ChapterI.PETERBREAKS
Door
THROUGHAllchildren,exceptone,growup.
They
snel
soonknowthattheywillgrowup,en
andthewayWendyknewwasdit
this.Onedaywhenshewas
twee
twoyearsoldshewasspeelde
playinginagarden,andshepluckedandere
anotherflowerandranwithittohermoeder
mother.Isupposeshemusthavelookedratherdelightful,forMrs.Darlingputher
hand
handtoherheartandcried,“Oh,waarom
whycan’tyouremainlikethisforever!”Dit
Thiswasallthatpassedtussen
betweenthemonthesubject,maar
buthenceforthWendyknewthatshemoest
mustgrowup.Youalways
weet
knowafteryouaretwo.Twee
Twoisthebeginningofhet
theend.Ofcoursethey
woonden
livedat14,anduntilWendykwam
camehermotherwasthechiefone.Shewas
een
alovelylady,witharomanticgeest
mindandsuchasweetmockingmouth.Herromantic
geest
mindwaslikethetinyboxes,ene
onewithintheother,thatkomen
comefromthepuzzlingEast,howevermanyyoudiscoverer
thereisalwaysonemore;en
andhersweetmockingmouthhad
hadonekissonitthatWendykon
couldneverget,thoughthereitwas,perfectlyconspicuousintheright-handcorner.De
ThewayMr.Darlingwonherwasdit
this:themanygentlemenwhohadbeenboyswhenshewas
een
agirldiscoveredsimultaneouslythattheylovedhaar
her,andtheyallrantoherhuis
housetoproposetoherexceptMr.Darling,whonam
tookacabandnippedineerste
first,andsohegothaar
her.Hegotallof
haar
her,excepttheinnermostboxen
andthekiss.Henever
wist
knewaboutthebox,andintijd
timehegaveuptryingforde
thekiss.WendythoughtNapoleon
kan
couldhavegotit,butIcanpicturehimprobeerde
trying,andthengoingoffineen
apassion,slammingthedoor.Mr.
DarlingusedtoboasttoWendy
dat
thathermothernotonlylovedhimmaar
butrespectedhim.Hewas
een
oneofthosedeeponeswhoweten
knowaboutstocksandshares.Of
natuurlijk
coursenoonereallyknows,maar
buthequiteseemedtoknow,en
andheoftensaidstockswereomhoog
upandsharesweredowninamanier
waythatwouldhavemadeanyvrouw
womanrespecthim.Mrs.
Darlingwas
getrouwd
marriedinwhite,andatfirstshehield
keptthebooksperfectly,almostgleefully,asifitwereeen
agame,notsomuchaseen
aBrusselssproutwasmissing;maar
butbyandbywholecauliflowersdroppeduit
out,andinsteadofthemer
therewerepicturesofbabieszonder
withoutfaces.Shedrewthem
toen
whensheshouldhavebeentottingup.TheywereMrs.Darling’sguesses.
