Reading Help Peter-pan BY J. M. BARRIE
`
` Mrs. Darling screamed, and, as if in answer to a bell, the door `
` opened, and Nana entered, returned from her evening out. She `
` growled and sprang at the boy, who leapt lightly through the `
` window. Again Mrs. Darling screamed, this time in distress for `
` him, for she thought he was killed, and she ran down into the `
` street to look for his little body, but it was not there; and she `
` looked up, and in the black night she could see nothing but what `
` she thought was a shooting star. `
` `
` She returned to the nursery, and found Nana with something in `
` her mouth, which proved to be the boy's shadow. As he leapt at `
` the window Nana had closed it quickly, too late to catch him, but `
` his shadow had not had time to get out; slam went the window and `
` snapped it off. `
` `
` You may be sure Mrs. Darling examined the shadow carefully, but `
` it was quite the ordinary kind. `
` `
` Nana had no doubt of what was the best thing to do with this `
` shadow. She hung it out at the window, meaning "He is sure to `
` come back for it; let us put it where he can get it easily `
` without disturbing the children." `
` `
` But unfortunately Mrs. Darling could not leave it hanging out `
` at the window, it looked so like the washing and lowered the `
` whole tone of the house. She thought of showing it to Mr. `
` Darling, but he was totting up winter great-coats for John and `
` Michael, with a wet towel around his head to keep his brain `
` clear, and it seemed a shame to trouble him; besides, she knew `
` exactly what he would say: "It all comes of having a dog for a `
` nurse." `
` `
` She decided to roll the shadow up and put it away carefully in `
` a drawer, until a fitting opportunity came for telling her `
` husband. Ah me! `
` `
` The opportunity came a week later, on that never-to-be- `
` forgotten Friday. Of course it was a Friday. `
` `
` "I ought to have been specially careful on a Friday," she used `
` to say afterwards to her husband, while perhaps Nana was on the `
` other side of her, holding her hand. `
` `
` "No, no," Mr. Darling always said, "I am responsible for it `
` all. I, George Darling, did it. MEA CULPA, MEA CULPA." He had `
` had a classical education. `
` `
` They sat thus night after night recalling that fatal Friday, `
` till every detail of it was stamped on their brains and came `
` through on the other side like the faces on a bad coinage. `
` `
` "If only I had not accepted that invitation to dine at 27," `
` Mrs. Darling said. `
` `
` "If only I had not poured my medicine into Nana's bowl," said `
` Mr. Darling. `
` `
` "If only I had pretended to like the medicine," was what Nana's `
` wet eyes said. `
` `
` "My liking for parties, George." `
` `
` "My fatal gift of humour, dearest." `
` `
` "My touchiness about trifles, dear master and mistress." `
` `
` Then one or more of them would break down altogether; Nana at `
` the thought, "It's true, it's true, they ought not to have had a `
` dog for a nurse." Many a time it was Mr. Darling who put the `
` handkerchief to Nana's eyes. `
` `
` "That fiend!" Mr. Darling would cry, and Nana's bark was the `
` echo of it, but Mrs. Darling never upbraided Peter; there was `
` something in the right-hand corner of her mouth that wanted her `
` not to call Peter names. `
` `
` They would sit there in the empty nursery, recalling fondly `
` every smallest detail of that dreadful evening. It had begun so `
` uneventfully, so precisely like a hundred other evenings, with `
` Nana putting on the water for Michael's bath and carrying him to `
` it on her back. `
` `
` "I won't go to bed," he had shouted, like one who still `
` believed that he had the last word on the subject, "I won't, I `
` won't. Nana, it isn't six o'clock yet. Oh dear, oh dear, I `
` shan't love you any more, Nana. I tell you I won't be bathed, I `
` won't, I won't!" `
` `
` Then Mrs. Darling had come in, wearing her white evening-gown. `
` She had dressed early because Wendy so loved to see her in her `
` evening-gown, with the necklace George had given her. She was `
` wearing Wendy's bracelet on her arm; she had asked for the loan `
` of it. Wendy loved to lend her bracelet to her mother. `
` `
` She had found her two older children playing at being herself `
