THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER- 第11部分

but　perhaps　if　he　had　known　something　about　dragons　he　would　have　been　a　　little　surprised　at　this　dragons　behaviour。　it　did　not　sit　up　and　clap　its　wings；　　nor　did　it　shoot　out　a　stream　of　flame　from　its　mouth。　the　smoke　from　its　nostrils　was　like　　the　smoke　of　a　fire　that　will　not　last　much　longer。　nor　did　it　seem　to　have　noticed　　eustace。　it　moved　very　slowly　towards　the　pool　…　slowly　and　with　many　pauses。　even　in　his　fear　　eustace　felt　that　it　was　an　old；　sad　creature。　he　wondered　if　he　dared　make　a　dash　for　the　　ascent。　but　it　might　look　round　if　he　made　any　noise。　it　might　e　more　to　life。　perhaps　　it　was　only　　

shamming。　anyway；　what　was　the　use　of　trying　to　escape　by　climbing　from　a　　creature　that　could　fly？

it　reached　the　pool　and　slid　its　horrible　scaly　chin　down　over　the　gravel　　to　drink：　but　before　it　had　drunk　there　came　from　it　a　great　croaking　or　clanging　cry　and　　after　a　few　twitches　and　convulsions　it　rolled　round　on　its　side　and　lay　perfectly　　still　with　one　claw　in　the　air。　a　little　dark　blood　gushed　from　its　wide…opened　mouth。　the　smoke　　from　its　nostrils　turned　black　for　a　moment　and　then　floated　away。　no　more　came。　　this　was　the　brutes　trick；　the　way　it　lured　travellers　to　their　doom。　but　one　couldnt　　wait　for　ever。　he　took　a　step　nearer；　then　two　steps；　and　halted　again。　the　dragon　remained　　motionless；　he　noticed　too　that　the　red　fire　had　gone　out　of　its　eyes。　at　last　he　came　up　　to　it。　he　was　quite　sure　now　that　it　was　dead。　with　a　shudder　he　touched　it；　nothing　　happened。

the　relief　was　so　great　that　eustace　almost　laughed　out　loud。　he　began　to　　feel　as　if　he　had　fought　and　killed　the　dragon　instead　of　merely　seeing　it　die。　he　　stepped　over　it　and　went　to　the　pool　for　his　drink；　for　the　heat　was　getting　unbearable。　he　was　　not　surprised　when　he　heard　a　peal　of　thunder。　almost　immediately　afterwards　the　sun　　disappeared　and　before　he　had　finished　his　drink　big　drops　of　rain　were　falling。

the　climate　of　this　island　was　a　very　unpleasant　one。　in　less　than　a　minute　　eustace　was　wet　to　the　skin　and　half　blinded　with　such　rain　as　one　never　sees　in　　europe。　there　was　no　use　trying　to　climb　out　of　the　valley　as　long　as　this　lasted。　he　bolted　for　　the　only　shelter　in　sight　…　the　dragons　cave。　there　he　lay　down　and　tried　to　get　his　　breath。

most　of　us　know　what　we　should　expect　to　find　in　a　dragons　lair；　but；　as　i　　said　before；　eustace　had　read　only　the　wrong　books。　they　had　a　lot　to　say　about　exports　　and　imports　and　governments　and　drains；　but　they　were　weak　on　dragons。　that　is　why　he　　was　so　puzzled　at　the　surface　on　which　he　was　lying。　parts　of　it　were　too　prickly　　to　be　stones　and　too　hard　to　be　thorns；　and　there　seemed　to　be　a　great　many　round；　flat　　things；　and　it　all　clinked　when　he　moved。　there　was　light　enough　at　the　caves　mouth　to　　examine　it　by。

and　of　course　eustace　found　it　to　be　what　any　of　us　could　have　told　him　in　　advance　…　treasure。　there　were　crowns　（those　were　the　prickly　things）；　coins；　rings；　　bracelets；　ingots；　cups；　plates　and　gems。

