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diff --git a/1332-h/1332-h.htm b/1332-h/1332-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b245a33 --- /dev/null +++ b/1332-h/1332-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1781 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> + +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd" > + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en"> + <head> + <title> + Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, by J. M. Barrie + </title> + <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve"> + + body { margin:5%; background:#faebd0; text-align:justify} + P { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: .25em; margin-bottom: .25em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; } + hr { width: 50%; text-align: center;} + .foot { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 90%; } + blockquote {font-size: 97%; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .mynote {background-color: #DDE; color: #000; padding: .5em; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 95%;} + .toc { margin-left: 10%; margin-bottom: .75em;} + .toc2 { margin-left: 20%;} + div.fig { display:block; margin:0 auto; text-align:center; } + div.middle { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; } + .figleft {float: left; margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 1%;} + .figright {float: right; margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 1%;} + .pagenum {display:inline; font-size: 70%; font-style:normal; + margin: 0; padding: 0; position: absolute; right: 1%; + text-align: right;} + pre { font-style: italic; font-size: 90%; margin-left: 10%;} + +</style> + </head> + <body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 1332 ***</div> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <h1> + PETER PAN IN KENSINGTON GARDENS + </h1> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <h2> + By J. M. Barrie + </h2> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h3> + Contents + </h3> + <table summary="" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto"> + <tr> + <td> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0001"> Peter Pan </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0002"> The Thrush’s Nest </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0003"> The Little House </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0004"> Lock-out Time </a> + </p> + </td> + </tr> + </table> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <a name="link2H_4_0001" id="link2H_4_0001"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <h2> + Peter Pan + </h2> + <p> + If you ask your mother whether she knew about Peter Pan when she was a + little girl she will say, “Why, of course, I did, child,” and if you ask + her whether he rode on a goat in those days she will say, “What a foolish + question to ask, certainly he did.” Then if you ask your grandmother + whether she knew about Peter Pan when she was a girl, she also says, “Why, + of course, I did, child,” but if you ask her whether he rode on a goat in + those days, she says she never heard of his having a goat. Perhaps she has + forgotten, just as she sometimes forgets your name and calls you Mildred, + which is your mother’s name. Still, she could hardly forget such an + important thing as the goat. Therefore there was no goat when your + grandmother was a little girl. This shows that, in telling the story of + Peter Pan, to begin with the goat (as most people do) is as silly as to + put on your jacket before your vest. + </p> + <p> + Of course, it also shows that Peter is ever so old, but he is really + always the same age, so that does not matter in the least. His age is one + week, and though he was born so long ago he has never had a birthday, nor + is there the slightest chance of his ever having one. The reason is that + he escaped from being a human when he was seven days’ old; he escaped by + the window and flew back to the Kensington Gardens. + </p> + <p> + If you think he was the only baby who ever wanted to escape, it shows how + completely you have forgotten your own young days. When David heard this + story first he was quite certain that he had never tried to escape, but I + told him to think back hard, pressing his hands to his temples, and when + he had done this hard, and even harder, he distinctly remembered a + youthful desire to return to the tree-tops, and with that memory came + others, as that he had lain in bed planning to escape as soon as his + mother was asleep, and how she had once caught him half-way up the + chimney. All children could have such recollections if they would press + their hands hard to their temples, for, having been birds before they were + human, they are naturally a little wild during the first few weeks, and + very itchy at the shoulders, where their wings used to be. So David tells + me. + </p> + <p> + I ought to mention here that the following is our way with a story: First, + I tell it to him, and then he tells it to me, the understanding being that + it is quite a different story; and then I retell it with his additions, + and so we go on until no one could say whether it is more his story or + mine. In this story of Peter Pan, for instance, the bald narrative and + most of the moral reflections are mine, though not all, for this boy can + be a stern moralist, but the interesting bits about the ways and customs + of babies in the bird-stage are mostly reminiscences of David’s, recalled + by pressing his hands to his temples and thinking hard. + </p> + <p> + Well, Peter Pan got out by the window, which had no bars. Standing on the + ledge he could see trees far away, which were doubtless the Kensington + Gardens, and the moment he saw them he entirely forgot that he was now a + little boy in a nightgown, and away he flew, right over the houses to the + Gardens. It is wonderful that he could fly without wings, but the place + itched tremendously, and, perhaps we could all fly if we were as + dead-confident-sure of our capacity to do it as was bold Peter Pan that + evening. + </p> + <p> + He alighted gaily on the open sward, between the Baby’s Palace and the + Serpentine, and the first thing he did was to lie on his back and kick. He + was quite unaware already that he had ever been human, and thought he was + a bird, even in appearance, just the same as in his early days, and when + he tried to catch a fly he did not understand that the reason he missed it + was because he had attempted to seize it with his hand, which, of course, + a bird never does. He saw, however, that it must be past Lock-out Time, + for there were a good many fairies about, all too busy to notice him; they + were getting breakfast ready, milking their cows, drawing water, and so + on, and the sight of the water-pails made him thirsty, so he flew over to + the Round Pond to have a drink. He stooped, and dipped his beak in the + pond; he thought it was his beak, but, of course, it was only his nose, + and, therefore, very little water came up, and that not so refreshing as + usual, so next he tried a puddle, and he fell flop into it. When a real + bird falls in flop, he spreads out his feathers and pecks them dry, but + Peter could not remember what was the thing to do, and he decided, rather + sulkily, to go to sleep on the weeping beech in the Baby Walk. + </p> + <p> + At first he found some difficulty in balancing himself on a branch, but + presently he remembered the way, and fell asleep. He awoke long before + morning, shivering, and saying to himself, “I never was out in such a cold + night;” he had really been out in colder nights when he was a bird, but, + of course, as everybody knows, what seems a warm night to a bird is a cold + night to a boy in a nightgown. Peter also felt strangely uncomfortable, as + if his head was stuffy, he heard loud noises that made him look round + sharply, though they were really himself sneezing. There was something he + wanted very much, but, though he knew he wanted it, he could not think + what it was. What he wanted so much was his mother to blow his nose, but + that never struck him, so he decided to appeal to the fairies for + enlightenment. They are reputed to know a good deal. + </p> + <p> + There were two of them strolling along the Baby Walk, with their arms + round each other’s waists, and he hopped down to address them. The fairies + have their tiffs with the birds, but they usually give a civil answer to a + civil question, and he was quite angry when these two ran away the moment + they saw him. Another was lolling on a garden-chair, reading a + postage-stamp which some human had let fall, and when he heard Peter’s + voice he popped in alarm behind a tulip. + </p> + <p> + To Peter’s bewilderment he discovered that every fairy he met fled from + him. A band of workmen, who were sawing down a toadstool, rushed away, + leaving their tools behind them. A milkmaid turned her pail upside down + and hid in it. Soon the Gardens were in an uproar. Crowds of fairies were + running this way and that, asking each other stoutly, who was afraid, + lights were extinguished, doors barricaded, and from the grounds of Queen + Mab’s palace came the rubadub of drums, showing that the royal guard had + been called out. + </p> + <p> + A regiment of Lancers came charging down the Broad Walk, armed with + holly-leaves, with which they jog the enemy horribly in passing. Peter + heard the little people crying everywhere that there was a human in the + Gardens after Lock-out Time, but he never thought for a moment that he was + the human. He was feeling stuffier and stuffier, and more and more wistful + to learn what he wanted done to his nose, but he pursued them with the + vital question in vain; the timid creatures ran from him, and even the + Lancers, when he approached them up the Hump, turned swiftly into a + side-walk, on the pretence that they saw him there. + </p> + <p> + Despairing of the fairies, he resolved to consult the birds, but now he + remembered, as an odd thing, that all the birds on the weeping beech had + flown away when he alighted on it, and though that had not troubled him at + the time, he saw its meaning now. Every living thing was shunning him. + Poor little Peter Pan, he sat down and cried, and even then he did not + know that, for a bird, he was sitting on his wrong part. It is a blessing + that he did not know, for otherwise he would have lost faith in his power + to fly, and the moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease forever to + be able to do it. The reason birds can fly and we can’t is simply that + they have perfect faith, for to have faith is to have wings. + </p> + <p> + Now, except by flying, no one can reach the island in the Serpentine, for + the boats of humans are forbidden to land there, and there are stakes + round it, standing up in the water, on each of which a bird-sentinel sits + by day and night. It was to the island that Peter now flew to put his + strange case before old Solomon Caw, and he alighted on it with relief, + much heartened to find himself at last at home, as the birds call the + island. All of them were asleep, including the sentinels, except Solomon, + who was wide awake on one side, and he listened quietly to Peter’s + adventures, and then told him their true meaning. + </p> + <p> + “Look at your night-gown, if you don’t believe