Reading Help Peter-pan BY J. M. BARRIE
to-night, and anxious to get the grown-ups out of the way. So `
` as soon as the door of 27 closed on Mr. and Mrs. Darling there `
` was a commotion in the firmament, and the smallest of all the `
` stars in the Milky Way screamed out: `
` `
` "Now, Peter!" `
` `
` `
` `
` Chapter 3 `
` `
` COME AWAY, COME AWAY! `
` `
` For a moment after Mr. and Mrs. Darling left the house the `
` night-lights by the beds of the three children continued to burn `
` clearly. They were awfully nice little night-lights, and one `
` cannot help wishing that they could have kept awake to see Peter; `
` but Wendy's light blinked and gave such a yawn that the other two `
` yawned also, and before they could close their mouths all the `
` three went out. `
` `
` There was another light in the room now, a thousand times `
` brighter than the night-lights, and in the time we have taken to `
` say this, it had been in all the drawers in the nursery, looking `
` for Peter's shadow, rummaged the wardrobe and turned every pocket `
` inside out. It was not really a light; it made this light by `
` flashing about so quickly, but when it came to rest for a second `
` you saw it was a fairy, no longer than your hand, but still `
` growing. It was a girl called Tinker Bell exquisitely gowned in `
` a skeleton leaf, cut low and square, through which her figure `
` could be seen to the best advantage. She was slightly inclined `
` to EMBONPOINT. [plump hourglass figure] `
` `
` A moment after the fairy's entrance the window was blown open `
` by the breathing of the little stars, and Peter dropped in. He `
` had carried Tinker Bell part of the way, and his hand was still `
` messy with the fairy dust. `
` `
` "Tinker Bell," he called softly, after making sure that the `
` children were asleep, "Tink, where are you?" She was in a jug `
` for the moment, and liking it extremely; she had never been in a `
` jug before. `
` `
` "Oh, do come out of that jug, and tell me, do you know where `
` they put my shadow?" `
` `
` The loveliest tinkle as of golden bells answered him. It is the `
` fairy language. You ordinary children can never hear it, but if `
` you were to hear it you would know that you had heard it once `
` before. `
` `
` Tink said that the shadow was in the big box. She meant the `
` chest of drawers, and Peter jumped at the drawers, scattering `
` their contents to the floor with both hands, as kings toss `
` ha'pence to the crowd. In a moment he had recovered his shadow, `
` and in his delight he forgot that he had shut Tinker Bell up in `
` the drawer. `
` `
` If he thought at all, but I don't believe he ever thought, it `
` was that he and his shadow, when brought near each other, would `
` join like drops of water, and when they did not he was appalled. `
` He tried to stick it on with soap from the bathroom, but that `
` also failed. A shudder passed through Peter, and he sat on the `
` floor and cried. `
` `
` His sobs woke Wendy, and she sat up in bed. She was not `
` alarmed to see a stranger crying on the nursery floor; she was `
` only pleasantly interested. `
` `
` "Boy," she said courteously, "why are you crying?" `
` `
` Peter could be exceeding polite also, having learned the grand `
` manner at fairy ceremonies, and he rose and bowed to her `
` beautifully. She was much pleased, and bowed beautifully to him `
` from the bed. `
` `
` "What's your name?" he asked. `
` `
` "Wendy Moira Angela Darling," she replied with some `
` satisfaction. "What is your name?" `
` `
` "Peter Pan." `
` `
` She was already sure that he must be Peter, but it did seem a `
` comparatively short name. `
` `
` "Is that all?" `
` `
` "Yes," he said rather sharply. He felt for the first time that `
` it was a shortish name. `
` `
` "I'm so sorry," said Wendy Moira Angela. `
` `
` "It doesn't matter," Peter gulped. `
` `
` She asked where he lived. `
` `
` "Second to the right," said Peter, "and then straight on till `
` morning." `
` `
` "What a funny address!" `
` `
` Peter had a sinking. For the first time he felt that perhaps `
` it was a funny address. `
` `
` "No, it isn't," he said. `
` `
` "I mean," Wendy said nicely, remembering that she was hostess, `
` "is that what they put on the letters?" `
` `
` He wished she had not mentioned letters. `
` `
` "Don't get any letters," he said contemptuously. `
` `
` "But your mother gets letters?" `
` `
` "Don't have a mother," he said. Not only had he no mother, but `
` he had not the slightest desire to have one. He thought them `
` very over-rated persons. Wendy, however, felt at once that she `
` was in the presence of a tragedy. `
` `
` "O Peter, no wonder you were crying," she said, and got out of `
` bed and ran to him. `
` `
` "I wasn't crying about mothers," he said rather indignantly. `
` "I was crying because I can't get my shadow to stick on. `
` Besides, I wasn't crying." `
` `
` "It has come off?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` Then Wendy saw the shadow on the floor, looking so draggled, `
` and she was frightfully sorry for Peter. "How awful!" she said, `
` but she could not help smiling when she saw that he had been `
` trying to stick it on with soap. How exactly like a boy! `
` `
