Дни грёз
The Reluctant Dragon
Thisnaturallydisconcertedthehorse,whoswervedviolently,theSaintonlyjustsavinghimselfbythemane;andastheyshotpastthedragondeliveredavicioussnapatthehorse’stailwhichsentthepoorbeastcareeringmadlyfarovertheDowns,sothatthelanguageoftheSaint,whohadlostastirrup,wasfortunatelyinaudibletothegeneralassemblage.
RoundTwoevokedaudibleevidenceoffriendlyfeelingtowardsthedragon.Thespectatorswerenotslowtoappreciateacombatantwhocouldholdhisownsowellandclearlywantedtoshowgoodsport,andmanyencouragingremarksreachedtheearsofourfriendashestruttedtoandfro,hischestthrustoutandhistailintheair,hugelyenjoyinghisnewpopularity.
St.Georgehaddismountedandwastighteninghisgirths,andtellinghishorse,withquiteanOrientalflowofimagery,exactlywhathethoughtofhim,andhisrelations,andhisconductonthepresentoccasion;sotheBoymadehiswaydowntotheSaint’sendoftheline,andheldhisspearforhim.
“It’sbeenajollyfight,St.George!”hesaidwithasigh.“Can’tyouletitlastabitlonger?”
“Well,IthinkI’dbetternot,”repliedtheSaint.“Thefactis,yoursimple-mindedoldfriend’sgettingconceited,nowthey’vebeguncheeringhim,andhe’llforgetallaboutthearrangementandtaketoplayingthefool,andthere’snotellingwherehewouldstop.I’lljustfinishhimoffthisround.”
HeswunghimselfintothesaddleandtookhisspearfromtheBoy.
“Nowdon’tyoubeafraid,”headdedkindly.