me,” Solomon said, and with + staring eyes Peter looked at his nightgown, and then at the sleeping + birds. Not one of them wore anything. + </p> + <p> + “How many of your toes are thumbs?” said Solomon a little cruelly, and + Peter saw to his consternation, that all his toes were fingers. The shock + was so great that it drove away his cold. + </p> + <p> + “Ruffle your feathers,” said that grim old Solomon, and Peter tried most + desperately hard to ruffle his feathers, but he had none. Then he rose up, + quaking, and for the first time since he stood on the window-ledge, he + remembered a lady who had been very fond of him. + </p> + <p> + “I think I shall go back to mother,” he said timidly. + </p> + <p> + “Good-bye,” replied Solomon Caw with a queer look. + </p> + <p> + But Peter hesitated. “Why don’t you go?” the old one asked politely. + </p> + <p> + “I suppose,” said Peter huskily, “I suppose I can still fly?” + </p> + <p> + You see, he had lost faith. + </p> + <p> + “Poor little half-and-half,” said Solomon, who was not really + hard-hearted, “you will never be able to fly again, not even on windy + days. You must live here on the island always.” + </p> + <p> + “And never even go to the Kensington Gardens?” Peter asked tragically. + </p> + <p> + “How could you get across?” said Solomon. He promised very kindly, + however, to teach Peter as many of the bird ways as could be learned by + one of such an awkward shape. + </p> + <p> + “Then I sha’n’t be exactly a human?” Peter asked. + </p> + <p> + “No.” + </p> + <p> + “Nor exactly a bird?” + </p> + <p> + “No.” + </p> + <p> + “What shall I be?” + </p> + <p> + “You will be a Betwixt-and-Between,” Solomon said, and certainly he was a + wise old fellow, for that is exactly how it turned out. + </p> + <p> + The birds on the island never got used to him. His oddities tickled them + every day, as if they were quite new, though it was really the birds that + were new. They came out of the eggs daily, and laughed at him at once, + then off they soon flew to be humans, and other birds came out of other + eggs, and so it went on forever. The crafty mother-birds, when they tired + of sitting on their eggs, used to get the young one to break their shells + a day before the right time by whispering to them that now was their + chance to see Peter washing or drinking or eating. Thousands gathered + round him daily to watch him do these things, just as you watch the + peacocks, and they screamed with delight when he lifted the crusts they + flung him with his hands instead of in the usual way with the mouth. All + his food was brought to him from the Gardens at Solomon’s orders by the + birds. He would not eat worms or insects (which they thought very silly of + him), so they brought him bread in their beaks. Thus, when you cry out, + “Greedy! Greedy!” to the bird that flies away with the big crust, you know + now that you ought not to do this, for he is very likely taking it to + Peter Pan. + </p> + <p> + Peter wore no night-gown now. You see, the birds were always begging him + for bits of it to line their nests with, and, being very good-natured, he + could not refuse, so by Solomon’s advice he had hidden what was left of + it. But, though he was now quite naked, you must not think that he was + cold or unhappy. He was usually very happy and gay, and the reason was + that Solomon had kept his promise and taught him many of the bird ways. To + be easily pleased, for instance, and always to be really doing something, + and to think that whatever he was doing was a thing of vast importance. + Peter became very clever at helping the birds to build their nests; soon + he could build better than a wood-pigeon, and nearly as well as a + blackbird, though never did he satisfy the finches, and he made nice + little water-troughs near the nests and dug up worms for the young ones + with his fingers. He also became very learned in bird-lore, and knew an + east-wind from a west-wind by its smell, and he could see the grass + growing and hear the insects walking about inside the tree-trunks. But the + best thing Solomon had done was to teach him to have a glad heart. All + birds have glad hearts unless you rob their nests, and so as they were the + only kind of heart Solomon knew about, it was easy to him to teach Peter + how to have one. + </p> + <p> + Peter’s heart was so glad that he felt he must sing all day long, just as + the birds sing for joy, but, being partly human, he needed in instrument, + so he made a pipe of reeds, and he used to sit by the shore of the island + of an evening, practising the sough of the wind and the ripple of the + water, and catching handfuls of the shine of the moon, and he put them all + in his pipe and played them so beautifully that even the birds were + deceived, and they would say to each other, “Was that a fish leaping in + the water or was it Peter playing leaping fish on his pipe?” and sometimes + he played the birth of birds, and then the mothers would turn round in + their nests to see whether they had laid an egg. If you are a child of the + Gardens you must know the chestnut-tree near the bridge, which comes out + in flower first of all the chestnuts, but perhaps you have not heard why + this tree leads the way. It is because Peter wearies for summer and plays + that it has come, and the chestnut being so near, hears him and is + cheated. + </p> + <p> + But as Peter sat by the shore tootling divinely on his pipe he sometimes + fell into sad thoughts and then the music became sad also, and the reason + of all this sadness was that he could not reach the Gardens, though he + could see them through the arch of the bridge. He knew he could never be a + real human again, and scarcely wanted to be one, but oh, how he longed to + play as other children play, and of course there is no such lovely place + to play in as the Gardens. The birds brought him news of how boys and + girls play, and wistful tears started in Peter’s eyes. + </p> + <p> + Perhaps you wonder why he did not swim across. The reason was that he + could not swim. He wanted to know how to swim, but no one on the island + knew the way except the ducks, and they are so stupid. They were quite + willing to teach him, but all they could say about it was, “You sit down + on the top of the water in this way, and then you kick out like that.” + Peter tried it often, but always before he could kick out he sank. What he + really needed to know was how you sit on the water without sinking, and + they said it was quite impossible to explain such an easy thing as that. + Occasionally swans touched on the island, and he would give them all his + day’s food and then ask them how they sat on the water, but as soon as he + had no more to give them the hateful things hissed at him and sailed away. + </p> + <p> + Once he really thought he had discovered a way of reaching the Gardens. A + wonderful white thing, like a runaway newspaper, floated high over the + island and then tumbled, rolling over and over after the manner of a bird + that has broken its wing. Peter was so frightened that he hid, but the + birds told him it was only a kite, and what a kite is, and that it must + have tugged its string out of a boy’s hand, and soared away. After that + they laughed at Peter for being so fond of the kite, he loved it so much + that he even slept with one hand on it, and I think this was pathetic and + pretty, for the reason he loved it was because it had belonged to a real + boy. + </p> + <p> + To the birds this was a very poor reason, but the older ones felt grateful + to him at this time because he had nursed a number of fledglings through + the German measles, and they offered to show him how birds fly a kite. So + six of them took the end of the string in their beaks and flew away with + it; and to his amazement it flew after them and went even higher than + they. + </p> + <p> + Peter screamed out, “Do it again!” and with great good nature they did it + several times, and always instead of thanking them he cried, “Do it + again!” which shows that even now he had not quite forgotten what it was + to be a boy. + </p> + <p> + At last, with a grand design burning within his brave heart, he begged + them to do it once more with him clinging to the tail, and now a hundred + flew off with the string, and Peter clung to the tail, meaning to drop off + when he was over the Gardens. But the kite broke to pieces in the air, and + he would have drowned in the Serpentine had he not caught hold of two + indignant swans and made them carry him to the island. After this the + birds said that they would help him no more in his mad enterprise. + </p> + <p> + Nevertheless, Peter did reach the Gardens at last by the help of Shelley’s + boat, as I am now to tell you. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0002" id="link2H_4_0002"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + The Thrush’s Nest + </h2> + <p> + Shelley was a young gentleman and as grown-up as he need ever expect to + be. He was a poet; and they are never exactly grown-up. They are people + who despise money except what you need for to-day, and he had all that and + five pounds over. So, when he was walking in the Kensington Gardens, he + made a paper boat of his bank-note, and sent it sailing on the Serpentine. + </p> + <p> + It reached the island at night: and the look-out brought it to Solomon + Caw, who thought at first that it was the usual thing, a message from a + lady, saying she would be obliged if he could let her have a good one. + They always ask for the best one he has, and if he likes the letter he + sends one from Class A, but if it ruffles him he sends very funny ones + indeed. Sometimes he sends none at all, and at another time he sends a + nestful; it all depends on the mood you catch him in. He likes you to + leave it all to him, and if you mention particularly that you hope he will + see his way to making it a boy this time, he is almost sure to send + another girl. And whether you are a lady or only a little boy who wants a + baby-sister, always take pains to write your address clearly. You can’t + think what a lot of babies Solomon has sent to the wrong house. + </p> + <p> + Shelley’s boat, when opened, completely puzzled Solomon, and he took + counsel of his assistants, who having walked over it twice, first with + their toes pointed out, and then with their toes pointed in, decided that + it came from some greedy person who wanted five. They thought this because + there was a large five printed on it. “Preposterous!” cried Solomon in a + rage, and he presented it to Peter; anything useless which drifted upon + the island was usually given to Peter as a play-thing. + </p> + <p> + But he did not play with his precious bank-note, for he knew what it was + at once, having been very observant during the week when he was an + ordinary boy. With so much money, he reflected, he could surely at last + contrive to reach the Gardens, and he considered all the possible ways, + and decided (wisely, I think) to choose the best way. But, first, he had + to tell the birds of the value of Shelley’s boat; and though they were too + honest to demand it back, he saw that they were galled, and they cast such + black looks at Solomon, who was rather vain of his cleverness, that he + flew away to the end of the island, and sat there very depressed with his + head buried in his wings. Now