Golden Age and Other Stories Read online

  “Justastray,sir?”thewatchofficerventured.

  “Verylikely,Mr.Rawls.Butitseemsfarfromlandforsosmallacreaturetomerelybeentertaining itself.Setthecourseeastbysouth,ifyouplease,andwewillbeattoquarters,”Laurencesaid.

  Hekepttheshiponalertastheyfollowedthesmalldragon’slastcourse.Laurencestudiedthecharts inhiscabin;theGreatCaicosandtheTurksIslandswereinthegeneraldirection,andhadnosettlements: ahospitablehomeforapirateband.

  Theydidnothavetosightlandtofindthepirates,however.Bymid-morninganothershoutwentup fromthelook-out,andLaurencewentbackondecktofindeverymanstaringsilentlyintothedistanceat the crowd of dragons approaching, small as a flock of birds except for the enormous shadow in their midst,itswingswiderthanthefulllengthofthe Reliant’sdeck.

  Laurence stared also, in astonishment more than horror: it was certainly a heavy-weight, as big a dragon as he had ever seen. How had it ever fallen into the hands of pirates? But that question immediatelyfadedinimportance.“Launchtheship’sboatswiththreepepper-menaboardtoeitherside, andletuselevatealltheguns.Reefsails.”

  Whenthedragonswerecloseenoughtohearit,Laurenceorderedthestarboardbow-chaserfiredas awarningshot.Itdidnothaltthebeasts,andastheydrewcloser,Laurenceswepttheoceanbehindthem withhisglassagainandstillsawnosignofanyship,nomatterhowhumble:thedaywasclearandhehad a clear view of the ocean’s wide and empty expanse in every direction. Still more baffling, when the dragonsdrewcloser,noneofthemhadastitchofharnessanywheretobeseen,eventhegiganticblack one.

  “Mr. Riley, let the pepper-men stand ready. The gun crews shall aim for that beast in the center wheneveritshouldcomeontheirside,”Laurencesaid.“HoldfireuntilIgivetheword,andafterwards eachcrewistofireindependentlyuntiltheordertohaltisgiven.”

  “Verygood,sir,”Rileysaid,withcommendablesteadiness.

  Laurencewenttothefrontoftheshipandturnedroundtofacethemen.“YouwereattheBattleof VigoBay,Collins,Ibelieve,”hesaid,addressingthechiefofthefirstgun-crew.

  “Aye,sir.”

  Laurence nodded. “The beasts do make an astonishing noise: not quite a broadside, but enough indeedtoshakeanyman’sspirits,ifhehadnotheardthembefore.”

  “I’ll take their bark over their breath, sir, begging your pardon,” Collins said readily enough, to suppressedandnervousmirth.

  “Indeed,”Laurencesaid.“Fortunately,byallreportnoneofourvisitorshavefireorvitrioltoalarm us.Iamsuremereroaringwillnotunmanthecrewof thisship.”

  “No,sir!”and“Hear,hear,”werehissatisfactoryanswer,andLaurencenoddedandturnedbackto facetheoncomingwave,hishandsclaspedlooselybehindhisback.Ahandfulofthesmallerdragonshad now outdistanced their enormous companion and come darting towards them, circling them at a range whichshouldhaveputthembeyondthereachofcarronadessuchasthemerchantmenmighthavecarried: apieceofstrategywhichgaveLaurencefreshcausetobesurprisedandalsowary.Theirownlongguns wouldhavereachedfurther,butLaurencewasnottemptedtogivetheorder:hedidnotmeantogiveaway the extent of their range only to strike a few featherweights. Behind him he heard the officers saying,

  “Steadythere,steady,men;nofiringuntilthecaptaingivestheword.”

  Thehugedragoncameonfortheheadoftheship,andthenabruptlycheckedhisway,alsojustpast carronaderange,andhoveringthereannouncedinclearandcarryingFrench,“Hello;youmaybeginfiring now,orjustgetintoyourboatsandgoaway,asyoulike.”

  Laurencestareddoubtfully.Ithadneveroccurredtohimtoholdaconversationwithadragon;hehad thevagueunderstandingthatitrequiredsomeparticulartraining,uniquetotheAerialCorps.Butthebeast wasperfectlyintelligible,andtherewascertainlynoofficerorcrewmanaboardthedragontospeakto otherwise.

  Afteramoment’shesitation,heborrowedthemaster’sspeaking-trumpet,andputittohislips.“Iam CaptainLaurenceofHisMajesty’sShip Reliant,”hecalledback,clearly,inhisbestFrench.“Ifyouare thepirateswhohavebeenmolestingtheshippinginthisregion—”Herehehesitated,puzzledbrieflyhow toproceed:itwasnonsensicaltothreatentohangadragon.“—thenIamchargedtobringyoutofacethe King’sjustice.Ifyousurrenderatonce,youandyourcompanyshallfaceafairtrialforyourcrimes.”

