Reading Help Peter-pan BY J. M. BARRIE
make-believe, isn't it, that I am their father?" `
` `
` "Oh yes," Wendy said primly [formally and properly]. `
` `
` "You see," he continued apologetically, "it would make me seem `
` so old to be their real father." `
` `
` "But they are ours, Peter, yours and mine." `
` `
` "But not really, Wendy?" he asked anxiously. `
` `
` "Not if you don't wish it," she replied; and she distinctly `
` heard his sigh of relief. "Peter," she asked, trying to speak `
` firmly, "what are your exact feelings to [about] me?" `
` `
` "Those of a devoted son, Wendy." `
` `
` "I thought so," she said, and went and sat by herself at the `
` extreme end of the room. `
` `
` "You are so queer," he said, frankly puzzled, "and Tiger Lily `
` is just the same. There is something she wants to be to me, but `
` she says it is not my mother." `
` `
` "No, indeed, it is not," Wendy replied with frightful emphasis. `
` Now we know why she was prejudiced against the redskins. `
` `
` "Then what is it?" `
` `
` "It isn't for a lady to tell." `
` `
` "Oh, very well," Peter said, a little nettled. "Perhaps Tinker `
` Bell will tell me." `
` `
` "Oh yes, Tinker Bell will tell you," Wendy retorted scornfully. `
` "She is an abandoned little creature." `
` `
` Here Tink, who was in her bedroom, eavesdropping, squeaked out `
` something impudent. `
` `
` "She says she glories in being abandoned," Peter interpreted. `
` `
` He had a sudden idea. "Perhaps Tink wants to be my mother?" `
` `
` "You silly ass!" cried Tinker Bell in a passion. `
` `
` She had said it so often that Wendy needed no translation. `
` `
` "I almost agree with her," Wendy snapped. Fancy Wendy `
` snapping! But she had been much tried, and she little knew what `
` was to happen before the night was out. If she had known she `
` would not have snapped. `
` `
` None of them knew. Perhaps it was best not to know. Their `
` ignorance gave them one more glad hour; and as it was to be `
` their last hour on the island, let us rejoice that there were `
` sixty glad minutes in it. They sang and danced in their night- `
` gowns. Such a deliciously creepy song it was, in which they `
` pretended to be frightened at their own shadows, little witting `
` that so soon shadows would close in upon them, from whom they `
` would shrink in real fear. So uproariously gay was the dance, `
` and how they buffeted each other on the bed and out of it! It `
` was a pillow fight rather than a dance, and when it was finished, `
` the pillows insisted on one bout more, like partners who know `
` that they may never meet again. The stories they told, before it `
` was time for Wendy's good-night story! Even Slightly tried to `
` tell a story that night, but the beginning was so fearfully dull `
` that it appalled not only the others but himself, and he said happily: `
` `
` "Yes, it is a dull beginning. I say, let us pretend that it is `
` the end." `
` `
` And then at last they all got into bed for Wendy's story, the `
` story they loved best, the story Peter hated. Usually when she `
` began to tell this story he left the room or put his hands over `
` his ears; and possibly if he had done either of those things this `
` time they might all still be on the island. But to-night he `
` remained on his stool; and we shall see what happened. `
` `
` `
` `
` Chapter 11 `
` `
` WENDY'S STORY `
` `
` `
` "Listen, then," said Wendy, settling down to her story, with `
` Michael at her feet and seven boys in the bed. "There was once a `
` gentleman -- " `
` `
` "I had rather he had been a lady," Curly said. `
` `
` "I wish he had been a white rat," said Nibs. `
` `
` "Quiet," their mother admonished [cautioned] them. "There was `
` a lady also, and -- " `
` `
` "Oh, mummy," cried the first twin, "you mean that there is a `
` lady also, don't you? She is not dead, is she?" `
` `
` "Oh, no." `
` `
` "I am awfully glad she isn't dead," said Tootles. "Are you `
` glad, John?" `
` `
` "Of course I am." `
` `
` "Are you glad, Nibs?" `
` `
` "Rather." `
` `
` "Are you glad, Twins?" `
` `
` "We are glad." `
` `
` "Oh dear," sighed Wendy. `
` `
` "Little less noise there," Peter called out, determined that `
` she should have fair play, however beastly a story it might be in `
` his opinion. `
` `
` "The gentleman's name," Wendy continued, "was Mr. Darling, and `
` her name was Mrs. Darling." `
` `
` "I knew them," John said, to annoy the others. `
` `
