dream days-第20节

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

but　forming　in　the　main　a　most　serious　roll　of　crime。　　History

teaches　us　that　the　greatest　rascals　often　possess　all　the

domestic　virtues；　and　I　fear　that　your　cultivated　friend；　in

spite　of　the　qualities　which　have　won　（and　rightly）　your　regard；

has　got　to　be　speedily　exterminated。〃



〃Oh；　you've　been　taking　in　all　the　yarns　those　fellows　have　been

telling　you；〃　said　the　Boy　impatiently。　　〃Why；　our　villagers

are　the　biggest　story…tellers　in　all　the　country　round。　　It's　a

known　fact。　　You're　a　stranger　in　these　parts；　or　else　you'd　have

heard　it　already。　　All　they　want　is　a　FIGHT。　　They're　the　most

awful　beggars　for　getting　up　fightsit's　meat　and　drink　to　them。



Dogs；　bulls；　dragonsanything　so　long　as　it's　a　fight。　　Why；

they've　got　a　poor　innocent　badger　in　the　stable　behind　here；　at

this　moment。　　They　were　going　to　have　some　fun　with　him　to…day；

but　they're　saving　him　up　now　till　YOUR　little　affair's　over。　

And　I've　no　doubt　they've　been　telling　you　what　a　hero　you　were；

and　how　you　were　bound　to　win；　in　the　cause　of　right　and　justice；

and　so　on；　but　let　me　tell　you；　I　came　down　the　street　just　now；

and　they　were　betting　six　to　four　on　the　dragon　freely！〃



〃Six　to　four　on　the　dragon！〃　murmured　St。　George　sadly；　resting

his　cheek　on　his　hand。　　〃This　is　an　evil　world；　and

sometimes　I　begin　to　think　that　all　the　wickedness　in　it　is　not

entirely　bottled　up　inside　the　dragons。　　And　yetmay　not　this

wily　beast　have　misled　you　as　to　his　real　character；　in　order

that　your　good　report　of　him　may　serve　as　a　cloak　for　his　evil

deeds？　　Nay；　may　there　not　be；　at　this　very　moment；　some　hapless

Princess　immured　within　yonder　gloomy　cavern？〃



The　moment　he　had　spoken；　St。　George　was　sorry　for　what　he　had

said；　the　Boy　looked　so　genuinely　distressed。



〃I　assure　you；　St。　George；〃　he　said　earnestly；　〃there's　nothing

of　the　sort　in　the　cave　at　all。　　The　dragon's　a　real　gentleman；

every　inch　of　him；　and　I　may　say　that　no　one　would　be　more

shocked　and　grieved　than　he　would；　at　hearing　you　talk　in　that

that　LOOSE　way　about　matters　on　which　he　has　very　strong

views！〃



〃Well；　perhaps　I've　been　over…credulous；〃　said　St。　George。　

〃Perhaps　I've　misjudged　the　animal。　　But　what　are　we　to　do？　　Here

are　the　dragon　and　I；　almost　face　to　face；　each　supposed　to　be

thirsting　for　each　other's　blood。　　I　don't　see　any　way　out　of　it；

exactly。　　What　do　you　suggest？　　Can't　you　arrange　things；

somehow？〃



〃That's　just　what　the　dragon　said；〃　replied　the　Boy；　rather

nettled。　　〃Really；　the　way　you　two　seem　to　leave　everything　to

meI　suppose　you　couldn't　be　persuaded　to　go　away　quietly；　could

you？〃



〃Impossible；　I　fear；〃　said　the　Saint。　　〃Quite　against　the　rules。　

YOU　know　that　as　well　as　I　do。〃



〃Well；　then；　look　here；〃　said　the　Boy；　〃it's　early　yetwould　you

mind　strolling　up　with　me　and　seeing　the　dragon　and　talking　it

