Питер Пэн и Венди
The Pirate Ship
ItwashisgrimmestdeedsincethedayswhenhehadbroughtBarbecuetoheel;andknowingaswedohowvainatabernacleisman,couldwebesurprisedhadhenowpacedthedeckunsteadily,belliedoutbythewindsofhissuccess?
Buttherewasnoelationinhisgait,whichkeptpacewiththeactionofhissombremind.Hookwasprofoundlydejected.
Hewasoftenthuswhencommuningwithhimselfonboardshipinthequietudeofthenight.Itwasbecausehewassoterriblyalone.Thisinscrutablemanneverfeltmorealonethanwhensurroundedbyhisdogs.Theyweresociallysoinferiortohim.
Hookwasnothistruename.Torevealwhohereallywaswouldevenatthisdatesetthecountryinablaze;butasthosewhoreadbetweenthelinesmustalreadyhaveguessed,hehadbeenatafamouspublicschool;anditstraditionsstillclungtohimlikegarments,withwhichindeedtheyarelargelyconcerned.Thusitwasoffensivetohimevennowtoboardashipinthesamedressinwhichhegrappledher;andhestilladheredinhiswalktotheschool’sdistinguishedslouch.Butaboveallheretainedthepassionforgoodform.
Goodform!Howevermuchhemayhavedegenerated,hestillknewthatthisisallthatreallymatters.
Fromfarwithinhimheheardacreakingasofrustyportals,andthroughthemcameasterntap-tap-tap,likehammeringinthenightwhenonecannotsleep.’Haveyoubeengoodformto-day?’wastheireternalquestion.
’Fame,fame,thatglitteringbauble,itismine,’hecried.
’Isitquitegoodformtobedistinguishedatanything?’thetap-tapfromhisschoolreplied.