eustace　（unlike　most　boys）　had　never　thought　much　of　treasure　but　he　saw　at　　once　the　use　it　would　be　in　this　new　world　which　he　had　so　foolishly　stumbled　into　　through　the　picture　in　lucys　bedroom　at　home。　〃they　dont　have　any　tax　here；〃　he　said；　〃and　　you　dont　have　to　give　treasure　to　the　government。　with　some　of　this　stuff　i　could　have　　quite　a　decent　time　here　…　perhaps　in　calormen。　it　sounds　the　least　phoney　of　these　　countries。　i　wonder　how　much　i　can　carry？　that　bracelet　now　…　those　things　in　it　are　probably　　diamonds　…　ill　slip　that　on　my　own　wrist。　too　big；　but　not　if　i　push　it　right　up　here　　above　my　elbow。

then　fill　my　pockets　with　diamonds　…　thats　easier　than　gold。　i　wonder　when　　this　infernal　rains　going　to　let　up？〃　he　got　into　a　less　unfortable　part　of　the　pile；　　where　it　was　mostly　coins；　and　settled　down　to　wait。　but　a　bad　fright；　when　once　it　is　　over；　and　especially　a　bad　fright　following　a　mountain　walk；　leaves　you　very　tired。　　eustace　fell　asleep。

by　the　time　he　was　sound　asleep　and　snoring　the　others　had　finished　dinner　　and　became　seriously　alarmed　about　him。　they　shouted；　〃eustace！　eustace！　coo…ee！〃　till　　they　were　hoarse　and　caspian　blew　his　horn。

〃hes　nowhere　near　or　hed　have　heard　that；〃　said　lucy　with　a　white　face。

〃confound　the　fellow；〃　said　edmund。　〃what　on　earth　did　he　want　to　slink　　away　like　this　for？”

〃but　we　must　do　something；〃　said　lucy。　〃he　may　have　got　lost；　or　fallen　　into　a　hole；　or　been　captured　by　savages。”

〃or　killed　by　wild　beasts；〃　said　drinian。

〃and　a　good　riddance　if　he　has；　i　say；〃　muttered　rhince。

〃master　rhince；〃　said　reepicheep；　〃you　never　spoke　a　word　that　became　you　　less。　the　creature　is　no　friend　of　mine　but　he　is　of　the　queens　blood；　and　while　he　　is　one　of　our　fellowship　it　concerns　our　honour　to　find　him　and　to　avenge　him　if　he　is　　dead。”

〃of　course　weve　got　to　find　him　（if　we　can）；〃　said　caspian　wearily。　　〃thats　the　nuisance　of　it。　it　means　a　search　party　and　endless　trouble。　bother　eustace。”

meanwhile　eustace　slept　and　slept　…　and　slept。　what　woke　him　was　a　pain　in　　his　arm。　the　moon　was　shining　in　at　the　mouth　of　the　cave；　and　the　bed　of　treasures　　seemed　to　have　grown　much　more　fortable：　in　fact　he　could　hardly　feel　it　at　all。　he　was　　puzzled　by　the　pain　in　his　arm　at　first；　but　presently　it　occurred　to　him　that　the　　bracelet　which　he　had　shoved　up　above　his　elbow　had　bee　strangely　tight。　his　arm　must　have　　swollen　while　he　was　asleep　（it　was　his　left　arm）。

he　moved　his　right　arm　in　order　to　feel　his　left；　but　stopped　before　he　had　　moved　it　an　inch　and　bit　his　lip　in　terror。　for　just　in　front　of　him；　and　a　little　on　　his　right；　where　the　moonlight　fell　clear　on　the　floor　of　the　cave；　he　saw　a　hideous　shape　　moving。　he　knew　that　shape：　it　was　a　dragons　claw。　it　had　moved　as　he　moved　his　hand　and　　became　still　when　he　stopped　moving　his　hand。