Wendy
kwam
camefirst,thenJohn,thenMichael.For
een
aweekortwoafterWendygekomen
cameitwasdoubtfulwhethertheywouldbeabletohouden
keepher,asshewasanothermouthtofeed.Mr.Darlingwasfrightfullyproudof
haar
her,buthewasveryhonourable,en
andhesatontheedgeofMrs.Darling’sbed
bed,holdingherhandandcalculatingexpenses,terwijl
whileshelookedathimimploringly.She
wilde
wantedtoriskit,comewhatkunnen
might,butthatwasnothismanier
way;hiswaywaswith
een
apencilandapieceofpaper,en
andifsheconfusedhimmet
withsuggestionshehadtobeginathet
thebeginningagain.“Nowdon’tinterrupt,”hewouldbegof
haar
her.“Ihaveonepoundseventeen
hier
here,andtwoandsixatthekantoor
office;Icancutoffmy
koffie
coffeeattheoffice,saytien
tenshillings,makingtwonineen
andsix,withyoureighteenen
andthreemakesthreenineseven,met
withfivenaughtnaughtinmycheque-bookmakeseightnineseven—whoisthatmoving?—eightnineseven,doten
andcarryseven—don’tspeak,myown—andthepoundyoulenttothatman
manwhocametothedoor—quiet,child—doten
andcarrychild—there,you’vedoneit!—didIzeg
sayninenineseven?yes,I
zei
saidninenineseven;the
vraag
questionis,canwetryitforeen
ayearonninenineseven?”“Ofcoursewe
kunnen
can,George,”shecried.ButshewasprejudicedinWendy’sfavour,
en
andhewasreallythegrandercharacterofthetwee
two.“Remembermumps,”hewarnedher
bijna
almostthreateningly,andoffheging
wentagain.“Mumpsonepound,
dat
thatiswhatIhaveputdown,maar
butIdaresayitwillbemeer
morelikethirtyshillings—don’tspeak—measlesonevijf
five,Germanmeasleshalfaguinea,maakt
makestwofifteensix—don’twaggleyourfinger—whooping-cough,zeggen
sayfifteenshillings”—andsoonitging
went,anditaddedupdifferentlyelke
eachtime;butatlastWendyjustgotthrough,
met
withmumpsreducedtotwelvesix,en
andthetwokindsofmeaslestreatedasone.Er
Therewasthesameexcitementover
overJohn,andMichaelhadzelfs
evenanarrowersqueak;butbothwerekept,
en
andsoon,youmighthavezien
seenthethreeofthemgaan
goinginarowtoMissFulsom’sKindergartenschool
school,accompaniedbytheirnurse.Mrs.
Darlinglovedto
hebben
haveeverythingjustso,andMr.Darlinghadeen
apassionforbeingexactlyzoals
likehisneighbours;so,of
natuurlijk
course,theyhadanurse.Astheywerepoor,owingtotheamountofmilkthe
kinderen
childrendrank,thisnursewasaprimNewfoundlandhond
dog,calledNana,whohadbelongedtonooneinparticulartotdat
untiltheDarlingsengagedher.Shehad
altijd
alwaysthoughtchildrenimportant,however,en
andtheDarlingshadbecomeacquaintedmet
withherinKensingtonGardens,waar
whereshespentmostofhersparetijd
timepeepingintoperambulators,andwasveel
muchhatedbycarelessnursemaids,whomshevolgde
followedtotheirhomesandcomplainedoftotheirmistresses.Sheprovedtobequite
een
atreasureofanurse.Hoe
Howthoroughshewasatbath-time,en
andupatanymomentofthenacht
nightifoneofherchargesmaakte
madetheslightestcry.Of
natuurlijk
courseherkennelwasinde
thenursery.Shehadageniusfor
weten
knowingwhenacoughiseen
athingtohavenopatiencewithen
andwhenitneedsstockingaroundyourthroat.She
geloofde
believedtoherlastdayinold-fashionedremedieszoals
likerhubarbleaf,andmadesoundsofcontemptoveral
allthisnew-fangledtalkaboutgerms,en
andsoon.Itwas
een
alessoninproprietytozien
seeherescortingthechildrentoschool
school,walkingsedatelybytheirsidewhentheyweregoed
wellbehaved,andbuttingthemterug
backintolineiftheystrayed.OnJohn’sfooterdaysshe
nooit
neveronceforgothissweater,en
