Book1:TeDream-Maker (第101/166页)

  Withthepassingoftime，Dimitribecametenseandworried．Hecouldhearthefranticthumpingofhisheart．ThestreetswereingalivewithcarsariahedoorofWorldBankfinallyopened．GatheringuphisceDimitrimovedslowlytowardsit．Hisraggedimagereflectedbythepolishedmarbleshamedhim,buthesteeledhimselftopushopentherevolvingdoorandsteppedintotheinterior,hisheartalmostjumpingoutofhismouth．Inthehallleyesrivetedtotheintruder,thisdirty,ragged,homelesspersonwhobravedthesanctuaryoftherich．Hesteppedohick,softcarpetashemadeforthelinefinfrontoftheterandthoughthowwonderfulitwouldbetosleeponit．Itwouldsurelybelikelyingonclouds．Whatsweetdreamsmightetohim?Hisrovingthoughtswereinterruptedbythevoiceofthetellerasking，

    "MayIhelpyou,sir?"

    "Ineedsomemoney,butIhaveificate.”

    9

    "Haveyoulostitormispcedit?Pleasegoovertoohedesksacrosstheaisleandaskforarept.”Dimitrilookedacrosstheaisletowherethetellerpointedandsawarowofdeskswithadozenorsobaalkingtoers．

    "Thankyou.”Hemovedtowardsthedesks,butalltheclerkswerebusyandnoonepaidtheslightestattentiontohim．Hestoodawkwardlyinthemiddleofthehugehall，notknowingwhattodo．Asecurityguard,whohadbeenpayitentiontohim,cameoverandsaid，

    "MayIhelpyou?"

    "Ineedsomemohaveificate．Theytoldmetogothereaarept.”

    Justthenaeratohedesksstoodup,shookhandswiththeclerkandturogo．ThesecurityguardpoihedeskandaskedDimitritobeseated．Theclerkwasverypolite．SheintroducedherselfandwaitedforDimitritobeseatedbeforesittingdownherself．Thesecurityguardstoodonearbyincaseofadisturbance．

    "HowmayIhelpyousir.”

    "Ineedsomemohaveicate．Theytoldmetoeovertothisaisle..."Hebegantostutterinhisay．

    "Doyourememberyouratnumber?"

    "Noma’am.”

    "I’lltryaoutontheputer．Whatisyournamesir?"

    9

    "DimitriJa．"Afterchegagainandagainattheterminal,sheturohimandsaid,"I’msorrysirbutIotfindyournameanywhere．Whendidyouopenyourat?"Dimitrifelthotunderhiscolrandhisstutterbecamemorepronounhisayandembarrassment．

    "Well，Ireallyhemoney．MyfriendisillinthehospitandIpromisedtogethimthemoopayhisbills．Yousee,IgaveRichardmyword．Imusthavethemoney．IsweartoGodit’sforsomeoneelse,notformyself..."

    "I’msorrybutIotgiveyoumoneyifyoudon’thaveanatwithus.”

    "ButImusthaveit!"criedDimitri．Fromtheerofhiseyehecouldseethesecurityguardandtwoothers,whostoodattheotherendoftheroomstartingtocloseinonhim．Atthiscritient,abrightideafshedinhismind．Hecollectedhimselfandcalmeddown,sayingsolemnly，

    "Iwanttoseeyourpresident，Mr．OliverKaffee.”Theylookedathimopen-mouthedasiftheycouldn’tbelievetheirears．

    "You?YouwanttoseeMr．Kaffee?"Justthen,Mr．Kaffee’ssecretarysteppedintothehall．Sheworkedonaflexiblescheduleandcameaasshepleased．TheclerkandthesecurityguardexgedgndthettermovedovertoIleen，ferredwithherinaoneforamomentawowalkedovertothedesk．Dimitrifoundhimselffagafashionablydressedyoungwoman,whosepeinggncelookedhimupanddown，causinghimtolosehisposure．Asweetvoiceasked，

    "AreyouDimitriJa?"

    "Yes．"

    "ewithme，please.”Dimitrifollowedherintotheelevatorinadaze,hardlyabletobelievehisluckthatthi