dream days-第16章

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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　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。　

〃Believ