English
"Tink,"saidPeteramiably,"thisladysaysshewishesyouwereherfairy."
TinkerBellansweredinsolently.
"Whatdoesshesay,Peter?"
Hehadtotranslate."Sheisnotverypolite.Shesaysyouareagreat[huge]uglygirl,andthatsheismyfairy."
HetriedtoarguewithTink."Youknowyoucan'tbemyfairy,Tink,becauseIamangentlemanandyouarealady."
TothisTinkrepliedinthesewords,"Yousillyass,"anddisappearedintothebathroom.
"Sheisquiteacommonfairy,"Peterexplainedapologetically,"sheiscalledTinkerBellbecauseshemendsthepotsandkettles[tinker=tinworker]."
[Similarto"cinder"plus"elle"togetCinderella]
Theyweretogetherinthearmchairbythistime,andWendypliedhimwithmorequestions.
"Ifyoudon'tliveinKensingtonGardensnow—"
"SometimesIdostill."
"Butwheredoyoulivemostlynow?"
"Withthelostboys."
"Whoarethey?"
"Theyarethechildrenwhofalloutoftheirperambulatorswhenthenurseislookingtheotherway.
IftheyarenotclaimedinsevendaystheyaresentfarawaytotheNeverlandtodefrayexpenses.I'mcaptain."
"Whatfunitmustbe!"
"Yes,"saidcunningPeter,"butweareratherlonely.Youseewehavenofemalecompanionship."
"Arenoneoftheothersgirls?"
"Oh,no;girls,youknow,aremuchtooclevertofalloutoftheirprams."
ThisflatteredWendyimmensely."Ithink,"shesaid,"itisperfectlylovelythewayyoutalkaboutgirls;Johntherejustdespisesus."
ForreplyPeterroseandkickedJohnoutofbed,blanketsandall;onekick.
ThisseemedtoWendyratherforwardforafirstmeeting,andshetoldhimwithspiritthathewasnotcaptaininherhouse.
However,Johncontinuedtosleepsoplacidlyonthefloorthatsheallowedhimtoremainthere.
"AndIknowyoumeanttobekind,"shesaid,relenting,"soyoumaygivemeakiss."
Forthemomentshehadforgottenhisignoranceaboutkisses."Ithoughtyouwouldwantitback,"hesaidalittlebitterly,andofferedtoreturnherthethimble.
"Ohdear,"saidtheniceWendy,"Idon'tmeanakiss,Imeanathimble."
"What'sthat?"
"It'slikethis."Shekissedhim.
"Funny!"saidPetergravely."NowshallIgiveyouathimble?"
"Ifyouwishto,"saidWendy,keepingherheaderectthistime.
Peterthimbledher,andalmostimmediatelyshescreeched."Whatisit,Wendy?"
"Itwasexactlyasifsomeonewerepullingmyhair."
"ThatmusthavebeenTink.Ineverknewhersonaughtybefore."
AndindeedTinkwasdartingaboutagain,usingoffensivelanguage.
"Shesaysshewilldothattoyou,Wendy,everytimeIgiveyouathimble."
"Butwhy?"
"Why,Tink?"
AgainTinkreplied,"Yousillyass."Petercouldnotunderstandwhy,butWendyunderstood,andshewasjustslightlydisappointedwhenheadmittedthathecametothenurserywindownottoseeherbuttolistentostories.
"Yousee,Idon'tknowanystories.Noneofthelostboysknowsanystories."
"Howperfectlyawful,"Wendysaid.
"Doyouknow,"Peterasked"whyswallowsbuildintheeavesofhouses?Itistolistentothestories.OWendy,yourmotherwastellingyousuchalovelystory."
"Whichstorywasit?"
"Abouttheprincewhocouldn'tfindtheladywhoworetheglassslipper."
"Peter,"saidWendyexcitedly,"thatwasCinderella,andhefoundher,andtheylivedhappilyeverafter."
Peterwassogladthatherosefromthefloor,wheretheyhadbeensitting,andhurriedtothewindow.
"Whereareyougoing?"shecriedwithmisgiving.
"Totelltheotherboys."
"Don'tgoPeter,"sheentreated,"Iknowsuchlotsofstories."
Thosewereherprecisewords,sotherecanbenodenyingthatitwasshewhofirsttemptedhim.
Hecameback,andtherewasagreedylookinhiseyesnowwhichoughttohavealarmedher,butdidnot.
