Питер Пэн и Венди
Peter Breaks Through
Childrenhavethestrangestadventureswithoutbeingtroubledbythem.Forinstance,theymayremembertomention,aweekaftertheeventhappened,thatwhentheywereinthewoodtheymettheirdeadfatherandhadagamewithhim.ItwasinthiscasualwaythatWendyonemorningmadeadisquietingrevelation.Someleavesofatreehadbeenfoundonthenurseryfloor,whichcertainlywerenottherewhenthechildrenwenttobed,andMrs.DarlingwaspuzzlingoverthemwhenWendysaidwithatolerantsmile:
’IdobelieveitisthatPeteragain!’
’Whateverdoyoumean,Wendy?’
’Itissonaughtyofhimnottowipe,’Wendysaid,sighing.Shewasatidychild.
Sheexplainedinquiteamatter-of-factwaythatshethoughtPetersometimescametothenurseryinthenightandsatonthefootofherbedandplayedonhispipestoher.Unfortunatelysheneverwoke,soshedidn’tknowhowsheknew,shejustknew.
’Whatnonsenseyoutalk,precious.Noonecangetintothehousewithoutknocking.’
’Ithinkhecomesinbythewindow,’shesaid.
’Mylove,itisthreefloorsup.’
’Werenottheleavesatthefootofthewindow,mother?’
Itwasquitetrue;theleaveshadbeenfoundverynearthewindow.
Mrs.Darlingdidnotknowwhattothink,foritallseemedsonaturaltoWendythatyoucouldnotdismissitbysayingshehadbeendreaming.
’Mychild,’themothercried,’whydidyounottellmeofthisbefore?’
’Iforgot,’saidWendylightly.Shewasinahurrytogetherbreakfast.
Oh,surelyshemusthavebeendreaming.
But,ontheotherhand,thereweretheleaves.Mrs.
