Reading Help Peter-pan BY J. M. BARRIE
`
` "No, I don't. Do you think he is a cypher, Slightly?" `
` `
` "Rather not. Twin, what do you think?" `
` `
` It turned out that not one of them thought him a cypher; and he `
` was absurdly gratified, and said he would find space for them all `
` in the drawing-room if they fitted in. `
` `
` "We'll fit in, sir," they assured him. `
` `
` "Then follow the leader," he cried gaily. "Mind you, I am not `
` sure that we have a drawing-room, but we pretend we have, and `
` it's all the same. Hoop la!" `
` `
` He went off dancing through the house, and they all cried "Hoop `
` la!" and danced after him, searching for the drawing-room; and I `
` forget whether they found it, but at any rate they found corners, `
` and they all fitted in. `
` `
` As for Peter, he saw Wendy once again before he flew away. He `
` did not exactly come to the window, but he brushed against it in `
` passing so that she could open it if she liked and call to him. `
` That is what she did. `
` `
` "Hullo, Wendy, good-bye," he said. `
` `
` "Oh dear, are you going away?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "You don't feel, Peter," she said falteringly, "that you would `
` like to say anything to my parents about a very sweet subject?" `
` `
` "No." `
` `
` "About me, Peter?" `
` `
` "No." `
` `
` Mrs. Darling came to the window, for at present she was keeping `
` a sharp eye on Wendy. She told Peter that she had adopted all `
` the other boys, and would like to adopt him also. `
` `
` "Would you send me to school?" he inquired craftily. `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "And then to an office?" `
` `
` "I suppose so." `
` `
` "Soon I would be a man?" `
` `
` "Very soon." `
` `
` "I don't want to go to school and learn solemn things," he told `
` her passionately. "I don't want to be a man. O Wendy's mother, `
` if I was to wake up and feel there was a beard!" `
` `
` "Peter," said Wendy the comforter, "I should love you in a `
` beard"; and Mrs. Darling stretched out her arms to him, but he `
` repulsed her. `
` `
` "Keep back, lady, no one is going to catch me and make me a `
` man." `
` `
` "But where are you going to live?" `
` `
` "With Tink in the house we built for Wendy. The fairies are to `
` put it high up among the tree tops where they sleep at nights." `
` `
` "How lovely," cried Wendy so longingly that Mrs. Darling `
` tightened her grip. `
` `
` "I thought all the fairies were dead," Mrs. Darling said. `
` `
` "There are always a lot of young ones," explained Wendy, who `
` was now quite an authority, "because you see when a new baby `
` laughs for the first time a new fairy is born, and as there are `
` always new babies there are always new fairies. They live in `
` nests on the tops of trees; and the mauve ones are boys and the `
` white ones are girls, and the blue ones are just little sillies `
` who are not sure what they are." `
` `
` "I shall have such fun," said Peter, with eye on Wendy. `
` `
` "It will be rather lonely in the evening," she said, "sitting `
` by the fire." `
` `
` "I shall have Tink." `
` `
` "Tink can't go a twentieth part of the way round," she reminded `
` him a little tartly. `
` `
` "Sneaky tell-tale!" Tink called out from somewhere round the `
` corner. `
` `
` "It doesn't matter," Peter said. `
` `
` "O Peter, you know it matters." `
` `
` "Well, then, come with me to the little house." `
` `
` "May I, mummy?" `
` `
` "Certainly not. I have got you home again, and I mean to keep `
` you." `
` `
` "But he does so need a mother." `
` `
` "So do you, my love." `
` `
` "Oh, all right," Peter said, as if he had asked her from `
` politeness merely; but Mrs. Darling saw his mouth twitch, and she `
` made this handsome offer: to let Wendy go to him for a week `
` every year to do his spring cleaning. Wendy would have preferred `
` a more permanent arrangement; and it seemed to her that spring `
` would be long in coming; but this promise sent Peter away quite `
` gay again. He had no sense of time, and was so full of `
` adventures that all I have told you about him is only a `
` halfpenny-worth of them. I suppose it was because Wendy knew `
` this that her last words to him were these rather plaintive ones: `
` `
` "You won't forget me, Peter, will you, before spring cleaning `
` time comes?" `
` `
` Of course Peter promised; and then he flew away. He took Mrs. `
` Darling's kiss with him. The kiss that had been for no one else, `
` Peter took quite easily. Funny. But she seemed satisfied. `
` `
` Of course all the boys went to school; and most of them got `
` into Class III, but Slightly was put first into Class IV and then `
` into Class V. Class I is the top class. Before they had `
` attended school a week they saw what goats they had been not to `
` remain on the island; but it was too late now, and soon they `
` settled down to being as ordinary as you or me or Jenkins minor `
` [the younger Jenkins]. It is sad to have to say that the power `
` to fly gradually left them. At first Nana tied their feet to the `
` bed-posts so that they should not fly away in the night; and one `
` of their diversions by day was to pretend to fall off buses [the `
