dream days-第18章

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at　each　other's　homes；　and　really　it　was　quite　difficult　to

induce　him　to　take　his　leave。　　But　at　last　he　and　his　crew　were

bundled　into　their　boats；　and　after　I　had　pressed　some　pirate

bullion　upon　themdelicately；　of　course；　but　in　a　pleasant

manner　that　admitted　of　no　denialthe　gallant　fellows　quite

broke　down；　and　we　parted；　our　bosoms　heaving　with　a　full　sense

of　each　other's　magnanimity　and　good…fellowship。



The　next　day；　which　was　nearly　all　taken　up　with　shifting　our

quarters　into　the　new　frigate；　so　honourably　and　easily　acquired；

was　a　very　pleasant　one；　as　everyone　who　has　gone　up　in　the　world

and　moved　into　a　larger　house　will　readily　understand。　　At　last　I

had　grim；　black　guns　all　along　each　side；　instead　of　a　rotten

brass　carronade；　at　last　I　had　a　square…rigged　ship；　with　real

yards；　and　a　proper　quarter…deck。　　In　fact；　now　that　I　had　soared

as　high　as　could　be　hoped　in　a　single　voyage；　it　seemed　about

time　to　go　home　and　cut　a　dash　and　show　off　a　bit。　　The　worst　of

this　ocean…theatre　was；　it　held　no　proper　audience。　　It　was

hard；　of　course；　to　relinquish　all　the　adventures　that　still　lay

untouched　in　these　Southern　seas。　　Whaling；　for　instance；　had　not

yet　been　entered　upon；　the　joys　of　exploration；　and　strange

inland　cities　innocent　of　the　white　man；　still　awaited　me；　and

the　book　of　wrecks　and　rescues　was　not　yet　even　opened。　　But　I

had　achieved　a　frigate　and　a　Princess；　and　that　was　not　so　bad

for　a　beginning；　and　more　than　enough　to　show　off　with　before

those　dull　unadventurous　folk　who　continued　on　their　mill…horse

round　at　home。



The　voyage　home　was　a　record　one；　so　far　as　mere　speed　was

concerned；　and　all　adventures　were　scornfully　left　behind；　as　we

rattled　along；　for　other　adventurers　who　had　still　their　laurels

to　win。　　Hardly　later　than　the　noon　of　next　day　we　dropped　anchor

in　Plymouth　Sound；　and　heard　the　intoxicating　clamour　of　bells；

the　roar　of　artillery；　and　the　hoarse　cheers　of　an　excited

populace　surging　down　to　the　quays；　that　told　us　we　were　being

appreciated　at　something　like　our　true　merits。　　The　Lord　Mayor

was　waiting　there　to　receive　us；　and　with　him　several　Admirals　of

the　Fleet；　as　we　walked　down　the　lane　of　pushing；　enthusiastic

Devonians；　the　Princess　and　I；　and　our　war…worn；　weather…beaten；

spoil…laden　crew。　　Everybody　was　very　nice　about　the　French

frigate；　and　the　pirate　booty；　and　the　scars　still　fresh　on　our

young　limbs；　yet　I　think　what　I　liked　best　of　all　was；　that　they

all　pronounced　the　Princess　to　be　a　duck；　and　a　peerless；　brown…

haired　darling；　and　a　true　mate　for　a　hero；　and　of　the　right

Princess…breed。



The　air　was　thick　with　invitations　and　with　the　smell　of　civic

banquets　in　a　forward　stage；　but　I　sternly　waved　all　festivities

aside。　　The　coaches…and…four　I　had　ordered　immediately　on

arriving　were　blocking　the　whole　of　the　High　Street；　the

champing　of　bits　and　the　pawing　of　gravel　summoned　us　to　take　our

seats　and　be　off；　to　where　the　real　performance　awaited　us；

compared　with　which　all　this　was　but　an　interlude。　　I　placed　the

Princess　in　the　most　highly　gilded　coach　of　the　lot；　and　mounted

to　my　place　at　her　side；　and　the　rest　of　the　crew　scrambled　on

board　of　the　others　as　best　they　might。　　The　whips　cracked　and

the　crowd　scattered　and　cheered　as　we　broke　into　a　gallop　for

home。　　The　noisy　bells　burst　into　a　farewell　peal



Yes；　that　was　undoubtedly　the　usual　bell　for　school…room　tea。　

And　high　time　too；　I　thought；　as　I　tumbled　out　of　the　bath；　which

was　beginning　to　feel　very　hard　to　the　projecting　portions　of　my

frame…work。　　As　I　trotted　downstairs；　hungrier　even　than　usual；

farewells　floated　up　from　the　front　door；　and　I　heard　the

departing　voices　of　our　angular　elderly　visitors　as　they　made

their　way　down　the　walk。　　Man　was　still　catching　it；　apparently

Man　was　getting　it　hot。　　And　much　Man　cared！　　The　seas　were　his；

and　their　islands；　he　had　his　frigates　for　the　taking；　his

pirates　and　their　hoards　for　an　unregarded　cutlass…stroke　or　two；

and　there　were　Princesses　in　plenty　waiting　for　him　somewhere

Princesses　of　the　right　sort。







THE　RELUCTANT　DRAGON



Footprints　in　the　snow　have　been　unfailing　provokers　of　sentiment

ever　since　snow　was　first　a　white　wonder　in　this　drab…coloured

world　of　ours。　　In　a　poetry…book　presented　to　one　of　us　by　an

aunt；　there　was　a　poem　by　one　Wordsworth　in　which　they　stood　out

stronglywith　a　picture　all　to　themselves；　toobut　we　didn't

think　very　highly　either　of　the　poem　or　the　sentiment。　

Footprints　in　the　sand；　now；　were　quite　another　matter；　and　we

grasped　Crusoe's　attitude　of　mind　much　more　easily　than

Wordsworth's。　　Excitement　and　mystery；　curiosity　and　suspense

these　were　the　only　sentiments　that　tracks；　whether　in　sand　or　in

snow；　were　able　to　arouse　in　us。



We　had　awakened　early　that　winter　morning；　puzzled　at　first　by

the　added　light　that　filled　the　room。　　Then；　when　the　truth　at

last　fully　dawned　on　us　and　we　knew　that　snow…balling　was　no

longer　a　wistful　dream；　but　a　solid　certainty　waiting　for　us

outside；　it　was　a　mere　brute　fight　for　the　necessary　clothes；　and

the　lacing　of　boots　seemed　a　clumsy　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。



〃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