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Ifyoushutyoureyesandarealuckyone,youmayseeattimesashapelesspooloflovelypalecolourssuspendedinthedarkness;thenifyousqueezeyoureyestighter,thepoolbeginstotakeshape,andthecoloursbecomesovividthatwithanothersqueezetheymustgoonfire.
Butjustbeforetheygoonfireyouseethelagoon.
Thisisthenearestyouevergettoitonthemainland,justoneheavenlymoment;iftherecouldbetwomomentsyoumightseethesurfandhearthemermaidssinging.
Thechildrenoftenspentlongsummerdaysonthislagoon,swimmingorfloatingmostofthetime,playingthemermaidgamesinthewater,andsoforth.
Youmustnotthinkfromthisthatthemermaidswereonfriendlytermswiththem:onthecontrary,itwasamongWendy'slastingregretsthatallthetimeshewasontheislandsheneverhadacivilwordfromoneofthem.
Whenshestolesoftlytotheedgeofthelagoonshemightseethembythescore,especiallyonMarooners'Rock,wheretheylovedtobask,combingouttheirhairinalazywaythatquiteirritatedher;orshemightevenswim,ontiptoeasitwere,towithinayardofthem,butthentheysawheranddived,probablysplashingherwiththeirtails,notbyaccident,butintentionally.
Theytreatedalltheboysinthesameway,exceptofcoursePeter,whochattedwiththemonMarooners'Rockbythehour,andsatontheirtailswhentheygotcheeky.HegaveWendyoneoftheircombs.
Themosthauntingtimeatwhichtoseethemisattheturnofthemoon,whentheyutterstrangewailingcries;butthelagoonisdangerousformortalsthen,anduntiltheeveningofwhichwehavenowtotell,Wendyhadneverseenthelagoonbymoonlight,lessfromfear,forofcoursePeterwouldhaveaccompaniedher,thanbecauseshehadstrictrulesabouteveryonebeinginbedbyseven.
Shewasoftenatthelagoon,however,onsunnydaysafterrain,whenthemermaidscomeupinextraordinarynumberstoplaywiththeirbubbles.
Thebubblesofmanycoloursmadeinrainbowwatertheytreatasballs,hittingthemgailyfromonetoanotherwiththeirtails,andtryingtokeepthemintherainbowtilltheyburst.
Thegoalsareateachendoftherainbow,andthekeepersonlyareallowedtousetheirhands.
Sometimesadozenofthesegameswillbegoingoninthelagoonatatime,anditisquiteaprettysight.
Butthemomentthechildrentriedtojoinintheyhadtoplaybythemselves,forthemermaidsimmediatelydisappeared.
Neverthelesswehaveproofthattheysecretlywatchedtheinterlopers,andwerenotabovetakinganideafromthem;forJohnintroducedanewwayofhittingthebubble,withtheheadinsteadofthehand,andthemermaidsadoptedit.
ThisistheonemarkthatJohnhasleftontheNeverland.
Itmustalsohavebeenratherprettytoseethechildrenrestingonarockforhalfanhouraftertheirmid-daymeal.
Wendyinsistedontheirdoingthis,andithadtobearealresteventhoughthemealwasmake-believe.
Sotheylaythereinthesun,andtheirbodiesglistenedinit,whileshesatbesidethemandlookedimportant.
Itwasonesuchday,andtheywereallonMarooners'Rock.
Therockwasnotmuchlargerthantheirgreatbed,butofcoursetheyallknewhownottotakeupmuchroom,andtheyweredozing,oratleastlyingwiththeireyesshut,andpinchingoccasionallywhentheythoughtWendywasnotlooking.Shewasverybusy,stitching.
Whileshestitchedachangecametothelagoon.
Littleshiversranoverit,andthesunwentawayandshadowsstoleacrossthewater,turningitcold.
Wendycouldnolongerseetothreadherneedle,andwhenshelookedup,thelagoonthathadalwayshithertobeensuchalaughingplaceseemedformidableandunfriendly.
Itwasnot,sheknew,thatnighthadcome,butsomethingasdarkasnighthadcome.No,worsethanthat.
Ithadnotcome,butithadsentthatshiverthroughtheseatosaythatitwascoming.Whatwasit?
TherecrowdeduponherallthestoriesshehadbeentoldofMarooners'Rock,socalledbecauseevilcaptainsputsailorsonitandleavethemtheretodrown.
Theydrownwhenthetiderises,forthenitissubmerged.
Ofcoursesheshouldhaverousedthechildrenatonce;notmerelybecauseoftheunknownthatwasstalkingtowardthem,butbecauseitwasnolongergoodforthemtosleeponarockgrownchilly.
Butshewasayoungmotherandshedidnotknowthis;shethoughtyousimplymuststicktoyourruleabouthalfanhourafterthemid-daymeal.
So,thoughfearwasuponher,andshelongedtohearmalevoices,shewouldnotwakenthem.
Evenwhensheheardthesoundofmuffledoars,thoughherheartwasinhermouth,shedidnotwakenthem.
Shestoodoverthemtoletthemhavetheirsleepout.WasitnotbraveofWendy?
Itwaswellforthoseboysthenthattherewasoneamongthemwhocouldsniffdangereveninhissleep.
Petersprangerect,aswideawakeatonceasadog,andwithonewarningcryherousedtheothers.
Hestoodmotionless,onehandtohisear.
"Pirates!"hecried.Theotherscameclosertohim.
Astrangesmilewasplayingabouthisface,andWendysawitandshuddered.
Whilethatsmilewasonhisfacenoonedaredaddresshim;alltheycoulddowastostandreadytoobey.Theordercamesharpandincisive.