over？　　It's　not　far；　and　any　friend　of　mine　will　be　most

welcome。〃



〃Well；　it's　IRREGULAR；〃　said　St。　George；　rising；　〃but

really　it　seems　about　the　most　sensible　thing　to　do。　　You're

taking　a　lot　of　trouble　on　your　friend's　account；〃　he　added；

good…naturedly；　as　they　passed　out　through　the　door　together。　

〃But　cheer　up！　　Perhaps　there　won't　have　to　be　any　fight　after

all。〃



〃Oh；　but　_I_　hope　there　will；　though！〃　replied　the　little

fellow；　wistfully。





〃I've　brought　a　friend　to　see　you；　dragon；〃　said　the　Boy；　rather

loud。



The　dragon　woke　up　with　a　start。　　〃I　was　justerthinking　about

things；〃　he　said　in　his　simple　way。　　〃Very　pleased　to　make　your

acquaintance；　sir。　　Charming　weather　we're　having！〃



〃This　is　St　George；〃　said　the　Boy；　shortly。　　〃St。　George；　let　me

introduce　you　to　the　dragon。　　We've　come　up　to　talk　things　over

quietly；　dragon；　and　now　for　goodness'　sake　do　let　us　have　a

little　straight　common…sense；　and　come　to　some　practical

business…like　arrangement；　for　I'm　sick　of　views　and　theories　of

life　and　personal　tendencies；　and　all　that　sort　of　thing。　　I　may

perhaps　add　that　my　mother's　sitting　up。〃



〃So　glad　to　meet　you；　St。　George；〃　began　the　dragon　rather

nervously；　〃because　you've　been　a　great　traveller；　I　hear；　and

I've　always　been　rather　a　stay…at…home。　　But　I　can　show　you　many

antiquities；　many　interesting　features　of　our　country…side；　if

you're　stopping　here　any　time〃



〃I　think；〃　said　St。　George；　in　his　frank；　pleasant　way；　〃that

we'd　really　better　take　the　advice　of　our　young　friend　here；　and

try　to　come　to　some　understanding；　on　a　business　footing；　about

this　little　affair　of　ours。　　Now　don't　you　think　that　after　all

the　simplest　plan　would　be　just　to　fight　it　out；　according　to　the

rules；　and　let　the　best　man　win？　　They're　betting　on　you；　I

may　tell　you；　down　in　the　village；　but　I　don't　mind　that！〃



〃Oh；　yes；　DO；　dragon；〃　said　the　Boy；　delightedly；　〃it'll　save

such　a　lot　of　bother！〃



〃My　young　friend；　you　shut　up；〃　said　the　dragon　severely。　

〃Believe　me；　St。　George；〃　he　went　on；　〃there's　nobody　in　the

world　I'd　sooner　oblige　than　you　and　this　young　gentleman　here。　

But　the　whole　thing's　nonsense；　and　conventionality；　and　popular

thick…headedness。　　There's　absolutely　nothing　to　fight　about；

from　beginning　to　end。　　And　anyhow　I'm　not　going　to；　so　that

settles　it！〃



〃But　supposing　I　make　you？〃　said　St。　George；　rather　nettled。



〃You　can't；〃　said　the　dragon；　triumphantly。　　〃I　should　only　go

into　my　cave　and　retire　for　a　time　down　the　hole　I　came　up。　

You'd　soon　get　heartily　sick　of　sitting　outside　and　waiting

for　me　to　come　out　and　fight　you。　　And　as　soon　as　you'd　really

gone　away；　why；　I'd　come　up　again　gaily；　for　I　tell　you　frankly；

I　like　this　place；　and　I'm　going　to　stay　here！〃



St。　George　gazed　for　a　while　on　the　fair　landscape　around　them。　

〃But　this　would　be　a　beautiful　place　for　a　fight；〃　he　began　again

persuasively。　　〃These　great　bare　rolling　Downs　for　the　arena；

