Book1:TeDream-Maker

ewillow.Shecameasoftly,withonlytherustlingofherskirtsannoungherpresence．

    GrandpaIronRodsippedhiswineandbeganhistale：

    “Manyyearsago，therelivedaridlordnearbywhoownedsomudthatabirdcouldnotflythroughwithoutstopping.Innumerablehorsesandmules,servantsandserfsworkedforhimnightandday;butridgrainrottedinhisbarnsbecauseofinpetentma．Hewasabesottedmaninhisfiftieswholovedwineandwomenandusedhiswealthandiosatisfyhiseverywhim．Heexpandedhismansionintoaminiaturepacetohousehistwenty-fourbeauties-younggirlswhocaughthisfandwhomhetardlessofwhethertheyweremarriedorbetrothedorunwilling；thuscreatingtragedieseverywhere．Asamatteroffact，itcreatedtragedyforhimselfaswell．Siyranny,selfishnessandarrogancedidlittletoaspireloveandloyalty,eachofhistwenty-fourbeauties,forcefullygathered,hadherownpn,hemintendingtostaywithhim"tilldeathdouspart"．Perhapsheavenwasangrywithhimandcausedseveralfirestreatdealofhisproperty．Neverhavingbeenagoodmanager,heseemedatalossastohowtocope．Hismanywiveshadaffairswiththosewhoflockedaroundorworkedforhim，andnowtookadvantageofhispreoccupationtostealorembezzlewhattheycouldandrunaway．Itwaslikeagianttreefallingtothegroundandallthemonkeyslivinginitscatteringindifferentdires．Hewasdevastatedbytheirdesertionandneverrecoveredfromthisblow．Hesoondied.”Here，GrandpaIronRodhelduphiswinedhospitablypressedDimitritoeatanddrinkmore．Thendlordwasbadinmanyways,theoldmantinued,buthediddoonegooddeed-heoncesavedOldGrandpaIronRod’slife．Itmayhavebeenjustarandom,capriciousact，butGrandpaIronRodfeltheh