Peter knew that unless Solomon was on your + side, you never got anything done for you in the island, so he followed + him and tried to hearten him. + </p> + <p> + Nor was this all that Peter did to pin the powerful old fellow’s good + will. You must know that Solomon had no intention of remaining in office + all his life. He looked forward to retiring by-and-by, and devoting his + green old age to a life of pleasure on a certain yew-stump in the Figs + which had taken his fancy, and for years he had been quietly filling his + stocking. It was a stocking belonging to some bathing person which had + been cast upon the island, and at the time I speak of it contained a + hundred and eighty crumbs, thirty-four nuts, sixteen crusts, a pen-wiper + and a bootlace. When his stocking was full, Solomon calculated that he + would be able to retire on a competency. Peter now gave him a pound. He + cut it off his bank-note with a sharp stick. + </p> + <p> + This made Solomon his friend for ever, and after the two had consulted + together they called a meeting of the thrushes. You will see presently why + thrushes only were invited. + </p> + <p> + The scheme to be put before them was really Peter’s, but Solomon did most + of the talking, because he soon became irritable if other people talked. + He began by saying that he had been much impressed by the superior + ingenuity shown by the thrushes in nest-building, and this put them into + good-humour at once, as it was meant to do; for all the quarrels between + birds are about the best way of building nests. Other birds, said Solomon, + omitted to line their nests with mud, and as a result they did not hold + water. Here he cocked his head as if he had used an unanswerable argument; + but, unfortunately, a Mrs. Finch had come to the meeting uninvited, and + she squeaked out, “We don’t build nests to hold water, but to hold eggs,” + and then the thrushes stopped cheering, and Solomon was so perplexed that + he took several sips of water. + </p> + <p> + “Consider,” he said at last, “how warm the mud makes the nest.” + </p> + <p> + “Consider,” cried Mrs. Finch, “that when water gets into the nest it + remains there and your little ones are drowned.” + </p> + <p> + The thrushes begged Solomon with a look to say something crushing in reply + to this, but again he was perplexed. + </p> + <p> + “Try another drink,” suggested Mrs. Finch pertly. Kate was her name, and + all Kates are saucy. + </p> + <p> + Solomon did try another drink, and it inspired him. “If,” said he, “a + finch’s nest is placed on the Serpentine it fills and breaks to pieces, + but a thrush’s nest is still as dry as the cup of a swan’s back.” + </p> + <p> + How the thrushes applauded! Now they knew why they lined their nests with + mud, and when Mrs. Finch called out, “We don’t place our nests on the + Serpentine,” they did what they should have done at first: chased her from + the meeting. After this it was most orderly. What they had been brought + together to hear, said Solomon, was this: their young friend, Peter Pan, + as they well knew, wanted very much to be able to cross to the Gardens, + and he now proposed, with their help, to build a boat. + </p> + <p> + At this the thrushes began to fidget, which made Peter tremble for his + scheme. + </p> + <p> + Solomon explained hastily that what he meant was not one of the cumbrous + boats that humans use; the proposed boat was to be simply a thrush’s nest + large enough to hold Peter. + </p> + <p> + But still, to Peter’s agony, the thrushes were sulky. “We are very busy + people,” they grumbled, “and this would be a big job.” + </p> + <p> + “Quite so,” said Solomon, “and, of course, Peter would not allow you to + work for nothing. You must remember that he is now in comfortable + circumstances, and he will pay you such wages as you have never been paid + before. Peter Pan authorises me to say that you shall all be paid sixpence + a day.” + </p> + <p> + Then all the thrushes hopped for joy, and that very day was begun the + celebrated Building of the Boat. All their ordinary business fell into + arrears. It was the time of year when they should have been pairing, but + not a thrush’s nest was built except this big one, and so Solomon soon ran + short of thrushes with which to supply the demand from the mainland. The + stout, rather greedy children, who look so well in perambulators but get + puffed easily when they walk, were all young thrushes once, and ladies + often ask specially for them. What do you think Solomon did? He sent over + to the housetops for a lot of sparrows and ordered them to lay their eggs + in old thrushes’ nests and sent their young to the ladies and swore they + were all thrushes! It was known afterward on the island as the Sparrows’ + Year, and so, when you meet, as you doubtless sometimes do, grown-up + people who puff and blow as if they thought themselves bigger than they + are, very likely they belong to that year. You ask them. + </p> + <p> + Peter was a just master, and paid his work-people every evening. They + stood in rows on the branches, waiting politely while he cut the paper + sixpences out of his bank-note, and presently he called the roll, and then + each bird, as the names were mentioned, flew down and got sixpence. It + must have been a fine sight. + </p> + <p> + And at last, after months of labor, the boat was finished. Oh, the + deportment of Peter as he saw it growing more and more like a great + thrush’s nest! From the very beginning of the building of it he slept by + its side, and often woke up to say sweet things to it, and after it was + lined with mud and the mud had dried he always slept in it. He sleeps in + his nest still, and has a fascinating way of curling round in it, for it + is just large enough to hold him comfortably when he curls round like a + kitten. It is brown inside, of course, but outside it is mostly green, + being woven of grass and twigs, and when these wither or snap the walls + are thatched afresh. There are also a few feathers here and there, which + came off the thrushes while they were building. + </p> + <p> + The other birds were extremely jealous and said that the boat would not + balance on the water, but it lay most beautifully steady; they said the + water would come into it, but no water came into it. Next they said that + Peter had no oars, and this caused the thrushes to look at each other in + dismay, but Peter replied that he had no need of oars, for he had a sail, + and with such a proud, happy face he produced a sail which he had + fashioned out of this night-gown, and though it was still rather like a + night-gown it made a lovely sail. And that night, the moon being full, and + all the birds asleep, he did enter his coracle (as Master Francis Pretty + would have said) and depart out of the island. And first, he knew not why, + he looked upward, with his hands clasped, and from that moment his eyes + were pinned to the west. + </p> + <p> + He had promised the thrushes to begin by making short voyages, with them + to his guides, but far away he saw the Kensington Gardens beckoning to him + beneath the bridge, and he could not wait. His face was flushed, but he + never looked back; there was an exultation in his little breast that drove + out fear. Was Peter the least gallant of the English mariners who have + sailed westward to meet the Unknown? + </p> + <p> + At first, his boat turned round and round, and he was driven back to the + place of his starting, whereupon he shortened sail, by removing one of the + sleeves, and was forthwith carried backward by a contrary breeze, to his + no small peril. He now let go the sail, with the result that he was + drifted toward the far shore, where are black shadows he knew not the + dangers of, but suspected them, and so once more hoisted his night-gown + and went roomer of the shadows until he caught a favouring wind, which + bore him westward, but at so great a speed that he was like to be broke + against the bridge. Which, having avoided, he passed under the bridge and + came, to his great rejoicing, within full sight of the delectable Gardens. + But having tried to cast anchor, which was a stone at the end of a piece + of the kite-string, he found no bottom, and was fain to hold off, seeking + for moorage, and, feeling his way, he buffeted against a sunken reef that + cast him overboard by the greatness of the shock, and he was near to being + drowned, but clambered back into the vessel. There now arose a mighty + storm, accompanied by roaring of waters, such as he had never heard the + like, and he was tossed this way and that, and his hands so numbed with + the cold that he could not close them. Having escaped the danger of which, + he was mercifully carried into a small bay, where his boat rode at peace. + </p> + <p> + Nevertheless, he was not yet in safety; for, on pretending to disembark, + he found a multitude of small people drawn up on the shore to contest his + landing; and shouting shrilly to him to be off, for it was long past + Lock-out Time. This, with much brandishing of their holly-leaves, and also + a company of them carried an arrow which some boy had left in the Gardens, + and this they were prepared to use as a battering-ram. + </p> + <p> + Then Peter, who knew them for the fairies, called out that he was not an + ordinary human and had no desire to do them displeasure, but to be their + friend, nevertheless, having found a jolly harbour, he was in no temper to + draw off there-from, and he warned them if they sought to mischief him to + stand to their harms. + </p> + <p> + So saying; he boldly leapt ashore, and they gathered around him with + intent to slay him, but there then arose a great cry among the women, and + it was because they had now observed that his sail was a baby’s + night-gown. Whereupon, they straightway loved him, and grieved that their + laps were too small, the which I cannot explain, except by saying that + such is the way of women. The men-fairies now sheathed their weapons on + observing the behaviour of their women, on whose intelligence they set + great store, and they led him civilly to their queen, who conferred upon + him the courtesy of the Gardens after Lock-out Time, and henceforth Peter + could go whither he chose, and the fairies had orders to put him in + comfort. + </p> + <p> + Such was his first voyage to the Gardens, and you may gather from the + antiquity of the language that it took place a long time ago. But Peter + never grows any older, and if we could be watching for him under the + bridge to-night (but, of course, we can’t), I daresay we should see him + hoisting his night-gown and sailing or paddling toward us in the Thrush’s + Nest. When he sails, he sits down, but he stands up to paddle. I shall + tell you presently how he got his paddle. + </p> + <p> + Long before the time for the opening of the gates comes he steals back to + the island, for people must not see him (he is not so human as all that), + but this gives him hours for play, and he plays exactly as real children + play. At least he thinks so, and it is one of the pathetic things about + him that he often plays quite wrongly. + </p> + <p> + You see, he had no one to tell him how children really play, for the + fairies were all more or less in hiding until dusk, and so know nothing, + and though the buds pretended that they could tell him a great deal, when + the