and　me　in　my　golden　armour　showing　up　against　your　big　blue　scaly

coils！　　Think　what　a　picture　it　would　make！〃



〃Now　you're　trying　to　get　at　me　through　my　artistic

sensibilities；〃　said　the　dragon。　　〃But　it　won't　work。　　Not　but

what　it　would　make　a　very　pretty　picture；　as　you　say；〃　he　added；

wavering　a　little。



〃We　seem　to　be　getting　rather　nearer　to　BUSINESS；〃　put　in　the

Boy。　　〃You　must　see；　dragon；　that　there's　got　to　be　a　fight

of　some　sort；　'cos　you　can't　want　to　have　to　go　down　that　dirty

old　hole　again　and　stop　there　till　goodness　knows　when。〃



〃It　might　be　arranged；〃　said　St。　George；　thoughtfully。　　〃I

MUST　spear　you　somewhere；　of　course；　but　I'm　not　bound　to　hurt

you　very　much。　　There's　such　a　lot　of　you　that　there　must　be　a

few　SPARE　places　somewhere。　　Here；　for　instance；　just　behind

your　foreleg。　　It　couldn't　hurt　you　much；　just　here！〃



〃Now　you're　tickling；　George；〃　said　the　dragon；　coyly。　　〃No；　that

place　won't　do　at　all。　　Even　if　it　didn't　hurt；and　I'm　sure　it

would；　awfully；it　would　make　me　laugh；　and　that　would　spoil

everything。〃



〃Let's　try　somewhere　else；　then；〃　said　St。　George；　patiently。　

〃Under　your　neck；　for　instance；all　these　folds　of　thick　skin；

if　I　speared　you　here　you'd　never　even　know　I'd　done　it！〃



〃Yes；　but　are　you　sure　you　can　hit　off　the　right　place？〃

asked　the　dragon；　anxiously。



〃Of　course　I　am；〃　said　St。　George；　with　confidence。　　〃You　leave

that　to　me！〃



〃It's　just　because　I've　GOT　to　leave　it　to　you　that　I'm

asking；〃　replied　the　dragon；　rather　testily。　　〃No　doubt　you　would

deeply　regret　any　error　you　might　make　in　the　hurry　of　the

moment；　but　you　wouldn't　regret　it　half　as　much　as　I　should！　

However；　I　suppose　we've　got　to　trust　somebody；　as　we　go　through

life；　and　your　plan　seems；　on　the　whole；　as　good　a　one　as　any。〃



〃Look　here；　dragon；〃　interrupted　the　Boy；　a　little　jealous　on

behalf　of　his　friend；　who　seemed　to　be　getting　all　the　worst　of

the　bargain：　〃I　don't　quite　see　where　YOU　come　in！　　There's　to

be　a　fight；　apparently；　and　you're　to　be　licked；　and　what　I　want

to　know　is；　what　are　YOU　going　to　get　out　of　it？〃



〃St。　George；〃　said　the　dragon；　〃Just　tell　him；　please；what　will

happen　after　I'm　vanquished　in　the　deadly　combat？〃



〃Well；　according　to　the　rules　I　suppose　I　shall　lead　you　in

triumph　down　to　the　market…place　or　whatever　answers　to　it；〃　said

St。　George。



〃Precisely；〃　said　the　dragon。　　〃And　then〃



〃And　then　there'll　be　shoutings　and　speeches　and　things；〃

continued　St。　George。　　〃And　I　shall　explain　that　you're

converted；　and　see　the　error　of　your　ways；　and　so　on。〃



〃Quite　so；〃　said　the　dragon。　　〃And　then？〃



〃Oh；　and　then〃　said　St。　George；　〃why；　and　then　there　will　be

the　usual　banquet；　I　suppose。〃



〃Exactly；〃　said　the　dragon；　〃and　that's　where　_I_　come　in。　　Look

here；〃　he　continued；　addressing　the　Boy；　〃I'm　bored　to　death

up　here；　and　no　one　really　appreciates　me。　　I'm　going　into

Society；　I　am；　through　the　k