dream days-第24章

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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　over　the　Downs；　so

that　the　language　of　the　Saint；　who　had　lost　a　stirrup；　was

fortunately　inaudible　to　the　general　assemblage。



Round　Two　evoked　audible　evidence　of　friendly　feeling　towards　the

dragon。　　The　spectators　were　not　slow　to　appreciate　a　combatant

who　could　hold　his　own　so　well　and　clearly　wanted　to　show　good

sport；　and　many　encouraging　remarks　reached　the　ears　of　our

friend　as　he　strutted　to　and　fro；　his　chest　thrust　out　and　his

tail　in　the　air；　hugely　enjoying　his　new　popularity。



St。　George　had　dismounted　and　was　tightening　his　girths；　and

telling　his　horse；　with　quite　an　Oriental　flow　of　imagery；

exactly　what　he　thought　of　him；　and　his　relations；　and　his

conduct　on　the　present　occasion；　so　the　Boy　made　his　way　down　to

the　Saint's　end　of　the　line；　and　held　his　spear　for　him。



〃It's　been　a　jolly　fight；　St。　George！〃　he　said　with　a　sigh。　

〃Can't　you　let　it　last　a　bit　longer？〃



〃Well；　I　think　I'd　better　not；〃　replied　the　Saint。　　〃The　fact　is；

your　simple…minded　old　friend's　getting　conceited；　now　they've

begun　cheering　him；　and　he'll　forget　all　about　the　arrangement

and　take　to　playing　the　fool；　and　there's　no　telling　where　he

would　stop。　　I'll　just　finish　him　off　this　round。〃



He　swung　himself　into　the　saddle　and　took　his　spear　from　the　Boy。



〃Now　don't　you　be　afraid；〃　he　added　kindly。　　〃I've　marked　my　spot

exactly；　and　HE'S　sure　to　give　me　all　the　assistance　in　his

power；　because　he　knows　it's　his　only　chance　of　being　asked　to

the　banquet！〃



St。　George　now　shortened　his　spear；　bringing　the　butt　well　up

under　his　arm；　and；　instead　of　galloping　as　before；　trotted

smartly　towards　the　dragon；　who　crouched　at　his　approach；

flicking　his　tail　till　it　cracked　in　the　air　like　a　great　cart…

whip。　　The　Saint　wheeled　as　he　neared　his　opponent　and　circled

warily　round　him；　keeping　his　eye　on　the　spare　place；　while　the

dragon；　adopting　similar　tactics；　paced　with　caution　round　the

same　circle；　occasionally　feinting　with　his　head。　　So　the　two

sparred　for　an　opening；　while　the　spectators　maintained　a

breathless　silence。



Though　the　round　lasted　for　some　minutes；　the　end　was　so　swift

that　all　the　Boy　saw　was　a　lightning　movement　of　the　Saint's　arm；

and　then　a　whirl　and　a　confusion　of　spines；　claws；　tail；　and

flying　bits　of　turf。　　The　dust　cleared　away；　the　spectators

whooped　and　ran　in　cheering；　and　the　Boy　made　out　that　the　dragon

was　down；　pinned　to　the　earth　by　the　spear；　while　St。　George　had

dismounted；　and　stood　astride　of　him。



It　all　seemed　so　genuine　that　the　Boy　ran　in　breathlessly；

hoping　the　dear　old　dragon　wasn't　really　hurt。　　As　he　approached；

the　dragon　lifted　one　large　eyelid；　winked　solemnly；　and

collapsed　again。　　He　was　held　fast　to　earth　by　the　neck；　but　the

Saint　had　hit　him　in　the　spare　place　agreed　upon；　and　it　didn't

even　seem　to　tickle。



〃Bain't　you　goin'　to　cut　'is　'ed　orf；　master？〃　asked　one　of　the

applauding　crowd。　　He　had　backed　the　dragon；　and　naturally　felt　a

trifle　sore。



〃Well；　not　TO…DAY；　I　think；〃　replied　St。　George；　pleasantly。　

〃You　see；　that　can　be　done　at　ANY　time。　　There's　no　hurry　at

all。　　I　think　we'll　all　go　down　to　the　village　first；　and　have

some　refreshment；　and　then　I'll　give　him　a　good　talking…to；　and

you'll　find　he'll　be　a　very　different　dragon！〃



At　that　magic　word　REFRESHMENT　the　whole　crowd　formed　up　in

procession　and　silently　awaited　the　signal　to　start。　　The

time　for　talking　and　cheering　and　betting　was　past；　the　hour　for

action　had　arrived。　　St。　George；　hauling　on　his　spear　with　both

hands；　released　the　dragon；　who　rose　and　shook　himself　and　ran

his　eye　over　his　spikes　and　scales　and　things；　to　see　that　they

were　all　in　order。　　Then　the　Saint　mounted　and　led　off　the

procession；　the　dragon　following　meekly　in　the　company　of　the

Boy；　while　the　thirsty　spectators　kept　at　a　respectful　interval

behind。



There　were　great　doings　when　they　got　down　to　the　village　again；

and　had　formed　up　in　front　of　the　inn。　　After　refreshment　St。

George　made　a　speech；　in　which　he　informed　his　audience　that　he

had　removed　their　direful　scourge；　at　a　great　deal　of　trouble　and

inconvenience　to　him…self；　and　now　they　weren't　to　go　about

grumbling　and　fancying　they'd　got　grievances；　because　they

hadn't。　　And　they　shouldn't　be　so　fond　of　fights；　because　next

time　they　might　have　to　do　the　fighting　themselves；　which　would

not　be　the　same　thing　at　all。　　And　there　was　a　certain　badger　in

the　inn　stables　which　had　got　to　be　released　at　once；　and　he'd

come　and　see　it　done　himself。　　Then　he　told　them　that　the　dragon

had　been　thinking　over　things；　and　saw　that　there　were　two　sides

to　every　question；　and　he　wasn't　going　to　do　it　any　more；　and　if

they　were　good　perhaps　he'd　stay　and　settle　down　there。　　So　they

must　make　friends；　and　not　be　prejudiced　and　go　about　fancying

they　knew　ev