time for telling came, it was wonderful how little they really knew. + They told him the truth about hide-and-seek, and he often plays it by + himself, but even the ducks on the Round Pond could not explain to him + what it is that makes the pond so fascinating to boys. Every night the + ducks have forgotten all the events of the day, except the number of + pieces of cake thrown to them. They are gloomy creatures, and say that + cake is not what it was in their young days. + </p> + <p> + So Peter had to find out many things for himself. He often played ships at + the Round Pond, but his ship was only a hoop which he had found on the + grass. Of course, he had never seen a hoop, and he wondered what you play + at with them, and decided that you play at pretending they are boats. This + hoop always sank at once, but he waded in for it, and sometimes he dragged + it gleefully round the rim of the pond, and he was quite proud to think + that he had discovered what boys do with hoops. + </p> + <p> + Another time, when he found a child’s pail, he thought it was for sitting + in, and he sat so hard in it that he could scarcely get out of it. Also he + found a balloon. It was bobbing about on the Hump, quite as if it was + having a game by itself, and he caught it after an exciting chase. But he + thought it was a ball, and Jenny Wren had told him that boys kick balls, + so he kicked it; and after that he could not find it anywhere. + </p> + <p> + Perhaps the most surprising thing he found was a perambulator. It was + under a lime-tree, near the entrance to the Fairy Queen’s Winter Palace + (which is within the circle of the seven Spanish chestnuts), and Peter + approached it warily, for the birds had never mentioned such things to + him. Lest it was alive, he addressed it politely, and then, as it gave no + answer, he went nearer and felt it cautiously. He gave it a little push, + and it ran from him, which made him think it must be alive after all; but, + as it had run from him, he was not afraid. So he stretched out his hand to + pull it to him, but this time it ran at him, and he was so alarmed that he + leapt the railing and scudded away to his boat. You must not think, + however, that he was a coward, for he came back next night with a crust in + one hand and a stick in the other, but the perambulator had gone, and he + never saw another one. I have promised to tell you also about his paddle. + It was a child’s spade which he had found near St. Govor’s Well, and he + thought it was a paddle. + </p> + <p> + Do you pity Peter Pan for making these mistakes? If so, I think it rather + silly of you. What I mean is that, of course, one must pity him now and + then, but to pity him all the time would be impertinence. He thought he + had the most splendid time in the Gardens, and to think you have it is + almost quite as good as really to have it. He played without ceasing, + while you often waste time by being mad-dog or Mary-Annish. He could be + neither of these things, for he had never heard of them, but do you think + he is to be pitied for that? + </p> + <p> + Oh, he was merry. He was as much merrier than you, for instance, as you + are merrier than your father. Sometimes he fell, like a spinning-top, from + sheer merriment. Have you seen a greyhound leaping the fences of the + Gardens? That is how Peter leaps them. + </p> + <p> + And think of the music of his pipe. Gentlemen who walk home at night write + to the papers to say they heard a nightingale in the Gardens, but it is + really Peter’s pipe they hear. Of course, he had no mother—at least, + what use was she to him? You can be sorry for him for that, but don’t be + too sorry, for the next thing I mean to tell you is how he revisited her. + It was the fairies who gave him the chance. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0003" id="link2H_4_0003"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + The Little House + </h2> + <p> + Everybody has heard of the Little House in the Kensington Gardens, which + is the only house in the whole world that the fairies have built for + humans. But no one has really seen it, except just three or four, and they + have not only seen it but slept in it, and unless you sleep in it you + never see it. This is because it is not there when you lie down, but it is + there when you wake up and step outside. + </p> + <p> + In a kind of way everyone may see it, but what you see is not really it, + but only the light in the windows. You see the light after Lock-out Time. + David, for instance, saw it quite distinctly far away among the trees as + we were going home from the pantomime, and Oliver Bailey saw it the night + he stayed so late at the Temple, which is the name of his father’s office. + Angela Clare, who loves to have a tooth extracted because then she is + treated to tea in a shop, saw more than one light, she saw hundreds of + them all together, and this must have been the fairies building the house, + for they build it every night and always in a different part of the + Gardens. She thought one of the lights was bigger than the others, though + she was not quite sure, for they jumped about so, and it might have been + another one that was bigger. But if it was the same one, it was Peter + Pan’s light. Heaps of children have seen the fight, so that is nothing. + But Maimie Mannering was the famous one for whom the house was first + built. + </p> + <p> + Maimie was always rather a strange girl, and it was at night that she was + strange. She was four years of age, and in the daytime she was the + ordinary kind. She was pleased when her brother Tony, who was a + magnificent fellow of six, took notice of her, and she looked up to him in + the right way, and tried in vain to imitate him and was flattered rather + than annoyed when he shoved her about. Also, when she was batting she + would pause though the ball was in the air to point out to you that she + was wearing new shoes. She was quite the ordinary kind in the daytime. + </p> + <p> + But as the shades of night fell, Tony, the swaggerer, lost his contempt + for Maimie and eyed her fearfully, and no wonder, for with dark there came + into her face a look that I can describe only as a leary look. It was also + a serene look that contrasted grandly with Tony’s uneasy glances. Then he + would make her presents of his favourite toys (which he always took away + from her next morning) and she accepted them with a disturbing smile. The + reason he was now become so wheedling and she so mysterious was (in brief) + that they knew they were about to be sent to bed. It was then that Maimie + was terrible. Tony entreated her not to do it to-night, and the mother and + their coloured nurse threatened her, but Maimie merely smiled her + agitating smile. And by-and-by when they were alone with their night-light + she would start up in bed crying “Hsh! what was that?” Tony beseeches her! + “It was nothing—don’t, Maimie, don’t!” and pulls the sheet over his + head. “It is coming nearer!” she cries; “Oh, look at it, Tony! It is + feeling your bed with its horns—it is boring for you, oh, Tony, oh!” + and she desists not until he rushes downstairs in his combinations, + screeching. When they came up to whip Maimie they usually found her + sleeping tranquilly, not shamming, you know, but really sleeping, and + looking like the sweetest little angel, which seems to me to make it + almost worse. + </p> + <p> + But of course it was daytime when they were in the Gardens, and then Tony + did most of the talking. You could gather from his talk that he was a very + brave boy, and no one was so proud of it as Maimie. She would have loved + to have a ticket on her saying that she was his sister. And at no time did + she admire him more than when he told her, as he often did with splendid + firmness, that one day he meant to remain behind in the Gardens after the + gates were closed. + </p> + <p> + “Oh, Tony,” she would say, with awful respect, “but the fairies will be so + angry!” + </p> + <p> + “I daresay,” replied Tony, carelessly. + </p> + <p> + “Perhaps,” she said, thrilling, “Peter Pan will give you a sail in his + boat!” + </p> + <p> + “I shall make him,” replied Tony; no wonder she was proud of him. + </p> + <p> + But they should not have talked so loudly, for one day they were overheard + by a fairy who had been gathering skeleton leaves, from which the little + people weave their summer curtains, and after that Tony was a marked boy. + They loosened the rails before he sat on them, so that down he came on the + back of his head; they tripped him up by catching his bootlace and bribed + the ducks to sink his boat. Nearly all the nasty accidents you meet with + in the Gardens occur because the fairies have taken an ill-will to you, + and so it behoves you to be careful what you say about them. + </p> + <p> + Maimie was one of the kind who like to fix a day for doing things, but + Tony was not that kind, and when she asked him which day he was to remain + behind in the Gardens after Lock-out he merely replied, “Just some day;” + he was quite vague about which day except when she asked “Will it be + today?” and then he could always say for certain that it would not be + to-day. So she saw that he was waiting for a real good chance. + </p> + <p> + This brings us to an afternoon when the Gardens were white with snow, and + there was ice on the Round Pond, not thick enough to skate on but at least + you could spoil it for tomorrow by flinging stones, and many bright little + boys and girls were doing that. + </p> + <p> + When Tony and his sister arrived they wanted to go straight to the pond, + but their ayah said they must take a sharp walk first, and as she said + this she glanced at the time-board to see when the Gardens closed that + night. It read half-past five. Poor ayah! she is the one who laughs + continuously because there are so many white children in the world, but + she was not to laugh much more that day. + </p> + <p> + Well, they went up the Baby Walk and back, and when they returned to the + time-board she was surprised to see that it now read five o’clock for + closing time. But she was unacquainted with the tricky ways of the + fairies, and so did not see (as Maimie and Tony saw at once) that they had + changed the hour because there was to be a ball to-night. She said there + was only time now to walk to the top of the Hump and back, and as they + trotted along with her she little guessed what was thrilling their little + breasts. You see the chance had come of seeing a fairy ball. Never, Tony + felt, could he hope for a better chance. + </p> + <p> + He had to feel this, for Maimie so plainly felt it for him. Her eager eyes + asked the question, “Is it to-day?” and he gasped and then nodded. Maimie + slipped her hand into Tony’s, and hers was hot, but his was cold. She did + a very kind thing; she took off her scarf and gave it to him! “In case you + should feel cold,” she whispered. Her face was aglow, but Tony’s was very + gloomy. + </p> + <p> + As they turned on the top of the Hump he whispered to her, “I’m afraid + Nurse would see me, so I sha’n’t be able to do it.” + </p> + <p> + Maimie admired him more than ever for being afraid of nothing but their + ayah, when there were so many unknown terrors to fear, and she said aloud, + “Tony, I shall race you to the gate,” and in a whisper, “Then you can + hide,” and off they