  “Oh!”thedragonsaid,indignantly.“Ourcrimes,asthoughyoudidnotalwaysbeginfiringyourguns atusstraightaway.”Thenthedragonpausedandsaidinsuddenlyuncertaintones,“Arenotyougoingto fireuponus?”

  Laurence began to wonder whether perhaps some clever and unscrupulous French officer had hit uponaschemetosetferaldragonsuponenemyshippingwithoutinvolvinghisownshipinanyrisk.“If youdonotmeantosurrender,Iwillcertainlytakewhatevermeasuresarerequiredtohaltyourthievery.

  Whohasinstructedyoutoattackpassingships?”

  “Nooneinstructedus,”thedragonanswered.“Ionlytriedtosayhello,becauseIwascurious,and theyfiredonusatonce.”

  “Andthatwelcome,Igather,inducedyoutoreturnagainandagain,tootherships?”Laurencesaid dryly.

  “Well, if you should choose to challenge someone, by firing guns at them,” the dragon said, with whatLaurencecouldonlydescribeasaguiltyair,“itisonlyyourownfault,ifyouloseyourtreasure.I amsureitisnot ourfaultifwearebetteratfighting.”

  Afewoftheotherdragons,flyingintheircircles,jabberedatthebigoneloudly;heansweredthem intheirowntongue,withasmuchfluencyastheFrenchhespoke.Laurencetookthechancetoconsider the situation. He had never seen a dragon so close before, nor imagined that they could converse so intelligently,northattheyshouldofferquarter,orcaretomakeexcusesfortheirrapacity.Rileyhadcome tohisside;Laurencesaidtohimquietly,“Haveyoueverhearditsaidthatdragonsaremoralbeings?”

  Rileyshookhisheadhelplessly.Laurencehimselfwouldnothavepreviouslyimaginedit,butthedragon seemedeagertodefendthejusticeofitsbehavior.

  “Andwhyare you notfiringyourguns?”thelargedragonpressed.“Noneofthe othershipsbehaved so.”

  Laurence regarded the beast. He could not say that he was at all sanguine about the prospects of defeatingaheavy-weightonthisscalewithasinglefrigateofforty-eightguns.Atbest,theymightbring thebeastdownandthemselvesbebroughtbytheleeinitsvengefuldeaththroes.Butentirelyasidefrom suchconsiderations,hefoundsomethingdistastefulinfiringtodestroysomagnificentacreature,without thenecessityofself-defensetoimpelit.Aspeculiarashefoundthenotion,ifthedragonhadenoughidea of justice to wish to excuse itself, perhaps it had enough to be persuaded it had done wrong, and must stop.

  “ThisisafightingshipoftheRoyalNavy,”Laurencesaidafteramoment.“Youhavebeenmaking yourassaultsonhelplesssmallermerchantmen,whosecrewsarenottrainedtodobattle.Naturallythose menwerefrightenedbyyourapproach:youcanscarcelydenythatyoupresentawarlikeappearance,and youalonelikelyoutweighanyvesselyouhavecomeupon,beforethis.Yououghttobeashamedtohave frightenedthem,andstillmoretohavetakentheirpanicasanexcusetorobthem.”

  SomeofthemenhadenoughFrenchtofollowhim,andmostoftheofficers;atitterwentroundthe ship when he had made this speech. “I’ve heard of men as would talk the birds from the trees, but not beforedragonsfromtheair,”heoverheardO’Deamuttering,ononeofthenearergun-crews,subsiding whenreprimandedforinsolencebyLieutenantDavies.Laurencehimselfhardlyknewwhattoexpectin

>   answertosuchanargument.

  But the large dragon drew his head back as if he had been struck, putting his large frilled ruff—

  Laurencecouldnotremembereverseeingasimilardecorationonanybreed—almostflatagainsthisneck, ratherlikeahorseputtingbackitsears.Hedidnotimmediatelyanswer.Heseemeddismayedmorethan angry, however, and Laurence entertained the notion that perhaps his persuasion had made some good effect.

  Butthesmalldragonsyammeredathimagain;thebigdragonansweredthemwithapreoccupiedair, hisheadbowedonhisneck.Evidentlygrowingimpatient,oneofthesmallerbeaststurneditsheadand hissedtotheothers,andfiveofthemswarmedroundandcamedivingintowardstheship.“Mikli!”the blackdragoncriedout,butthesmallerbeastspaidhimnoattention.

