Питер Пэн и Венди
Come Away, Come Away!
’Idaresayitwillhurtalittle,’shewarnedhim.
’Oh,Ishan’tcry,’saidPeter,whowasalreadyofopinionthathehadnevercriedinhislife.Andheclenchedhisteethanddidnotcry;andsoonhisshadowwasbehavingproperly,thoughstillalittlecreased.
’PerhapsIshouldhaveironedit,’Wendysaidthoughtfully;butPeter,boylike,wasindifferenttoappearances,andhewasnowjumpingaboutinthewildestglee.Alas,hehadalreadyforgottenthatheowedhisblisstoWendy.Hethoughthehadattachedtheshadowhimself.’HowcleverIam,’hecrowedrapturously,’oh,theclevernessofme!’
ItishumiliatingtohavetoconfessthatthisconceitofPeterwasoneofhismostfascinatingqualities.Toputitwithbrutalfrankness,thereneverwasacockierboy.
ButforthemomentWendywasshocked.’Youconceit,’sheexclaimed,withfrightfulsarcasm;’ofcourseIdidnothing!’
’Youdidalittle,’Petersaidcarelessly,andcontinuedtodance.
’Alittle!’sherepliedwithhauteur;’ifIamnouseIcanatleastwithdraw’;andshespranginthemostdignifiedwayintobedandcoveredherfacewiththeblankets.
Toinducehertolookuphepretendedtobegoingaway,andwhenthisfailedhesatontheendofthebedandtappedhergentlywithhisfoot.’Wendy,’hesaid,’don’twithdraw.Ican’thelpcrowing,Wendy,whenI’mpleasedwithmyself.’Stillshewouldnotlookup,thoughshewaslisteningeagerly.’Wendy,’hecontinued,inavoicethatnowomanhaseveryetbeenabletoresist,’Wendy,onegirlismoreusethantwentyboys.
