THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER-第12章

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hing　in　the　world　but　a　knight　　（and　not　all　of　those）　would　dare　to　attack　him。　he　could　get　even　with　caspian　and　edmund　　now　but　　

the　moment　he　thought　this　he　realized　that　he　didnt　want　to。　he　wanted　to　　be　friends。　he　wanted　to　get　back　among　humans　and　talk　and　laugh　and　share　things。　he　　realized　that　he　was　a　monster　cut　off　from　the　whole　human　race。　an　appalling　loneliness　　came　over　him。　he　began　to　see　that　the　others　had　not　really　been　fiends　at　all。　he　　began　to　wonder　if　he　himself　had　been　such　a　nice　person　as　he　had　always　supposed。　he　　longed　for　their　voices。　he　would　have　been　grateful　for　a　kind　word　even　from　reepicheep。

when　he　thought　of　this　the　poor　dragon　that　had　been　eustace　lifted　up　its　　voice　and　wept。　a　powerful　dragon　crying　its　eyes　out　under　the　moon　in　a　deserted　　valley　is　a　sight　and　a　sound　hardly　to　be　imagined。

at　last　he　decided　he　would　try　to　find　his　way　back　to　the　shore。　he　　realized　now　that　caspian　would　never　have　sailed　away　and　left　him。　and　he　felt　sure　that　　somehow　or　other　he　would　be　able　to　make　people　understand　who　he　was。

he　took　a　long　drink　and　then　（i　know　this　sounds　shocking；　but　it　isnt　if　　you　think　it　over）　he　ate　nearly　all　the　dead　dragon。　he　was　half…way　through　it　before　　he　realized　what　he　was　doing；　for；　you　see；　though　his　mind　was　the　mind　of　eustace；　　his　tastes　and　his　digestion　were　dragonish。　and　there　is　nothing　a　dragon　likes　so　well　　as　fresh　dragon。

that　is　why　you　so　seldom　find　more　than　one　dragon　in　the　same　county。

then　he　turned　to　climb　out　of　the　valley。　he　began　the　climb　with　a　jump　　and　as　soon　as　he　jumped　he　found　that　he　was　flying。　he　had　quite　forgotten　about　his　　wings　and　it　was　a　great　surprise　to　him　…　the　first　pleasant　surprise　he　had　had　for　a　long　　time。　he　rose　high　into　the　air　and　saw　innumerable　mountain…tops　spread　out　beneath　him　　in　the　moonlight。　he　could　see　the　bay　like　a　silver　slab　and　the　dawn　treader　　lying　at　anchor　and　camp　fires　twinkling　in　the　woods　beside　the　beach。　from　a　great　height　　he　launched　himself　down　towards　them　in　a　single　glide。

lucy　was　sleeping　very　soundly　for　she　had　sat　up　till　the　return　of　the　　search　party　in　hope　of　good　news　about　eustace。　it　had　been　led　by　caspian　and　had　e　　back　late　and　weary。　their　news　was　disquieting。　they　had　found　no　trace　of　eustace　but　　had　seen　a　dead　dragon　in　a　valley。　they　tried　to　make　the　best　of　it　and　everyone　　assured　everyone　else　that　there　were　not　likely　to　he　more　dragons　about；　and　that　one　　which　was　dead　at　about　three　oclock　that　afternoon　（which　was　when　they　had　seen　it）　would　　hardly　have　been　killing　people　a　very　few　hours　before。

〃unless　it　ate　the　little　brat　and　died　of　him：　hed　poison　anything；〃　said　　rhince。　but　he　said　this　under　his　breath　and　no　one　heard　it。

but　later　in　the　night　lucy　was　wakened；　very　softly；　and　found　the　whole　　pany　gathered　close　together　and　talking　in　whispers。

〃what　is　it？〃　said　lucy。

〃we　must　all　show　great　constancy；〃　caspian　was　saying。　〃a　dragon　has　just　　flown　over　the　tree…tops　and　lighted　on　the　beach。　yes；　i　am　afraid　it　is　between　us　　and　the　ship。　and　arrows　are　no　use　against　dragons。　and　theyre　not　at　all　afraid　of　fire。”

