Дни грёз

           Thenhetoldthemthatthedragonhadbeenthinkingoverthings,andsawthatthereweretwosidestoeveryquestion,andhewasn’tgoingtodoitanymore,andiftheyweregoodperhapshe’dstayandsettledownthere.Sotheymustmakefriends,andnotbeprejudicedandgoaboutfancyingtheykneweverythingtherewastobeknown,becausetheydidn’t,notbyalongway.Andhewarnedthemagainstthesinofromancing,andmakingupstoriesandfancyingotherpeoplewouldbelievethemjustbecausetheywereplausibleandhighly-coloured.Thenhesatdown,amidstmuchrepentantcheering,andthedragonnudgedtheBoyintheribsandwhisperedthathecouldn’thavedoneitbetterhimself.Theneveryonewentofftogetreadyforthebanquet.

           Banquetsarealwayspleasantthings,consistingmostly,astheydo,ofeatinganddrinking;butthespeciallynicethingaboutabanquetis,thatitcomeswhensomething’sover,andthere’snothingmoretoworryabout,andto-morrowseemsalongwayoff.StGeorgewashappybecausetherehadbeenafightandhehadn’thadtokillanybody;forhedidn’treallylikekilling,thoughhegenerallyhadtodoit.Thedragonwashappybecausetherehadbeenafight,andsofarfrombeinghurtinithehadwonpopularityandasurefootinginsociety.TheBoywashappybecausetherehadbeenafight,andinspiteofitallhistwofriendswereonthebestofterms.Andalltheotherswerehappybecausetherehadbeenafight,and—well,theydidn’trequireanyotherreasonsfortheirhappiness.