` and father on the occasion of Wendy's birth, and John was saying: `
` `
` "I am happy to inform you, Mrs. Darling, that you are now a `
` mother," in just such a tone as Mr. Darling himself may have used `
` on the real occasion. `
` `
` Wendy had danced with joy, just as the real Mrs. Darling must `
` have done. `
` `
` Then John was born, with the extra pomp that he conceived due `
` to the birth of a male, and Michael came from his bath to ask to `
` be born also, but John said brutally that they did not want any `
` more. `
` `
` Michael had nearly cried. "Nobody wants me," he said, and of `
` course the lady in the evening-dress could not stand that. `
` `
` "I do," she said, "I so want a third child." `
` `
` "Boy or girl?" asked Michael, not too hopefully. `
` `
` "Boy." `
` `
` Then he had leapt into her arms. Such a little thing for Mr. `
` and Mrs. Darling and Nana to recall now, but not so little if `
` that was to be Michael's last night in the nursery. `
` `
` They go on with their recollections. `
` `
` "It was then that I rushed in like a tornado, wasn't it?" Mr. `
` Darling would say, scorning himself; and indeed he had been like `
` a tornado. `
` `
` Perhaps there was some excuse for him. He, too, had been `
` dressing for the party, and all had gone well with him until he `
` came to his tie. It is an astounding thing to have to tell, but `
` this man, though he knew about stocks and shares, had no real `
` mastery of his tie. Sometimes the thing yielded to him without a `
` contest, but there were occasions when it would have been better `
` for the house if he had swallowed his pride and used a made-up `
` tie. `
` `
` This was such an occasion. He came rushing into the nursery `
` with the crumpled little brute of a tie in his hand. `
` `
` "Why, what is the matter, father dear?" `
` `
` "Matter!" he yelled; he really yelled. "This tie, it will not `
` tie." He became dangerously sarcastic. "Not round my neck! `
` Round the bed-post! Oh yes, twenty times have I made it up round `
` the bed-post, but round my neck, no! Oh dear no! begs to be `
` excused!" `
` `
` He thought Mrs. Darling was not sufficiently impressed, and he `
` went on sternly, "I warn you of this, mother, that unless this `
` tie is round my neck we don't go out to dinner to-night, and if I `
` don't go out to dinner to-night, I never go to the office again, `
` and if I don't go to the office again, you and I starve, and our `
` children will be flung into the streets." `
` `
` Even then Mrs. Darling was placid. "Let me try, dear," she `
` said, and indeed that was what he had come to ask her to do, and `
` with her nice cool hands she tied his tie for him, while the `
` children stood around to see their fate decided. Some men would `
` have resented her being able to do it so easily, but Mr. Darling `
` had far too fine a nature for that; he thanked her carelessly, at `
` once forgot his rage, and in another moment was dancing round the `
` room with Michael on his back. `
` `
` "How wildly we romped!" says Mrs. Darling now, recalling it. `
` `
` "Our last romp!" Mr. Darling groaned. `
` `
` "O George, do you remember Michael suddenly said to me, `How `
` did you get to know me, mother?'" `
` `
` "I remember!" `
` `
` "They were rather sweet, don't you think, George?" `
` `
` "And they were ours, ours! and now they are gone." `
` `
` The romp had ended with the appearance of Nana, and most `
` unluckily Mr. Darling collided against her, covering his trousers `
` with hairs. They were not only new trousers, but they were the `
` first he had ever had with braid on them, and he had had to bite `
` his lip to prevent the tears coming. Of course Mrs. Darling `
` brushed him, but he began to talk again about its being a mistake `
` to have a dog for a nurse. `
` `
` "George, Nana is a treasure." `
` `
` "No doubt, but I have an uneasy feeling at times that she `
` looks upon the children as puppies." `
` `
` "Oh no, dear one, I feel sure she knows they have souls." `
` `
` "I wonder," Mr. Darling said thoughtfully, "I wonder." It was `
` an opportunity, his wife felt, for telling him about the boy. At `
` first he pooh-poohed the story, but he became thoughtful when she `
` showed him the shadow. `
` `
` "It is nobody I know," he said, examining it carefully, "but it `