〃with　your　majestys　leave…〃　began　reepicheep。

〃no；　reepicheep；〃　said　the　king　very　firmly；　〃you　are　not　to　attempt　a　　single　bat　with　it。　and　unless　you　promise　to　obey　me　in　this　matter　ill　have　you　　tied　up。　we　must　just　keep　close　watch　and；　as　soon　as　it　is　light；　go　down　to　the　beach　and　　give　it　battle。　i　will　lead。　king　edmund　will　be　on　my　right　and　the　lord　drinian　on　my　left。　　there　are　no　other　arrangements　to　be　made。　it　will　be　light　in　a　couple　of　hours。　in　　an　hours　time　let　a　meal　be　served　out　and　what　is　left　of　the　wine。　and　let　everything　　be　done　silently。”

〃perhaps　it　will　go　away；〃　said　lucy。

〃itll　be　worse　if　it　does；〃　said　edmund；　〃because　then　we　shant　know　　where　it　is。　if　theres　a　wasp　in　the　room　i　like　to　be　able　to　see　it。”

the　rest　of　the　night　wa　dreadful；　and　when　the　meal　came；　though　they　knew　　they　ought　to　eat；　many　found　that　they　had　very　poor　appetites。　and　endless　hours　　seemed　to　pass　before　the　darkness　thinned　and　birds　began　chirping　here　and　there　and　the　　world　got　colder　and　wetter　than　it　had　been　all　night　and　caspian　said；　〃now　for　it；　　friends。”

they　got　up；　all　with　swords　drawn；　and　formed　themselves　into　a　solid　mass　　with　lucy　in　the　middle　and　reepicheep　on　her　shoulder。　it　was　nicer　than　the　waiting　　about　and　everyone　felt　fonder　of　everyone　else　than　at　ordinary　times。　a　moment　　later　they　were　marching。　it　grew　lighter　as　they　came　to　the　edge　of　the　wood。　and　there　　on　the　sand；　like　a　giant　lizard；　or　a　flexible　crocodile；　or　a　serpent　with　legs；　huge　　and　horrible　and　humpy；　lay　the　dragon。

but　when　it　saw　them；　instead　of　rising　up　and　blowing　fire　and　smoke；　the　　dragon　retreated　…　you　could　almost　say　it　waddled　…　back　into　the　shallows　of　the　　bay。

〃whats　it　wagging　its　head　like　that　for？〃　said　edmund。

〃and　now　its　nodding；〃　said　caspian。

〃and　theres　something　ing　from　its　eyes；〃　said　drinian。

〃oh；　cant　you　see；〃　said　lucy。　〃its　crying。　those　are　tears。”

〃i　shouldnt　trust　to　that；　maam；〃　said　drinian。　〃thats　what　crocodiles　　do；　to　put　you　off　your　guard。”

〃it　wagged　its　head　when　you　said　that；〃　remarked　edmund。　〃just　as　if　it　　meant　no。

look；　there　it　goes　again。”

〃do　you　think　it　understands　what　were　saying？〃　asked　lucy。

the　dragon　nodded　its　head　violently。

reepicheep　slipped　off　lucys　shoulder　and　stepped　to　the　front。

〃dragon；〃　came　his　shrill　voice；　〃can　you　understand　speech？”

the　dragon　nodded。

〃can　you　speak？”

it　shook　its　head。

〃then；〃　said　reepicheep；　〃it　is　idle　to　ask　you　your　business。　but　if　you　　will　swear　friendship　with　us　raise　your　left　foreleg　above　your　head。”

it　did　so；　but　clumsily　because　that　leg　was　sore　and　swollen　with　the　　golden　bracelet　　〃oh　look；〃　said　lucy；　〃theres　something　wrong　with　its　leg。　the　poor　thing　　…　thats　probably　what　it　was　crying　about。　perhaps　it　came　to　us　to　be　cured　like　　in　androcles　and　the　lion。”