` English double-deckers]; but by and by they ceased to tug at `
` their bonds in bed, and found that they hurt themselves when they `
` let go of the bus. In time they could not even fly after their `
` hats. Want of practice, they called it; but what it really meant was `
` that they no longer believed. `
` `
` Michael believed longer than the other boys, though they jeered `
` at him; so he was with Wendy when Peter came for her at the end `
` of the first year. She flew away with Peter in the frock she had `
` woven from leaves and berries in the Neverland, and her one fear `
` was that he might notice how short it had become; but he never `
` noticed, he had so much to say about himself. `
` `
` She had looked forward to thrilling talks with him about old `
` times, but new adventures had crowded the old ones from his mind. `
` `
` "Who is Captain Hook?" he asked with interest when she spoke of `
` the arch enemy. `
` `
` "Don't you remember," she asked, amazed, "how you killed him `
` and saved all our lives?" `
` `
` "I forget them after I kill them," he replied carelessly. `
` `
` When she expressed a doubtful hope that Tinker Bell would be `
` glad to see her he said, "Who is Tinker Bell?" `
` `
` "O Peter," she said, shocked; but even when she explained he `
` could not remember. `
` `
` "There are such a lot of them," he said. "I expect she is no `
` more." `
` `
` I expect he was right, for fairies don't live long, but they `
` are so little that a short time seems a good while to them. `
` `
` Wendy was pained too to find that the past year was but as `
` yesterday to Peter; it had seemed such a long year of waiting to `
` her. But he was exactly as fascinating as ever, and they had a `
` lovely spring cleaning in the little house on the tree tops. `
` `
` Next year he did not come for her. She waited in a new frock `
` because the old one simply would not meet; but he never came. `
` `
` "Perhaps he is ill," Michael said. `
` `
` "You know he is never ill." `
` `
` Michael came close to her and whispered, with a shiver, `
` "Perhaps there is no such person, Wendy!" and then Wendy would `
` have cried if Michael had not been crying. `
` `
` Peter came next spring cleaning; and the strange thing was that `
` he never knew he had missed a year. `
` `
` That was the last time the girl Wendy ever saw him. For a `
` little longer she tried for his sake not to have growing pains; `
` and she felt she was untrue to him when she got a prize for `
` general knowledge. But the years came and went without bringing `
` the careless boy; and when they met again Wendy was a married `
`
` "No, I don't. Do you think he is a cypher, Slightly?" `
` `
` "Rather not. Twin, what do you think?" `
` `
` It turned out that not one of them thought him a cypher; and he `
` was absurdly gratified, and said he would find space for them all `
` in the drawing-room if they fitted in. `
` `
` "We'll fit in, sir," they assured him. `
` `
` "Then follow the leader," he cried gaily. "Mind you, I am not `
` sure that we have a drawing-room, but we pretend we have, and `
` it's all the same. Hoop la!" `
` `
` He went off dancing through the house, and they all cried "Hoop `
` la!" and danced after him, searching for the drawing-room; and I `
` forget whether they found it, but at any rate they found corners, `
` and they all fitted in. `
` `
` As for Peter, he saw Wendy once again before he flew away. He `
` did not exactly come to the window, but he brushed against it in `
` passing so that she could open it if she liked and call to him. `
` That is what she did. `
` `
` "Hullo, Wendy, good-bye," he said. `
` `
` "Oh dear, are you going away?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "You don't feel, Peter," she said falteringly, "that you would `
` like to say anything to my parents about a very sweet subject?" `
` `
` "No." `
` `
` "About me, Peter?" `
` `
` "No." `
` `
` Mrs. Darling came to the window, for at present she was keeping `
` a sharp eye on Wendy. She told Peter that she had adopted all `
` the other boys, and would like to adopt him also. `
` `
` "Would you send me to school?" he inquired craftily. `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "And then to an office?" `
` `
` "I suppose so." `
` `
` "Soon I would be a man?" `
` `
` "Very soon." `
` `
` "I don't want to go to school and learn solemn things," he told `
` her passionately. "I don't want to be a man. O Wendy's mother, `
` if I was to wake up and feel there was a beard!" `
` `
` "Peter," said Wendy the comforter, "I should love you in a `
` beard"; and Mrs. Darling stretched out her arms to him, but he `
` repulsed her. `
` `
` "Keep back, lady, no one is going to catch me and make me a `
` man." `
` `
` "But where are you going to live?" `
` `
` "With Tink in the house we built for Wendy. The fairies are to `
` put it high up among the tree tops where they sleep at nights." `
` `
` "How lovely," cried Wendy so longingly that Mrs. Darling `
` tightened her grip. `
` `
` "I thought all the fairies were dead," Mrs. Darling said. `
` `
` "There are always a lot of young ones," explained Wendy, who `
` was now quite an authority, "because you see when a new baby `
