THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER-第13章

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taly　swished　out　with　his　tail。　and　all　　that　anyone　had　seen　would　be　something　like　this　…　the　dots　are　for　the　bits　he　had　　smudged　　out　i　wnet　to　sl　ee　。　。　。　rgos　agrons　i　mean　drangons　　　

cave　cause　it…was　dead　and　awing　so　har　。　。　。　woke　up　and　cou　。　。　。

get　offf　mi　arm　oh　bother　。　。　。

it　was；　however；　clear　to　everyone　that　eustaces　character　had　been　rather　　improved　by　being　a　dragon。　he　was　anxious　to　help。　he　flew　over　the　whole　island　　and　found　it　was　all　mountainous　and　inhabited　only　by　wild　goats　and　droves　of　wild　　swine。　of　these　he　brought　back　many　carcasses　as　provisions　for　the　ship。　he　was　a　very　　humane　killer　too；　for　he　could　dispatch　a　beast　with　one　blow　of　his　tail　so　that　it　　didnt　know　（and　presumably　still　doesnt　know）　it　had　been　killed。　he　ate　a　few　himself；　of　　course；　but　always　alone；　for　now　that　he　was　a　dragon　he　liked　his　food　raw　but　he　　could　never　bear　to　let　others　see　him　at　his　messy　meals。　and　one　day；　flying　slowly　and　　wearily　but　in　great　triumph；　he　bore　back　to　camp　a　great　tall　pine　tree　which　he　had　　torn　up　by　the　roots　in　a　distant　valley　and　which　could　be　made　into　a　capital　mast。　and　　in　the　evening　if　it　turned　chilly；　as　it　sometimes　did　after　the　heavy　rains；　he　was　a　　fort　to　everyone；　for　the　whole　party　would　e　and　sit　with　their　backs　against　his　hot　　sides　and　get　well　warmed　and　dried；　and　one　puff　of　his　fiery　breath　would　light　the　most　　obstinate　fire。

sometimes　he　would　take　a　select　party　for　a　fly　on　his　back；　so　that　they　　could　see　wheeling　below　them　the　green　slopes；　the　rocky　heights；　the　narrow　pit…　like　valleys　and　far　out　over　the　sea　to　the　eastward　a　spot　of　darker　blue　on　the　blue　　horizon　which　might　be　land。

the　pleasure　（quite　new　to　him）　of　being　liked　and；　still　more；　of　liking　　other　people；　was　what　kept　eustace　from　despair。　for　it　was　very　dreary　being　a　dragon。　he　　shuddered　whenever　he　caught　sight　of　his　own　reflection　as　he　flew　over　a　mountain　　lake。　he　hated　the　huge　batlike　wings；　the　saw…edged　ridge　on　his　back；　and　the　cruel；　　curved　claws。　he　was　almost　afraid　to　be　alone　with　himself　and　yet　he　was　ashamed　to　be　　with　the　others。

on　the　evenings　when　he　was　not　being　used　as　a　hot…water　bottle　he　would　　slink　away　from　the　camp　and　lie　curled　up　like　a　snake　between　the　wood　and　the　　water。　on　such　occasions；　greatly　to　his　surprise；　reepicheep　was　his　most　constant　　forter。　the　noble　mouse　would　creep　away　from　the　merry　circle　at　the　camp　fire　and　sit　down　　by　the　dragons　head；　well　to　the　windward　to　be　out　of　the　way　of　his　smoky　　breath。　there　he　would　explain　that　what　had　happened　to　eustace　was　a　striking　illustration　　of　the　turn　of　fortunes　wheel；　and　that　if　he　had　eustace　at　his　own　house　in　narnia　（it　　was　really　a　hole　not　a　house　and　the　dragons　head；　let　alone　his　body；　would　not　have　　fitted　in）　he　could　show　him　more　than　a　hundred　examples　of　emperors；　kings；　dukes；　　knights；　poets；　lovers；　astronomers；　philosophers；　and　magicians；　who　had　fallen　from　　prosperity　into　the　most　distressing　circumstances；　and　of　whom　many　had　recovered　and　lived　　happily　ever　afterwards。　it　did　not；　perhaps；　seem　so　very　forting　at　the　time；　but　　it　was　kindly　meant　and　eustace　never　forgot　it。

