dream days-第19节

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as　four　cart…horses　and　covered　with　blue　scales；　cannot　keep

altogether　out　of　the　public　view。　　And　so　in　the　village　tavern

of　nights　the　fact　that　a　real　live　dragon　sat　brooding　in　the

cave　on　the　Downs　was　naturally　a　subject　for　talk。　　Though　the

villagers　were　extremely　frightened；　they　were　rather　proud　as

well。　　It　was　a　distinction　to　have　a　dragon　of　your　own；　and　it

was　felt　to　be　a　feather　in　the　cap　of　the　village。　　Still；　all

were　agreed　that　this　sort　of　thing　couldn't　be　allowed　to　go　on。



The　dreadful　beast　must　be　exterminated；　the　country…side　must　be

freed　from　this　pest；　this　terror；　this　destroying　scourge。　　The

fact　that　not　even　a　hen　roost　was　the　worse　for　the　dragon's

arrival　wasn't　allowed　to　have　anything　to　do　with　it。　　He　was　a

dragon；　and　he　couldn't　deny　it；　and　if　he　didn't　choose　to

behave　as　such　that　was　his　own　lookout。　　But　in　spite　of

much　valiant　talk　no　hero　was　found　willing　to　take　sword　and

spear　and　free　the　suffering　village　and　win　deathless　fame；　and

each　night's　heated　discussion　always　ended　in　nothing。　

Meanwhile　the　dragon；　a　happy　Bohemian；　lolled　on　the　turf；

enjoyed　the　sunsets；　told　antediluvian　anecdotes　to　the　Boy；　and

polished　his　old　verses　while　meditating　on　fresh　ones。



One　day　the　Boy；　on　walking　in　to　the　village；　found　everything

wearing　a　festal　appearance　which　was　not　to　be　accounted　for　in

the　calendar。　　Carpets　and　gay…coloured　stuffs　were　hung　out　of

the　windows；　the　church…bells　clamoured　noisily；　the　little

street　was　flower…strewn；　and　the　whole　population　jostled　each

other　along　either　side　of　it；　chattering；　shoving；　and　ordering

each　other　to　stand　back。　　The　Boy　saw　a　friend　of　his　own　age　in

the　crowd　and　hailed　him。



〃What's　up？〃　he　cried。　　〃Is　it　the　players；　or　bears；　or　a

circus；　or　what？〃



〃It's　all　right；〃　his　friend　hailed　back。　　〃He's　a…coming。〃



〃WHO'S　a…coming？〃　demanded　the　Boy；　thrusting　into　the　throng。



〃Why；　St。　George；　of　course；〃　replied　his　friend。　　〃He's　heard

tell　of　our　dragon；　and　he's　comin'　on　purpose　to　slay　the　deadly

beast；　and　free　us　from　his　horrid　yoke。　　O　my！　won't　there　be　a

jolly　fight！〃



Here　was　news　indeed！　　The　Boy　felt　that　he　ought　to　make　quite

sure　for　himself；　and　he　wriggled　himself　in　between　the　legs　of

his　good…natured　elders；　abusing　them　all　the　time　for　their

unmannerly　habit　of　shoving。　　Once　in　the　front　rank；　he

breathlessly　awaited　the　arrival。



Presently　from　the　far…away　end　of　the　line　came　the　sound　of

cheering。　　Next；　the　measured　tramp　of　a　great　war…horse

made　his　heart　beat　quicker；　and　then　he　found　himself　cheering

with　the　rest；　as；　amidst　welcoming　shouts；　shrill　cries　of

women；　uplifting　of　babies　and　waving　of　handkerchiefs；　St。

George　paced　slowly　up　the　street。　　The　Boy's　heart　stood　still

and　he　breathed　with　sobs；　the　beauty　and　the　grace　of　the　hero