"Oh,thestoriesIcouldtelltotheboys!"shecried,andthenPetergrippedherandbegantodrawhertowardthewindow.
"Letmego!"sheorderedhim.
"Wendy,docomewithmeandtelltheotherboys."
Ofcourseshewasverypleasedtobeasked,butshesaid,"Ohdear,Ican't.Thinkofmummy!Besides,Ican'tfly."
"I'llteachyou."
"Oh,howlovelytofly."
"I'llteachyouhowtojumponthewind'sback,andthenawaywego."
"Oo!"sheexclaimedrapturously.
"Wendy,Wendy,whenyouaresleepinginyoursillybedyoumightbeflyingaboutwithmesayingfunnythingstothestars."
"Oo!"
"And,Wendy,therearemermaids."
"Mermaids!Withtails?"
"Suchlongtails."
"Oh,"criedWendy,"toseeamermaid!"
Hehadbecomefrightfullycunning."Wendy,"hesaid,"howweshouldallrespectyou."
Shewaswrigglingherbodyindistress.Itwasquiteasifsheweretryingtoremainonthenurseryfloor.
Buthehadnopityforher.
"Wendy,"hesaid,theslyone,"youcouldtuckusinatnight."
"Oo!"
"Noneofushaseverbeentuckedinatnight."
"Oo,"andherarmswentouttohim.
"Andyoucoulddarnourclothes,andmakepocketsforus.Noneofushasanypockets."
Howcouldsheresist."Ofcourseit'sawfullyfascinating!"shecried."Peter,wouldyouteachJohnandMichaeltoflytoo?"
"Ifyoulike,"hesaidindifferently,andsherantoJohnandMichaelandshookthem."Wakeup,"shecried,"PeterPanhascomeandheistoteachustofly."
Johnrubbedhiseyes."ThenIshallgetup,"hesaid.Ofcoursehewasontheflooralready."Hallo,"hesaid,"Iamup!"
Michaelwasupbythistimealso,lookingassharpasaknifewithsixbladesandasaw,butPetersuddenlysignedsilence.
Theirfacesassumedtheawfulcraftinessofchildrenlisteningforsoundsfromthegrown-upworld.Allwasasstillassalt.Theneverythingwasright.No,stop!Everythingwaswrong.
Nana,whohadbeenbarkingdistressfullyalltheevening,wasquietnow.Itwashersilencetheyhadheard.
"Outwiththelight!Hide!Quick!"
criedJohn,takingcommandfortheonlytimethroughoutthewholeadventure.
AndthuswhenLizaentered,holdingNana,thenurseryseemedquiteitsoldself,verydark,andyouwouldhaveswornyouhearditsthreewickedinmatesbreathingangelicallyastheyslept.
Theywerereallydoingitartfullyfrombehindthewindowcurtains.
Lizawasinabadtemper,forshewasmixingtheChristmaspuddingsinthekitchen,andhadbeendrawnfromthem,witharaisinstillonhercheek,byNana'sabsurdsuspicions.
ShethoughtthebestwayofgettingalittlequietwastotakeNanatothenurseryforamoment,butincustodyofcourse.
"There,yoususpiciousbrute,"shesaid,notsorrythatNanawasindisgrace."Theyareperfectlysafe,aren'tthey?
Everyoneofthelittleangelssoundasleepinbed.Listentotheirgentlebreathing."
HereMichael,encouragedbyhissuccess,breathedsoloudlythattheywerenearlydetected.Nanaknewthatkindofbreathing,andshetriedtodragherselfoutofLiza'sclutches.
ButLizawasdense."Nomoreofit,Nana,"shesaidsternly,pullingheroutoftheroom.
"IwarnyouifbarkagainIshallgostraightformasterandmissusandbringthemhomefromtheparty,andthen,oh,won'tmasterwhipyou,just."
Shetiedtheunhappydogupagain,butdoyouthinkNanaceasedtobark?
Bringmasterandmissushomefromtheparty!Why,thatwasjustwhatshewanted.
Doyouthinkshecaredwhethershewaswhippedsolongasherchargesweresafe?
UnfortunatelyLizareturnedtoherpuddings,andNana,seeingthatnohelpwouldcomefromher,strainedandstrainedatthechainuntilatlastshebrokeit.
Inanothermomentshehadburstintothedining-roomof27andflungupherpawstoheaven,hermostexpressivewayofmakingacommunication.