` "I think I knew them," said Michael rather doubtfully. `
` `
` "They were married, you know," explained Wendy, "and what do `
` you think they had?" `
` `
` "White rats," cried Nibs, inspired. `
` `
` "No." `
` `
` "It's awfully puzzling," said Tootles, who knew the story by `
` heart. `
` `
` "Quiet, Tootles. They had three descendants." `
` `
` "What is descendants?" `
` `
` "Well, you are one, Twin." `
` `
` "Did you hear that, John? I am a descendant." `
` `
` "Descendants are only children," said John. `
` `
` "Oh dear, oh dear," sighed Wendy. "Now these three children `
` had a faithful nurse called Nana; but Mr. Darling was angry with `
` her and chained her up in the yard, and so all the children flew `
` away." `
` `
` "It's an awfully good story," said Nibs. `
` `
` "They flew away," Wendy continued, "to the Neverland, where the `
` lost children are." `
` `
` "I just thought they did," Curly broke in excitedly. "I don't `
` know how it is, but I just thought they did!" `
` `
` "O Wendy," cried Tootles, "was one of the lost children called `
` Tootles?" `
` `
` "Yes, he was." `
` `
` "I am in a story. Hurrah, I am in a story, Nibs." `
` `
` "Hush. Now I want you to consider the feelings of the unhappy `
` parents with all their children flown away." `
` `
` "Oo!" they all moaned, though they were not really considering `
` the feelings of the unhappy parents one jot. `
` `
` "Think of the empty beds!" `
` `
` "Oo!" `
` `
` "It's awfully sad," the first twin said cheerfully. `
` `
` "I don't see how it can have a happy ending," said the second `
` twin. "Do you, Nibs?" `
` `
` "I'm frightfully anxious." `
` `
` "If you knew how great is a mother's love," Wendy told them `
` triumphantly, "you would have no fear." She had now come to the `
` part that Peter hated. `
` `
` "I do like a mother's love," said Tootles, hitting Nibs with a `
` pillow. "Do you like a mother's love, Nibs?" `
` `
` "I do just," said Nibs, hitting back. `
` `
` "You see," Wendy said complacently, "our heroine knew that the `
` mother would always leave the window open for her children to fly `
` back by; so they stayed away for years and had a lovely time." `
` `
` "Did they ever go back?" `
` `
` "Let us now," said Wendy, bracing herself up for her finest `
`
` `
` "Oh yes," Wendy said primly [formally and properly]. `
` `
` "You see," he continued apologetically, "it would make me seem `
` so old to be their real father." `
` `
` "But they are ours, Peter, yours and mine." `
` `
` "But not really, Wendy?" he asked anxiously. `
` `
` "Not if you don't wish it," she replied; and she distinctly `
` heard his sigh of relief. "Peter," she asked, trying to speak `
` firmly, "what are your exact feelings to [about] me?" `
` `
` "Those of a devoted son, Wendy." `
` `
` "I thought so," she said, and went and sat by herself at the `
` extreme end of the room. `
` `
` "You are so queer," he said, frankly puzzled, "and Tiger Lily `
` is just the same. There is something she wants to be to me, but `
` she says it is not my mother." `
` `
` "No, indeed, it is not," Wendy replied with frightful emphasis. `
` Now we know why she was prejudiced against the redskins. `
` `
` "Then what is it?" `
` `
` "It isn't for a lady to tell." `
` `
` "Oh, very well," Peter said, a little nettled. "Perhaps Tinker `
` Bell will tell me." `
` `
` "Oh yes, Tinker Bell will tell you," Wendy retorted scornfully. `
` "She is an abandoned little creature." `
` `
` Here Tink, who was in her bedroom, eavesdropping, squeaked out `
` something impudent. `
` `
` "She says she glories in being abandoned," Peter interpreted. `
` `
` He had a sudden idea. "Perhaps Tink wants to be my mother?" `
` `
` "You silly ass!" cried Tinker Bell in a passion. `
` `
` She had said it so often that Wendy needed no translation. `
` `
` "I almost agree with her," Wendy snapped. Fancy Wendy `
` snapping! But she had been much tried, and she little knew what `
` was to happen before the night was out. If she had known she `
` would not have snapped. `
` `
` None of them knew. Perhaps it was best not to know. Their `
` ignorance gave them one more glad hour; and as it was to be `
` their last hour on the island, let us rejoice that there were `
` sixty glad minutes in it. They sang and danced in their night- `
` gowns. Such a deliciously creepy song it was, in which they `
` pretended to be frightened at their own shadows, little witting `
