dream days-第15章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



one。　　To　the　right　and　left；　the　bare　and　billowy　leagues　of

Downs；　in　front；　the　vale；　with　its　clustered　homesteads；

its　threads　of　white　roads　running　through　orchards　and　well…

tilled　acreage；　and；　far　away；　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；　indeed；　as　the　Boy　approached　he　could　hear　the

beast　purring　with　a　happy　regularity。　　〃Well；　we　live　and

learn！〃　he　said　to　himself。　　〃None　of　my　books　ever　told　me　that

dragons　purred！〃



〃Hullo；　dragon！〃　said　the　Boy；　quietly；　when　he　had　got　up　to

him。



The　dragon；　on　hearing　the　approaching　footsteps；　made　the

beginning　of　a　courteous　effort　to　rise。　　But　when　he　saw　it　was

a　Boy；　he　set　his　eyebrows　severely。



〃Now　don't　you　hit　me；〃　he　said；　〃or　bung　stones；　or　squirt

water；　or　anything。　　I　won't　have　it；　I　tell　you！〃



〃Not　goin'　to　hit　you；〃　said　the　Boy　wearily；　dropping　on　the

grass　beside　the　beast：　〃and　don't；　for　goodness'　sake；　keep　on

saying　‘Don't；'　I　hear　so　much　of　it；　and　it's　monotonous；　and

makes　me　tired。　　I've　simply　looked　in　to　ask　you　how　you　were

and　all　that　sort　of　thing；　but　if　I'm　in　the　way　I　can　easily

clear　out。　　I've　lots　of　friends；　and　no　one　can　say　I'm　in　the

habit　of　shoving　myself　in　where　I'm　not　wanted！〃



〃No；　no；　don't　go　off　in　a　huff；〃　said　the　dragon；　hastily；　〃fact

is；I'm　as　happy　up　here　as　the　day's　long；　never　without　an

occupation；　dear　fellow；　never　without　an　occupation！　　And　yet；

between　ourselves；　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？〃　he　asked；　politely。



