dream days-第25章

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

they　knew　everything　there　was　to　be　known；　because　they　didn't；

not　by　a　long　way。　　And　he　warned　them　against　the　sin　of

romancing；　and　making　up　stories　and　fancying　other　people　would

believe　them　just　because　they　were　plausible　and　highly…

coloured。　　Then　he　sat　down；　amidst　much　repentant　cheering；

and　the　dragon　nudged　the　Boy　in　the　ribs　and　whispered　that　he

couldn't　have　done　it　better　himself。　　Then　every　one　went　off　to

get　ready　for　the　banquet。



Banquets　are　always　pleasant　things；　consisting　mostly；　as　they

do；　of　eating　and　drinking；　but　the　specially　nice　thing　about　a

banquet　is；　that　it　comes　when　something's　over；　and　there's

nothing　more　to　worry　about；　and　to…morrow　seems　a　long　way　off。　

St　George　was　happy　because　there　had　been　a　fight　and　he　hadn't

had　to　kill　anybody；　for　he　didn't　really　like　killing；　though　he

generally　had　to　do　it。　　The　dragon　was　happy　because　there　had

been　a　fight；　and　so　far　from　being　hurt　in　it　he　had　won

popularity　and　a　sure　footing　in　society。　　The　Boy　was　happy

because　there　had　been　a　fight；　and　in　spite　of　it　all　his　two

friends　were　on　the　best　of　terms。　　And　all　the　others　were

happy　because　there　had　been　a　fight；　andwell；　they　didn't

require　any　other　reasons　for　their　happiness。　　The　dragon

exerted　himself　to　say　the　right　thing　to　everybody；　and　proved

the　life　and　soul　of　the　evening；　while　the　Saint　and　the　Boy；　as

they　looked　on；　felt　that　they　were　only　assisting　at　a　feast　of

which　the　honour　and　the　glory　were　entirely　the　dragon's。　　But

they　didn't　mind　that；　being　good　fellows；　and　the　dragon　was　not

in　the　least　proud　or　forgetful。　　On　the　contrary；　every　ten

minutes　or　so　he　leant　over　towards　the　Boy　and　said

impressively：　　〃Look　here！　you　WILL　see　me　home　afterwards；

won't　you？〃　　And　the　Boy　always　nodded；　though　he　had　promised

his　mother　not　to　be　out　late。



At　last　the　banquet　was　over；　the　guests　had　dropped　away　with

many　good…nights　and　congratulations　and　invitations；　and

the　dragon；　who　had　seen　the　last　of　them　off　the　premises；

emerged　into　the　street　followed　by　the　Boy；　wiped　his　brow；

sighed；　sat　down　in　the　road　and　gazed　at　the　stars。　　〃Jolly

night　it's　been！〃　he　murmured。　　〃Jolly　stars！　　Jolly　little　place

this！　　Think　I　shall　just　stop　here。　　Don't　feel　like　climbing　up

any　beastly　hill。　　Boy's　promised　to　see　me　home。　　Boy　had　better

do　it　then！　　No　responsibility　on　my　part。　　Responsibility　all

Boy's！〃　　And　his　chin　sank　on　his　broad　chest　and　he　slumbered

peacefully。



〃Oh；　GET　up；　dragon；〃　cried　the　Boy；　piteously。　　〃You　KNEW

my　mother's　sitting　up；　and　I'm　so　tired；　and　you　made　me　promise

to　see　you　home；　and　I　never　knew　what　it　meant　or　I　wouldn't

have　done　it！〃　　And　the　Boy　sat　down　in　the　road　by　the　side　of

the　sleeping　dragon；　and　cried。



The　door　behind　them　opened；　a　stream　of　light　illumined　the

road；　and　St。　George；　who　had　come　out　for　a　stroll　in　the　cool

night…air；　caught　sight　of　the　two　figures　sitting　therethe

great　motionless　dragon　and　the　tearful　little　Boy。



〃What's　the　matter；　Boy？〃　he　inquired　kindly；　stepping　to　his

side。



〃Oh；　it's　this　great　lumbering　PIG　of　a　dragon！〃　sobbed　the

Boy。　　〃First　he　makes　me　promise　to　see　him　home；　and　then　he

says　I'd　better　do　it；　and　goes　to　sleep！　　Might　as　well　try　to

see　a　HAYSTACK　home！　　And　I'm　so　tired；　and　mother's〃　here

he　broke　down　again。



〃Now　don't　take　on；〃　said　St。　George。　　〃I'll　stand　by　you；　and

we'll　BOTH　see　him　home。　　Wake　up；　dragon！〃　he　said　sharply；

shaking　the　beast　by　the　elbow。



The　dragon　looked　up　sleepily。　　〃What　a　night；　George！〃　he

murmured；　〃what　a〃



〃Now　look　here；　dragon；〃　said　the　Saint；　firmly。　　〃Here's

this　little　fellow　waiting　to　see　you　home；　and　you　KNOW　he

ought　to　have　been　in　bed　these　two　hours；　and　what　his　mother'll

say　_I_　don't　know；　and　anybody　but　a　selfish　pig　would　have