` does look a scoundrel." `
` `
`
` Mrs. Darling screamed, and, as if in answer to a bell, the door `
` opened, and Nana entered, returned from her evening out. She `
` growled and sprang at the boy, who leapt lightly through the `
` window. Again Mrs. Darling screamed, this time in distress for `
` him, for she thought he was killed, and she ran down into the `
` street to look for his little body, but it was not there; and she `
` looked up, and in the black night she could see nothing but what `
` she thought was a shooting star. `
` `
` She returned to the nursery, and found Nana with something in `
` her mouth, which proved to be the boy's shadow. As he leapt at `
` the window Nana had closed it quickly, too late to catch him, but `
` his shadow had not had time to get out; slam went the window and `
` snapped it off. `
` `
` You may be sure Mrs. Darling examined the shadow carefully, but `
` it was quite the ordinary kind. `
` `
` Nana had no doubt of what was the best thing to do with this `
` shadow. She hung it out at the window, meaning "He is sure to `
` come back for it; let us put it where he can get it easily `
` without disturbing the children." `
` `
` But unfortunately Mrs. Darling could not leave it hanging out `
` at the window, it looked so like the washing and lowered the `
` whole tone of the house. She thought of showing it to Mr. `
` Darling, but he was totting up winter great-coats for John and `
` Michael, with a wet towel around his head to keep his brain `
` clear, and it seemed a shame to trouble him; besides, she knew `
` exactly what he would say: "It all comes of having a dog for a `
` nurse." `
` `
` She decided to roll the shadow up and put it away carefully in `
` a drawer, until a fitting opportunity came for telling her `
` husband. Ah me! `
` `
` The opportunity came a week later, on that never-to-be- `
` forgotten Friday. Of course it was a Friday. `
` `
` "I ought to have been specially careful on a Friday," she used `
` to say afterwards to her husband, while perhaps Nana was on the `
` other side of her, holding her hand. `
` `
` "No, no," Mr. Darling always said, "I am responsible for it `
` all. I, George Darling, did it. MEA CULPA, MEA CULPA." He had `
` had a classical education. `
` `
` They sat thus night after night recalling that fatal Friday, `
` till every detail of it was stamped on their brains and came `
` through on the other side like the faces on a bad coinage. `
` `
` "If only I had not accepted that invitation to dine at 27," `
` Mrs. Darling said. `
` `
` "If only I had not poured my medicine into Nana's bowl," said `
` Mr. Darling. `
` `
` "If only I had pretended to like the medicine," was what Nana's `
` wet eyes said. `
` `
` "My liking for parties, George." `
` `
` "My fatal gift of humour, dearest." `
` `
` "My touchiness about trifles, dear master and mistress." `
` `
` Then one or more of them would break down altogether; Nana at `
` the thought, "It's true, it's true, they ought not to have had a `
` dog for a nurse." Many a time it was Mr. Darling who put the `
` handkerchief to Nana's eyes. `
` `
` "That fiend!" Mr. Darling would cry, and Nana's bark was the `
` echo of it, but Mrs. Darling never upbraided Peter; there was `
` something in the right-hand corner of her mouth that wanted her `
` not to call Peter names. `
` `
` They would sit there in the empty nursery, recalling fondly `
` every smallest detail of that dreadful evening. It had begun so `
` uneventfully, so precisely like a hundred other evenings, with `
` Nana putting on the water for Michael's bath and carrying him to `
` it on her back. `
` `
` "I won't go to bed," he had shouted, like one who still `
` believed that he had the last word on the subject, "I won't, I `
` won't. Nana, it isn't six o'clock yet. Oh dear, oh dear, I `
` shan't love you any more, Nana. I tell you I won't be bathed, I `
` won't, I won't!" `
` `
` Then Mrs. Darling had come in, wearing her white evening-gown. `
` She had dressed early because Wendy so loved to see her in her `
` evening-gown, with the necklace George had given her. She was `
` wearing Wendy's bracelet on her arm; she had asked for the loan `
` of it. Wendy loved to lend her bracelet to her mother. `
` `
` She had found her two older children playing at being herself `
