dream days-第17章

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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　kindly　aid　of　our　friend　here；　who's

taking　such　a　lot　of　trouble　on　my　account；　and　you'll　find　I've

got　all　the　qualities　to　endear　me　to　people　who　entertain！　　So

now　that's　all　settled；　and　if　you　don't　mindI'm　an　old…

fashioned　fellowdon't　want　to　turn　you　out；　but〃



〃Remember；　you'll　have　to　do　your　proper　share　of　the　fighting；

dragon！〃　said　St。　George；　as　he　took　the　hint　and　rose　to　go；　〃I

mean　ramping；　and　breathing　fire；　and　so　on！〃



〃I　can　RAMP　all　right；〃　replied　the　dragon；　confidently；　〃as

to　breathing　fire；　it's　surprising　how　easily　one　gets　out　of

practice；　but　I'll　do　the　best　I　can。　　Goodnight！〃



They　had　descended　the　hill　and　were　almost　back　in　the　village

again；　when　St。　George　stopped　short；　〃KNEW　I　had

forgotten　something；〃　he　said。　　〃There　ought　to　be　a　Princess。　

Terror…stricken　and　chained　to　a　rock；　and　all　that　sort　of

thing。　　Boy；　can't　you　arrange　a　Princess？〃



The　Boy　was　in　the　middle　of　a　tremendous　yawn。　　〃I'm　tired　to

death；〃　he　wailed；　〃and　I　CAN'T　arrange　a　Princess；　or

anything　more；　at　this　time　of　night。　　And　my　mother's　sitting

up；　and　DO　stop　asking　me　to　arrange　more　things　till

tomorrow！〃





Next　morning　the　people　began　streaming　up　to　the　Downs　at　quite

an　early　hour；　in　their　Sunday　clothes　and　carrying　baskets　with

bottle…necks　sticking　out　of　them；　every　one　intent　on　securing

good　places　for　the　combat。　　This　was　not　exactly　a　simple

matter；　for　of　course　it　was　quite　possible　that　the　dragon　might

win；　and　in　that　case　even　those　who　had　put　their　money　on

him　felt　they　could　hardly　expect　him　to　deal　with　his　backers　on

a　different　footing　to　the　rest。　　Places　were　chosen；　therefore；

with　circumspection　and　with　a　view　to　a　speedy　retreat　in　case

of　emergency；　and　the　front　rank　was　mostly　composed　of　boys　who

had　escaped　from　parental　control　and　now　sprawled　and　rolled

about　on　the　grass；　regardless　of　the　shrill　threats　and　warnings

discharged　at　them　by　their　anxious　mothers　behind。



The　Boy　had　secured　a　good　front　place；　well　up　towards　the　cave；

and　was　feeling　as　anxious　as　a　stage…manager　on　a　first　night。　

Could　the　dragon　be　depended　upon？　　He　might　change　his　mind　and

vote　the　whole　performance　rot；　or　else；　seeing　that　the　affair

had　been　so　hastily　planned；　without　even　a　rehearsal；　he　might

be　too　nervous　to　show　up。　　The　Boy　looked　narrowly　at　the　cave；

but　it　showed　no　sign　of　life　or　occupation。　　Could　the

dragon　have　made　a　moon…light　flitting？



The　higher　portions　of　the　ground　were　now　black　with　sightseers；

and　presently　a　sound　of　cheering　and　a　waving　of　handkerchiefs

told　that　something　was　visible　to　them　which　the　Boy；　far　up

towards　the　dragon…end　of　the　line　as　he　was；　could　not　yet　see。　

A　minute　more　and　St。　George's　red　plumes　topped　the　hill；　as　the

Saint　rode　slowly　forth　on　the　great　level　space　which　stretched

up　to　the　grim　mouth　of　the　cave。　　Very　gallant　and　beautiful　he

looked；　on　his　tall　war…horse；　his　golden　armour　glancing　in　the

sun；　his　great　spear　held　erect；　the　little　white　pennon；

crimson…crossed；　fluttering　at　its　point。　　He　drew　rein　and

remained　motionless。　　The　lines　of　spectators　began　to　give　back

a　little；　nervously；　and　even　the　boys　in　front　stopped　pulling

hair　and　cuffing　each　other；　and　leaned　forward　expectant。



〃Now　then；　dragon！〃　muttered　the　Boy　impatiently；　fidgeting　where