but　of　course　what　hung　over　everyone　like　a　cloud　was　the　problem　of　what　　to　do　with　their　dragon　when　they　were　ready　to　sail。　they　tried　not　to　talk　of　it　　when　he　was　there；　but　he　couldnt　help　overhearing　things　like；　〃would　he　fit　all　along　one　　side　of　the　deck？

and　wed　have　to　shift　all　the　stores　to　the　other　side　down　below　so　as　to　　balance；〃　or；　〃would　towing　him　be　any　good？〃　or　〃would　he　be　able　to　keep　up　by　flying？〃　　and　（most　often　of　all）；　〃but　how　are　we　to　feed　him？〃　and　poor　eustace　　realized　more　and　　

more　that　since　the　first　day　he　came　on　board　he　had　been　an　unmitigated　　nuisance　and　that　he　was　now　a　greater　nuisance　still。　and　this　ate　into　his　mind；　just　　as　that　bracelet　ate　into　his　foreleg。　he　knew　that　it　only　made　it　worse　to　tear　at　it　with　　his　great　teeth；　but　he　couldnt　help　tearing　now　and　then；　especially　on　hot　nights。

about　six　days　after　they　had　landed　on　dragon　island；　edmund　happened　to　　wake　up　very　early　one　morning。　it　was　just　getting　grey　so　that　you　could　see　the　　tree…trunks　if　they　were　between　you　and　the　bay　but　not　in　the　other　direction。　as　he　　woke　he　thought　he　heard　something　moving；　so　he　raised　himself　on　one　elbow　and　looked　　about　him：　and　presently　he　thought　he　saw　a　dark　figure　moving　on　the　seaward　side　of　　the　wood。

the　idea　that　at　once　occurred　to　his　mind　was；　〃are　we　so　sure　there　are　　no　natives　on　this　island　after　all？〃　then　he　thought　it　was　caspian　…　it　was　about　the　　right　size　…　but　he　knew　that　caspian　had　been　sleeping　next　to　him　and　could　see　that　he　　hadnt　moved。

edmund　made　sure　that　his　sword　was　in　its　place　and　then　rose　to　　investigate。

he　came　down　softly　to　the　edge　of　the　wood　and　the　dark　figure　was　still　　there。　he　saw　now　that　it　was　too　small　for　caspian　and　too　big　for　lucy。　it　did　not　run　　away。　edmund　drew　his　sword　and　was　about　to　challenge　the　stranger　when　the　stranger　　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃is　that　you；　edmund？”

〃yes。　who　are　you？〃　said　he。

〃dont　you　know　me？〃　said　the　other。　〃its　me　eustace。”

〃by　jove；〃　said　edmund；　〃so　it　is。　my　dear　chap　…”

〃hush；〃　said　eustace　and　lurched　as　if　he　were　going　to　fall。

〃hello！〃　said　edmund；　steadying　him。　〃whats　up？　are　you　ill？”

eustace　was　silent　for　so　long　that　edmund　thought　he　was　fainting；　but　at　　last　he　said；　〃its　been　ghastly。　you　dont　know　。　。　。　but　its　all　right　now。　could　we　　go　and　talk　somewhere？　i　dont　want　to　meet　the　others　just　yet。”

〃yes；　rather；　anywhere　you　like；〃　said　edmund。　〃we　can　go　and　sit　on　the　　rocks　over　there。　i　say；　i　am　glad　to　see　you　…　er　…　looking　yourself　again。　you　must　　have　had　a　pretty　beastly　time。”

they　went　to　the　rocks　and　sat　down　looking　out　across　the　bay　while　the　　sky　got　paler　and　paler　and　the　stars　disappeared　except　for　one　very　bright　one　low　down　　and　near　the　horizon。

