dream days(恂知議晩徨)-及21准
梓囚徒貧圭鮗 ○ 賜 ★ 辛酔堀貧和鍬匈梓囚徒貧議 Enter 囚辛指欺云慕朕村匈梓囚徒貧圭鮗 ● 辛指欺云匈競何
!!!!隆堋響頼紗秘慕禰厮宴和肝写偬堋響
supply the practical knowledge察 and he the book´learning。 They knew
that book´learning often came in useful at a pinch察in spite of what their
neighbours said。 What the Boy chiefly dabbled in was natural history
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and fairy´tales察and he just took them as they came察in a sandwichy sort of
way察 without making any distinctions察 and really his course of reading
strikes one as rather sensible。
One evening the shepherd察 who for some nights past had been
disturbed and preoccupied察and off his usual mental balance察came home
all of a tremble察and察sitting down at the table where his wife and son were
peacefully employed察 she with her seam察 he in following out the
adventures of the Giant with no Heart in his Body察exclaimed with much
agitation此
;It's all up with me察Maria Never no more can I go up on them there
Downs察was it ever so ─
;Now don't you take on like that察─ said his wife察 who was a VERY
sensible woman此 but tell us all about it first察whatever it is as has given
you this shake´up察and then me and you and the son here察between us察we
ought to be able to get to the bottom of it ─
;It began some nights ago察─said the shepherd。 ;You know that cave
up thereI never liked it察somehow察and the sheep never liked it neither察
and when sheep don't like a thing there's generally some reason for it。
Well察for some time past there's been faint noises coming from that cave
noises like heavy sighings察with grunts mixed up in them察and sometimes a
snoring察 far away downREAL snoring察 yet somehow not HONEST
snoring察like you and me o'nights察you know ─
;_I_ know察─remarked the Boy察quietly。
;Of course I was terrible frightened察─ the shepherd went on察 yet
somehow I couldn't keep away。 So this very evening察 before I come
down察I took a cast round by the cave察quietly。 And thereO Lord there
I saw him at last察as plain as I see you ─
;Saw WHO拭─ said his wife察 beginning to share in her husband's
nervous terror。
;Why HIM察I'm a telling you ─said the shepherd。 ;He was sticking
half´way out of the cave察 and seemed to be enjoying of the cool of the
evening in a poetical sort of way。 He was as big as four cart´horses察and
all covered with shiny scalesdeep´blue scales at the top of him察shading
off to a tender sort o' green below。 As he breathed察there was that sort of
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DREAM DAYS
flicker over his nostrils that you see over our chalk roads on a baking
windless day in summer。 He had his chin on his paws察and I should say
he was meditating about things。 Oh察 yes察 a peaceable sort o' beast
enough察and not ramping or carrying on or doing anything but what was
quite right and proper。 I admit all that。 And yet察 what am I to do拭
SCALES察you know察and claws察and a tail for certain察though I didn't see
that end of himI ain't USED to 'em察 and I don't HOLD with 'em察 and
that's a fact ─
The Boy察 who had apparently been absorbed in his book during his
father's recital察now closed the volume察yawned察clasped his hands behind
his head察and said sleepily此
;It's all right察father。 Don't you worry。 It's only a dragon。;
;Only a dragon拭─cried his father。 ;What do you mean察sitting there察
you and your dragons拭 ONLY a dragon indeed And what do YOU
know about it拭─
;'Cos it IS察and 'cos I DO know察─replied the Boy察quietly。 ;Look here察
father察you know we've each of us got our line。 YOU know about sheep察
and weather察 and things察 _I_ know about dragons。 I always said察 you
know察that that cave up there was a dragon´cave。 I always said it must
have belonged to a dragon some time察 and ought to belong to a dragon
now察 if rules count for anything。 Well察 now you tell me it HAS got a
dragon察and so THAT'S all right。 I'm not half as much surprised as when
you told me it HADN'T got a dragon。 Rules always come right if you
wait quietly。 Now察please察just leave this all to me。 And I'll stroll up to´
morrow morningno察 in the morning I can't察 I've got a whole heap of
things to dowell察perhaps in the evening察if I'm quite free察I'll go up and
have a talk to him察and you'll find it'll be all right。 Only察please察don't you
go worrying round there without me。 You don't understand 'em a bit察and
they're very sensitive察you know ─
;He's quite right察 father察─ said the sensible mother。 ;As he says察
dragons is his line and not ours。 He's wonderful knowing about book´
beasts察as every one allows。 And to tell the truth察I'm not half happy in
my own mind察thinking of that poor animal lying alone up there察without a
bit o' hot supper or anyone to change the news with察and maybe we'll be
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able to do something for him察and if he ain't quite respectable our Boy'll
find it out quick enough。 He's got a pleasant sort o' way with him that
makes everybody tell him everything。;
Next day察after he'd had his tea察the Boy strolled up the chalky track
that led to the summit of the Downs察and there察sure enough察he found the
dragon察stretched lazily on the sward in front of his cave。 The view from
that point was a magnificent one。 To the right and left察 the bare and
billowy leagues of Downs察in front察the vale察with its clustered homesteads察
its threads of white roads running through orchards and well´ tilled
acreage察and察far away察a hint of grey old cities on the horizon。 A cool
breeze played over the surface of the grass and the silver shoulder of a
large moon was showing above distant junipers。 No wonder the dragon
seemed in a peaceful and contented mood察indeed察as the Boy approached
he could hear the beast purring with a happy regularity。 ;Well察we live
and learn ─ he said to himself。 ;None of my books ever told me that
dragons purred ─
;Hullo察dragon ─said the Boy察quietly察when he had got up to him。
The dragon察on hearing the approaching footsteps察made the beginning
of a courteous effort to rise。 But when he saw it was a Boy察he set his
eyebrows severely。
;Now don't you hit me察─he said察 or bung stones察or squirt water察or
anything。 I won't have it察I tell you ─
;Not goin' to hit you察─ said the Boy wearily察 dropping on the grass
beside the beast此 and don't察for goodness' sake察keep on saying `Don't' I
hear so much of it察and it's monotonous察and makes me tired。 I've simply
looked in to ask you how you were and all that sort of thing察but if I'm in
the way I can easily clear out。 I've lots of friends察and no one can say I'm
in the habit of shoving myself in where I'm not wanted ─
;No察no察don't go off in a huff察─said the dragon察hastily察 fact isI'm
as happy up here as the day's long察 never without an occupation察 dear
fellow察never without an occupation And yet察between ourselves察it IS a
trifle dull at times。;
The Boy bit off a stalk of grass and chewed it。 ;Going to make a
long stay here拭─he asked察politely。
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;Can't hardly say at present察─ replied the dragon。 ;It seems a nice
place enoughbut I've only been here a short time察 and one must look
about and reflect and consider before settling down。 It's rather a serious
thing察 settling down。 Besidesnow I'm going to tell you something
You'd never guess it if you tried ever sofact is察I'