` Fortunately she knew at once what to do. "It must be sewn on," `
` she said, just a little patronisingly. `
` `
` "What's sewn?" he asked. `
` `
` "You're dreadfully ignorant." `
` `
` "No, I'm not." `
` `
` But she was exulting in his ignorance. "I shall sew it on for `
` you, my little man," she said, though he was tall as herself, and `
` she got out her housewife [sewing bag], and sewed the shadow on `
` to Peter's foot. `
` `
` "I daresay it will hurt a little," she warned him. `
` `
` "Oh, I shan't cry," said Peter, who was already of the opinion `
` that he had never cried in his life. And he clenched his teeth `
` and did not cry, and soon his shadow was behaving properly, `
` though still a little creased. `
` `
` "Perhaps I should have ironed it," Wendy said thoughtfully, but `
` Peter, boylike, was indifferent to appearances, and he was now `
` jumping about in the wildest glee. Alas, he had already `
` forgotten that he owed his bliss to Wendy. He thought he had `
` attached the shadow himself. "How clever I am!" he crowed `
` rapturously, "oh, the cleverness of me!" `
` `
` It is humiliating to have to confess that this conceit of Peter `
` was one of his most fascinating qualities. To put it with brutal `
` frankness, there never was a cockier boy. `
` `
` But for the moment Wendy was shocked. "You conceit [braggart]," `
` she exclaimed, with frightful sarcasm; "of course I did nothing!" `
` `
` "You did a little," Peter said carelessly, and continued to `
` dance. `
` `
` "A little!" she replied with hauteur [pride]; "if I am no use `
` I can at least withdraw," and she sprang in the most dignified `
` way into bed and covered her face with the blankets. `
` `
` To induce her to look up he pretended to be going away, and `
` when this failed he sat on the end of the bed and tapped her `
` gently with his foot. "Wendy," he said, "don't withdraw. I `
` can't help crowing, Wendy, when I'm pleased with myself." Still `
` she would not look up, though she was listening eagerly. `
` "Wendy," he continued, in a voice that no woman has ever yet been `
` able to resist, "Wendy, one girl is more use than twenty boys." `
` `
` Now Wendy was every inch a woman, though there were not very `
` many inches, and she peeped out of the bed-clothes. `
` `
` "Do you really think so, Peter?" `
` `
` "Yes, I do." `
` `
` "I think it's perfectly sweet of you," she declared, "and I'll `
` get up again," and she sat with him on the side of the bed. She `
` also said she would give him a kiss if he liked, but Peter did `
` not know what she meant, and he held out his hand expectantly. `
` `
` "Surely you know what a kiss is?" she asked, aghast. `
` `
`
` as soon as the door of 27 closed on Mr. and Mrs. Darling there `
` was a commotion in the firmament, and the smallest of all the `
` stars in the Milky Way screamed out: `
` `
` "Now, Peter!" `
` `
` `
` `
` Chapter 3 `
` `
` COME AWAY, COME AWAY! `
` `
` For a moment after Mr. and Mrs. Darling left the house the `
` night-lights by the beds of the three children continued to burn `
` clearly. They were awfully nice little night-lights, and one `
` cannot help wishing that they could have kept awake to see Peter; `
` but Wendy's light blinked and gave such a yawn that the other two `
` yawned also, and before they could close their mouths all the `
` three went out. `
` `
` There was another light in the room now, a thousand times `
` brighter than the night-lights, and in the time we have taken to `
` say this, it had been in all the drawers in the nursery, looking `
` for Peter's shadow, rummaged the wardrobe and turned every pocket `
` inside out. It was not really a light; it made this light by `
` flashing about so quickly, but when it came to rest for a second `
` you saw it was a fairy, no longer than your hand, but still `
` growing. It was a girl called Tinker Bell exquisitely gowned in `
` a skeleton leaf, cut low and square, through which her figure `
` could be seen to the best advantage. She was slightly inclined `
` to EMBONPOINT. [plump hourglass figure] `
` `
` A moment after the fairy's entrance the window was blown open `
` by the breathing of the little stars, and Peter dropped in. He `
` had carried Tinker Bell part of the way, and his hand was still `
` messy with the fairy dust. `
` `
` "Tinker Bell," he called softly, after making sure that the `
` children were asleep, "Tink, where are you?" She was in a jug `
` for the moment, and liking it extremely; she had never been in a `
` jug before. `
` `
` "Oh, do come out of that jug, and tell me, do you know where `
` they put my shadow?" `
` `
` The loveliest tinkle as of golden bells answered him. It is the `
` fairy language. You ordinary children can never hear it, but if `
` you were to hear it you would know that you had heard it once `
` before. `
` `
` Tink said that the shadow was in the big box. She meant the `
` chest of drawers, and Peter jumped at the drawers, scattering `
` their contents to the floor with both hands, as kings toss `
` ha'pence to the crowd. In a moment he had recovered his shadow, `
` and in his delight he forgot that he had shut Tinker Bell up in `
` the drawer. `
` `
` If he thought at all, but I don't believe he ever thought, it `