〃i　wont　tell　you　how　i　became　a　…　a　dragon　till　i　can　tell　the　others　and　　get　it　all　over；”

said　eustace。　〃by　the　way；　i　didnt　even　know　it　was　a　dragon　till　i　heard　　you　all　using　the　word　when　i　turned　up　here　the　other　morning。　i　want　to　tell　you　how　i　　stopped　being　one。”

〃fire　ahead；〃　said　edmund。

〃well；　last　night　i　was　more　miserable　than　ever。　and　that　beastly　arm…ring　　was　hurting　like　anything…”

〃is　that　all　right　now？”

eustace　laughed　…　a　different　laugh　from　any　edmund　had　heard　him　give　　before　…　and　slipped　the　bracelet　easily　off　his　arm。　〃there　it　is；〃　he　said；　〃and　　anyone　who　likes　can　have　it　as　far　as　im　concerned。　well；　as　i　say；　i　was　lying　awake　and　　wondering　what　on　earth　would　bee　of　me。　and　then　…　but；　mind　you；　it　may　have　been　all　a　　dream。　i　dont　know。”

〃go　on；〃　said　edmund；　with　considerable　patience。

〃well；　anyway；　i　looked　up　and　saw　the　very　last　thing　i　expected：　a　huge　　lion　ing　slowly　towards　me。　and　one　queer　thing　was　that　there　was　no　moon　last　　night；　but　there　was　moonlight　where　the　lion　was。　so　it　came　nearer　and　nearer。　i　was　　terribly　afraid　of　it。　you　may　think　that；　being　a　dragon；　i　could　have　knocked　any　lion　out　　easily　enough。

but　it　wasnt　that　kind　of　fear。　i　wasnt　afraid　of　it　eating　me；　i　was　　just　afraid　of　it　…　if　you　can　understand。　well；　it　came　close　up　to　me　and　looked　straight　into　my　　eyes。　and　i　shut　my　eyes　tight。　but　that　wasnt　any　good　because　it　told　me　to　follow　it。”

〃you　mean　it　spoke？”

〃i　dont　know。　now　that　you　mention　it；　i　dont　think　it　did。　but　it　told　　me　all　the　same。

and　i　knew　id　have　to　do　what　it　told　me；　so　i　got　up　and　followed　it。　and　　it　led　me　a　long　way　into　the　mountains。　and　there　was　always　this　moonlight　over　and　　round　the　lion　wherever　we　went。　so　at　last　we　came　to　the　top　of　a　mountain　id　　never　seen　before　and　on　the　top　of　this　mountain　there　was　a　garden　…　trees　and　fruit　and　　everything。　in　the　middle　of　it　there　was　a　well。

〃i　knew　it　was　a　well　because　you　could　see　the　water　bubbling　up　from　the　　bottom　of　it：　but　it　was　a　lot　bigger　than　most　wells　…　like　a　very　big；　round　bath　with　　marble　steps　going　down　into　it。　the　water　was　as　clear　as　anything　and　i　thought　if　i　　could　get　in　there　and　bathe　it　would　ease　the　pain　in　my　leg。　but　the　lion　told　me　i　　must　undress　first。

mind　you；　i　dont　know　if　he　said　any　words　out　loud　or　not。

〃i　was　just　going　to　say　that　i　couldnt　undress　because　i　hadnt　any　　clothes　on　when　i　suddenly　thought　that　dragons　are　snaky　sort　of　things　and　snakes　can　cast　　their　skins。

oh；　of　course；　thought　i；　thats　what　the　lion　means。　so　i　started　　scratching　myself　and　my　scales　began　ing　off　all　over　the　place。　and　then　i　scratched　a　　little　deeper　and；　instead　of　just　scales　ing　off　here　and　there；　my　whole　skin　started　　peeling　off　beautifully；　like　it　does　after　an　illness；　or　as　if　i　was　a　banana。　in　a　　minute　or　two　i　just　　

stepped　out　of　it。　i　could　see　it　lying　there　beside　me；　looking　rather　　nasty。　it　was　a　most　lovely　feeling。　so　i　started　to　go　down　into　the　well　for　my　bathe。

〃but　just　as　i　was　going　to　put　my　fee