ran. + </p> + <p> + Tony could always outdistance her easily, but never had she known him + speed away so quickly as now, and she was sure he hurried that he might + have more time to hide. “Brave, brave!” her doting eyes were crying when + she got a dreadful shock; instead of hiding, her hero had run out at the + gate! At this bitter sight Maimie stopped blankly, as if all her lapful of + darling treasures were suddenly spilled, and then for very disdain she + could not sob; in a swell of protest against all puling cowards she ran to + St. Govor’s Well and hid in Tony’s stead. + </p> + <p> + When the ayah reached the gate and saw Tony far in front she thought her + other charge was with him and passed out. Twilight came on, and scores and + hundreds of people passed out, including the last one, who always has to + run for it, but Maimie saw them not. She had shut her eyes tight and glued + them with passionate tears. When she opened them something very cold ran + up her legs and up her arms and dropped into her heart. It was the + stillness of the Gardens. Then she heard clang, then from another part <i>clang</i>, + then <i>clang</i>, <i>clang</i> far away. It was the Closing of the Gates. + </p> + <p> + Immediately the last clang had died away Maimie distinctly heard a voice + say, “So that’s all right.” It had a wooden sound and seemed to come from + above, and she looked up in time to see an elm tree stretching out its + arms and yawning. + </p> + <p> + She was about to say, “I never knew you could speak!” when a metallic + voice that seemed to come from the ladle at the well remarked to the elm, + “I suppose it is a bit coldish up there?” and the elm replied, “Not + particularly, but you do get numb standing so long on one leg,” and he + flapped his arms vigorously just as the cabmen do before they drive off. + Maimie was quite surprised to see that a number of other tall trees were + doing the same sort of thing and she stole away to the Baby Walk and + crouched observantly under a Minorca Holly which shrugged its shoulders + but did not seem to mind her. + </p> + <p> + She was not in the least cold. She was wearing a russet-coloured pelisse + and had the hood over her head, so that nothing of her showed except her + dear little face and her curls. The rest of her real self was hidden far + away inside so many warm garments that in shape she seemed rather like a + ball. She was about forty round the waist. + </p> + <p> + There was a good deal going on in the Baby Walk, when Maimie arrived in + time to see a magnolia and a Persian lilac step over the railing and set + off for a smart walk. They moved in a jerky sort of way certainly, but + that was because they used crutches. An elderberry hobbled across the + walk, and stood chatting with some young quinces, and they all had + crutches. The crutches were the sticks that are tied to young trees and + shrubs. They were quite familiar objects to Maimie, but she had never + known what they were for until to-night. + </p> + <p> + She peeped up the walk and saw her first fairy. He was a street boy fairy + who was running up the walk closing the weeping trees. The way he did it + was this, he pressed a spring in the trunk and they shut like umbrellas, + deluging the little plants beneath with snow. “Oh, you naughty, naughty + child!” Maimie cried indignantly, for she knew what it was to have a + dripping umbrella about your ears. + </p> + <p> + Fortunately the mischievous fellow was out of earshot, but the + chrysanthemums heard her, and they all said so pointedly “Hoity-toity, + what is this?” that she had to come out and show herself. Then the whole + vegetable kingdom was rather puzzled what to do. + </p> + <p> + “Of course it is no affair of ours,” a spindle tree said after they had + whispered together, “but you know quite well you ought not to be here, and + perhaps our duty is to report you to the fairies; what do you think + yourself?” + </p> + <p> + “I think you should not,” Maimie replied, which so perplexed them that + they said petulantly there was no arguing with her. “I wouldn’t ask it of + you,” she assured them, “if I thought it was wrong,” and of course after + this they could not well carry tales. They then said, “Well-a-day,” and + “Such is life!” for they can be frightfully sarcastic, but she felt sorry + for those of them who had no crutches, and she said good-naturedly, + “Before I go to the fairies’ ball, I should like to take you for a walk + one at a time; you can lean on me, you know.” + </p> + <p> + At this they clapped their hands, and she escorted them up to the Baby + Walk and back again, one at a time, putting an arm or a finger round the + very frail, setting their leg right when it got too ridiculous, and + treating the foreign ones quite as courteously as the English, though she + could not understand a word they said. + </p> + <p> + They behaved well on the whole, though some whimpered that she had not + taken them as far as she took Nancy or Grace or Dorothy, and others jagged + her, but it was quite unintentional, and she was too much of a lady to cry + out. So much walking tired her and she was anxious to be off to the ball, + but she no longer felt afraid. The reason she felt no more fear was that + it was now night-time, and in the dark, you remember, Maimie was always + rather strange. + </p> + <p> + They were now loath to let her go, for, “If the fairies see you,” they + warned her, “they will mischief you, stab you to death or compel you to + nurse their children or turn you into something tedious, like an evergreen + oak.” As they said this they looked with affected pity at an evergreen + oak, for in winter they are very envious of the evergreens. + </p> + <p> + “Oh, la!” replied the oak bitingly, “how deliciously cosy it is to stand + here buttoned to the neck and watch you poor naked creatures shivering!” + </p> + <p> + This made them sulky though they had really brought it on themselves, and + they drew for Maimie a very gloomy picture of the perils that faced her if + she insisted on going to the ball. + </p> + <p> + She learned from a purple filbert that the court was not in its usual good + temper at present, the cause being the tantalising heart of the Duke of + Christmas Daisies. He was an Oriental fairy, very poorly of a dreadful + complaint, namely, inability to love, and though he had tried many ladies + in many lands he could not fall in love with one of them. Queen Mab, who + rules in the Gardens, had been confident that her girls would bewitch him, + but alas, his heart, the doctor said, remained cold. This rather + irritating doctor, who was his private physician, felt the Duke’s heart + immediately after any lady was presented, and then always shook his bald + head and murmured, “Cold, quite cold!” Naturally Queen Mab felt disgraced, + and first she tried the effect of ordering the court into tears for nine + minutes, and then she blamed the Cupids and decreed that they should wear + fools’ caps until they thawed the Duke’s frozen heart. + </p> + <p> + “How I should love to see the Cupids in their dear little fools’ caps!” + Maimie cried, and away she ran to look for them very recklessly, for the + Cupids hate to be laughed at. + </p> + <p> + It is always easy to discover where a fairies’ ball is being held, as + ribbons are stretched between it and all the populous parts of the + Gardens, on which those invited may walk to the dance without wetting + their pumps. This night the ribbons were red and looked very pretty on the + snow. + </p> + <p> + Maimie walked alongside one of them for some distance without meeting + anybody, but at last she saw a fairy cavalcade approaching. To her + surprise they seemed to be returning from the ball, and she had just time + to hide from them by bending her knees and holding out her arms and + pretending to be a garden chair. There were six horsemen in front and six + behind, in the middle walked a prim lady wearing a long train held up by + two pages, and on the train, as if it were a couch, reclined a lovely + girl, for in this way do aristocratic fairies travel about. She was + dressed in golden rain, but the most enviable part of her was her neck, + which was blue in colour and of a velvet texture, and of course showed off + her diamond necklace as no white throat could have glorified it. The + high-born fairies obtain this admired effect by pricking their skin, which + lets the blue blood come through and dye them, and you cannot imagine + anything so dazzling unless you have seen the ladies’ busts in the + jewellers’ windows. + </p> + <p> + Maimie also noticed that the whole cavalcade seemed to be in a passion, + tilting their noses higher than it can be safe for even fairies to tilt + them, and she concluded that this must be another case in which the doctor + had said “Cold, quite cold!” + </p> + <p> + Well, she followed the ribbon to a place where it became a bridge over a + dry puddle into which another fairy had fallen and been unable to climb + out. At first this little damsel was afraid of Maimie, who most kindly + went to her aid, but soon she sat in her hand chatting gaily and + explaining that her name was Brownie, and that though only a poor street + singer she was on her way to the ball to see if the Duke would have her. + </p> + <p> + “Of course,” she said, “I am rather plain,” and this made Maimie + uncomfortable, for indeed the simple little creature was almost quite + plain for a fairy. + </p> + <p> + It was difficult to know what to reply. + </p> + <p> + “I see you think I have no chance,” Brownie said falteringly. + </p> + <p> + “I don’t say that,” Maimie answered politely, “of course your face is just + a tiny bit homely, but—” Really it was quite awkward for her. + </p> + <p> + Fortunately she remembered about her father and the bazaar. He had gone to + a fashionable bazaar where all the most beautiful ladies in London were on + view for half-a-crown the second day, but on his return home instead of + being dissatisfied with Maimie’s mother he had said, “You can’t think, my + dear, what a relief it is to see a homely face again.” + </p> + <p> + Maimie repeated this story, and it fortified Brownie tremendously, indeed + she had no longer the slightest doubt that the Duke would choose her. So + she scudded away up the ribbon, calling out to Maimie not to follow lest + the Queen should mischief her. + </p> + <p> + But Maimie’s curiosity tugged her forward, and presently at the seven + Spanish chestnuts, she saw a wonderful light. She crept forward until she + was quite near it, and then she peeped from behind a tree. + </p> + <p> + The light, which was as high as your head above the ground, was composed + of myriads of glow-worms all holding on to each other, and so forming a + dazzling canopy over the fairy ring. There were thousands of little people + looking on, but they were in shadow and drab in colour compared to the + glorious creatures within that luminous circle who were so bewilderingly + bright that Maimie had to wink hard all the time she looked at them. + </p> + <p> + It was amazing and even irritating to her that the Duke of Christmas + Daisies should be able to keep out of love for a moment: yet out of love + his dusky grace still was: you could see it by the shamed looks of the + Queen and court (though they pretended not to care), by the way darling + ladies brought forward for his