` and father on the occasion of Wendy's birth, and John was saying: `
` `
` "I am happy to inform you, Mrs. Darling, that you are now a `
` mother," in just such a tone as Mr. Darling himself may have used `
` on the real occasion. `
` `
` Wendy had danced with joy, just as the real Mrs. Darling must `
` have done. `
` `
` Then John was born, with the extra pomp that he conceived due `
` to the birth of a male, and Michael came from his bath to ask to `
` be born also, but John said brutally that they did not want any `
` more. `
` `
` Michael had nearly cried. "Nobody wants me," he said, and of `
` course the lady in the evening-dress could not stand that. `
` `
` "I do," she said, "I so want a third child." `
` `
` "Boy or girl?" asked Michael, not too hopefully. `
` `
` "Boy." `
` `
` Then he had leapt into her arms. Such a little thing for Mr. `
` and Mrs. Darling and Nana to recall now, but not so little if `
` that was to be Michael's last night in the nursery. `
` `
` They go on with their recollections. `
` `
` "It was then that I rushed in like a tornado, wasn't it?" Mr. `
` Darling would say, scorning himself; and indeed he had been like `
` a tornado. `
` `
` Perhaps there was some excuse for him. He, too, had been `
` dressing for the party, and all had gone well with him until he `
` came to his tie. It is an astounding thing to have to tell, but `
` this man, though he knew about stocks and shares, had no real `
` mastery of his tie. Sometimes the thing yielded to him without a `
` contest, but there were occasions when it would have been better `
` for the house if he had swallowed his pride and used a made-up `
` tie. `
` `
` This was such an occasion. He came rushing into the nursery `
` with the crumpled little brute of a tie in his hand. `
` `
` "Why, what is the matter, father dear?" `
` `
` "Matter!" he yelled; he really yelled. "This tie, it will not `
` tie." He became dangerously sarcastic. "Not round my neck! `
` Round the bed-post! Oh yes, twenty times have I made it up round `
` the bed-post, but round my neck, no! Oh dear no! begs to be `
` excused!" `
` `
` He thought Mrs. Darling was not sufficiently impressed, and he `
` went on sternly, "I warn you of this, mother, that unless this `
` tie is round my neck we don't go out to dinner to-night, and if I `
` don't go out to dinner to-night, I never go to the office again, `
` and if I don't go to the office again, you and I starve, and our `
` children will be flung into the streets." `
` `
` Even then Mrs. Darling was placid. "Let me try, dear," she `
` said, and indeed that was what he had come to ask her to do, and `
` with her nice cool hands she tied his tie for him, while the `
` children stood around to see their fate decided. Some men would `
` have resented her being able to do it so easily, but Mr. Darling `
` had far too fine a nature for that; he thanked her carelessly, at `
` once forgot his rage, and in another moment was dancing round the `
` room with Michael on his back. `
` `
` "How wildly we romped!" says Mrs. Darling now, recalling it. `
` `
` "Our last romp!" Mr. Darling groaned. `
` `
` "O George, do you remember Michael suddenly said to me, `How `
` did you get to know me, mother?'" `
` `
` "I remember!" `
` `
` "They were rather sweet, don't you think, George?" `
` `
` "And they were ours, ours! and now they are gone." `
` `
` The romp had ended with the appearance of Nana, and most `
` unluckily Mr. Darling collided against her, covering his trousers `
` with hairs. They were not only new trousers, but they were the `
` first he had ever had with braid on them, and he had had to bite `
` his lip to prevent the tears coming. Of course Mrs. Darling `
` brushed him, but he began to talk again about its being a mistake `
` to have a dog for a nurse. `
` `
` "George, Nana is a treasure." `
` `
` "No doubt, but I have an uneasy feeling at times that she `
` looks upon the children as puppies." `
` `
` "Oh no, dear one, I feel sure she knows they have souls." `
` `
` "I wonder," Mr. Darling said thoughtfully, "I wonder." It was `
` an opportunity, his wife felt, for telling him about the boy. At `
` first he pooh-poohed the story, but he became thoughtful when she `
` showed him the shadow. `
` `
` "It is nobody I know," he said, examining it carefully, "but it `
` does look a scoundrel." `
` `
`