dream days(做梦的日子)-第20节
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invention； and the buttoning of coats an unduly tedious form of fastening；
with all that snow going to waste at our very door。
When dinner…time came we had to be dragged in by the scruff of our
necks。 The short armistice over； the combat was resumed； but presently
Charlotte and I； a little weary of contests and of missiles that ran
shudderingly down inside one's clothes； forsook the trampled battle…field
of the lawn and went exploring the blank virgin spaces of the white world
that lay beyond。 It stretched away unbroken on every side of us； this
mysterious soft garment under which our familiar world had so suddenly
hidden itself。 Faint imprints showed where a casual bird had alighted；
but of other traffic there was next to no sign； which made these strange
tracks all the more puzzling。
We came across them first at the corner of the shrubbery； and pored
over them long； our hands on our knees。 Experienced trappers that we
knew ourselves to be； it was annoying to be brought up suddenly by a
beast we could not at once identify。
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〃Don't you know？〃 said Charlotte； rather scornfully。 〃Thought you
knew all the beasts that ever was。〃
This put me on my mettle； and I hastily rattled off a string of animal
names embracing both the arctic and the tropic zones； but without much
real confidence。
〃No；〃 said Charlotte； on consideration； 〃they won't any of 'em quite do。
Seems like something LIZARDY。 Did you say a iguanodon？ Might be
that； p'raps。 But that's not British； and we want a real British beast。 _I_
think it's a dragon！〃
〃'T isn't half big enough；〃 I objected。
〃Well； all dragons must be small to begin with；〃 said Charlotte： 〃like
everything else。 P'raps this is a little dragon who's got lost。 A little
dragon would be rather nice to have。 He might scratch and spit； but he
couldn't DO anything really。 Let's track him down！〃
So we set off into the wide snow…clad world； hand in hand； our hearts
big with expectation；complacently confident that by a few smudgy traces
in the snow we were in a fair way to capture a half…grown specimen of a
fabulous beast。
We ran the monster across the paddock and along the hedge of the next
field； and then he took to the road like any tame civilized tax…payer。 Here
his tracks became blended with and lost among more ordinary footprints；
but imagination and a fixed idea will do a great deal； and we were sure we
knew the direction a dragon would naturally take。 The traces； too； kept
reappearing at intervalsat least Charlotte maintained they did； and as it
was HER dragon I left the following of the slot to her and trotted along
peacefully； feeling that it was an expedition anyhow and something was
sure to come out of it。
Charlotte took me across another field or two； and through a copse；
and into a fresh road； and I began to feel sure it was only her confounded
pride that made her go on pretending to see dragon…tracks instead of
owning she was entirely at fault； like a reasonable person。 At last she
dragged me excitedly through a gap in a hedge of an obviously private
character； the waste； open world of field and hedge…row disappeared； and
we found ourselves in a garden； well…kept； secluded； most un…dragon…
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haunted in appearance。 Once inside； I knew where we were。 This was
the garden of my friend the circus…man； though I had never approached it
before by a lawless gap； from this unfamiliar side。
And here was the circus…man himself； placidly smoking a pipe as he
strolled up and down the walks。 I stepped up to him and asked him
politely if he had lately seen a Beast。
〃May I inquire；〃 he said； with all civility； 〃what particular sort of a
Beast you may happen to be looking for？〃
〃It's a LIZARDY sort of Beast；〃 I explained。 〃Charlotte says it's a
dragon； but she doesn't really know much about beasts。〃
The circus…man looked round about him slowly。 〃I don't THINK；〃 he
said； 〃that I've seen a dragon in these parts recently。 But if I come across
one I'll know it belongs to you； and I'll have him taken round to you at
once。〃
〃Thank you very much；〃 said Charlotte； 〃but don't TROUBLE about it；
please； 'cos p'raps it isn't a dragon after all。 Only I thought I saw his little
footprints in the snow； and we followed 'em up； and they seemed to lead
right in here； but maybe it's all a mistake； and thank you all the same。〃
〃Oh； no trouble at all；〃 said the circus…man； cheerfully。 〃I should be
only too pleased。 But of course； as you say； it MAY be a mistake。 And
it's getting dark； and he seems to have got away for the present； whatever
he is。 You'd better come in and have some tea。 I'm quite alone； and
we'll make a roaring fire； and I've got the biggest Book of Beasts you ever
saw。 It's got every beast in the world； and all of 'em coloured； and we'll
try and find YOUR beast in it！〃
We were always ready for tea at any time； and especially when
combined with beasts。 There was marmalade； too； and apricot…jam；
brought in expressly for us； and afterwards the beast…book was spread out；
and； as the man had truly said； it contained every sort of beast that had
ever been in the world。
The striking of six o'clock set the more prudent Charlotte nudging me；
and we recalled ourselves with an effort from Beast… land； and reluctantly
stood up to go。
〃Here； I'm coming along with you；〃 said the circus…man。 〃I want
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another pipe； and a walk'll do me good。 You needn't talk to me unless
you like。〃
Our spirits rose to their wonted level again。 The way had seemed so
long； the outside world so dark and eerie； after the bright warm room and
the highly…coloured beast…book。 But a walk with a real Manwhy； that
was a treat in itself！ We set off briskly； the Man in the middle。 I looked
up at him and wondered whether I should ever live to smoke a big pipe
with that careless sort of majesty！ But Charlotte； whose young mind was
not set on tobacco as a possible goal； made herself heard from the other
side。
〃Now； then；〃 she said； 〃tell us a story； please； won't you？〃
The Man sighed heavily and looked about him。 〃I knew it；〃 he
groaned。 〃I KNEW I should have to tell a story。 Oh； why did I leave
my pleasant fireside？ Well； I WILL tell you a story。 Only let me think a
minute。〃
So he thought a minute； and then he told us this story。
Long agomight have been hundreds of years agoin a cottage half…
way between this village and yonder shoulder of the Downs up there； a
shepherd lived with his wife and their little son。 Now the shepherd spent
his daysand at certain times of the year his nights tooup on the wide
ocean…bosom of the Downs； with only the sun and the stars and the sheep
for company； and the friendly chattering world of men and women far out
of sight and hearing。 But his little son； when he wasn't helping his father；
and often when he was as well； spent much of his time buried in big
volumes that he borrowed from the affable gentry and interested parsons
of the country round about。 And his parents were very fond of him； and
rather proud of him too； though they didn't let on in his hearing； so he was
left to go his own way and read as much as he liked； and instead of
frequently getting a cuff on the side of the head； as might very well have
happened to him； he was treated more or less as an equal by his parents；
who sensibly thought it a very fair division of labour that they should
supply the practical knowledge； and he the book…learning。 They knew
that book…learning oft
