dream days-第19章

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expedition　anyhow　and　something　was　sure　to　come　out　of　it。



Charlotte　took　me　across　another　field　or　two；　and　through　a

copse；　and　into　a　fresh　road；　and　I　began　to　feel　sure　it　was

only　her　confounded　pride　that　made　her　go　on　pretending　to　see

dragon…tracks　instead　of　owning　she　was　entirely　at　fault；　like　a

reasonable　person。　　At　last　she　dragged　me　excitedly　through　a

gap　in　a　hedge　of　an　obviously　private　character；　the　waste；　open

world　of　field　and　hedge…row　disappeared；　and　we　found

ourselves　in　a　garden；　well…kept；　secluded；　most　un…dragon…

haunted　in　appearance。　　Once　inside；　I　knew　where　we　were。　　This

was　the　garden　of　my　friend　the　circus…man；　though　I　had　never

approached　it　before　by　a　lawless　gap；　from　this　unfamiliar　side。



And　here　was　the　circus…man　himself；　placidly　smoking　a　pipe　as

he　strolled　up　and　down　the　walks。　　I　stepped　up　to　him　and　asked

him　politely　if　he　had　lately　seen　a　Beast。



〃May　I　inquire；〃　he　said；　with　all　civility；　〃what　particular

sort　of　a　Beast　you　may　happen　to　be　looking　for？〃



〃It's　a　LIZARDY　sort　of　Beast；〃　I　explained。　　〃Charlotte　says

it's　a　dragon；　but　she　doesn't　really　know　much　about　beasts。〃



The　circus…man　looked　round　about　him　slowly。　　〃I　don't

THINK；〃　he　said；　〃that　I've　seen　a　dragon　in　these　parts

recently。　　But　if　I　come　across　one　I'll　know　it　belongs　to

you；　and　I'll　have　him　taken　round　to　you　at　once。〃



〃Thank　you　very　much；〃　said　Charlotte；　〃but　don't　TROUBLE

about　it；　please；　'cos　p'raps　it　isn't　a　dragon　after　all。　　Only

I　thought　I　saw　his　little　footprints　in　the　snow；　and　we

followed　'em　up；　and　they　seemed　to　lead　right　in　here；　but　maybe

it's　all　a　mistake；　and　thank　you　all　the　same。〃



〃Oh；　no　trouble　at　all；〃　said　the　circus…man；　cheerfully。　　〃I

should　be　only　too　pleased。　　But　of　course；　as　you　say；　it　MAY

be　a　mistake。　　And　it's　getting　dark；　and　he　seems　to　have　got

away　for　the　present；　whatever　he　is。　　You'd　better　come　in　and

have　some　tea。　　I'm　quite　alone；　and　we'll　make　a　roaring　fire；

and　I've　got　the　biggest　Book　of　Beasts　you　ever　saw。　　It's　got

every　beast　in　the　world；　and　all　of　'em　coloured；　and　we'll　try

and　find　YOUR　beast　in　it！〃



We　were　always　ready　for　tea　at　any　time；　and　especially　when

combined　with　beasts。　　There　was　marmalade；　too；　and　apricot…jam；

brought　in　expressly　for　us；　and　afterwards　the　beast…book　was

spread　out；　and；　as　the　man　had　truly　said；　it　contained　every

sort　of　beast　that　had　ever　been　in　the　world。



The　striking　of　six　o'clock　set　the　more　prudent　Charlotte

nudging　me；　and　we　recalled　ourselves　with　an　effort　from　Beast…

land；　and　reluctantly　stood　up　to　go。



〃Here；　I'm　coming　along　with　you；〃　said　the　circus…man。　　〃I　want

another　pipe；　and　a　walk'll　do　me　good。　　You　needn't　talk　to　me

unless　you　like。〃



Our　spirits　rose　to　their　wonted　level　again。　　The　way　had　seemed

so　long；　the　outside　world　so　dark　and　eerie；　after　the　bright

warm　room　and　the　highly…coloured　beast…book。　　But　a　walk　with　a

real　Manwhy；　that　was　a　treat　in　itself！　　We　set　off

briskly；　the　Man　in　the　middle。　　I　looked　up　at　him　and　wondered

whether　I　should　ever　live　to　smoke　a　big　pipe　with　that　careless

sort　of　majesty！　　But　Charlotte；　whose　young　mind　was　not　set　on

tobacco　as　a　possible　goal；　made　herself　heard　from　the　other

side。



〃Now；　then；〃　she　said；　〃tell　us　a　story；　please；　won't　you？〃



The　Man　sighed　heavily　and　looked　about　him。　　〃I　knew　it；〃　he

groaned。　　〃I　KNEW　I　should　have　to　tell　a　story。　　Oh；　why　did

I　leave　my　pleasant　fireside？　　Well；　I　WILL　tell　you　a　story。　

Only　let　me　think　a　minute。〃



So　he　thought　a　minute；　and　then　he　told　us　this　story。





Long　agomight　have　been　hundreds　of　years　agoin　a　cottage

half…way　between　this　village　and　yonder　shoulder　of　the　Downs　up

there；　a　shepherd　lived　with　his　wife　and　their　little　son。　