approval burst into tears as they were told + to pass on, and by his own most dreary face. + </p> + <p> + Maimie could also see the pompous doctor feeling the Duke’s heart and hear + him give utterance to his parrot cry, and she was particularly sorry for + the Cupids, who stood in their fools’ caps in obscure places and, every + time they heard that “Cold, quite cold,” bowed their disgraced little + heads. + </p> + <p> + She was disappointed not to see Peter Pan, and I may as well tell you now + why he was so late that night. It was because his boat had got wedged on + the Serpentine between fields of floating ice, through which he had to + break a perilous passage with his trusty paddle. + </p> + <p> + The fairies had as yet scarcely missed him, for they could not dance, so + heavy were their hearts. They forget all the steps when they are sad and + remember them again when they are merry. David tells me that fairies never + say “We feel happy”: what they say is, “We feel <i>dancey</i>.” + </p> + <p> + Well, they were looking very undancy indeed, when sudden laughter broke + out among the onlookers, caused by Brownie, who had just arrived and was + insisting on her right to be presented to the Duke. + </p> + <p> + Maimie craned forward eagerly to see how her friend fared, though she had + really no hope; no one seemed to have the least hope except Brownie + herself who, however, was absolutely confident. She was led before his + grace, and the doctor putting a finger carelessly on the ducal heart, + which for convenience sake was reached by a little trap-door in his + diamond shirt, had begun to say mechanically, “Cold, qui—,” when he + stopped abruptly. + </p> + <p> + “What’s this?” he cried, and first he shook the heart like a watch, and + then put his ear to it. + </p> + <p> + “Bless my soul!” cried the doctor, and by this time of course the + excitement among the spectators was tremendous, fairies fainting right and + left. + </p> + <p> + Everybody stared breathlessly at the Duke, who was very much startled and + looked as if he would like to run away. “Good gracious me!” the doctor was + heard muttering, and now the heart was evidently on fire, for he had to + jerk his fingers away from it and put them in his mouth. + </p> + <p> + The suspense was awful! + </p> + <p> + Then in a loud voice, and bowing low, “My Lord Duke,” said the physician + elatedly, “I have the honour to inform your excellency that your grace is + in love.” + </p> + <p> + You can’t conceive the effect of it. Brownie held out her arms to the Duke + and he flung himself into them, the Queen leapt into the arms of the Lord + Chamberlain, and the ladies of the court leapt into the arms of her + gentlemen, for it is etiquette to follow her example in everything. Thus + in a single moment about fifty marriages took place, for if you leap into + each other’s arms it is a fairy wedding. Of course a clergyman has to be + present. + </p> + <p> + How the crowd cheered and leapt! Trumpets brayed, the moon came out, and + immediately a thousand couples seized hold of its rays as if they were + ribbons in a May dance and waltzed in wild abandon round the fairy ring. + Most gladsome sight of all, the Cupids plucked the hated fools’ caps from + their heads and cast them high in the air. And then Maimie went and + spoiled everything. She couldn’t help it. She was crazy with delight over + her little friend’s good fortune, so she took several steps forward and + cried in an ecstasy, “Oh, Brownie, how splendid!” + </p> + <p> + Everybody stood still, the music ceased, the lights went out, and all in + the time you may take to say “Oh dear!” An awful sense of her peril came + upon Maimie, too late she remembered that she was a lost child in a place + where no human must be between the locking and the opening of the gates, + she heard the murmur of an angry multitude, she saw a thousand swords + flashing for her blood, and she uttered a cry of terror and fled. + </p> + <p> + How she ran! and all the time her eyes were starting out of her head. Many + times she lay down, and then quickly jumped up and ran on again. Her + little mind was so entangled in terrors that she no longer knew she was in + the Gardens. The one thing she was sure of was that she must never cease + to run, and she thought she was still running long after she had dropped + in the Figs and gone to sleep. She thought the snowflakes falling on her + face were her mother kissing her good-night. She thought her coverlet of + snow was a warm blanket, and tried to pull it over her head. And when she + heard talking through her dreams she thought it was mother bringing father + to the nursery door to look at her as she slept. But it was the fairies. + </p> + <p> + I am very glad to be able to say that they no longer desired to mischief + her. When she rushed away they had rent the air with such cries as “Slay + her!” “Turn her into something extremely unpleasant!” and so on, but the + pursuit was delayed while they discussed who should march in front, and + this gave Duchess Brownie time to cast herself before the Queen and demand + a boon. + </p> + <p> + Every bride has a right to a boon, and what she asked for was Maimie’s + life. “Anything except that,” replied Queen Mab sternly, and all the + fairies chanted “Anything except that.” But when they learned how Maimie + had befriended Brownie and so enabled her to attend the ball to their + great glory and renown, they gave three huzzas for the little human, and + set off, like an army, to thank her, the court advancing in front and the + canopy keeping step with it. They traced Maimie easily by her footprints + in the snow. + </p> + <p> + But though they found her deep in snow in the Figs, it seemed impossible + to thank Maimie, for they could not waken her. They went through the form + of thanking her, that is to say, the new King stood on her body and read + her a long address of welcome, but she heard not a word of it. They also + cleared the snow off her, but soon she was covered again, and they saw she + was in danger of perishing of cold. + </p> + <p> + “Turn her into something that does not mind the cold,” seemed a good + suggestion of the doctor’s, but the only thing they could think of that + does not mind cold was a snowflake. “And it might melt,” the Queen pointed + out, so that idea had to be given up. + </p> + <p> + A magnificent attempt was made to carry her to a sheltered spot, but + though there were so many of them she was too heavy. By this time all the + ladies were crying in their handkerchiefs, but presently the Cupids had a + lovely idea. “Build a house round her,” they cried, and at once everybody + perceived that this was the thing to do; in a moment a hundred fairy + sawyers were among the branches, architects were running round Maimie, + measuring her; a bricklayer’s yard sprang up at her feet, seventy-five + masons rushed up with the foundation stone and the Queen laid it, + overseers were appointed to keep the boys off, scaffoldings were run up, + the whole place rang with hammers and chisels and turning lathes, and by + this time the roof was on and the glaziers were putting in the windows. + </p> + <p> + The house was exactly the size of Maimie and perfectly lovely. One of her + arms was extended and this had bothered them for a second, but they built + a verandah round it, leading to the front door. The windows were the size + of a coloured picture-book and the door rather smaller, but it would be + easy for her to get out by taking off the roof. The fairies, as is their + custom, clapped their hands with delight over their cleverness, and they + were all so madly in love with the little house that they could not bear + to think they had finished it. So they gave it ever so many little extra + touches, and even then they added more extra touches. + </p> + <p> + For instance, two of them ran up a ladder and put on a chimney. + </p> + <p> + “Now we fear it is quite finished,” they sighed. + </p> + <p> + But no, for another two ran up the ladder, and tied some smoke to the + chimney. + </p> + <p> + “That certainly finishes it,” they cried reluctantly. + </p> + <p> + “Not at all,” cried a glow-worm, “if she were to wake without seeing a + night-light she might be frightened, so I shall be her night-light.” + </p> + <p> + “Wait one moment,” said a china merchant, “and I shall make you a saucer.” + </p> + <p> + Now alas, it was absolutely finished. + </p> + <p> + Oh, dear no! + </p> + <p> + “Gracious me,” cried a brass manufacturer, “there’s no handle on the + door,” and he put one on. + </p> + <p> + An ironmonger added a scraper and an old lady ran up with a door-mat. + Carpenters arrived with a water-butt, and the painters insisted on + painting it. + </p> + <p> + Finished at last! + </p> + <p> + “Finished! how can it be finished,” the plumber demanded scornfully, + “before hot and cold are put in?” and he put in hot and cold. Then an army + of gardeners arrived with fairy carts and spades and seeds and bulbs and + forcing-houses, and soon they had a flower garden to the right of the + verandah and a vegetable garden to the left, and roses and clematis on the + walls of the house, and in less time than five minutes all these dear + things were in full bloom. + </p> + <p> + Oh, how beautiful the little house was now! But it was at last finished + true as true, and they had to leave it and return to the dance. They all + kissed their hands to it as they went away, and the last to go was + Brownie. She stayed a moment behind the others to drop a pleasant dream + down the chimney. + </p> + <p> + All through the night the exquisite little house stood there in the Figs + taking care of Maimie, and she never knew. She slept until the dream was + quite finished and woke feeling deliciously cosy just as morning was + breaking from its egg, and then she almost fell asleep again, and then she + called out, + </p> + <p> + “Tony,” for she thought she was at home in the nursery. As Tony made no + answer, she sat up, whereupon her head hit the roof, and it opened like + the lid of a box, and to her bewilderment she saw all around her the + Kensington Gardens lying deep in snow. As she was not in the nursery she + wondered whether this was really herself, so she pinched her cheeks, and + then she knew it was herself, and this reminded her that she was in the + middle of a great adventure. She remembered now everything that had + happened to her from the closing of the gates up to her running away from + the fairies, but however, she asked herself, had she got into this funny + place? She stepped out by the roof, right over the garden, and then she + saw the dear house in which she had passed the night. It so entranced her + that she could think of nothing else. + </p> + <p> + “Oh, you darling, oh, you sweet, oh, you love!” she cried. + </p> + <p> + Perhaps a human voice frightened the little house, or maybe it now knew + that its work was done, for no sooner had Maimie spoken than it began to + grow smaller; it shrank so slowly that she could scarce believe it was + shrinking, yet she soon knew that it could not contain her now. It always + remained as complete as ever, but it became smaller and smaller, and the + garden dwindled at the same time, and the snow crept closer, lapping house + and garden up. Now the house was the size of a little dog’s kennel, and + now of a Noah’s Ark, but still you could see the smoke and the door-handle + and the roses on the wall, every one complete. The glow-worm fight was + waning too, but it was still there. “Darling, loveliest, don’t go!” Maimie + cried, falling on her knees, for the little house was now the size of a + reel of thread, but still quite complete. But as she stretched out her + arms imploringly the snow crept up on all sides until it met itself, and + where the little house had been was now one unbroken expanse of snow. + </p> + <p> + Maimie stamped her foot naughtily, and was putting her fingers to her + eyes, when she heard a kind voice say, “Don’t cry, pretty human, don’t + cry,” and then she turned round and saw a beautiful little naked boy + regarding her wistfully. She knew at once that he must be Peter Pan. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0004" id="link2H_4_0004"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + Lock-out Time + </h2> + <p> + It is frightfully difficult to know much about the fairies, and almost the + only thing known for certain is that there are fairies wherever there are + children. Long ago children were forbidden the Gardens, and at that time + there was not a fairy in the place; then the children were admitted, and + the fairies came trooping in that very evening. They can’t resist + following the children, but you seldom see them, partly because they live + in the daytime behind the railings, where you are not allowed to go, and + also partly because they are so cunning. They are not a bit cunning after + Lock-out, but until Lock-out, my word! + </p> + <p> + When you were a bird you knew the fairies pretty well, and you remember a + good deal about them in your babyhood, which it is a great pity you can’t + write down, for gradually you forget, and I have heard of children who + declared that they had never once seen a fairy. Very likely if they said + this in the Kensington Gardens, they were standing looking at a fairy all + the time. The reason they were cheated was that she pretended to be + something else. This is one of their best tricks. They usually pretend to + be flowers, because the court sits in the Fairies’ Basin, and there are so + many flowers there, and all along the Baby Walk, that a flower is the + thing least likely to attract attention. They dress exactly like flowers, + and change with the seasons, putting on white when lilies are in and blue + for blue-bells, and so on. They like crocus and hyacinth time best of all, + as they are partial to a bit of colour, but tulips (except white ones, + which are the fairy-cradles) they consider garish, and they sometimes put + off dressing like tulips for days, so that the beginning of the tulip + weeks is almost the best time to catch them. + </p> + <p> + When they think you are not looking they skip along pretty lively, but if + you look and they fear there is no time to hide, they stand quite still, + pretending to be flowers. Then, after you have passed without knowing that + they were fairies, they rush home and tell their mothers they have had + such an adventure. The Fairy Basin, you remember, is all covered with + ground-ivy (from which they make their castor-oil), with flowers growing + in it here and there. Most of them really are flowers, but some of them + are fairies. You never can be sure of them, but a good plan is to walk by + looking the other way, and then turn round sharply. Another good plan, + which David and I sometimes follow, is to stare them down. After a long + time they can’t help winking, and then you know for certain that they are + fairies. + </p> + <p> + There are also numbers of them along the Baby Walk, which is a famous + gentle place, as spots frequented by fairies are called. Once twenty-four + of them had an extraordinary adventure. They were a girls’ school out for + a walk with the governess, and all wearing hyacinth gowns, when she + suddenly put her finger to her mouth, and then they all stood still on an + empty bed and pretended to be hyacinths. Unfortunately, what the governess + had heard was two gardeners coming to plant new flowers in that very bed. + They were wheeling a handcart with flowers in it, and were quite surprised + to find the bed occupied. “Pity to lift them hyacinths,” said the one man. + “Duke’s orders,” replied the other, and, having emptied the cart, they dug + up the boarding-school and put the poor, terrified things in it in five + rows. Of course, neither the governess nor the girls dare let on that they + were fairies, so they were carted far away to a potting-shed, out of which + they escaped in the night without their shoes, but there was a great row + about it among the parents, and the school was ruined. + </p> + <p> + As for their houses, it is no use looking for them, because they are the + exact opposite of our houses. You can see our houses by day but you can’t + see them by dark. Well, you can see their houses by dark, but you can’t + see them by day, for they are the colour of night, and I never heard of + anyone yet who could see night in the daytime. This does not mean that + they are black, for night has its colours just as day has, but ever so + much brighter. Their blues and reds and greens are like ours with a light + behind them. The palace is entirely built of many-coloured glasses, and is + quite the loveliest of all royal residences, but the queen sometimes + complains because the common people will peep in to see what she is doing. + They are very inquisitive folk, and press quite hard against the glass, + and that is why their noses are mostly snubby. The streets are miles long + and very twisty, and have paths on each side made of bright worsted. The + birds used to steal the worsted for their nests, but a policeman has been + appointed to hold on at the other end. + </p> + <p> + One of the great differences between the fairies and us is that they never + do anything useful. When the first baby laughed for the first time, his + laugh broke into a million pieces, and they all went skipping about. That + was the beginning of fairies. They look tremendously busy, you know, as if + they had not a moment to spare, but if you were to ask them what they are + doing, they could not tell you in the least. They are frightfully + ignorant, and everything they do is make-believe. They have a postman, but + he never calls except at Christmas with his little box, and though they + have beautiful schools, nothing is taught in them; the youngest child + being chief person is always elected mistress, and when she has called the + roll, they all go out for a walk and never come back. It is a very + noticeable thing that, in fairy families, the youngest is always chief + person, and usually becomes a prince or princess, and children remember + this, and think it must be so among humans also, and that is why they are + often made uneasy when they come upon their mother furtively putting new + frills on the basinette. + </p> + <p> + You have probably observed that your baby-sister wants to do all sorts of + things that your mother and her nurse want her not to do: to stand up at + sitting-down time, and to sit down at standing-up time, for instance, or + to wake up when she should fall asleep, or to crawl on the floor when she + is wearing her best frock, and so on, and perhaps you put this down to + naughtiness. But it is not; it simply means that she is doing as she has + seen the fairies do; she begins by following their ways, and it takes + about two years to get her into the human ways. Her fits of passion, which + are awful to behold, and are usually called teething, are no such thing; + they are her natural exasperation, because we don’t understand her, though + she is talking an intelligible language. She is talking fairy. The reason + mothers and nurses know what her remarks mean, before other people know, + as that “Guch” means “Give it to me at once,” while “Wa” is “Why do you + wear such a funny hat?” is because, mixing so much with babies, they have + picked up a little of the fairy language. + </p> + <p> + Of late David has been thinking back hard about the fairy tongue, with his + hands clutching his temples, and he has remembered a number of their + phrases which I shall tell you some day if I don’t forget. He had heard + them in the days when he was a thrush, and though I suggested to him that + perhaps it is really bird language he is remembering, he says not, for + these phrases are about fun and adventures, and the birds talked of + nothing but nest-building. He distinctly remembers that the birds used to + go from spot to spot like ladies at shop-windows, looking at the different + nests and saying, “Not my colour, my dear,” and “How would that do with a + soft lining?” and “But will it wear?” and “What hideous trimming!” and so + on. + </p> + <p> + The fairies are exquisite dancers, and that is why one of the first things + the baby does is to sign to you to dance to him and then to cry when you + do it. They hold their great balls in the open air, in what is called a + fairy-ring. For weeks afterward you can see the ring on the grass. It is + not there when they begin, but they make it by waltzing round and round. + Sometimes you will find mushrooms inside the ring, and these are fairy + chairs that the servants have forgotten to clear away. The chairs and the + rings are the only tell-tale marks these little people leave behind them, + and they would remove even these were they not so fond of dancing that + they toe it till the very moment of the opening of the gates. David and I + once found a fairy-ring quite warm. + </p> + <p> + But there is also a way of finding out about the ball before it takes + place. You know the boards which tell at what time the Gardens are to + close to-day. Well, these tricky fairies sometimes slyly change the board + on a ball night, so that it says the Gardens are to close at six-thirty + for instance, instead of at seven. This enables them to get begun half an + hour earlier. + </p> + <p> + If on such a night we could remain behind in the Gardens, as the famous + Maimie Mannering did, we might see delicious sights, hundreds of lovely + fairies hastening to the ball, the married ones wearing their + wedding-rings round their waists, the gentlemen, all in uniform, holding + up the ladies’ trains, and linkmen running in front carrying winter + cherries, which are the fairy-lanterns, the cloakroom where they put on + their silver slippers and get a ticket for their wraps, the flowers + streaming up from the Baby Walk to look on, and always welcome because + they can lend a pin, the supper-table, with Queen Mab at the head of it, + and behind her chair the Lord Chamberlain, who carries a dandelion on + which he blows when Her Majesty wants to know the time. + </p> + <p> + The table-cloth varies according to the seasons, and in May it is made of + chestnut-blossom. The way the fairy-servants do is this: The men, scores + of them, climb up the trees and shake the branches, and the blossom falls + like snow. Then the lady servants sweep it together by whisking their + skirts until it is exactly like a table-cloth, and that is how they get + their table-cloth. + </p> + <p> + They have real glasses and real wine of three kinds, namely, blackthorn + wine, berberris wine, and cowslip wine, and the Queen pours out, but the + bottles are so heavy that she just pretends to pour