  “Pepperaway!”Laurencecalled,andheardtheordergodowntheship.Thepepper-meninthetops immediatelybegantoheavetheirlargesackshighintotheairabovethesails,lettingthecornersbillow openastheyreachedthetopoftheirarcs,fillingtheairwithsuchacloudthatLaurencepresentlyhadthe peculiarfragranceofthespiceinhisnostrils.Intheboats,thepepper-mentookaimwiththeircrossbows, launching smaller sacks into the air to either side. They went to their work with such alacrity that a greenish cloud filled the air before the first beasts stooping reached the masts, and no sooner had their headscomeintothepepperthantheybeganwincingaway,shrillingunhappilyandfoulingoneanotherina franticattempttogetaway.

  Even after they had retreated, however, the effects continued to make themselves felt: the dragon pepper was meant to act even upon much larger beasts than these, and Laurence had purchased freshly milledstockwithhisownfunds,ratherthanrelyuponthemoredubioussuppliesprovidedbytheRoyal Navy.Hewasrewardedamplynowbyseeingtherestofthesmalldragonshighlydismayedbythecries oftheirfellows,theleaderofwhomevenplungedtowardstheoceantothrustherheadbeneaththewater, tryingtowashawaythecontamination.

  “Whathaveyoudonetothem!”theblackdragoncried.

  Laurence turned back and said dryly, “If they choose to fly themselves into a pepper-cloud, it is surelynofaultof ours;doyoudisagree?”

  Asthoughabashed,thedragondidnotargue,andabruptlyhestooped—withastonishingswiftness, seemingevenquickerthanthelittledragonsthoughsofarbeyondtheminsize—andsnatchedupthestill-cryingsmallbeastfromthewaterwhereshewasstilltryingtoduckherhead,andturningtailflewaway atsorapidaclipthatheleftLaurenceandtherestofthedragonsequallystartled.Therestofthedragons

  —there were not more than a dozen—looked down at the ship, as Laurence looked up, and then as if noticing they were out of their weight class flung themselves hastily after the black one, who was shrinkingrapidlyintothedistance,heedlessoftheircallingafterhim.

  TWOWEEKShuntingthroughthenearbyislandshadnotproducedanysignofthedragonpirates,though Laurencehadputinateverylikelybeachandcovewhichcameintheirway.AtlastRileyreturnedfrom anotherunsuccessfulvisittooneoftheCaicostoreportsomethingofinterest,andtookLaurenceashorein astrikinglyshallowbay:eventheboatgroundednearlyfortyyardsfromshore,andtheyhadtowadethe restofthedistancetothedisgustofseveralstingrays.

  Laurencekneltatthesideofthedisintegratingcorpse:verylittleleftofthepoorfellowbutaskull collapsedintothehollowofhisownribs,andafewbonesofthearmsandlegsscatteredbesidethehips.

  Whatmightoncehavebeenastoutropelayfrayedintopiecesroundhimandtheweatherbeatenremnants ofacratelyinguponitsside,withthelidmissingandseveralgougesofnailstoshowwhereithadbeen forcedoff.Insidealiningofwaterloggedandraggedsilkpartlystillcoveredamassofthinandrotting straw,anduponthesilklayseverallargefragmentsofathick,whiteeggshell.

  “Yes,Ifancywehavefoundtheoriginofourbeast,”Laurencesaid.“Haveyouanythingelse?”

  “Onlythis,sir,”Rileysaid,andshowedhimaweatheredpieceofabarreltheyhaddugupfromthe farsideoftheshore,marked Amitié.

  “Butwhereshouldtheyhavebeenbringingtheegg?”Laurenceasked,halfofhimself;itwasabsurd.

  Nodragonsoextraordinarywouldbeshippedtothecolonies,andwhereelsehadanyFrenchshipinthis partoftheworldanybusinesstobegoing?“Letushavethiscrateover,Ithink,”headded,andfoundhis answer on its underside, where wind and sun had not faded away the elaborate paint and the markings whichherecognizedasChinesescript.

  “They must have paid a fortune for it,” Laurence said, blankly, and then looked up as a vast dark shadow fell upon the beach. Half the men cried out and fled crashing away into the underbrush, in a pardonablepanic,andRileydrewhissword—uselessly,ofcourse,astheblackdragonsettleddirectly into the shallow waters of the bay, clouding them with immense gouts of sand, and lowered his head towardsthem.

  Laurencewasnottooproudtoadmithisbackrequiredstiffening,butitgotthedoseitrequired;he didnotmeantomeetdeathcowering,ifitwereathand.Hesaidquietly,“Mr.Riley,youwillbesogood astotaketherestofthemenintothebrush,andgetundercover.”

  “Sir,”Rileysaid,hesitating,butLaurencewavedhimback,andsteppedtowardstheenormoushead himself.

  “It isyouagain,”thedragonsaidinoddlywarytones,drawingback.“Whatareyoudoinghere?”

