Dancing with Bears Read Online Free PDF Page B

would likely be nothing here but ruins.”
    “Nevertheless, he seems intent on creating anarchy.”
    “Oh, that is entirely intentional. By reducing an enterprise to chaos my father places himself solely in charge of it, and that means more to him than anything he might possibly accomplish.”
    “Yes, but surely this is a roundabout way of—”
    “This is Russia—you mustn’t apply foreign standards of logic to it. Be patient, and things will turn out well enough.”
    And indeed, in short order the pantry was cleared and made into a sickroom. Into it were brought first a featherbed, then the ailing Prince Achmed, and finally two long-bearded doctors.
    (“They are the best doctors in town,” Gulagsky remarked to Darger under his breath, “but only because there are no others.”)
    The doctors had scarcely closed the sickroom door behind them when two Neanderthals lumbered down from their post at the top of the stairs. “Only those who belong here can stay,” one announced.“Anyone who tries to go upstairs will be killed.” With a hulking menace that was perilously close to grace, they cleared the ground floor of all but Arkady and his father, the doctors, and his father’s two new friends.
    Finally, when this chore was accomplished and all was still, a third Neanderthal descended the stairs, followed closely by a dark panther of a maiden—tall, slim yet strongly built, with flashing gray eyes, ebony hair, and an imperious manner. Hers was a beauty so rare as to be encountered only once or luckily twice in a human lifetime. Being indoors and in a house, moreover, requisitioned specifically for her and the other Pearls—which made it, for the nonce, an honorary palace—she had discarded her chaste and concealing chador for the immodest and diaphanous silks of Byzantium.
    “Zoësophia,” Darger said warmly, though not, Arkady suspected, with total sincerity. “Your beauty dazzles our eyes and ennobles our drab and humdrum lives.”
    Zoësophia’s face was like finely chiseled stone. One of the Neanderthals grinned and cracked his knuckles threateningly. Unfolding a sheet of paper, the Pearl said,“I have compiled a list of a few small things we require. To begin, a basket of kittens, several packs of playing cards, balls of yarn in every color and seven pairs of knitting needles, preferably ivory, six dozen long-stem roses without thorns—”
    “Roses without thorns?” Darger asked bemusedly.
    “Nymphodora always manages to prick herself.” Zoësophia scowled as Surplus turned away, hiding his mouth with a hastily drawn handkerchief. “So there must be absolutely no thorns.”
    “I know where roses are to be found,” Arkady said. “Dark red, rich-scented, and in full bloom. I shall be happy to remove the thorns myself.”
    As if no one had spoken, Zoësophia continued, “We also require scented soaps, clothing such as fashionable Russian women wear, in a variety of sizes, at least three seamstresses to make adjustments, a cobbler—female, of course—to make us all new shoes, a balalaika, sheet music in both popular and traditional styles, and enough books to fill several shelves, on a variety of topics both frivolous and intellectual.”
    Gulagsky cleared his throat. “The only books we have are in Russian.”
    Zoësophia’s stare would have stunned a basilisk. “We all read Russian perfectly, thank you.”
    “That will require rather a lot of money,” Surplus observed.
    “I have no doubt of that. See that it is spent.” Zoësophia handed the list to the first Neanderthal, who handed it to the second, who handed it to Darger. Then she turned, revealing a back that was both wholly admirable and almost entirely naked, and ascended the stairs again, to the intense interest of all four men.
    Somebody sighed as the door closed on her perfect if thinly covered backside. There was a long moment of silence.
    “Well,” said Darger, when all had recovered themselves. “That leaves us with a