out. There is bread + and butter to begin with, of the size of a threepenny bit; and cakes to + end with, and they are so small that they have no crumbs. The fairies sit + round on mushrooms, and at first they are very well-behaved and always + cough off the table, and so on, but after a bit they are not so + well-behaved and stick their fingers into the butter, which is got from + the roots of old trees, and the really horrid ones crawl over the + table-cloth chasing sugar or other delicacies with their tongues. When the + Queen sees them doing this she signs to the servants to wash up and put + away, and then everybody adjourns to the dance, the Queen walking in front + while the Lord Chamberlain walks behind her, carrying two little pots, one + of which contains the juice of wall-flower and the other the juice of + Solomon’s Seals. Wall-flower juice is good for reviving dancers who fall + to the ground in a fit, and Solomon’s Seals juice is for bruises. They + bruise very easily and when Peter plays faster and faster they foot it + till they fall down in fits. For, as you know without my telling you, + Peter Pan is the fairies’ orchestra. He sits in the middle of the ring, + and they would never dream of having a smart dance nowadays without him. + “P. P.” is written on the corner of the invitation-cards sent out by all + really good families. They are grateful little people, too, and at the + princess’s coming-of-age ball (they come of age on their second birthday + and have a birthday every month) they gave him the wish of his heart. + </p> + <p> + The way it was done was this. The Queen ordered him to kneel, and then + said that for playing so beautifully she would give him the wish of his + heart. Then they all gathered round Peter to hear what was the wish of his + heart, but for a long time he hesitated, not being certain what it was + himself. + </p> + <p> + “If I chose to go back to mother,” he asked at last, “could you give me + that wish?” + </p> + <p> + Now this question vexed them, for were he to return to his mother they + should lose his music, so the Queen tilted her nose contemptuously and + said, “Pooh, ask for a much bigger wish than that.” + </p> + <p> + “Is that quite a little wish?” he inquired. + </p> + <p> + “As little as this,” the Queen answered, putting her hands near each + other. + </p> + <p> + “What size is a big wish?” he asked. + </p> + <p> + She measured it off on her skirt and it was a very handsome length. + </p> + <p> + Then Peter reflected and said, “Well, then, I think I shall have two + little wishes instead of one big one.” + </p> + <p> + Of course, the fairies had to agree, though his cleverness rather shocked + them, and he said that his first wish was to go to his mother, but with + the right to return to the Gardens if he found her disappointing. His + second wish he would hold in reserve. + </p> + <p> + They tried to dissuade him, and even put obstacles in the way. + </p> + <p> + “I can give you the power to fly to her house,” the Queen said, “but I + can’t open the door for you.” + </p> + <p> + “The window I flew out at will be open,” Peter said confidently. “Mother + always keeps it open in the hope that I may fly back. + </p> + <p> + “How do you know?” they asked, quite surprised, and, really, Peter could + not explain how he knew. + </p> + <p> + “I just do know,” he said. + </p> + <p> + So as he persisted in his wish, they had to grant it. The way they gave + him power to fly was this: They all tickled him on the shoulder, and soon + he felt a funny itching in that part and then up he rose higher and higher + and flew away out of the Gardens and over the house-tops. + </p> + <p> + It was so delicious that instead of flying straight to his old home he + skimmed away over St. Paul’s to the Crystal Palace and back by the river + and Regent’s Park, and by the time he reached his mother’s window he had + quite made up his mind that his second wish should be to become a bird. + </p> + <p> + The window was wide open, just as he knew it would be, and in he + fluttered, and there was his mother lying asleep. + </p> + <p> + Peter alighted softly on the wooden rail at the foot of the bed and had a + good look at her. She lay with her head on her hand, and the hollow in the + pillow was like a nest lined with her brown wavy hair. He remembered, + though he had long forgotten it, that she always gave her hair a holiday + at night. + </p> + <p> + How sweet the frills of her night-gown were. He was very glad she was such + a pretty mother. + </p> + <p> + But she looked sad, and he knew why she looked sad. One of her arms moved + as if it wanted to go round something, and he knew what it wanted to go + round. + </p> + <p> + “Oh, mother,” said Peter to himself, “if you just knew who is sitting on + the rail at the foot of the bed.” + </p> + <p> + Very gently he patted the little mound that her feet made, and he could + see by her face that she liked it. He knew he had but to say “Mother” ever + so softly, and she would wake up. They always wake up at once if it is you + that says their name. Then she would give such a joyous cry and squeeze + him tight. How nice that would be to him, but oh, how exquisitely + delicious it would be to her. That I am afraid is how Peter regarded it. + In returning to his mother he never doubted that he was giving her the + greatest treat a woman can have. Nothing can be more splendid, he thought, + than to have a little boy of your own. How proud of him they are; and very + right and proper, too. + </p> + <p> + But why does Peter sit so long on the rail, why does he not tell his + mother that he has come back? + </p> + <p> + I quite shrink from the truth, which is that he sat there in two minds. + Sometimes he looked longingly at his mother, and sometimes he looked + longingly at the window. Certainly it would be pleasant to be her boy + again, but, on the other hand, what times those had been in the Gardens! + Was he so sure that he would enjoy wearing clothes again? He popped off + the bed and opened some drawers to have a look at his old garments. They + were still there, but he could not remember how you put them on. The + socks, for instance, were they worn on the hands or on the feet? He was + about to try one of them on his hand, when he had a great adventure. + Perhaps the drawer had creaked; at any rate, his mother woke up, for he + heard her say “Peter,” as if it was the most lovely word in the language. + He remained sitting on the floor and held his breath, wondering how she + knew that he had come back. If she said “Peter” again, he meant to cry + “Mother” and run to her. But she spoke no more, she made little moans + only, and when next he peeped at her she was once more asleep, with tears + on her face. + </p> + <p> + It made Peter very miserable, and what do you think was the first thing he + did? Sitting on the rail at the foot of the bed, he played a beautiful + lullaby to his mother on his pipe. He had made it up himself out of the + way she said “Peter,” and he never stopped playing until she looked happy. + </p> + <p> + He thought this so clever of him that he could scarcely resist wakening + her to hear her say, “Oh, Peter, how exquisitely you play.” However, as + she now seemed comfortable, he again cast looks at the window. You must + not think that he meditated flying away and never coming back. He had + quite decided to be his mother’s boy, but hesitated about beginning + to-night. It was the second wish which troubled him. He no longer meant to + make it a wish to be a bird, but not to ask for a second wish seemed + wasteful, and, of course, he could not ask for it without returning to the + fairies. Also, if he put off asking for his wish too long it might go bad. + He asked himself if he had not been hard-hearted to fly away without + saying good-bye to Solomon. “I should like awfully to sail in my boat just + once more,” he said wistfully to his sleeping mother. He quite argued with + her as if she could hear him. “It would be so splendid to tell the birds + of this adventure,” he said coaxingly. “I promise to come back,” he said + solemnly and meant it, too. + </p> + <p> + And in the end, you know, he flew away. Twice he came back from the + window, wanting to kiss his mother, but he feared the delight of it might + waken her, so at last he played her a lovely kiss on his pipe, and then he + flew back to the Gardens. + </p> + <p> + Many nights and even months passed before he asked the fairies for his + second wish; and I am not sure that I quite know why he delayed so long. + One reason was that he had so many good-byes to say, not only to his + particular friends, but to a hundred favourite spots. Then he had his last + sail, and his very last sail, and his last sail of all, and so on. Again, + a number of farewell feasts were given in his honour; and another + comfortable reason was that, after all, there was no hurry, for his mother + would never weary of waiting for him. This last reason displeased old + Solomon, for it was an encouragement to the birds to procrastinate. + Solomon had several excellent mottoes for keeping them at their work, such + as “Never put off laying to-day, because you can lay to-morrow,” and “In + this world there are no second chances,” and yet here was Peter gaily + putting off and none the worse for it. The birds pointed this out to each + other, and fell into lazy habits. + </p> + <p> + But, mind you, though Peter was so slow in going back to his mother, he + was quite decided to go back. The best proof of this was his caution with + the fairies. They were most anxious that he should remain in the Gardens + to play to them, and to bring this to pass they tried to trick him into + making such a remark as “I wish the grass was not so wet,” and some of + them danced out of time in the hope that he might cry, “I do wish you + would keep time!” Then they would have said that this was his second wish. + But he smoked their design, and though on occasions he began, “I wish—” + he always stopped in time. So when at last he said to them bravely, “I + wish now to go back to mother for ever and always,” they had to tickle his + shoulder and let him go. + </p> + <p> + He went in a hurry in the end because he had dreamt that his mother was + crying, and he knew what was the great thing she cried for, and that a hug + from her splendid Peter would quickly make her to smile. Oh, he felt sure + of it, and so eager was he to be nestling in her arms that this time he + flew straight to the window, which was always to be open for him. + </p> + <p> + But the window was closed, and there were iron bars on it, and peering + inside he saw his mother sleeping peacefully with her arm round another + little boy. + </p> + <p> + Peter called, “Mother! mother!” but she heard him not; in vain he beat his + little limbs against the iron bars. He had to fly back, sobbing, to the + Gardens, and he never saw his dear again. What a glorious boy he had meant + to be to her. Ah, Peter, we who have made the great mistake, how + differently we should all act at the second chance. But Solomon was right; + there is no second chance, not for most of us. When we reach the window it + is Lock-out Time. The iron bars are up for life. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </p> + <div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 1332 ***</div> +</body> +</html> |