〃be　careful；　lucy；〃　said　caspian。　〃its　a　very　clever　dragon　but　it　may　be　　a　liar。”

lucy　had；　however；　already　run　forward；　followed　by　reepicheep；　as　fast　as　　his　short　legs　could　carry　him；　and　then　of　course　the　boys　and　drinian　came；　too。

〃show　me　your　poor　paw；〃　said　lucy；　〃i　might　be　able　to　cure　it。”

the　dragon…that…had…been…eustace　held　out　its　sore　leg　gladly　enough；　　remembering　how　lucys　cordial　had　cured　him　of　sea…sickness　before　he　became　a　dragon。　but　　he　was　disappointed。　the　magic　fluid　reduced　the　swelling　and　eased　the　pain　a　　little　but　it　could　not　dissolve　the　gold。

everyone　had　now　crowded　round　to　watch　the　treatment；　and　caspian　suddenly　exclaimed；　〃look！〃　he　was　staring　at　the　bracelet。

。。



CHAPTER　SEVEN

＜小＞说？网
how　the　adventure　ended　　　

〃look　at　what？〃　said　edmund。

〃look　at　the　device　on　the　gold；〃　said　caspian。

〃a　little　hammer　with　a　diamond　above　it　like　a　star；〃　said　drinian。　〃why；　　ive　seen　that　before。”

〃seen　it！〃　said　caspian。　〃why；　of　course　you　have。　it　is　the　sign　of　a　　great　narnian　house。

this　is　the　lord　octesians　arm…ring。”

〃villain；〃　said　reepicheep　to　the　dragon；　〃have　you　devoured　a　narnian　　lord？〃　but　the　dragon　shook　his　head　violently。

〃or　perhaps；〃　said　lucy；　〃this　is　the　lord　octesian；　turned　into　a　dragon　…　　under　an　enchantment；　you　know。”

〃it　neednt　be　either；〃　said　edmund。　〃all　dragons　collect　gold。　but　i　think　　its　a　safe　guess　that　octesian　got　no　further　than　this　island。”

〃are　you　the　lord　octesian？〃　said　lucy　to　the　dragon；　and　then；　when　it　　sadly　shook　its　head；　〃are　you　someone　enchanted　…　someone　human；　i　mean？”

it　nodded　violently。

and　then　someone　said　…　people　disputed　afterwards　whether　lucy　or　edmund　　said　it　first　…　〃youre　not　…　not　eustace　by　any　chance？”

and　eustace　nodded　his　terrible　dragon　head　and　thumped　his　tail　in　the　sea　　and　everyone　skipped　back　（some　of　the　sailors　with　ejaculations　i　will　not　put　　down　in　writing）　to　avoid　the　enormous　and　boiling　tears　which　flowed　from　his　　eyes。

lucy　tried　hard　to　console　him　and　even　screwed　up　her　courage　to　kiss　the　　scaly　face；　and　nearly　everyone　said　〃hard　luck〃　and　several　assured　eustace　that　they　　would　all　stand　by　him　and　many　said　there　was　sure　to　be　some　way　of　disenchanting　　him　and　theyd　have　him　as　right　as　rain　in　a　day　or　two。　and　of　course　they　were　　all　very　anxious　to　hear　his　story；　but　he　couldnt　speak。　more　than　once　in　the　days　that　　followed　he　attempted　to　write　it　for　them　on　the　sand。　but；　this　never　succeeded。　in　　the　first　place　eustace　（never　having　read　the　right　books）　had　no　idea　how　to　tell　a　story　　straight。　and　for　another　thing；　the　muscles　and　nerves　of　the　dragon…claws　that　he　had　　to　use　had　never　learned　to　write　and　were　not　built　for　writing　anyway。　as　a　result　　he　never　got　nearly　to　the　end　before　the　tide　came　in　and　washed　away　all　the　writing　　except　the　bits　he　had　already　trodden　on　or　accidentaly　swished　out　with　his　tail。　and　all　　that　anyone　had　seen　would　be　something　like　this　…　the　dot