Питер Пэн и Венди
The Home Under The Ground
Itconsistedofonelargeroom,asallhousesshoulddo,withafloorinwhichyoucoulddigifyouwantedtogofishing,andinthisfloorgrewstoutmushroomsofacharmingcolour,whichwereusedasstools.ANevertreetriedhardtogrowinthecentreoftheroom,buteverymorningtheysawedthetrunkthrough,levelwiththefloor.Bytea-timeitwasalwaysabouttwofeethigh,andthentheyputadoorontopofit,thewholethusbecomingatable;assoonastheyclearedaway,theysawedoffthetrunkagain,andthustherewasmoreroomtoplay.Therewasanenormousfireplacewhichwasinalmostanypartoftheroomwhereyoucaredtolightit,andacrossthisWendystretchedstrings,madeoffibre,fromwhichshesuspendedherwashing.Thebedwastiltedagainstthewallbyday,andletdownat6.30,whenitfillednearlyhalftheroom;andalltheboysexceptMichaelsleptinit,lyinglikesardinesinatin.Therewasastrictruleagainstturningrounduntilonegavethesignal,whenallturnedatonce.Michaelshouldhaveuseditalso;butWendywouldhaveababy,andhewasthelittlest,andyouknowwhatwomenare,andtheshortandthelongofitisthathewashungupinabasket.
Itwasroughandsimple,andnotunlikewhatbabybearswouldhavemadeofanundergroundhouseinthesamecircumstances.Buttherewasonerecessinthewall,nolargerthanabird-cage,whichwastheprivateapartmentofTinkerBell.Itcouldbeshutofffromtherestofthehomebyatinycurtain,whichTink,whowasmostfastidious,alwayskeptdrawnwhendressingorundressing.