MADE　him　go　to　bed　long　ago〃



〃And　he　SHALL　go　to　bed！〃　cried　the　dragon；　starting　up。　

〃Poor　little　chap；　only　fancy　his　being　up　at　this　hour！　　It's　a

shame；　that's　what　it　is；　and　I　don't　think；　St。　George；　you've

been　very　consideratebut　come　along　at　once；　and　don't　let　us

have　any　more　arguing　or　shilly…shallying。　　You　give　me　hold　of

your　hand；　Boythank　you；　George；　an　arm　up　the　hill　is　just

what　I　wanted！〃



So　they　set　off　up　the　hill　arm…in…arm；　the　Saint；　the　Dragon；

and　the　Boy。　　The　lights　in　the　little　village　began　to　go　out；

but　there　were　stars；　and　a　late　moon；　as　they　climbed　to　the

Downs　together。　　And；　as　they　turned　the　last　corner　and

disappeared　from　view；　snatches　of　an　old　song　were　borne

back　on　the　night…breeze。　　I　can't　be　certain　which　of　them　was

singing；　but　I　THINK　it　was　the　Dragon！





〃Here　we　are　at　your　gate；〃　said　the　man；　abruptly；　laying　his

hand　on　it。　　〃Good…night。　　Cut　along　in　sharp；　or　you'll　catch

it！〃



Could　it　really　be　our　own　gate？　　Yes；　there　it　was；　sure　enough；

with　the　familiar　marks　on　its　bottom　bar　made　by　our　feet　when

we　swung　on　it。



〃Oh；　but　wait　a　minute！〃　cried　Charlotte。　　〃I　want　to　know　a　heap

of　things。　　Did　the　dragon　really　settle　down？　　And　did〃



〃There　isn't　any　more　of　that　story；〃　said　the　man；　kindly　but

firmly。　　〃At　least；　not　to…night。　　Now　be　off！　　Good…bye！〃



〃Wonder　if　it's　all　true？〃　said　Charlotte；　as　we　hurried　up　the

path。　　〃Sounded　dreadfully　like　nonsense；　in　parts！〃



〃P'raps　its　true　for　all　that；〃　I　replied　encouragingly。



Charlotte　bolted　in　like　a　rabbit；　out　of　the　cold　and　the　dark；

but　I　lingered　a　moment　in　the　still；　frosty　air；　for　a　backward

glance　at　the　silent　white　world　without；　ere　I　changed　it　for

the　land　of　firelight　and　cushions　and　laughter。　　It　was　the　day

for　choir…practice；　and　carol…time　was　at　hand；　and　a　belated

member　was　passing　homewards　down　the　road；　singing　as　he　went：



〃Then　St。　George：　ee　made　rev'rence：　in　the　stable　so　dim；

Oo　vanquished　the　dragon：　so　fearful　and　grim。

So…o　grim：　and　so…o　fierce：　that　now　may　we　say

All　peaceful　is　our　wakin'：　on　Chri…istmas　Day！〃





The　singer　receded；　the　carol　died　away。　　But　I　wondered；　with　my

hand　on　the　door…latch；　whether　that　was　the　song；　or　something

like　it；　that　the　dragon　sang　as　he　toddled　contentedly　up　the

hill。







A　DEPARTURE



It　is　a　very　fine　thing　to　be　a　real　Prince。　　There　are　points

about　a　Pirate　Chief；　and　to　succeed　to　the　Captaincy　of　a　Robber

Band　is　a　truly　magnificent　thing。　　But　to　be　an　Heir　has　also

about　it　something　extremely　captivating。　　Not　only　a　long…lost

heiran　heir　of　the　melodrama；　strutting　into　your　hitherto

unsuspected　kingdom　at　just　the　right　moment；　loaded　up　with　the

consciousness　of　unguessed　merit　and　of　rights　so　long

feloniously　withheldbut　even　to　be　a　common　humdrum　domestic

heir　is　a　profession　to　which　few　would　refuse　to　be　apprenticed。



To　step　from　leading…strings　and　restrictions　and　one　glass　of

port　after　dinner；　into　property　and　liberty　and　due

appreciation；　saved　up；　polished　and　varnished；　dusted　and

laid　in　lavender；　all　expressly　for　youwhy；　even　the　Princedom

and　the　Robber　Captaincy；　when　their　anxieties　and

responsibilities　are　considered；　have　hardly　more　to　offer。　　And

so　it　will　continue　to　be　a　problem；　to　the　youth　in　whom

ambition　struggles　with　a　certain　sensuous　appreciation　of　life's

side…dishes；　whether　the　career　he　is　called　upon　to　select　out

of　the　glittering　knick…knacks　that　strew　the　counter　had　better

be　that　of　an　heir　or　an　engine…driver。



In　the　case　of　eldest　sons；　this　problem　has　a　way　of　solving

itself。　　In　childhood；　however；　the　actual　heirship　is　apt　to

work　on　the　principle　of　the　〃Borough…English〃　of　our　happier

ancestors；　and　in　most　cases　of　inheritance　it　is　the　youngest

that　succeeds。　　Where　the　〃res〃　is　〃angusta；〃　and　the　weekly

books　are　simply　a　series　of