Mr.andMrs.Darlingknewatoncethatsomethingterriblewashappeningintheirnursery,andwithoutagood-byetotheirhostesstheyrushedintothestreet.
Butitwasnowtenminutessincethreescoundrelshadbeenbreathingbehindthecurtains,andPeterPancandoagreatdealintenminutes.
Wenowreturntothenursery.
"It'sallright,"Johnannounced,emergingfromhishiding-place."Isay,Peter,canyoureallyfly?"
InsteadoftroublingtoanswerhimPeterflewaroundtheroom,takingthemantelpieceontheway.
"Howtopping!"saidJohnandMichael.
"Howsweet!"criedWendy.
"Yes,I'msweet,oh,Iamsweet!"saidPeter,forgettinghismannersagain.
Itlookeddelightfullyeasy,andtheytrieditfirstfromthefloorandthenfromthebeds,buttheyalwayswentdowninsteadofup.
"Isay,howdoyoudoit?"askedJohn,rubbinghisknee.Hewasquiteapracticalboy.
"Youjustthinklovelywonderfulthoughts,"Peterexplained,"andtheyliftyouupintheair."
Heshowedthemagain.
"You'resonippyatit,"Johnsaid,"couldn'tyoudoitveryslowlyonce?"
Peterdiditbothslowlyandquickly."I'vegotitnow,Wendy!"
criedJohn,butsoonhefoundhehadnot.
Notoneofthemcouldflyaninch,thoughevenMichaelwasinwordsoftwosyllables,andPeterdidnotknowAfromZ.
OfcoursePeterhadbeentriflingwiththem,fornoonecanflyunlessthefairydusthasbeenblownonhim.
Fortunately,aswehavementioned,oneofhishandswasmessywithit,andheblewsomeoneachofthem,withthemostsuperbresults.
"Nowjustwiggleyourshouldersthisway,"hesaid,"andletgo."
Theywereallontheirbeds,andgallantMichaelletgofirst.Hedidnotquitemeantoletgo,buthedidit,andimmediatelyhewasborneacrosstheroom.
"Iflewed!"hescreamedwhilestillinmid-air.
JohnletgoandmetWendynearthebathroom.
"Oh,lovely!"
"Oh,ripping!"
"Lookatme!"
"Lookatme!"
"Lookatme!"
TheywerenotnearlysoelegantasPeter,theycouldnothelpkickingalittle,buttheirheadswerebobbingagainsttheceiling,andthereisalmostnothingsodeliciousasthat.
PetergaveWendyahandatfirst,buthadtodesist,Tinkwassoindignant.
Upanddowntheywent,androundandround.HeavenlywasWendy'sword.
"Isay,"criedJohn,"whyshouldn'tweallgoout?"
OfcourseitwastothisthatPeterhadbeenluringthem.
Michaelwasready:hewantedtoseehowlongittookhimtodoabillionmiles.ButWendyhesitated.
"Mermaids!"saidPeteragain.
"Oo!"
"Andtherearepirates."
"Pirates,"criedJohn,seizinghisSundayhat,"letusgoatonce."
ItwasjustatthismomentthatMr.andMrs.DarlinghurriedwithNanaoutof27.
Theyranintothemiddleofthestreettolookupatthenurserywindow;and,yes,itwasstillshut,buttheroomwasablazewithlight,andmostheart-grippingsightofall,theycouldseeinshadowonthecurtainthreelittlefiguresinnightattirecirclingroundandround,notonthefloorbutintheair.
Notthreefigures,four!
Inatrembletheyopenedthestreetdoor.Mr.Darlingwouldhaverushedupstairs,butMrs.Darlingsignedhimtogosoftly.Sheeventriedtomakeherheartgosoftly.
Willtheyreachthenurseryintime?Ifso,howdelightfulforthem,andweshallallbreatheasighofrelief,buttherewillbenostory.
Ontheotherhand,iftheyarenotintime,Isolemnlypromisethatitwillallcomerightintheend.
Theywouldhavereachedthenurseryintimehaditnotbeenthatthelittlestarswerewatchingthem.Onceagainthestarsblewthewindowopen,andthatsmalleststarofallcalledout:
"Cave,Peter!"
ThenPeterknewthattherewasnotamomenttolose."Come,"hecriedimperiously,andsoaredoutatonceintothenight,followedbyJohnandMichaelandWendy.
Mr.andMrs.DarlingandNanarushedintothenurserytoolate.Thebirdswereflown.
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