` was that he and his shadow, when brought near each other, would `
` join like drops of water, and when they did not he was appalled. `
` He tried to stick it on with soap from the bathroom, but that `
` also failed. A shudder passed through Peter, and he sat on the `
` floor and cried. `
` `
` His sobs woke Wendy, and she sat up in bed. She was not `
` alarmed to see a stranger crying on the nursery floor; she was `
` only pleasantly interested. `
` `
` "Boy," she said courteously, "why are you crying?" `
` `
` Peter could be exceeding polite also, having learned the grand `
` manner at fairy ceremonies, and he rose and bowed to her `
` beautifully. She was much pleased, and bowed beautifully to him `
` from the bed. `
` `
` "What's your name?" he asked. `
` `
` "Wendy Moira Angela Darling," she replied with some `
` satisfaction. "What is your name?" `
` `
` "Peter Pan." `
` `
` She was already sure that he must be Peter, but it did seem a `
` comparatively short name. `
` `
` "Is that all?" `
` `
` "Yes," he said rather sharply. He felt for the first time that `
` it was a shortish name. `
` `
` "I'm so sorry," said Wendy Moira Angela. `
` `
` "It doesn't matter," Peter gulped. `
` `
` She asked where he lived. `
` `
` "Second to the right," said Peter, "and then straight on till `
` morning." `
` `
` "What a funny address!" `
` `
` Peter had a sinking. For the first time he felt that perhaps `
` it was a funny address. `
` `
` "No, it isn't," he said. `
` `
` "I mean," Wendy said nicely, remembering that she was hostess, `
` "is that what they put on the letters?" `
` `
` He wished she had not mentioned letters. `
` `
` "Don't get any letters," he said contemptuously. `
` `
` "But your mother gets letters?" `
` `
` "Don't have a mother," he said. Not only had he no mother, but `
` he had not the slightest desire to have one. He thought them `
` very over-rated persons. Wendy, however, felt at once that she `
` was in the presence of a tragedy. `
` `
` "O Peter, no wonder you were crying," she said, and got out of `
` bed and ran to him. `
` `
` "I wasn't crying about mothers," he said rather indignantly. `
` "I was crying because I can't get my shadow to stick on. `
` Besides, I wasn't crying." `
` `
` "It has come off?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` Then Wendy saw the shadow on the floor, looking so draggled, `
` and she was frightfully sorry for Peter. "How awful!" she said, `
` but she could not help smiling when she saw that he had been `
` trying to stick it on with soap. How exactly like a boy! `
` `
` Fortunately she knew at once what to do. "It must be sewn on," `
` she said, just a little patronisingly. `
` `
` "What's sewn?" he asked. `
` `
` "You're dreadfully ignorant." `
` `
` "No, I'm not." `
` `
` But she was exulting in his ignorance. "I shall sew it on for `
` you, my little man," she said, though he was tall as herself, and `
` she got out her housewife [sewing bag], and sewed the shadow on `
` to Peter's foot. `
` `
` "I daresay it will hurt a little," she warned him. `
` `
` "Oh, I shan't cry," said Peter, who was already of the opinion `
` that he had never cried in his life. And he clenched his teeth `
` and did not cry, and soon his shadow was behaving properly, `
` though still a little creased. `
` `
` "Perhaps I should have ironed it," Wendy said thoughtfully, but `
` Peter, boylike, was indifferent to appearances, and he was now `
` jumping about in the wildest glee. Alas, he had already `
` forgotten that he owed his bliss to Wendy. He thought he had `
` attached the shadow himself. "How clever I am!" he crowed `
` rapturously, "oh, the cleverness of me!" `
` `
` It is humiliating to have to confess that this conceit of Peter `
` was one of his most fascinating qualities. To put it with brutal `
` frankness, there never was a cockier boy. `
` `
` But for the moment Wendy was shocked. "You conceit [braggart]," `
` she exclaimed, with frightful sarcasm; "of course I did nothing!" `
` `
` "You did a little," Peter said carelessly, and continued to `
` dance. `
` `
` "A little!" she replied with hauteur [pride]; "if I am no use `
` I can at least withdraw," and she sprang in the most dignified `
` way into bed and covered her face with the blankets. `
` `
` To induce her to look up he pretended to be going away, and `
` when this failed he sat on the end of the bed and tapped her `
` gently with his foot. "Wendy," he said, "don't withdraw. I `
` can't help crowing, Wendy, when I'm pleased with myself." Still `
` she would not look up, though she was listening eagerly. `
` "Wendy," he continued, in a voice that no woman has ever yet been `
` able to resist, "Wendy, one girl is more use than twenty boys." `
` `
` Now Wendy was every inch a woman, though there were not very `
` many inches, and she peeped out of the bed-clothes. `
` `
` "Do you really think so, Peter?" `
` `
` "Yes, I do." `
` `
` "I think it's perfectly sweet of you," she declared, "and I'll `
` get up again," and she sat with him on the side of the bed. She `
` also said she would give him a kiss if he liked, but Peter did `
` not know what she meant, and he held out his hand expectantly. `
` `
` "Surely you know what a kiss is?" she asked, aghast. `
` `
`