he　sat。　　He　need　not　have　distressed　himself；　had　he　only　known。　

The　dramatic　possibilities　of　the　thing　had　tickled　the　dragon

immensely；　and　he　had　been　up　from　an　early　hour；　preparing　for

his　first　public　appearance　with　as　much　heartiness　as　if　the

years　had　run　backwards；　and　he　had　been　again　a　little

dragonlet；　playing　with　his　sisters　on　the　floor　of　their

mother's　cave；　at　the　game　of　saints…and…dragons；　in　which　the

dragon　was　bound　to　win。



A　low　muttering；　mingled　with　snorts；　now　made　itself　heard；

rising　to　a　bellowing　roar　that　seemed　to　fill　the　plain。　　Then　a

cloud　of　smoke　obscured　the　mouth　of　the　cave；　and　out　of　the

midst　of　it　the　dragon　himself；　shining；　sea…blue；　magnificent；

pranced　splendidly　forth；　and　everybody　said；　〃Oo…oo…oo！〃　as　if

he　had　been　a　mighty　rocket！　　His　scales　were　glittering；

his　long　spiky　tail　lashed　his　sides；　his　claws　tore　up　the　turf

and　sent　it　flying　high　over　his　back；　and　smoke　and　fire

incessantly　jetted　from　his　angry　nostrils。　　〃Oh；　well　done；

dragon！〃　cried　the　Boy；　excitedly。　　〃Didn't　think　he　had　it　in

him！〃　he　added　to　himself。



St。　George　lowered　his　spear；　bent　his　head；　dug　his　heels　into

his　horse's　sides；　and　came　thundering　over　the　turf。　　The　dragon

charged　with　a　roar　and　a　squeal；a　great　blue　whirling

combination　of　coils　and　snorts　and　clashing　jaws　and　spikes　and

fire。



〃Missed！〃　yelled　the　crowd。　　There　was　a　moment's　entanglement　of

golden　armour　and　blue…green　coils；　and　spiky　tail；　and　then　the

great　horse；　tearing　at　his　bit；　carried　the　Saint；　his　spear

swung　high　in　the　air；　almost　up　to　the　mouth　of　the　cave。



The　dragon　sat　down　and　barked　viciously；　while　St。　George

with　difficulty　pulled　his　horse　round　into　position。



〃End　of　Round　One！〃　thought　the　Boy。　　〃How　well　they　managed　it！　

But　I　hope　the　Saint　won't　get　excited。　　I　can　trust　the　dragon

all　right。　　What　a　regular　play…actor　the　fellow　is！〃



St。　George　had　at　last　prevailed　on　his　horse　to　stand　steady；

and　was　looking　round　him　as　he　wiped　his　brow。　　Catching　sight

of　the　Boy；　he　smiled　and　nodded；　and　held　up　three　fingers　for

an　instant。



〃It　seems　to　be　all　planned　out；〃　said　the　Boy　to　himself。　

〃Round　Three　is　to　be　the　finishing　one；　evidently。　　Wish　it

could　have　lasted　a　bit　longer。　　Whatever's　that　old　fool　of　a

dragon　up　to　now？〃



The　dragon　was　employing　the　interval　in　giving　a　ramping…

performance　for　the　benefit　of　the　crowd。　　Ramping；　it　should　be

explained；　consists　in　running　round　and　round　in　a　wide

circle；　and　sending　waves　and　ripples　of　movement　along　the　whole

length　of　your　spine；　from　your　pointed　ears　right　down　to　the

spike　at　the　end　of　your　long　tail。　　When　you　are　covered　with

blue　scales；　the　effect　is　particularly　pleasing；　and　the　Boy

recollected　the　dragon's　recently　expressed　wish　to　become　a

social　success。



St。　George　now　gathered　up　his　reins　and　began　to　move　forward；

dropping　the　point　of　his　spear　and　settling　himself　firmly　in

the　saddle。



〃Time！〃　yelled　everybody　excitedly；　and　the　dragon；　leaving　off

his　ramping；　sat　up　on　end；　and　began　to　leap　from　one　side　to

the　other　with　huge　ungainly　bounds；　whooping　like　a　Red　Indian。　

This　naturally　disconcerted　the　horse；　who　swerved　violently；　the

Saint　only　just　saving　himself　by　the　mane；　and　as　they　shot　past

the　dragon　delivered　a　vicious　snap　at　the　horse's　tail

which　sent　the　poor　beast　careering　madly　far　ov