[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.They had nowbegun to ride along steep and stony paths, climbing upwardswith toil and ever-growing disquiet.Bit by bit she dropped backin the line, stumbling and limping and looking so patient and sadthat at last Farmer Giles was obliged to get off and walk.Soonthey found themselves right at the back among the pack-ponies;but no one took any notice of them.The knights werediscussing points of precedence and etiquette, and theirattention was distracted.Otherwise they would have observedthat dragonmarks were now obvious and numerous.They had come, indeed, to the places where Chrysophylax oftenroamed, or alighted after taking his -daily exercise in the air.Thelower hills, and the slopes on either side of the path, had ascorched and trampled look.There was little grass, and thetwisted stumps of heather and gorse stood up black amid widepatches of ash and burned earth.The region had been adragon's playground for many a year.A dark mountain-wallloomed up before them.Farmer Giles was concerned about his mare; but he was glad ofthe excuse for no longer being so conspicuous.It had notpleased him to be riding at the head of such a cavalcade in thesedreary and dubious places.A little later he was gladder still, andhad reason to thank his fortune (and his mare).For just aboutmidday - it being then the Feast of Candlemas, and the seventhday of their riding Tailbiter leaped out of its sheath, and thedragon out of his cave.Without warning or formality he swooped out to give battle.Down he came upon them with a rush and a roar.Far from hishome he had not shown himself over bold, in spite of his ancientand imperial lineage.But now he wasfilled with a great wrath; for he was fighting at his own gate, as,it were, and with all his treasure to defend.He came round ashoulder of the mountain like a ton of thunderbolts, with a noiselike a gale and a gust of red lightning.The argument concerning precedence stopped short.All thehorses shied to one side or the other, and some of the knightsfell off: The ponies and the baggage and the servants turnedand ran at once.They had no doubt as to the order ofprecedence.Suddenly there came a rush of smoke that smothered them all,and right in the midst of it the dragon crashed into the head ofthe line.Several knights were killed before they could even issuetheir formal challenge to battle, and several others were bowledover, horses and all.As for the remainder, their steeds tookcharge of them, and turned round and fled, carrying theirmasters off, whether they wished it or no: Most of them wishedit indeed.But the old grey mare did not budge.Maybe she was afraid ofbreaking her legs on the steep stony path.Maybe she felt tootired to run away.She knew in her bones that dragons on thewing are worse behind you than before you, and you need morespeed than a race-horse for flight to be useful.Besides, she hadseen this Chrysophylax before, and remembered chasing himover field and brook in her own country, till he lay down tame inthe village highstreet.Anyway she stuck her legs out wide, andshe snorted.Farmer Giles went as pale as his face could manage,but he stayed by her side; for there seemed nothing else to do.And so it was that the dragon, charging down the line, suddenlysaw straight in front of him his old enemy withTailbiter in his hand.It was the last thing he expected.Heswerved aside like a great bat and collapsed on the hillside closeto the road.Up came the grey mare, quite forgetting to walklame.Farmer Giles, much encouraged, had scrambled hastily onher back.`Excuse me,' said he, `but were you looking for me, by anychance?'`No indeed!' said Chrysophylax.`Who would have thought ofseeing you here? I was just flying about.'`Then we meet by good luck,' said Giles, `and the pleasure ismine; for I was looking for you.What's more, I have a bone topick with you, several bones in a manner of speaking.,The dragon snorted.Farmer Giles put up his arm to ward off' thehot gust, and with a flash Tailbiter swept forward, dangerouslynear the dragon's nose.`Hey!' said he, and stopped snorting
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]