Reading Help Peter-pan BY J. M. BARRIE
`
` Peter's first words tell all. `
` `
` "Quick Tink," he whispered, "close the window; bar it! That's `
` right. Now you and I must get away by the door; and when Wendy `
` comes she will think her mother has barred her out; and she will `
` have to go back with me." `
` `
` Now I understand what had hitherto puzzled me, why when Peter `
` had exterminated the pirates he did not return to the island and `
` leave Tink to escort the children to the mainland. This trick `
` had been in his head all the time. `
` `
` Instead of feeling that he was behaving badly he danced with `
` glee; then he peeped into the day-nursery to see who was playing. `
` He whispered to Tink, "It's Wendy's mother! She is a pretty `
` lady, but not so pretty as my mother. Her mouth is full of `
` thimbles, but not so full as my mother's was." `
` `
` Of course he knew nothing whatever about his mother; but he `
` sometimes bragged about her. `
` `
` He did not know the tune, which was "Home, Sweet Home," but he `
` knew it was saying, "Come back, Wendy, Wendy, Wendy"; and he `
` cried exultantly, "You will never see Wendy again, lady, for the `
` window is barred!" `
` `
` He peeped in again to see why the music had stopped, and now he `
` saw that Mrs. Darling had laid her head on the box, and that two `
` `
` tears were sitting on her eyes. `
` `
` "She wants me to unbar the window," thought Peter, "but I `
` won't, not I!" `
` `
` He peeped again, and the tears were still there, or another two `
` had taken their place. `
` `
` "She's awfully fond of Wendy," he said to himself. He was `
` angry with her now for not seeing why she could not have Wendy. `
` `
` The reason was so simple: "I'm fond of her too. We can't both `
` have her, lady." `
` `
` But the lady would not make the best of it, and he was unhappy. `
` He ceased to look at her, but even then she would not let go of `
` him. He skipped about and made funny faces, but when he stopped `
` it was just as if she were inside him, knocking. `
` `
` "Oh, all right," he said at last, and gulped. Then he unbarred `
` the window. "Come on, Tink," he cried, with a frightful sneer at `
` the laws of nature; "we don't want any silly mothers"; and he `
` flew away. `
` `
` Thus Wendy and John and Michael found the window open for them `
` after all, which of course was more than they deserved. They `
` alighted on the floor, quite unashamed of themselves, and the `
` youngest one had already forgotten his home. `
` `
` "John," he said, looking around him doubtfully, "I think I have `
` been here before." `
` `
` "Of course you have, you silly. There is your old bed." `
` `
` "So it is," Michael said, but not with much conviction. `
` `
` "I say," cried John, "the kennel!" and he dashed across to look `
` into it. `
` `
` "Perhaps Nana is inside it," Wendy said. `
` `
` But John whistled. "Hullo," he said, "there's a man inside `
` it." `
` `
` "It's father!" exclaimed Wendy. `
` `
` "Let me see father," Michael begged eagerly, and he took a good `
` look. "He is not so big as the pirate I killed," he said with `
` such frank disappointment that I am glad Mr. Darling was asleep; `
` it would have been sad if those had been the first words he heard `
` his little Michael say. `
` `
` Wendy and John had been taken aback somewhat at finding their `
` father in the kennel. `
` `
` "Surely," said John, like one who had lost faith in his memory, `
` "he used not to sleep in the kennel?" `
` `
` "John," Wendy said falteringly, "perhaps we don't remember the `
` old life as well as we thought we did." `
` `
` A chill fell upon them; and serve them right. `
` `
` "It is very careless of mother," said that young scoundrel `
` John, "not to be here when we come back." `
` `
` It was then that Mrs. Darling began playing again. `
` `
` "It's mother!" cried Wendy, peeping. `
` `
` "So it is!" said John. `
` `
` "Then are you not really our mother, Wendy?" asked Michael, who `
` was surely sleepy. `
` `
` "Oh dear!" exclaimed Wendy, with her first real twinge of `
` remorse [for having gone], "it was quite time we came back." `
` `
` "Let us creep in," John suggested, "and put our hands over her `
` eyes." `
` `
` But Wendy, who saw that they must break the joyous news more `
` gently, had a better plan. `
` `
` "Let us all slip into our beds, and be there when she comes in, `
` just as if we had never been away." `
` `
` And so when Mrs. Darling went back to the night-nursery to see `
` if her husband was asleep, all the beds were occupied. The `
` children waited for her cry of joy, but it did not come. She saw `
` them, but she did not believe they were there. You see, she saw `
` them in their beds so often in her dreams that she thought this `
` was just the dream hanging around her still. `
` `
` She sat down in the chair by the fire, where in the old days `
` she had nursed them. `
` `
` They could not understand this, and a cold fear fell upon all `
` the three of them. `
` `
` "Mother!" Wendy cried. `
` `
` "That's Wendy," she said, but still she was sure it was the `
` dream. `
` `
` "Mother!" `