were　so　far　beyond　anything　he　had　yet　seen。　　His　fluted　armour

was　inlaid　with　gold；　his　plumed　helmet　hung　at　his　saddle…bow；

and　his　thick　fair　hair　framed　a　face　gracious　and　gentle　beyond

expression　till　you　caught　the　sternness　in　his　eyes。　　He　drew

rein　in　front　of　the　little　inn；　and　the　villagers　crowded　round

with　greetings　and　thanks　and　voluble　statements　of　their　wrongs

and　grievances　and　oppressions。　　The　Boy　heard　the　grave　gentle

voice　of　the　Saint；　assuring　them　that　all　would　be　well

now；　and　that　he　would　stand　by　them　and　see　them　righted

and　free　them　from　their　foe；　then　he　dismounted　and　passed

through　the　doorway　and　the　crowd　poured　in　after　him。　　But　the

Boy　made　off　up　the　hill　as　fast　as　he　could　lay　his　legs　to　the

ground。



〃It's　all　up；　dragon！〃　he　shouted　as　soon　as　he　was　within　sight

of　the　beast。　　〃He's　coming！　　He's　here　now！　　You'll　have　to　pull

yourself　together　and　DO　something　at　last！〃



The　dragon　was　licking　his　scales　and　rubbing　them　with　a　bit　of

house…flannel　the　Boy's　mother　had　lent　him；　till　he　shone　like　a

great　turquoise。



〃Don't　be　VIOLENT；　Boy；〃　he　said　without　looking　round。　　〃Sit

down　and　get　your　breath；　and　try　and　remember　that　the　noun

governs　the　verb；　and　then　perhaps　you'll　be　good　enough　to　tell

me　WHO'S　coming？〃



〃That's　right；　take　it　coolly；〃　said　the　Boy。　　〃Hope　you'll　be

half　as　cool　when　I've　got　through　with　my　news。　　It's　only　St。

George　who's　coming；　that's　all；　he　rode　into　the　village　half…

an…hour　ago。　　Of　course　you　can　lick　hima　great　big　fellow　like

you！　　But　I　thought　I'd　warn　you；　'cos　he's　sure　to　be　round

early；　and　he's　got　the　longest；　wickedest…looking　spear　you　ever

did　see！〃　　And　the　Boy　got　up　and　began　to　jump　round　in　sheer

delight　at　the　prospect　of　the　battle。



〃O　deary；　deary　me；〃　moaned　the　dragon；　〃this　is　too　awful。　　I

won't　see　him；　and　that's　flat。　　I　don't　want　to　know　the　fellow

at　all。　　I'm　sure　he's　not　nice。　　You　must　tell　him　to　go　away　at

once；　please。　　Say　he　can　write　if　he　likes；　but　I　can't　give　him

an　interview。　　I'm　not　seeing　anybody　at　present。〃



〃Now　dragon；　dragon；〃　said　the　Boy　imploringly；　〃don't　be

perverse　and　wrongheaded。　　You've　GOT　to　fight　him　some　time

or　other；　you　know；　'cos　he's　St。　George　and　you're　the　dragon。　

Better　get　it　over；　and　then　we　can　go　on　with　the　sonnets。　　And

you　ought　to　consider　other　people　a　little；　too。　　If　it's　been

dull　up　here　for　you；　think　how　dull　it's　been　for　me！〃



〃My　dear　little　man；〃　said　the　dragon　solemnly；　〃just　understand；

once　for　all；　that　I　can't　fight　and　I　won't　fight。　　I've　never

fought　in　my　life；　and　I'm　not　going　to　begin　now；　just　to　give

you　a　Roman　holiday。　　In　old　days　I　always　let　the　other

fellowsthe　EARNEST　fellowsdo　all　the　fighting；　and　no

doubt　that's　why　I　have　the　pleasure　of　being　here　now。〃



〃But　if　you　don't　fight　he'll　cut　your　head　off！〃　gasped　the　Boy；

miserable　at　the　prospect　of　losing　both　his　fight　and　his

friend。



