Питер Пэн и Венди
Peter Breaks Through
Darlingexaminedthemcarefully;theywereskeletonleaves,butshewassuretheydidnotcomefromanytreethatgrewinEngland.Shecrawledaboutthefloor,peeringatitwithacandleformarksofastrangefoot.Sherattledthepokerupthechimneyandtappedthewalls.Sheletdownatapefromthewindowtothepavement,anditwasasheerdropofthirtyfeet,withoutsomuchasaspouttoclimbupby.
CertainlyWendyhadbeendreaming.
ButWendyhadnotbeendreaming,astheverynextnightshowed,thenightonwhichtheextraordinaryadventuresofthesechildrenmaybesaidtohavebegun.
Onthenightwespeakofallthechildrenwereoncemoreinbed.IthappenedtobeNana’seveningoff,andMrs.Darlinghadbathedthemandsungtothemtillonebyonetheyhadletgoherhandandslidawayintothelandofsleep.
Allwerelookingsosafeandcosythatshesmiledatherfearsnowandsatdowntranquillybythefiretosew.
ItwassomethingforMichael,whoonhisbirthdaywasgettingintoshirts.Thefirewaswarm,however,andthenurserydimlylitbythreenight-lights,andpresentlythesewinglayonMrs.Darling’slap.Thenherheadnodded,oh,sogracefully.Shewasasleep.Lookatthefourofthem,WendyandMichaeloverthere,Johnhere,andMrs.Darlingbythefire.Thereshouldhavebeenafourthnight-light.
Whileshesleptshehadadream.ShedreamtthattheNeverlandhadcometoonearandthatastrangeboyhadbrokenthroughfromit.Hedidnotalarmher,forshethoughtshehadseenhimbeforeinthefacesofmanywomenwhohavenochildren