` `
` "That's John," she said. `
` `
` "Mother!" cried Michael. He knew her now. `
` `
` "That's Michael," she said, and she stretched out her arms for `
` the three little selfish children they would never envelop again. `
` Yes, they did, they went round Wendy and John and Michael, who `
` had slipped out of bed and run to her. `
` `
` "George, George!" she cried when she could speak; and Mr. `
` Darling woke to share her bliss, and Nana came rushing in. There `
` could not have been a lovelier sight; but there was none to see `
` it except a little boy who was staring in at the window. He had `
` had ecstasies innumerable that other children can never know; but `
` he was looking through the window at the one joy from which he `
` must be for ever barred. `
` `
` `
` `
` Chapter 17 `
` `
` WHEN WENDY GREW UP `
` `
` `
` I hope you want to know what became of the other boys. They `
` were waiting below to give Wendy time to explain about them; and `
` when they had counted five hundred they went up. They went up by `
` the stair, because they thought this would make a better `
` impression. They stood in a row in front of Mrs. Darling, with `
` their hats off, and wishing they were not wearing their pirate `
` clothes. They said nothing, but their eyes asked her to have `
` them. They ought to have looked at Mr. Darling also, but they `
` forgot about him. `
` `
` Of course Mrs. Darling said at once that she would have them; `
` but Mr. Darling was curiously depressed, and they saw that he `
` considered six a rather large number. `
` `
` "I must say," he said to Wendy, "that you don't do things by `
` halves," a grudging remark which the twins thought was pointed at `
` them. `
` `
` The first twin was the proud one, and he asked, flushing, "Do `
` you think we should be too much of a handful, sir? Because, if `
` so, we can go away." `
` `
` "Father!" Wendy cried, shocked; but still the cloud was on him. `
` He knew he was behaving unworthily, but he could not help it. `
` `
` "We could lie doubled up," said Nibs. `
` `
` "I always cut their hair myself," said Wendy. `
` `
` "George!" Mrs. Darling exclaimed, pained to see her dear one `
` showing himself in such an unfavourable light. `
` `
` Then he burst into tears, and the truth came out. He was as `
` glad to have them as she was, he said, but he thought they should `
` have asked his consent as well as hers, instead of treating him `
` as a cypher [zero] in his own house. `
` `
` "I don't think he is a cypher," Tootles cried instantly. "Do `
` you think he is a cypher, Curly?" `
` `
`
` Peter's first words tell all. `
` `
` "Quick Tink," he whispered, "close the window; bar it! That's `
` right. Now you and I must get away by the door; and when Wendy `
` comes she will think her mother has barred her out; and she will `
` have to go back with me." `
` `
` Now I understand what had hitherto puzzled me, why when Peter `
` had exterminated the pirates he did not return to the island and `
` leave Tink to escort the children to the mainland. This trick `
` had been in his head all the time. `
` `
` Instead of feeling that he was behaving badly he danced with `
` glee; then he peeped into the day-nursery to see who was playing. `
` He whispered to Tink, "It's Wendy's mother! She is a pretty `
` lady, but not so pretty as my mother. Her mouth is full of `
` thimbles, but not so full as my mother's was." `
` `
` Of course he knew nothing whatever about his mother; but he `
` sometimes bragged about her. `
` `
` He did not know the tune, which was "Home, Sweet Home," but he `
` knew it was saying, "Come back, Wendy, Wendy, Wendy"; and he `
` cried exultantly, "You will never see Wendy again, lady, for the `
` window is barred!" `
` `
` He peeped in again to see why the music had stopped, and now he `
` saw that Mrs. Darling had laid her head on the box, and that two `
` `
` tears were sitting on her eyes. `
` `
` "She wants me to unbar the window," thought Peter, "but I `
` won't, not I!" `
` `
` He peeped again, and the tears were still there, or another two `
` had taken their place. `
` `
` "She's awfully fond of Wendy," he said to himself. He was `
` angry with her now for not seeing why she could not have Wendy. `
` `
` The reason was so simple: "I'm fond of her too. We can't both `
` have her, lady." `
` `
` But the lady would not make the best of it, and he was unhappy. `
` He ceased to look at her, but even then she would not let go of `
` him. He skipped about and made funny faces, but when he stopped `
` it was just as if she were inside him, knocking. `
` `
` "Oh, all right," he said at last, and gulped. Then he unbarred `
` the window. "Come on, Tink," he cried, with a frightful sneer at `
` the laws of nature; "we don't want any silly mothers"; and he `
` flew away. `
` `
` Thus Wendy and John and Michael found the window open for them `
` after all, which of course was more than they deserved. They `
` alighted on the floor, quite unashamed of themselves, and the `
` youngest one had already forgotten his home. `
` `
` "John," he said, looking around him doubtfully, "I think I have `