  “We have been pursuing you,” Laurence said, and gestured to the crate and the shell. “Were you hatchedhereallalone?”

  Thedragonlookedoveratthecrate.“Yes,butIdidnotminditsoverymuch,onceIcaughtaturtle, andthenImetmyfriends.Idonotunderstand,whyhaveyoucomeafterus?Ileftyoualoneanddidnot attackyouatall.”

  “Youhavegivennosignyoumeantostoppillagingotherships.Icannotholdyousoguiltyforyour piracyasIwould,ifyouhadbeenraisedbycivilizedpeopleandtaughttoknowbetter.Butyoucannotbe permittedtocarryoninthisfashion.”

  “IamsureIdonotknowwhynot,”thedragonobjected,inpragmatictones.“Whoistostopme?”

  “Ifyourconsciencewillnotdoit,Iwilltrymyself,”Laurencesaid,despitethepatentabsurdityof suchathreat,“andifIamslainintheattemptandmyshipsunkafterme,alargerwillbesent,withBritish fighting-dragons aboard it: there are some who outweigh even you. Sooner or late you will end as has everypiratechiefwhoserapacitygrewsolargeastomaketheminfamous.”

  “Oh!”thedragonsaid,butthenhesitatedandalittlediffidentlyasked,“Haveyouseenotherdragons likeme,then?”

  “I have never seen your like,” Laurence said. “I suppose,” he gestured to the crate, “that you are Chinese;theyarebyreputeveryfinedragonbreeders.ButIhaveseenParnassians,andLongwings,anda FlammedeGloire—whichareliketoyouinsize,atleast,andtrainedforbattle.”

  “Well, I am sure I could learn anything they know, and I do not think I have done so poorly, consideringtherewasnoonetoteachmeanythingatall,butGalantandtheothers,”thedragonsaid.“But whatdoyoumeanby Chinese? ”

  Laurencehesitated,andthentakingupastickmadearoughattemptatsketchingforthedragonamap of the world, carved into the sandy shore, although he was unable to satisfy himself with his outline of China:hehadonlytheslightestnotionofthatcountry’sextent,beyonditscoast.“Howcleverthatis,”the dragon said, meaning the map; he almost immediately understood the intent, which was not wonderful whenoneconsideredhemusthavebeenusedtoseethelandfromfarabove.“ButIdonotrecognizethe shapesofanyofthoseislands.Whereisthisone,praytel
l?”

  He seemed rather staggered to understand that they were at present upon an atoll so small as to representnotasinglepebbleuponthesketch,andinapositionhalfwayroundtheworldfromhisorigin; buthedidnotexpressdisbeliefatthescale,onlyratherplaintivelyasked,“ButhowdidIcometobeso faraway?”

  Laurencecouldnotsatisfyhimonthispoint,anditevidentlydisquietedthedragon;hesatwithhead bowedinsilenceandthenasabruptlyashehadcomelaunchedhimselfwithaterrificspringintotheair andflewaway,settingthebaysloshingsothatawaveofnearsixfeetmanagedtoheaveitselfoutofthe shallowsandswampedLaurenceheadtofeet,drenchinghimentirely.

  THEYSAILEDroundtheislandcautiously,thenextday,andbyafternoonthelookoutmadethebandof dragonsatlastattheirhome,atrulygrandsweepofsandthecolorofpalecream,manymileslong,and the immense black dragon curled round himself halfway down. Behind him, heaped untidily upon the shore,analmostequallyimmenseheapofdazzlinggoldandsilvermingledhereortherewithsomechest orbarrel,afairy-talehoardwithaheapofcannonstackedrounditinwhatseemedadecorativespirit, and the wreck of what looked a dozen ships or more littered the beach at either end—their holds had evidentlybeenbrokenopenbybangingthemonrocks,ratherlikeanotterwithaclam.

  The small dragons set up a tremendous alarum on catching sight of the ship in turn, and the black dragonraisedhisheadfromthesand.Heleaptaloftandflewtowardsthem,haltingagooddistanceaway, evidentlygrownwaryofthepepperguns;acrowdofthelittleronesfollowedhim,althoughtheymade theirlimitatanevenbetterdistance.

  “Iam notlettingyoutakeourtreasure,”thedragonsaiddefiantly,hovering.

  Laurence,equallyappalledandstaggeredbythescaleoftheplunder,foundthisapointnotworththe argument;hecouldnothavecarrieditallawayifhehadfiveshipsthesizeofthe Reliant.“Thetreasure istheleastofit!”hesaid.“Canyoulookuponthewreckyouhavemadeofsomanyseaworthyvessels, andtakeanyprideinwhatyouhavestolenfromthem?Idonotsupposeallthetreasureyouhaveamassed couldpayforthedamageyouhavedone.”