` that so soon shadows would close in upon them, from whom they `
` would shrink in real fear. So uproariously gay was the dance, `
` and how they buffeted each other on the bed and out of it! It `
` was a pillow fight rather than a dance, and when it was finished, `
` the pillows insisted on one bout more, like partners who know `
` that they may never meet again. The stories they told, before it `
` was time for Wendy's good-night story! Even Slightly tried to `
` tell a story that night, but the beginning was so fearfully dull `
` that it appalled not only the others but himself, and he said happily: `
` `
` "Yes, it is a dull beginning. I say, let us pretend that it is `
` the end." `
` `
` And then at last they all got into bed for Wendy's story, the `
` story they loved best, the story Peter hated. Usually when she `
` began to tell this story he left the room or put his hands over `
` his ears; and possibly if he had done either of those things this `
` time they might all still be on the island. But to-night he `
` remained on his stool; and we shall see what happened. `
` `
` `
` `
` Chapter 11 `
` `
` WENDY'S STORY `
` `
` `
` "Listen, then," said Wendy, settling down to her story, with `
` Michael at her feet and seven boys in the bed. "There was once a `
` gentleman -- " `
` `
` "I had rather he had been a lady," Curly said. `
` `
` "I wish he had been a white rat," said Nibs. `
` `
` "Quiet," their mother admonished [cautioned] them. "There was `
` a lady also, and -- " `
` `
` "Oh, mummy," cried the first twin, "you mean that there is a `
` lady also, don't you? She is not dead, is she?" `
` `
` "Oh, no." `
` `
` "I am awfully glad she isn't dead," said Tootles. "Are you `
` glad, John?" `
` `
` "Of course I am." `
` `
` "Are you glad, Nibs?" `
` `
` "Rather." `
` `
` "Are you glad, Twins?" `
` `
` "We are glad." `
` `
` "Oh dear," sighed Wendy. `
` `
` "Little less noise there," Peter called out, determined that `
` she should have fair play, however beastly a story it might be in `
` his opinion. `
` `
` "The gentleman's name," Wendy continued, "was Mr. Darling, and `
` her name was Mrs. Darling." `
` `
` "I knew them," John said, to annoy the others. `
` `
` "I think I knew them," said Michael rather doubtfully. `
` `
` "They were married, you know," explained Wendy, "and what do `
` you think they had?" `
` `
` "White rats," cried Nibs, inspired. `
` `
` "No." `
` `
` "It's awfully puzzling," said Tootles, who knew the story by `
` heart. `
` `
` "Quiet, Tootles. They had three descendants." `
` `
` "What is descendants?" `
` `
` "Well, you are one, Twin." `
` `
` "Did you hear that, John? I am a descendant." `
` `
` "Descendants are only children," said John. `
` `
` "Oh dear, oh dear," sighed Wendy. "Now these three children `
` had a faithful nurse called Nana; but Mr. Darling was angry with `
` her and chained her up in the yard, and so all the children flew `
` away." `
` `
` "It's an awfully good story," said Nibs. `
` `
` "They flew away," Wendy continued, "to the Neverland, where the `
` lost children are." `
` `
` "I just thought they did," Curly broke in excitedly. "I don't `
` know how it is, but I just thought they did!" `
` `
` "O Wendy," cried Tootles, "was one of the lost children called `
` Tootles?" `
` `
` "Yes, he was." `
` `
` "I am in a story. Hurrah, I am in a story, Nibs." `
` `
` "Hush. Now I want you to consider the feelings of the unhappy `
` parents with all their children flown away." `
` `
` "Oo!" they all moaned, though they were not really considering `
` the feelings of the unhappy parents one jot. `
` `
` "Think of the empty beds!" `
` `
` "Oo!" `
` `
` "It's awfully sad," the first twin said cheerfully. `
` `
` "I don't see how it can have a happy ending," said the second `
` twin. "Do you, Nibs?" `
` `
` "I'm frightfully anxious." `
` `
` "If you knew how great is a mother's love," Wendy told them `
` triumphantly, "you would have no fear." She had now come to the `
` part that Peter hated. `
` `
` "I do like a mother's love," said Tootles, hitting Nibs with a `
` pillow. "Do you like a mother's love, Nibs?" `
` `
` "I do just," said Nibs, hitting back. `
` `
` "You see," Wendy said complacently, "our heroine knew that the `
` mother would always leave the window open for her children to fly `
` back by; so they stayed away for years and had a lovely time." `
` `
` "Did they ever go back?" `
` `
` "Let us now," said Wendy, bracing herself up for her finest `
`