English
ThelastsoundPeterheardbeforehewasquitealonewerethemermaidsretiringonebyonetotheirbedchambersunderthesea.
Hewastoofarawaytoheartheirdoorsshut;buteverydoorinthecoralcaveswheretheyliveringsatinybellwhenitopensorcloses(asinallthenicesthousesonthemainland),andheheardthebells.
Steadilythewatersrosetilltheywerenibblingathisfeet;andtopassthetimeuntiltheymadetheirfinalgulp,hewatchedtheonlythingonthelagoon.
Hethoughtitwasapieceoffloatingpaper,perhapspartofthekite,andwonderedidlyhowlongitwouldtaketodriftashore.
Presentlyhenoticedasanoddthingthatitwasundoubtedlyoutuponthelagoonwithsomedefinitepurpose,foritwasfightingthetide,andsometimeswinning;andwhenitwon,Peter,alwayssympathetictotheweakerside,couldnothelpclapping;itwassuchagallantpieceofpaper.
Itwasnotreallyapieceofpaper;itwastheNeverbird,makingdesperateeffortstoreachPeteronthenest.
Byworkingherwings,inawayshehadlearnedsincethenestfellintothewater,shewasabletosomeextenttoguideherstrangecraft,butbythetimePeterrecognisedhershewasveryexhausted.
Shehadcometosavehim,togivehimhernest,thoughtherewereeggsinit.
Iratherwonderatthebird,forthoughhehadbeennicetoher,hehadalsosometimestormentedher.
Icansupposeonlythat,likeMrs.Darlingandtherestofthem,shewasmeltedbecausehehadallhisfirstteeth.
Shecalledouttohimwhatshehadcomefor,andhecalledouttoherwhatshewasdoingthere;butofcourseneitherofthemunderstoodtheother'slanguage.
Infancifulstoriespeoplecantalktothebirdsfreely,andIwishforthemomentIcouldpretendthatthisweresuchastory,andsaythatPeterrepliedintelligentlytotheNeverbird;buttruthisbest,andIwanttotellyouonlywhatreallyhappened.
Well,notonlycouldtheynotunderstandeachother,buttheyforgottheirmanners.
"I—want—you—to—get—into—the—nest,"thebirdcalled,speakingasslowlyanddistinctlyaspossible,"and—then—you—can—drift—ashore,but—I—am—too—tired—to—bring—it—any—nearer—so—you—must—tryto—swim—to—it."
"Whatareyouquackingabout?"Peteranswered."Whydon'tyouletthenestdriftasusual?"
"I—want—you—"thebirdsaid,andrepeateditallover.
ThenPetertriedslowanddistinct.
"What—are—you—quacking—about?"andsoon.
TheNeverbirdbecameirritated;theyhaveveryshorttempers.
"Youdunderheadedlittlejay,"shescreamed,"Whydon'tyoudoasItellyou?"
Peterfeltthatshewascallinghimnames,andataventureheretortedhotly:
"Soareyou!"
Thenrathercuriouslytheybothsnappedoutthesameremark:
"Shutup!"
"Shutup!"
Neverthelessthebirdwasdeterminedtosavehimifshecould,andbyonelastmightyeffortshepropelledthenestagainsttherock.
Thenupsheflew;desertinghereggs,soastomakehermeaningclear.
Thenatlastheunderstood,andclutchedthenestandwavedhisthankstothebirdassheflutteredoverhead.
Itwasnottoreceivehisthanks,however,thatshehungthereinthesky;itwasnoteventowatchhimgetintothenest;itwastoseewhathedidwithhereggs.
Thereweretwolargewhiteeggs,andPeterliftedthemupandreflected.
Thebirdcoveredherfacewithherwings,soasnottoseethelastofthem;butshecouldnothelppeepingbetweenthefeathers.
IforgetwhetherIhavetoldyouthattherewasastaveontherock,drivenintoitbysomebuccaneersoflongagotomarkthesiteofburiedtreasure.
Thechildrenhaddiscoveredtheglitteringhoard,andwheninamischievousmoodusedtoflingshowersofmoidores,diamonds,pearlsandpiecesofeighttothegulls,whopounceduponthemforfood,andthenflewaway,ragingatthescurvytrickthathadbeenplayeduponthem.
Thestavewasstillthere,andonitStarkeyhadhunghishat,adeeptarpaulin,watertight,withabroadbrim.
Peterputtheeggsintothishatandsetitonthelagoon.Itfloatedbeautifully.
TheNeverbirdsawatoncewhathewasupto,andscreamedheradmirationofhim;and,alas,Petercrowedhisagreementwithher.
Thenhegotintothenest,rearedthestaveinitasamast,andhunguphisshirtforasail.
Atthesamemomentthebirdfluttereddownuponthehatandoncemoresatsnuglyonhereggs.
Shedriftedinonedirection,andhewasborneoffinanother,bothcheering.
OfcoursewhenPeterlandedhebeachedhisbarque[smallship,actuallytheNeverBird'snestinthisparticularcaseinpoint]inaplacewherethebirdwouldeasilyfindit;butthehatwassuchagreatsuccessthatsheabandonedthenest.
Itdriftedabouttillitwenttopieces,andoftenStarkeycametotheshoreofthelagoon,andwithmanybitterfeelingswatchedthebirdsittingonhishat.
Asweshallnotseeheragain,itmaybeworthmentioningherethatallNeverbirdsnowbuildinthatshapeofnest,withabroadbrimonwhichtheyoungsterstakeanairing.
GreatweretherejoicingswhenPeterreachedthehomeunderthegroundalmostassoonasWendy,whohadbeencarriedhitherandthitherbythekite.
Everyboyhadadventurestotell;butperhapsthebiggestadventureofallwasthattheywereseveralhourslateforbed.
Thissoinflatedthemthattheydidvariousdodgythingstogetstayingupstilllonger,suchasdemandingbandages;butWendy,thoughgloryinginhavingthemallhomeagainsafeandsound,wasscandalisedbythelatenessofthehour,andcried,"Tobed,tobed,"inavoicethathadtobeobeyed.
Nextday,however,shewasawfullytender,andgaveoutbandagestoeveryone,andtheyplayedtillbed-timeatlimpingaboutandcarryingtheirarmsinslings.
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