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dream days-第16部分

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moment while he put on his trousers。  This I gracefully consented

to do; and the incident ended。



Two of my boats were sunk by the fire from the forts on the

shore; and several brave fellows were severely wounded in the

hand…to…hand struggle with the French crew for the possession of

the frigate。  But the bo'sun's admirable strategy; and my

own reckless gallantry in securing the French captain at the

outset; had the fortunate result of keeping down the death…rate。 

It was all for the sake of the Princess that I had arranged so

comparatively tame a victory。  For myself; I rather liked a fair

amount of blood…letting; red…hot shot; and flying splinters。  But

when you have girls about the place; they have got to be

considered to a certain extent。



There was another supper…party that night; in my cabin; as soon

as we had got well out to sea; and the French captain; who was

the guest of the evening; was in the greatest possible form。  We

became sworn friends; and exchanged invitations to come and stay

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。
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