` laughs for the first time a new fairy is born, and as there are `
` always new babies there are always new fairies. They live in `
` nests on the tops of trees; and the mauve ones are boys and the `
` white ones are girls, and the blue ones are just little sillies `
` who are not sure what they are." `
` `
` "I shall have such fun," said Peter, with eye on Wendy. `
` `
` "It will be rather lonely in the evening," she said, "sitting `
` by the fire." `
` `
` "I shall have Tink." `
` `
` "Tink can't go a twentieth part of the way round," she reminded `
` him a little tartly. `
` `
` "Sneaky tell-tale!" Tink called out from somewhere round the `
` corner. `
` `
` "It doesn't matter," Peter said. `
` `
` "O Peter, you know it matters." `
` `
` "Well, then, come with me to the little house." `
` `
` "May I, mummy?" `
` `
` "Certainly not. I have got you home again, and I mean to keep `
` you." `
` `
` "But he does so need a mother." `
` `
` "So do you, my love." `
` `
` "Oh, all right," Peter said, as if he had asked her from `
` politeness merely; but Mrs. Darling saw his mouth twitch, and she `
` made this handsome offer: to let Wendy go to him for a week `
` every year to do his spring cleaning. Wendy would have preferred `
` a more permanent arrangement; and it seemed to her that spring `
` would be long in coming; but this promise sent Peter away quite `
` gay again. He had no sense of time, and was so full of `
` adventures that all I have told you about him is only a `
` halfpenny-worth of them. I suppose it was because Wendy knew `
` this that her last words to him were these rather plaintive ones: `
` `
` "You won't forget me, Peter, will you, before spring cleaning `
` time comes?" `
` `
` Of course Peter promised; and then he flew away. He took Mrs. `
` Darling's kiss with him. The kiss that had been for no one else, `
` Peter took quite easily. Funny. But she seemed satisfied. `
` `
` Of course all the boys went to school; and most of them got `
` into Class III, but Slightly was put first into Class IV and then `
` into Class V. Class I is the top class. Before they had `
` attended school a week they saw what goats they had been not to `
` remain on the island; but it was too late now, and soon they `
` settled down to being as ordinary as you or me or Jenkins minor `
` [the younger Jenkins]. It is sad to have to say that the power `
` to fly gradually left them. At first Nana tied their feet to the `
` bed-posts so that they should not fly away in the night; and one `
` of their diversions by day was to pretend to fall off buses [the `
` English double-deckers]; but by and by they ceased to tug at `
` their bonds in bed, and found that they hurt themselves when they `
` let go of the bus. In time they could not even fly after their `
` hats. Want of practice, they called it; but what it really meant was `
` that they no longer believed. `
` `
` Michael believed longer than the other boys, though they jeered `
` at him; so he was with Wendy when Peter came for her at the end `
` of the first year. She flew away with Peter in the frock she had `
` woven from leaves and berries in the Neverland, and her one fear `
` was that he might notice how short it had become; but he never `
` noticed, he had so much to say about himself. `
` `
` She had looked forward to thrilling talks with him about old `
` times, but new adventures had crowded the old ones from his mind. `
` `
` "Who is Captain Hook?" he asked with interest when she spoke of `
` the arch enemy. `
` `
` "Don't you remember," she asked, amazed, "how you killed him `
` and saved all our lives?" `
` `
` "I forget them after I kill them," he replied carelessly. `
` `
` When she expressed a doubtful hope that Tinker Bell would be `
` glad to see her he said, "Who is Tinker Bell?" `
` `
` "O Peter," she said, shocked; but even when she explained he `
` could not remember. `
` `
` "There are such a lot of them," he said. "I expect she is no `
` more." `
` `
` I expect he was right, for fairies don't live long, but they `
` are so little that a short time seems a good while to them. `
` `
` Wendy was pained too to find that the past year was but as `
` yesterday to Peter; it had seemed such a long year of waiting to `
` her. But he was exactly as fascinating as ever, and they had a `
` lovely spring cleaning in the little house on the tree tops. `
` `
` Next year he did not come for her. She waited in a new frock `
` because the old one simply would not meet; but he never came. `
` `
` "Perhaps he is ill," Michael said. `
` `
` "You know he is never ill." `
` `
` Michael came close to her and whispered, with a shiver, `
` "Perhaps there is no such person, Wendy!" and then Wendy would `
` have cried if Michael had not been crying. `
` `
` Peter came next spring cleaning; and the strange thing was that `
` he never knew he had missed a year. `
` `
` That was the last time the girl Wendy ever saw him. For a `
` little longer she tried for his sake not to have growing pains; `
` and she felt she was untrue to him when she got a prize for `
` general knowledge. But the years came and went without bringing `
` the careless boy; and when they met again Wendy was a married `
`