Питер Пэн и Венди
The Return Home
’Oh,allright,’hesaidatlast,andgulped.Thenheunbarredthewindow.’Comeon,Tink,’hecried,withafrightfulsneeratthelawsofnature;’wedon’twantanysillymothers’;andheflewaway.
ThusWendyandJohnandMichaelfoundthewindowopenforthemafterall,whichofcoursewasmorethantheydeserved.Theyalightedonthefloor,quiteunashamedofthemselves;andtheyoungestonehadalreadyforgottenhishome.
’John,’hesaid,lookingaroundhimdoubtfully,’IthinkIhavebeenherebefore.’
’Ofcourseyouhave,yousilly.Thereisyouroldbed.’
’Soitis,’Michaelsaid,butnotwithmuchconviction.
’Isay,’criedJohn,’thekennel!’andhedashedacrosstolookintoit.
’PerhapsNanaisinsideit,’Wendysaid.
ButJohnwhistled.’Hullo,’hesaid,’there’samaninsideit.’
’It’sfather!’exclaimedWendy.
’Letmeseefather,’Michaelbeggedeagerly,andhetookagoodlook.’HeisnotsobigasthepirateIkilled,’hesaidwithsuchfrankdisappointmentthatIamgladMr.Darlingwasasleep;itwouldhavebeensadifthosehadbeenthefirstwordsheheardhislittleMichaelsay.
WendyandJohnhadbeentakenabacksomewhatatfindingtheirfatherinthekennel.
’Surely,’saidJohn,likeonewhohadlostfaithinhismemory,’heusednottosleepinthekennel?’
’John,’Wendysaidfalteringly,’perhapswedon’tremembertheoldlifeaswellaswethoughtwedid.’
Achillfelluponthem;andservethemright.
’Itisverycarelessofmother,’saidthatyoungscoundrelJohn,’nottobeherewhenwecomeback.
