dream days-第22章

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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　severel