〃oh；　what　a　fool　ive　been；〃　thought　eustace。　〃of　course；　the　brute　had　a　　mate　and　its　lying　beside　me。”

for　several　minutes　he　did　not　dare　to　move　a　muscle。　he　saw　two　thin　　columns　of　smoke　going　up　before　his　eyes；　black　against　the　moonlight；　just　as　there　had　　been　smoke　ing　from　the　other　dragons　nose　before　it　died。　this　was　so　alarming　　that　he　held　his　breath。　the　two　columns　of　smoke　vanished。　when　he　could　hold　his　breath　no　　longer　he　let　it　out　stealthily；　instantly　two　jets　of　smoke　appeared　again。　but　even　　yet　he　had　no　idea　of　the　truth。

presently　he　decided　that　he　would　edge　very　cautiously　to　his　left　and　try　　to　creep　out　of　the　cave。　perhaps　the　creature　was　asleep　…　and　anyway　it　was　his　only　　chance。　but　of　course　before　he　edged　to　the　left　he　looked　to　the　left。　oh　horror！　there　　was　a　dragons　claw　on　that　side　too。

no　one　will　blame　eustace　if　at　this　moment　he　shed　tears。　he　was　surprised　　at　the　size　of　his　own　tears　as　he　saw　them　splashing　on　to　the　treasure　in　front　of　him。　　they　also　seemed　strangely　hot；　steam　went　up　from　them。

but　there　was　no　good　crying。　he　must　try　to　crawl　out　from　between　the　two　　dragons。

he　began　extending　his　right　arm。　the　dragons　fore…leg　and　claw　on　his　　right　went　through　exactly　the　same　motion。　then　he　thought　he　would　try　his　left。　the　　dragon　limb　on　that　side　moved　too。

two　dragons；　one　on　each　side；　mimicking　whatever　he　did！　his　nerve　broke　　and　he　simply　made　a　bolt　for　it。

there　was　such　a　clatter　and　rasping；　and　clinking　of　gold；　and　grinding　of　　stones；　as　he　rushed　out　of　the　cave　that　he　thought　they　were　both　following　him。　he　　darent　look　back。　he　rushed　to　the　pool。　the　twisted　shape　of　the　dead　dragon　lying　in　　the　moonlight　would　have　been　enough　to　frighten　anyone　but　now　he　hardly　noticed　it。　his　　idea　was　to　get　into　the　water。

but　just　as　he　reached　the　edge　of　the　pool　two　things　happened。　first　of　　all　it　came　over　him　like　a　thunder…clap　that　he　had　been　running　on　all　fours　…　and　why　on　　earth　had　he　been　doing　that？　and　secondly；　as　he　bent　towards　the　water；　he　thought　for　　a　second　that　yet　another　dragon　was　staring　up　at　him　out　of　the　pool。　but　in　an　instant　　he　realized　the　truth。　the　dragon　face　in　the　pool　was　his　own　reflection。　there　was　no　　doubt　of　it。　it　moved　as　he　moved：　it　opened　and　shut　its　mouth　as　he　opened　and　shut　his。

he　had　turned　into　a　dragon　while　he　was　asleep。　sleeping　on　a　dragons　　hoard　with　greedy；　dragonish　thoughts　in　his　heart；　he　had　bee　a　dragon　himself。

that　explained　everything。　there　had　been　no　two　dragons　beside　him　in　the　　cave。　the　claws　to　right　and　left　had　been　his　own　right　and　left　claw。　the　two　　columns　of　smoke　had　been　ing　from　his　own　nostrils。　as　for　the　pain　in　his　left　arm　（or　　what　had　been　his　left　arm）　he　could　now　see　what　had　happened　by　squinting　with　his　left　　eye。　the　bracelet　which　had　fitted　very　nicely　on　the　upper　arm　of　a　boy　was　far　too　　small　for　the　thick；　stumpy　foreleg　of　a　dragon。　it　had　sunk　deeply　into　his　scaly　flesh　　and　there　was　a　throbbing　bulge　on　each　side　of　it。　he　tore　at　the　place　with　his　dragons　　teeth　but　could　not　get　it　off。

in　spite　of　the　pain；　his　first　feeling　was　one　of　relief。　there　was　　nothing　to　be　afraid　of　any　more。　he　was　a　terror　himself　and　nothing　in　the　world　but　a　knight　　（and　not