirlivesgohebeautieswillgraduallydisbandandeachgotheirownindividualway.Thatishisstrategy,theonlywayout.Youwillneverfindhim.”

    “Heisblind”saidMr.Kaffee“and’tgetaroundmuch.Howfarhego?Howhevanishwithout