Питер Пэн в Кенсингтонском Саду
Lock-Out Time
Well,youcanseetheirhousesbydark,butyoucan’tseethembyday,fortheyarethecolourofnight,andIneverheardofanyoneyetwhocouldseenightinthedaytime.Thisdoesnotmeanthattheyareblack,fornighthasitscoloursjustasdayhas,buteversomuchbrighter.Theirbluesandredsandgreensarelikeourswithalightbehindthem.Thepalaceisentirelybuiltofmany-colouredglasses,anditisquitetheloveliestofallroyalresidences,butthequeensometimescomplainsbecausethecommonpeoplewillpeepintoseewhatsheisdoing.Theyareveryinquisitivefolk,andpressquitehardagainsttheglass,andthatiswhytheirnosesaremostlysnubby.Thestreetsaremileslongandverytwisty,andhavepathsoneachsidemadeofbrightworsted.Thebirdsusedtostealtheworstedfortheirnests,butapolicemanhasbeenappointedtoholdonattheotherend.
Oneofthegreatdifferencesbetweenthefairiesandusisthattheyneverdoanythinguseful.Whenthefirstbabylaughedforthefirsttime,hislaughbrokeintoamillionpieces,andtheyallwentskippingabout.Thatwasthebeginningoffairies.Theylooktremendouslybusy,youknow,asiftheyhadnotamomenttospare,butifyouweretoaskthemwhattheyaredoing,theycouldnottellyouintheleast.Theyarefrightfullyignorant,andeverythingtheydoismake-believe.Theyhaveapostman,buthenevercallsexceptatChristmaswithhislittlebox,andthoughtheyhavebeautifulschools,nothingistaughtinthem;theyoungestchildbeingchiefpersonisalwayselectedmistress,andwhenshehascalledtheroll,theyallgooutforawalkandnevercomeback.Itisaverynoticeablethingthat,infairyfamilies,theyoungestisalwayschiefperson,andusuallybecomesaprinceorprincess;andchildrenrememberthis,andthinkitmustbesoamonghumansalso;andthatiswhytheyareoftenmadeuneasywhentheycomeupontheirmotherfurtivelyputtingnewfrillsonthebasinette.