"Dive!"
Therewasagleamoflegs,andinstantlythelagoonseemeddeserted.Marooners'Rockstoodaloneintheforbiddingwatersasifitwereitselfmarooned.
Theboatdrewnearer.Itwasthepiratedinghy,withthreefiguresinher,SmeeandStarkey,andthethirdacaptive,nootherthanTigerLily.
Herhandsandanklesweretied,andsheknewwhatwastobeherfate.
Shewastobeleftontherocktoperish,anendtooneofherracemoreterriblethandeathbyfireortorture,forisitnotwritteninthebookofthetribethatthereisnopaththroughwatertothehappyhunting-ground?
Yetherfacewasimpassive;shewasthedaughterofachief,shemustdieasachief'sdaughter,itisenough.
Theyhadcaughtherboardingthepirateshipwithaknifeinhermouth.
Nowatchwaskeptontheship,itbeingHook'sboastthatthewindofhisnameguardedtheshipforamilearound.
Nowherfatewouldhelptoguarditalso.
Onemorewailwouldgotheroundinthatwindbynight.
Inthegloomthattheybroughtwiththemthetwopiratesdidnotseetherocktilltheycrashedintoit.
"Luff,youlubber,"criedanIrishvoicethatwasSmee's;"here'stherock.Now,then,whatwehavetodoistohoisttheredskinontoitandleaveherheretodrown."
Itwastheworkofonebrutalmomenttolandthebeautifulgirlontherock;shewastooproudtoofferavainresistance.
Quiteneartherock,butoutofsight,twoheadswerebobbingupanddown,Peter'sandWendy's.
Wendywascrying,foritwasthefirsttragedyshehadseen.
Peterhadseenmanytragedies,buthehadforgottenthemall.
HewaslesssorrythanWendyforTigerLily:itwastwoagainstonethatangeredhim,andhemeanttosaveher.
Aneasywaywouldhavebeentowaituntilthepirateshadgone,buthewasneveronetochoosetheeasyway.
Therewasalmostnothinghecouldnotdo,andhenowimitatedthevoiceofHook.
"Ahoythere,youlubbers!"hecalled.Itwasamarvellousimitation.
"Thecaptain!"saidthepirates,staringateachotherinsurprise.
"Hemustbeswimmingouttous,"Starkeysaid,whentheyhadlookedforhiminvain.
"Weareputtingtheredskinontherock,"Smeecalledout.
"Setherfree,"cametheastonishinganswer.
"Free!"
"Yes,cutherbondsandlethergo."
"But,captain—"
"Atonce,d'yehear,"criedPeter,"orI'llplungemyhookinyou."
"Thisisqueer!"Smeegasped.
"Betterdowhatthecaptainorders,"saidStarkeynervously.
"Ay,ay."Smeesaid,andhecutTigerLily'scords.AtoncelikeaneelsheslidbetweenStarkey'slegsintothewater.
OfcourseWendywasveryelatedoverPeter'scleverness;butsheknewthathewouldbeelatedalsoandverylikelycrowandthusbetrayhimself,soatonceherhandwentouttocoverhismouth.
Butitwasstayedevenintheact,for"Boatahoy!"
rangoverthelagooninHook'svoice,andthistimeitwasnotPeterwhohadspoken.
Petermayhavebeenabouttocrow,buthisfacepuckeredinawhistleofsurpriseinstead.
"Boatahoy!"againcamethevoice.
NowWendyunderstood.TherealHookwasalsointhewater.
Hewasswimmingtotheboat,andashismenshowedalighttoguidehimhehadsoonreachedthem.
InthelightofthelanternWendysawhishookgriptheboat'sside;shesawhisevilswarthyfaceasherosedrippingfromthewater,and,quaking,shewouldhavelikedtoswimaway,butPeterwouldnotbudge.
Hewastinglingwithlifeandalsotop-heavywithconceit."AmInotawonder,oh,Iamawonder!"
hewhisperedtoher,andthoughshethoughtsoalso,shewasreallygladforthesakeofhisreputationthatnooneheardhimexceptherself.
Hesignedtohertolisten.
Thetwopirateswereverycurioustoknowwhathadbroughttheircaptaintothem,buthesatwithhisheadonhishookinapositionofprofoundmelancholy.
"Captain,isallwell?"theyaskedtimidly,butheansweredwithahollowmoan.
"Hesighs,"saidSmee.
"Hesighsagain,"saidStarkey.
"Andyetathirdtimehesighs,"saidSmee.
Thenatlasthespokepassionately.
"Thegame'sup,"hecried,"thoseboyshavefoundamother."
Affrightedthoughshewas,Wendyswelledwithpride.
"Oevilday!"criedStarkey.
"What'samother?"askedtheignorantSmee.
Wendywassoshockedthatsheexclaimed."Hedoesn'tknow!"andalwaysafterthisshefeltthatifyoucouldhaveapetpirateSmeewouldbeherone.
Peterpulledherbeneaththewater,forHookhadstartedup,crying,"Whatwasthat?"
"Iheardnothing,"saidStarkey,raisingthelanternoverthewaters,andasthepirateslookedtheysawastrangesight.
ItwasthenestIhavetoldyouof,floatingonthelagoon,andtheNeverbirdwassittingonit.
"See,"saidHookinanswertoSmee'squestion,"thatisamother.Whatalesson!Thenestmusthavefallenintothewater,butwouldthemotherdeserthereggs?No."
Therewasabreakinhisvoice,asifforamomentherecalledinnocentdayswhen—buthebrushedawaythisweaknesswithhishook.
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