．Hejumpedontoadeskattheendoftheroomandlookedattheimmehspreadbeforehim．Sometrunksheldgoldingots，goldsandgolds，rings，bracelets；others，silver．Hecrossedhislegsetedlyandshouted："HowrichIam!”Justthenahugepythonslitheredsoundlesslyoutfromtheerofthedarkroomandwounditselfroundandrouablewherethepigmysatcross-legged．Ohepython，thepygmyflewinteandscreamedshrilly，

    "Wherehaveyoubeento?Youweresupposedththereguardireasures！Ihadtoopenthedoormyselfandalotoftroubleitcausedme!”Hegrewangrierashespoke．Onseeinghimsoangry，thepythonuncurleditselfandturoaseductiveagnakedwoman，andlikeMedusa，shehadhairofsnakes．Shekbeforehimandaskedfivehepygmypulledoutawhipfromunderhisbeltandcrackeditonherinfury．Shecriedandkowtowedtobeghimforpardon．Redweltsappearedonhersnowwhiteskin．Shelookedathimbeseegly．Thepygmystoppedandturoacreaturewiththestrongmuscurbodyofamanbuttheheadofamonster．Oneeyewasinthemiddleofhisfadtheotheratthebackofhishead．Therewasarhinoceroshornoopofhishead．Hepulledthewomantoherfeet．Thegemsandtreasuresintheroomthenturomulti-coloredclouds，driftingandfloatingintheroom．Someofthemcametogetherandformedasoftmattressforthetwomoomakelove．Attheheightoftheirlove-making，theybothtransformedagaintohugepythowiogetherinaricableknot．

    "Dimitri！Dimitri！！"Marianna’sboomingvoicetohisdream．Hewokewithastartle，hisbodystillglisteningwithsweat，tofindMariannashakinghim．Whenheopenedhiseyessleepily，theseductiveagfemalemonsterwasgoneandbeforehimwasMarianna’sfat，affabletenance．"You’redreamingagain!”shesaid．Dimitrismiled．Hefoundthathispantsithnoalemission．

    "Howeyoudidn’tetogetyourdinight?"

    "ButIdid．Yougavemeshrimpsandsteak．"

    "Thatwasthedaybeforeyesterday．Aren’tyouhungry?"

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

    "Thereisfriedchiandhamsandwithebag．Heatitupa．Why’tyoustayawakeandfindsomeworktodoinsteadoflivinginyourdreams?"shescolded．"Whydon’tyoueandliveinmygarage?Youwon’tbeinanybody’swayandyou’llhaveadetroofoveryourhead.”

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

    "OK，"saidMariannaresignedly，"Youdon’thavetothankme．Youwashmydwearequits．Getupyourchiandsandwidgooutthereandgathermaterialforyourdreams．"

    Afterthesplendidbreakfast，heputonhisnewshirtandshoeswhichhehadretrievedfromthegarbagethedaybefore，ahatlifeingeneralwasfineindeed．Sopushinghiscartinfrontofhim，hewentoutintotheworld．"IwonderwhatI’llfindtodaytoweaveintomydreams”hethought．Everydaywasfreshaohim．Hehadafeelingofexpecy，likeachildgoingtoDisneyrolledaimlesslyaround，watgpassers-byhurryingtowardstheirdestinations．"Whyaretheyinsuchahurry?"hewondered．"Lifeshouldbepcid,tobeenjoyed，notsohurried...”Thedaypassedwithouthisseeinganythingoutoftheordinary．Dimitriwasdisappointed．"Uh-uh，nomaterialformydreamstonight．It’sgettingte．"Justthen，hesawan

．Hejumpedontoadeskattheendoftheroomandlookedattheimmehspreadbeforehim．Sometrunksheldgoldingots，goldsandgolds，rings，bracelets；others，silver．Hecrossedhislegsetedlyandshouted："HowrichIam!”Justthenahugepythonslitheredsoundlesslyoutfromtheerofthedarkroomandwounditselfroundandrouablewherethepigmysatcross-legged．Ohepython，thepygmyflewinteandscreamedshrilly，

    "Wherehaveyoubeento?Youweresupposedththereguardireasures！Ihadtoopenthedoormyselfandalotoftroubleitcausedme!”Hegrewangrierashespoke．Onseeinghimsoangry，thepythonuncurleditselfandturoaseductiveagnakedwoman，andlikeMedusa，shehadhairofsnakes．Shekbeforehimandaskedfivehepygmypulledoutawhipfromunderhisbeltandcrackeditonherinfury．Shecriedandkowtowedtobeghimforpardon．Redweltsappearedonhersnowwhiteskin．Shelookedathimbeseegly．Thepygmystoppedandturoacreaturewiththestrongmuscurbodyofamanbuttheheadofamonster．Oneeyewasinthemiddleofhisfadtheotheratthebackofhishead．Therewasarhinoceroshornoopofhishead．Hepulledthewomantoherfeet．Thegemsandtreasuresintheroomthenturomulti-coloredclouds，driftingandfloatingintheroom．Someofthemcametogetherandformedasoftmattressforthetwomoomakelove．Attheheightoftheirlove-making，theybothtransformedagaintohugepythowiogetherinaricableknot．

    "Dimitri！Dimitri！！"Marianna’sboomingvoicetohisdream．Hewokewithastartle，hisbodystillglisteningwithsweat，tofindMariannashakinghim．Whenheopenedhiseyessleepily，theseductiveagfemalemonsterwasgoneandbeforehimwasMarianna’sfat，affabletenance．"You’redreamingagain!”shesaid．Dimitrismiled．Hefoundthathispantsithnoalemission．

    "Howeyoudidn’tetogetyourdinight?"

    "ButIdid．Yougavemeshrimpsandsteak．"

    "Thatwasthedaybeforeyesterday．Aren’tyouhungry?"

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

    "Thereisfriedchiandhamsandwithebag．Heatitupa．Why’tyoustayawakeandfindsomeworktodoinsteadoflivinginyourdreams?"shescolded．"Whydon’tyoueandliveinmygarage?Youwon’tbeinanybody’swayandyou’llhaveadetroofoveryourhead.”

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

    "OK，"saidMariannaresignedly，"Youdon’thavetothankme．Youwashmydwearequits．Getupyourchiandsandwidgooutthereandgathermaterialforyourdreams．"

    Afterthesplendidbreakfast，heputonhisnewshirtandshoeswhichhehadretrievedfromthegarbagethedaybefore，ahatlifeingeneralwasfineindeed．Sopushinghiscartinfrontofhim，hewentoutintotheworld．"IwonderwhatI’llfindtodaytoweaveintomydreams”hethought．Everydaywasfreshaohim．Hehadafeelingofexpecy，likeachildgoingtoDisneyrolledaimlesslyaround，watgpassers-byhurryingtowardstheirdestinations．"Whyaretheyinsuchahurry?"hewondered．"Lifeshouldbepcid,tobeenjoyed，notsohurried...”Thedaypassedwithouthisseeinganythingoutoftheordinary．Dimitriwasdisappointed．"Uh-uh，nomaterialformydreamstonight．It’sgettingte．"Justthen，hesawan