Питер Пэн и Венди
Do You Believe In Fairies?
AgainHook’sgeniussurmounteddifficulties.Heindicatedthatthelittlehousemustbeusedasaconveyance.Thechildrenwereflungintoit,fourstoutpiratesraiseditontheirshoulders,theothersfellinbehind,andsingingthehatefulpiratechorusthestrangeprocessionsetoffthroughthewood.Idon’tknowwhetheranyofthechildrenwerecrying;ifso,thesingingdrownedthesound;butasthelittlehousedisappearedintheforest,abravethoughtinyjetofsmokeissuedfromitschimneyasifdefyingHook.
Hooksawit,anditdidPeterabadservice.Itdriedupanytrickleofpityforhimthatmayhaveremainedinthepirate’sinfuriatedbreast.
ThefirstthinghedidonfindinghimselfaloneinthefastfallingnightwastotiptoetoSlightly’stree,andmakesurethatitprovidedhimwithapassage.Thenforlongheremainedbrooding;hishatofillomenonthesward,sothatagentlebreezewhichhadarisenmightplayrefreshinglythroughhishair.Darkaswerehisthoughtshisblueeyeswereassoftastheperiwinkle.Intentlyhelistenedforanysoundfromthenetherworld,butallwasassilentbelowasabove;thehouseunderthegroundseemedtobebutonemoreemptytenementinthevoid.Wasthatboyasleep,ordidhestandwaitingatthefootofSlightly’stree,withhisdaggerinhishand?
Therewasnowayofknowing,savebygoingdown.Hooklethiscloakslipsoftlytotheground,andthenbitinghislipstillalewdbloodstoodonthem,hesteppedintothetree.Hewasabraveman;butforamomenthehadtostopthereandwipehisbrow,whichwasdrippinglikeacandle.