Now　the　shepherd　spent　his　daysand　at　certain　times　of　the　year

his　nights　tooup　on　the　wide　ocean…bosom　of　the　Downs；　with

only　the　sun　and　the　stars　and　the　sheep　for　company；　and　the

friendly　chattering　world　of　men　and　women　far　out　of　sight　and

hearing。　　But　his　little　son；　when　he　wasn't　helping　his　father；

and　often　when　he　was　as　well；　spent　much　of　his　time　buried　in

big　volumes　that　he　borrowed　from　the　affable　gentry　and

interested　parsons　of　the　country　round　about。　　And　his　parents

were　very　fond　of　him；　and　rather　proud　of　him　too；　though　they

didn't　let　on　in　his　hearing；　so　he　was　left　to　go　his　own　way

and　read　as　much　as　he　liked；　and　instead　of　frequently　getting　a

cuff　on　the　side　of　the　head；　as　might　very　well　have　happened　to

him；　he　was　treated　more　or　less　as　an　equal　by　his　parents；　who

sensibly　thought　it　a　very　fair　division　of　labour　that　they

should　supply　the　practical　knowledge；　and　he　the　book…learning。　

They　knew　that　book…learning　often　came　in　useful　at　a　pinch；　in

spite　of　what　their　neighbours　said。　　What　the　Boy　chiefly

dabbled　in　was　natural　history　and　fairy…tales；　and　he　just　took

them　as　they　came；　in　a　sandwichy　sort　of　way；　without　making　any

distinctions；　and　really　his　course　of　reading　strikes　one　as

rather　sensible。



One　evening　the　shepherd；　who　for　some　nights　past　had　been

disturbed　and　preoccupied；　and　off　his　usual　mental　balance；　came

home　all　of　a　tremble；　and；　sitting　down　at　the　table　where　his

wife　and　son　were　peacefully　employed；　she　with　her　seam；　he　in

following　out　the　adventures　of　the　Giant　with　no　Heart　in　his

Body；　exclaimed　with　much　agitation：



〃It's　all　up　with　me；　Maria！　　Never　no　more　can　I　go　up　on　them

there　Downs；　was　it　ever　so！〃



〃Now　don't　you　take　on　like　that；〃　said　his　wife；　who　was　a

VERY　sensible　woman：　〃but　tell　us　all　about　it　first；　whatever

it　is　as　has　given　you　this　shake…up；　and　then　me　and　you　and　the

son　here；　between　us；　we　ought　to　be　able　to　get　to　the　bottom　of

it！〃



〃It　began　some　nights　ago；〃　said　the　shepherd。　　〃You　know　that

cave　up　thereI　never　liked　it；　somehow；　and　the　sheep　never

liked　it　neither；　and　when　sheep　don't　like　a　thing　there's

generally　some　reason　for　it。　　Well；　for　some　time　past　there's

been　faint　noises　coming　from　that　cavenoises　like　heavy

sighings；　with　grunts　mixed　up　in　them；　and　sometimes　a　snoring；

far　away　downREAL　snoring；　yet　somehow　not　HONEST

snoring；　like　you　and　me　o'nights；　you　know！〃



〃_I_　know；〃　remarked　the　Boy；　quietly。



〃Of　course　I　was　terrible　frightened；〃　the　shepherd　went　on；　〃yet

somehow　I　couldn't　keep　away。　　So　this　very　evening；　before

I　come　down；　I　took　a　cast　round　by　the　cave；　quietly。　　And

thereO　Lord！　there　I　saw　him　at　last；　as　plain　as　I　see　you！〃



〃Saw　WHO？〃　said　his　wife；　beginning　to　share　in　her　husband's

nervous　terror。



〃Why　HIM；　I'm　a　telling　you！〃　said　the　shepherd。　　〃He　was

sticking　half…way　out　of　the　cave；　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；　and　all　covered　with　shiny　scalesdeep…blue

scales　at　the　top　of　him；　shading　off　to　a　tender　sort　o'　green

below。　　As　he　breathed；　there　was　that　sort　of　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；　and　I　should　say　he

was　meditating　about　things。　　Oh；　yes；　a　peaceable　sort　o'　beast

enough；　and　not　ramping　or　carrying　on　or　doing　anything

but　what　was　quite　right　and　proper。　　I　admit　all　that。　　And　yet；

what　am　I　to　do？　　SCALES；　you　know；　and　claws；　and　a　tail　for

certain；　though　I　didn't　see　that　end　of　himI　ain't　USED　to

'em；　and　I　don't　HOLD　with　'em；　and　that's　a　fact！〃



The　Boy；　who　had　apparently　been　absorbed　in　his　book　during　his

father's　recital；　now　closed　the　volume；　yawned；　clasped　his

hands　behind　his　head；　and　said　sleepily：



〃It's　all　right；　father。　　Don't　you　worry。　　It's　only　a　dragon。〃



〃Only　a　dragon？〃　cried　his　father。　　〃What　do　you　mean；　sitting