"Hello, Carl. Alex is not at home."

"Actually, I came early on purpose, hoping to have a few minutes alone with you, Diana. I enjoy our little chats."

She blushed prettily. "Oh - I am very foolish." she said.

"You are not foolish at all." said Carl, "You Are naive, but that's another thing entirely."

"I enjoy talking to you, too, Carl. Whenever I see you, it's a happy day for me."

Carl looked at Diana; her golden hair framed an exquisite face, with bright eyes and lips like sweet, ripe fruit. It was the most natural thing in the world to kiss those sweet lips. So he did.

"I should apologize," said Carl, "But I am not sorry in the least."

"I am not sorry either." Said Diana.

***

Later that day, Carl conferred with two of his associates, Stavros and Demetrios.

"You plan to rob the Acropolis Museum?" Stavros said incredulously.

"Well, not Just that one." said Carl, "I mean, Greece is Full of museums, isn't it?"

Demetrios burst out laughing. "My friend, you have been out in the sun too much!"

"I'm serious." said Carl, "ANY Greek antiquity is worth money to a collector, but an antiquity with a know provenance - the price goes up considerably! And the best of it is, I can sell the SAME item to several collectors; I know an artist who can make excellent copies. I already had him make me a lovely little Kore."

(Even in those days, Carl was obsessed with Kores :-D)

"You enjoy dancing on the edge of disaster." said Stavros.

"It's a bit of fun, isn't it?" said Carl. "Can I count on your help?"

Stavros and Demetrios looked at each other.

"I'm in." said Demetrios.

"And I." said Stavros. "Of course, even if by some miracle, we succeed in robbing every museum in Greece, we will have the problem of getting the loot out of the country. The police will be everywhere."

"That's why I've been cultivating Alexander Nikos." said Carl, "He's a greedy man. As long as the profit to him is large enough, he won't care what he ships."

***

When Carl returned to his hotel suite that evening, he found Diana asleep on the couch.

"Alex has gone away on business." she said, "He will not be back until tomorrow. I was going to wait for you in your bed, but I didn't have the courage. If I did that, and you sent me away, I would die of the humiliation."

"Now why would I send you away?" said Carl.

Until now, this had been an adventure like a hundred others, but as he kissed Diana, as he embraced her, as he took her to his bed, Carl felt a totally unexpected wave of tenderness sweep over him. Diana was so sweet, so candid, so trusting, that he could not be other than gentle with her. So he took his time, guiding her step by step to the height of their mutual ecstacy.

"From the moment we met, I wondered what it would be like, with you." she said simply, afterwards.

"What's the verdict?" said Carl.

"I liked it." she said, "I never like it with Alex, but he doesn't take as long doing it."

Alex, Carl thought, was either ignorant, or selfish, or both.

"Why did you marry him?" Carl asked.

"He was a friend of my father; he asked for my hand, and my father gave his consent."

"And you had no say in the matter?"

"I did not want to be an old maid - don't laugh at me!"

"Can't help it!" said Carl, chuckling, "Oh, My Heart, as though you could ever have been an old maid!"

"I must go home now." said Diana. She got out of bed and started picking up her scattered clothing.

"Don't go!" Carl heard himself say. "Stay here with me."

"I cannot." said Diana. "If I stay out all night, Maria will tell Alex."

"When will I see you again?"

"Soon!"