〃Can't　hardly　say　at　present；〃　replied　the　dragon。　　〃It　seems　a

nice　place　enoughbut　I've　only　been　here　a　short　time；　and　one

must　look　about　and　reflect　and　consider　before　settling　down。　

It's　rather　a　serious　thing；　settling　down。　　Besidesnow　I'm

going　to　tell　you　something！　　You'd　never　guess　it　if　you　tried

ever　so！fact　is；　I'm　such　a　confoundedly　lazy　beggar！〃



〃You　surprise　me；〃　said　the　Boy；　civilly。



〃It's　the　sad　truth；〃　the　dragon　went　on；　settling　down　between

his　paws　and　evidently　delighted　to　have　found　a　listener　at

last：　〃and　I　fancy　that's　really　how　I　came　to　be　here。　　You　see

all　the　other　fellows　were　so　active　and　EARNEST　and　all　that

sort　of　thingalways　rampaging；　and　skirmishing；　and　scouring

the　desert　sands；　and　pacing　the　margin　of　the　sea；　and　chasing

knights　all　over　the　place；　and　devouring　damsels；　and　going

on　generallywhereas　I　liked　to　get　my　meals　regular　and　then　to

prop　my　back　against　a　bit　of　rock　and　snooze　a　bit；　and　wake　up

and　think　of　things　going　on　and　how　they　kept　going　on　just　the

same；　you　know！　　So　when　it　happened　I　got　fairly　caught。〃



〃When　WHAT　happened；　please？〃　asked　the　Boy。



〃That's　just　what　I　don't　precisely　know；〃　said　the　dragon。　　〃I

suppose　the　earth　sneezed；　or　shook　itself；　or　the　bottom　dropped

out　of　something。　　Anyhow　there　was　a　shake　and　a　roar　and　a

general　stramash；　and　I　found　myself　miles　away　underground　and

wedged　in　as　tight　as　tight。　　Well；　thank　goodness；　my　wants　are

few；　and　at　any　rate　I　had　peace　and　quietness　and　wasn't　always

being　asked　to　come　along　and　DO　something。　　And　I've　got　such

an　active　mindalways　occupied；　I　assure　you！　　But　time　went

on；　and　there　was　a　certain　sameness　about　the　life；　and　at

last　I　began　to　think　it　would　be　fun　to　work　my　way　upstairs　and

see　what　you　other　fellows　were　doing。　　So　I　scratched　and

burrowed；　and　worked　this　way　and　that　way　and　at　last　I　came　out

through　this　cave　here。　　And　I　like　the　country；　and　the　view；

and　the　peoplewhat　I've　seen　of　'emand　on　the　whole　I　feel

inclined　to　settle　down　here。〃



〃What's　your　mind　always　occupied　about？〃　asked　the　Boy。　　〃That's

what　I　want　to　know。〃



The　dragon　coloured　slightly　and　looked　away。　　Presently　he　said

bashfully：



〃Did　you　everjust　for　funtry　to　make　up　poetryverses；　you

know？〃



〃'Course　I　have；〃　said　the　Boy。　　〃Heaps　of　it。　　And　some　of　it's

quite　good；　I　feel　sure；　only　there's　no　one　here　cares　about　it。



Mother's　very　kind　and　all　that；　when　I　read　it　to　her；　and　so's

father　for　that　matter。　　But　somehow　they　don't　seem　to〃



〃Exactly；〃　cried　the　dragon；　〃my　own　case　exactly。　　They　don't

seem　to；　and　you　can't　argue　with　'em　about　it。　　Now　you've　got

culture；　you　have；　I　could　tell　it　on　you　at　once；　and　I　should

just　like　your　candid　opinion　about　some　little　things　I　threw

off　lightly；　when　I　was　down　there。　　I'm　awfully　pleased　to　have

met　you；　and　I'm　hoping　the　other　neighbours　will　be　equally

agreeable。　　There　was　a　very　nice　old　gentleman　up　here　only　last

night；　but　he　didn't　seem　to　want　to　intrude。〃



〃That　was　my　father；〃　said　the　boy；　〃and　he　IS　a　nice　old

gentleman；　and　I'll　introduce　you　some　day　if　you　like。〃



〃Can't　you　two　come　up　here　and　dine　or　something　to…morrow？〃

asked　the　dragon　eagerly。　　〃Only；　of　course；　if　you've　got

nothing　better　to　do；〃　he　added　politely。



〃Thanks　awfully；〃　said　the　Boy；　〃but　we　don't　go　out　anywhere

without　my　mother；　and；　to　tell　you　the　truth；　I'm　afraid　she

mightn't　quite　approve　of　you。　　You　see　there's　no　getting　over

the　hard　fact　that　you're　a　dragon；　is　there？　　And　when　you　talk

of　settling　down；　and　the　neighbours；　and　so　on；　I　can't　help

feeling　that　you　don't　quite　realize　your　position。　　You're　an

enemy　of　the　human　race；　you　see！〃



〃Haven't　got　an　enemy　in　the　world；〃　said　the　dragon；　cheerfully。



Too　lazy　to　make　'em；　to　begin　with。　　And　if　I　DO　read　other

fellows　my　poetry；　I'm　always　ready　to　listen　to　theirs！〃



〃Oh；　dear！〃　cried　the　boy；　〃I　wish　you'd　try　and　grasp　the

situation　properly。　　When　the　other　people　find　you　out；　they'll

come　after　you　with　spears　and　swords　and　all　sorts　of　things。　

You'll　have　to　be　exterminated；　according　to　their　way　of

looking　at　it！　　You're　a　scourge；　and　a　pest；　and　a　baneful

monster！〃



〃Not　a　word　of　truth　in　it；〃　said　the　dragon；　wagging　his　head

solemnly。　　〃Character'll　bear　the　strictest　investigation。　　And

now；　there's　a　little　sonnet…thing　I　was　working　on　when　you

appeared　on　the　scene〃



〃Oh；　if　you　WON'T　be　sensible；〃　cried　the　Boy；　getting　up；

〃I'm　going　off　home。　　No；　I　can't　stop　for　sonnets；　my　mother's

sitting　up。　　I'll　look　you　up　to…morrow；　sometime　or　other；　and

do　for　goodness'　sake　try　and　realize　that　you're　a　pestilential

scourge；　or　you'll　find　yourself　in　a　most　awful　fix。　　Good…

night！〃



The　Boy　found　it　an　easy　matter　to　set　the　mind　of　his　parents'

at　ease　about　his　new　friend。　　They　had　always　left　that　branch

to　him；　and　they　took　his　word　without　a　murmur。　　The　shepherd

was　formally　introduced　and　many　compliments　and　kind

inquiries　were　exchanged。　　His　wife；　however；　though　expressing

her　willingness　to　do　anything　she　couldto　mend　things；　or　set

the　cave　to　rights；　or　cook　a　little　something　when　the　dragon

had　been　poring　over　sonnets　and　forgotten　his　meals；　as　male

things　WILL　do；　could　not　be　brought　to　recognize　him

formally。　　The　fact　that　he　was　a　dragon　and　〃they　didn't　know

who　he　was〃　seemed　to　count　for　everything　with　her。　　She　made　no

objection；　however；　to　her　little　son　spending　his　evenings　with

the　dragon　quietly；　so　long　as　he　was　home　by　nine　o'clock：　and

many　a　pleasant　night　they　had；　sitting　on　the　sward；　while　the

dragon　told　stories　of　old；　old　times；　when　dragons　were　quite

plentiful　and　the　world　was　a　livelier　place　than　it　is　now；　and

life　was　full　of　thrills　and　jumps　and　surprises。



What　the　Boy　had　feared；　however；　soon　came　to　pass。　　The　most

modest　and　retiring　dragon　in　the　world；　if　he's　as　big

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