〃Oh；　I　think　not；〃　said　the　dragon　in　his　lazy　way。　　〃You'll　be

able　to　arrange　something。　　I've　every　confidence　in　you；　you're

such　a　MANAGER。　　Just　run　down；　there's　a　dear　chap；　and　make

it　all　right。　　I　leave　it　entirely　to　you。〃



The　Boy　made　his　way　back　to　the　village　in　a　state　of　great

despondency。　　First　of　all；　there　wasn't　going　to　be　any　fight；

next；　his　dear　and　honoured　friend　the　dragon　hadn't　shown　up　in

quite　such　a　heroic　light　as　he　would　have　liked；　and　lastly；

whether　the　dragon　was　a　hero　at　heart　or　not；　it　made　no

difference；　for　St。　George　would　most　undoubtedly　cut　his　head

off。　　〃Arrange　things　indeed！〃　he　said　bitterly　to　himself。　　〃The

dragon　treats　the　whole　affair　as　if　it　was　an　invitation　to　tea

and　croquet。〃



The　villagers　were　straggling　homewards　as　he　passed　up　the

street；　all　of　them　in　the　highest　spirits；　and　gleefully

discussing　the　splendid　fight　that　was　in　store。　　The　Boy　pursued

his　way　to　the　inn；　and　passed　into　the　principal　chamber；　where

St。　George　now　sat　alone；　musing　over　the　chances　of　the　fight；

and　the　sad　stories　of　rapine　and　of　wrong　that　had　so　lately

been　poured　into　his　sympathetic　ears。



〃May　I　come　in；　St。　George？〃　said　the　Boy　politely；　as　he　paused

at　the　door。　　〃I　want　to　talk　to　you　about　this　little　matter　of

the　dragon；　if　you're　not　tired　of　it　by　this　time。〃



〃Yes；　come　in；　Boy；〃　said　the　Saint　kindly。　　〃Another　tale　of

misery　and　wrong；　I　fear　me。　　Is　it　a　kind　parent；　then；　of　whom

the　tyrant　has　bereft　you？　　Or　some　tender　sister　or　brother？　

Well；　it　shall　soon　be　avenged。〃



〃Nothing　of　the　sort；〃　said　the　Boy。　　〃There's　a　misunderstanding

somewhere；　and　I　want　to　put　it　right。　　The　fact　is；　this　is

a　GOOD　dragon。〃



〃Exactly；〃　said　St。　George；　smiling　pleasantly；　〃I　quite

understand。　　A　good　DRAGON。　　Believe　me；　I　do　not　in　the　least

regret　that　he　is　an　adversary　worthy　of　my　steel；　and　no　feeble

specimen　of　his　noxious　tribe。〃



〃But　he's　NOT　a　noxious　tribe；〃　cried　the　Boy　distressedly。　

〃Oh　dear；　oh　dear；　how　STUPID　men　are　when　they　get　an　idea

into　their　heads！　　I　tell　you　he's　a　GOOD　dragon；　and　a　friend

of　mine；　and　tells　me　the　most　beautiful　stories　you　ever　heard；

all　about　old　times　and　when　he　was　little。　　And　he's　been　so

kind　to　mother；　and　mother'd　do　anything　for　him。　　And　father

likes　him　too；　though　father　doesn't　hold　with　art　and　poetry

much；　and　always　falls　asleep　when　the　dragon　starts　talking

about　STYLE。　　But　the　fact　is；　nobody　can　help　liking　him　when

once　they　know　him。　　He's　so　engaging　and　so　trustful；　and

as　simple　as　a　child！〃



〃Sit　down；　and　draw　your　chair　up；〃　said　St。　George。　　〃I　like　a

fellow　who　sticks　up　for　his　friends；　and　I'm　sure　the　dragon　has

his　good　points；　if　he's　got　a　friend　like　you。　　But　that's　not

the　question。　　All　this　evening　I've　been　listening；　with　grief

and　anguish　unspeakable；　to　tales　of　murder；　theft；　and　wrong；

rather　too　highly　coloured；　perhaps；　not　always　quite　convincing；

but　f