Buttheyearscameandwentwithoutbringingthecarelessboy;andwhentheymetagainWendywasamarriedwoman,andPeterwasnomoretoherthanalittledustintheboxinwhichshehadkepthertoys.Wendywasgrownup.Youneednotbesorryforher. Shewasoneofthekindthatlikestogrowup. Intheendshegrewupofherownfreewilladayquickerthanothergirls. Alltheboysweregrownupanddoneforbythistime;soitisscarcelyworthwhilesayinganythingmoreaboutthem. YoumayseethetwinsandNibsandCurlyanydaygoingtoanoffice,eachcarryingalittlebagandanumbrella. Michaelisanengine-driver[trainengineer]. Slightlymarriedaladyoftitle,andsohebecamealord. Youseethatjudgeinawigcomingoutattheirondoor?ThatusedtobeTootles. Thebeardedmanwhodoesn'tknowanystorytotellhischildrenwasonceJohn. Wendywasmarriedinwhitewithapinksash.ItisstrangetothinkthatPeterdidnotalightinthechurchandforbidthebanns[formalannouncementofamarriage]. Yearsrolledonagain,andWendyhadadaughter.Thisoughtnottobewrittenininkbutinagoldensplash. ShewascalledJane,andalwayshadanoddinquiringlook,asiffromthemomentshearrivedonthemainlandshewantedtoaskquestions. WhenshewasoldenoughtoaskthemtheyweremostlyaboutPeterPan. ShelovedtohearofPeter,andWendytoldherallshecouldrememberintheverynurseryfromwhichthefamousflighthadtakenplace. ItwasJane'snurserynow,forherfatherhadboughtitatthethreepercents[mortgagerate]fromWendy'sfather,whowasnolongerfondofstairs. Mrs.Darlingwasnowdeadandforgotten. Therewereonlytwobedsinthenurserynow,Jane'sandhernurse's;andtherewasnokennel,forNanaalsohadpassedaway. Shediedofoldage,andattheendshehadbeenratherdifficulttogetonwith;beingveryfirmlyconvincedthatnooneknewhowtolookafterchildrenexceptherself. OnceaweekJane'snursehadhereveningoff;andthenitwasWendy'sparttoputJanetobed.Thatwasthetimeforstories. ItwasJane'sinventiontoraisethesheetoverhermother'sheadandherown,thismakingatent,andintheawfuldarknesstowhisper: "Idon'tthinkIseeanythingto-night,"saysWendy,withafeelingthatifNanawerehereshewouldobjecttofurtherconversation. "Yes,youdo,"saysJane,"youseewhenyouwerealittlegirl." "Thatisalongtimeago,sweetheart,"saysWendy."Ahme,howtimeflies!" "Doesitfly,"askstheartfulchild,"thewayyouflewwhenyouwerealittlegirl?" "ThewayIflew?Doyouknow,Jane,IsometimeswonderwhetherIeverdidreallyfly." "ThedearolddayswhenIcouldfly!" "Whycan'tyouflynow,mother?" "BecauseIamgrownup,dearest.Whenpeoplegrowuptheyforgettheway." "Becausetheyarenolongergayandinnocentandheartless.Itisonlythegayandinnocentandheartlesswhocanfly." "Whatisgayandinnocentandheartless?IdowishIweregayandinnocentandheartless." OrperhapsWendyadmitsshedoesseesomething. "Idobelieve,"shesays,"thatitisthisnursery." "Idobelieveitis,"saysJane."Goon." TheyarenowembarkedonthegreatadventureofthenightwhenPeterflewinlookingforhisshadow. "Thefoolishfellow,"saysWendy,"triedtostickitonwithsoap,andwhenhecouldnothecried,andthatwokeme,andIseweditonforhim." "Youhavemissedabit,"interruptsJane,whonowknowsthestorybetterthanhermother."Whenyousawhimsittingonthefloorcrying,whatdidyousay?" "IsatupinbedandIsaid,'Boy,whyareyoucrying?'" "Yes,thatwasit,"saysJane,withabigbreath. "AndthenheflewusallawaytotheNeverlandandthefairiesandthepiratesandtheredskinsandthemermaid'slagoon,andthehomeundertheground,andthelittlehouse." "Yes!whichdidyoulikebestofall?" "IthinkIlikedthehomeunderthegroundbestofall." "Yes,sodoI.WhatwasthelastthingPetereversaidtoyou?" "Thelastthingheeversaidtomewas,'Justalwaysbewaitingforme,andthensomenightyouwillhearmecrowing.'" "But,alas,heforgotallaboutme,"Wendysaiditwithasmile.Shewasasgrownupasthat. "Whatdidhiscrowsoundlike?"Janeaskedoneevening. "Itwaslikethis,"Wendysaid,tryingtoimitatePeter'scrow. "No,itwasn't,"Janesaidgravely,"itwaslikethis;"andshediditeversomuchbetterthanhermother. Wendywasalittlestartled."Mydarling,howcanyouknow?" "IoftenhearitwhenIamsleeping,"Janesaid. "Ahyes,manygirlshearitwhentheyaresleeping,butIwastheonlyonewhohearditawake." Andthenonenightcamethetragedy.Itwasthespringoftheyear,andthestoryhadbeentoldforthenight,andJanewasnowasleepinherbed. Wendywassittingonthefloor,veryclosetothefire,soastoseetodarn,fortherewasnootherlightinthenursery;andwhileshesatdarningsheheardacrow. Thenthewindowblewopenasofold,andPeterdroppedinonthefloor. Hewasexactlythesameasever,andWendysawatoncethathestillhadallhisfirstteeth. Hewasalittleboy,andshewasgrownup.Shehuddledbythefirenotdaringtomove,helplessandguilty,abigwoman. "Hullo,Wendy,"hesaid,notnoticinganydifference,forhewasthinkingchieflyofhimself;andinthedimlightherwhitedressmighthavebeenthenightgowninwhichhehadseenherfirst. "Hullo,Peter,"sherepliedfaintly,squeezingherselfassmallaspossible.Somethinginsideherwascrying"Woman,Woman,letgoofme." "Hullo,whereisJohn?"heasked,suddenlymissingthethirdbed. "Johnisnotherenow,"shegasped. "IsMichaelasleep?"heasked,withacarelessglanceatJane. "Yes,"sheanswered;andnowshefeltthatshewasuntruetoJaneaswellastoPeter. "ThatisnotMichael,"shesaidquickly,lestajudgmentshouldfallonher. Peterlooked."Hullo,isitanewone?" Nowsurelyhewouldunderstand;butnotabitofit. "Peter,"shesaid,faltering,"areyouexpectingmetoflyawaywithyou?" "Ofcourse;thatiswhyIhavecome."Headdedalittlesternly,"Haveyouforgottenthatthisisspringcleaningtime?" Sheknewitwasuselesstosaythathehadletmanyspringcleaningtimespass. "Ican'tcome,"shesaidapologetically,"Ihaveforgottenhowtofly." "OPeter,don'twastethefairydustonme." Shehadrisen;andnowatlastafearassailedhim."Whatisit?"hecried,shrinking. "Iwillturnupthelight,"shesaid,"andthenyoucanseeforyourself." ForalmosttheonlytimeinhislifethatIknowof,Peterwasafraid."Don'tturnupthelight,"hecried. Sheletherhandsplayinthehairofthetragicboy.Shewasnotalittlegirlheart-brokenabouthim;shewasagrownwomansmilingatitall,buttheywereweteyedsmiles. Thensheturnedupthelight,andPetersaw.Hegaveacryofpain;andwhenthetallbeautifulcreaturestoopedtolifthiminherarmshedrewbacksharply. "Iamold,Peter.Iameversomuchmorethantwenty.Igrewuplongago." "Icouldn'thelpit.Iamamarriedwoman,Peter." "Yes,andthelittlegirlinthebedismybaby." Buthesupposedshewas;andhetookasteptowardsthesleepingchildwithhisdaggerupraised.Ofcoursehedidnotstrike. Hesatdownonthefloorinsteadandsobbed;andWendydidnotknowhowtocomforthim,thoughshecouldhavedoneitsoeasilyonce. Shewasonlyawomannow,andsheranoutoftheroomtotrytothink. Petercontinuedtocry,andsoonhissobswokeJane.Shesatupinbed,andwasinterestedatonce. "Boy,"shesaid,"whyareyoucrying?" Peterroseandbowedtoher,andshebowedtohimfromthebed. "MynameisPeterPan,"hetoldher. "Icamebackformymother,"heexplained,"totakehertotheNeverland." "Yes,Iknow,"Janesaid,"Ihavebeenwaitingforyou." WhenWendyreturneddiffidentlyshefoundPetersittingonthebed-postcrowinggloriously,whileJaneinhernightywasflyingroundtheroominsolemnecstasy. "Sheismymother,"Peterexplained;andJanedescendedandstoodbyhisside,withthelookinherfacethathelikedtoseeonladieswhentheygazedathim. "Hedoessoneedamother,"Janesaid. "Yes,Iknow."Wendyadmittedratherforlornly;"nooneknowsitsowellasI." "Good-bye,"saidPetertoWendy;andheroseintheair,andtheshamelessJanerosewithhim;itwasalreadyhereasiestwayofmovingabout. "Itisjustforspringcleaningtime,"Janesaid,"hewantsmealwaystodohisspringcleaning." "IfonlyIcouldgowithyou,"Wendysighed. "Youseeyoucan'tfly,"saidJane. OfcourseintheendWendyletthemflyawaytogether.Ourlastglimpseofhershowsheratthewindow,watchingthemrecedingintotheskyuntiltheywereassmallasstars. AsyoulookatWendy,youmayseeherhairbecomingwhite,andherfigurelittleagain,forallthishappenedlongago. Janeisnowacommongrown-up,withadaughtercalledMargaret;andeveryspringcleaningtime,exceptwhenheforgets,PetercomesforMargaretandtakeshertotheNeverland,whereshetellshimstoriesabouthimself,towhichhelistenseagerly. WhenMargaretgrowsupshewillhaveadaughter,whoistobePeter'smotherinturn;andthusitwillgoon,solongaschildrenaregayandinnocentandheartless. 