` been here before." `
` `
` "Of course you have, you silly. There is your old bed." `
` `
` "So it is," Michael said, but not with much conviction. `
` `
` "I say," cried John, "the kennel!" and he dashed across to look `
` into it. `
` `
` "Perhaps Nana is inside it," Wendy said. `
` `
` But John whistled. "Hullo," he said, "there's a man inside `
` it." `
` `
` "It's father!" exclaimed Wendy. `
` `
` "Let me see father," Michael begged eagerly, and he took a good `
` look. "He is not so big as the pirate I killed," he said with `
` such frank disappointment that I am glad Mr. Darling was asleep; `
` it would have been sad if those had been the first words he heard `
` his little Michael say. `
` `
` Wendy and John had been taken aback somewhat at finding their `
` father in the kennel. `
` `
` "Surely," said John, like one who had lost faith in his memory, `
` "he used not to sleep in the kennel?" `
` `
` "John," Wendy said falteringly, "perhaps we don't remember the `
` old life as well as we thought we did." `
` `
` A chill fell upon them; and serve them right. `
` `
` "It is very careless of mother," said that young scoundrel `
` John, "not to be here when we come back." `
` `
` It was then that Mrs. Darling began playing again. `
` `
` "It's mother!" cried Wendy, peeping. `
` `
` "So it is!" said John. `
` `
` "Then are you not really our mother, Wendy?" asked Michael, who `
` was surely sleepy. `
` `
` "Oh dear!" exclaimed Wendy, with her first real twinge of `
` remorse [for having gone], "it was quite time we came back." `
` `
` "Let us creep in," John suggested, "and put our hands over her `
` eyes." `
` `
` But Wendy, who saw that they must break the joyous news more `
` gently, had a better plan. `
` `
` "Let us all slip into our beds, and be there when she comes in, `
` just as if we had never been away." `
` `
` And so when Mrs. Darling went back to the night-nursery to see `
` if her husband was asleep, all the beds were occupied. The `
` children waited for her cry of joy, but it did not come. She saw `
` them, but she did not believe they were there. You see, she saw `
` them in their beds so often in her dreams that she thought this `
` was just the dream hanging around her still. `
` `
` She sat down in the chair by the fire, where in the old days `
` she had nursed them. `
` `
` They could not understand this, and a cold fear fell upon all `
` the three of them. `
` `
` "Mother!" Wendy cried. `
` `
` "That's Wendy," she said, but still she was sure it was the `
` dream. `
` `
` "Mother!" `
` `
` "That's John," she said. `
` `
` "Mother!" cried Michael. He knew her now. `
` `
` "That's Michael," she said, and she stretched out her arms for `
` the three little selfish children they would never envelop again. `
` Yes, they did, they went round Wendy and John and Michael, who `
` had slipped out of bed and run to her. `
` `
` "George, George!" she cried when she could speak; and Mr. `
` Darling woke to share her bliss, and Nana came rushing in. There `
` could not have been a lovelier sight; but there was none to see `
` it except a little boy who was staring in at the window. He had `
` had ecstasies innumerable that other children can never know; but `
` he was looking through the window at the one joy from which he `
` must be for ever barred. `
` `
` `
` `
` Chapter 17 `
` `
` WHEN WENDY GREW UP `
` `
` `
` I hope you want to know what became of the other boys. They `
` were waiting below to give Wendy time to explain about them; and `
` when they had counted five hundred they went up. They went up by `
` the stair, because they thought this would make a better `
` impression. They stood in a row in front of Mrs. Darling, with `
` their hats off, and wishing they were not wearing their pirate `
` clothes. They said nothing, but their eyes asked her to have `
` them. They ought to have looked at Mr. Darling also, but they `
` forgot about him. `
` `
` Of course Mrs. Darling said at once that she would have them; `
` but Mr. Darling was curiously depressed, and they saw that he `
` considered six a rather large number. `
` `
` "I must say," he said to Wendy, "that you don't do things by `
` halves," a grudging remark which the twins thought was pointed at `
` them. `
` `
` The first twin was the proud one, and he asked, flushing, "Do `
` you think we should be too much of a handful, sir? Because, if `
` so, we can go away." `
` `
` "Father!" Wendy cried, shocked; but still the cloud was on him. `
` He knew he was behaving unworthily, but he could not help it. `
` `
` "We could lie doubled up," said Nibs. `
` `
` "I always cut their hair myself," said Wendy. `
` `
` "George!" Mrs. Darling exclaimed, pained to see her dear one `
` showing himself in such an unfavourable light. `
` `
` Then he burst into tears, and the truth came out. He was as `
` glad to have them as she was, he said, but he thought they should `
` have asked his consent as well as hers, instead of treating him `
` as a cypher [zero] in his own house. `
` `
` "I don't think he is a cypher," Tootles cried instantly. "Do `
` you think he is a cypher, Curly?" `
` `
`