Дни грёз
The Reluctant Dragon
“Hewasstickinghalf-wayoutofthecave,andseemedtobeenjoyingofthecooloftheeveninginapoeticalsortofway.Hewasasbigasfourcart-horses,andallcoveredwithshinyscales—deep-bluescalesatthetopofhim,shadingofftoatendersorto’greenbelow.Ashebreathed,therewasthatsortofflickeroverhisnostrilsthatyouseeoverourchalkroadsonabakingwindlessdayinsummer.Hehadhischinonhispaws,andIshouldsayhewasmeditatingaboutthings.Oh,yes,apeaceablesorto’beastenough,andnotrampingorcarryingonordoinganythingbutwhatwasquiterightandproper.Iadmitallthat.Andyet,whatamItodo?SCALES,youknow,andclaws,andatailforcertain,thoughIdidn’tseethatendofhim—Iain’tUSEDto’em,andIdon’tHOLDwith’em,andthat’safact!”
TheBoy,whohadapparentlybeenabsorbedinhisbookduringhisfather’srecital,nowclosedthevolume,yawned,claspedhishandsbehindhishead,andsaidsleepily:
“It’sallright,father.Don’tyouworry.It’sonlyadragon.”
“Onlyadragon?”criedhisfather.“Whatdoyoumean,sittingthere,youandyourdragons?ONLYadragonindeed!AndwhatdoYOUknowaboutit?”
“’CositIS,and’cosIDOknow,”repliedtheBoy,quietly.“Lookhere,father,youknowwe’veeachofusgotourline.YOUknowaboutsheep,andweather,andthings;Iknowaboutdragons.Ialwayssaid,youknow,thatthatcaveuptherewasadragon-cave.Ialwayssaiditmusthavebelongedtoadragonsometime,andoughttobelongtoadragonnow,ifrulescountforanything.