andsheusuallycarriedanumbrellainhermouthingeval
caseofrain.Thereis
een
aroominthebasementofMissFulsom’sschool
schoolwherethenurseswait.They
zaten
satonforms,whileNanalag
layonthefloor,butdat
thatwastheonlydifference.Theyaffectedtoignoreherasof
een
aninferiorsocialstatustothemselves,en
andshedespisedtheirlightpraat
talk.Sheresentedvisitsto
de
thenurseryfromMrs.Darling’sfriends,maar
butiftheydidcomesheeerst
firstwhippedoffMichael’spinaforeen
andputhimintotheonemet
withbluebraiding,andsmoothedoutWendyen
andmadeadashatJohn’shaar
hair.Nonurserycouldpossiblyhavebeenconducted
meer
morecorrectly,andMr.Darlingwist
knewit,yethesometimeswondereduneasilywhethertheneighbourspraatten
talked.Hehadhispositionin
de
thecitytoconsider.Nana
ook
alsotroubledhiminanothermanier
way.Hehadsometimesa
gevoel
feelingthatshedidnotadmirehem
him.“Iknowsheadmiresyoutremendously,George,”Mrs.Darling
zou
wouldassurehim,andthenshezou
wouldsigntothechildrentobespeciallynicetovader
father.Lovelydancesfollowed,inwhich
de
theonlyotherservant,Liza,wassoms
sometimesallowedtojoin.Suchamidgetshelookedinher
lange
longskirtandmaid’scap,thoughshehad
hadsworn,whenengaged,thatshezou
wouldneverseetenagain.De
Thegaietyofthoseromps!En
AndgayestofallwasMrs.Darling,whowouldpirouettesowildlythatallyoukon
couldseeofherwasthekiss,en
andthenifyouhaddashedatheryoukon
mighthavegotit.There
nooit
neverwasasimplerhappiergezin
familyuntilthecomingofPeterPan.Mrs.
Darling
eerst
firstheardofPeterwhenshewastidyingupherchildren’sminds.Itisthenightlycustomof
elke
everygoodmotherafterherkinderen
childrenareasleeptorummageintheirmindsen
andputthingsstraightforvolgende
nextmorning,repackingintotheirproperplaatsen
placesthemanyarticlesthathavewanderedduringthedag
day.Ifyoucouldkeepawake(butof
natuurlijk
courseyoucan’t)youwouldzien
seeyourownmotherdoingdit
this,andyouwouldfinditerg
veryinterestingtowatchher.Itisquite
als
liketidyingupdrawers.You
zou
wouldseeheronherknees,Iexpect,lingeringhumorouslyoversomeofyourcontents,wonderingwaar
whereonearthyouhadpickeddit
thisthingup,makingdiscoverieszoet
sweetandnotsosweet,pressingdit
thistohercheekasifitwereasmooi
niceasakitten,andhurriedlystowingdat
thatoutofsight.Whenyou
wakker
wakeinthemorning,thenaughtinessen
andevilpassionswithwhichyouging
wenttobedhavebeenfoldedupsmallen
andplacedatthebottomofyourminden
andonthetop,beautifullyaired,arespreadoutyourprettierthoughts,klaar
readyforyoutoputon.Idon’t
weet
knowwhetheryouhaveevergezien
seenamapofaperson’sgeest
mind.Doctorssometimesdrawmapsof
andere
otherpartsofyou,andyoureigen
ownmapcanbecomeintenselyinteresting,maar
butcatchthemtryingtodraween
amapofachild’sgeest
mind,whichisnotonlyconfused,maar
butkeepsgoingroundallde
thetime.Therearezigzaglinesonit,
net
justlikeyourtemperatureonacard,en
andtheseareprobablyroadsintheisland,fortheNeverlandisaltijd
alwaysmoreorlessanisland,met
withastonishingsplashesofcolourhier
hereandthere,andcoralreefsen
andrakish-lookingcraftintheoffing,en
andsavagesandlonelylairs,en
andgnomeswhoaremostlytailors,en
andcavesthroughwhichariverloopt
runs,andprinceswithsixelderbrothers,en
andahutfastgoingtodecay,en
andoneverysmallolddame
ladywithahookednose.Itwouldbe
een
aneasymapifthatwereall,maar
butthereisalsofirstdag
dayatschool,religion,fathers,theroundpond,needle-work,murders,hangings,verbsthatnemen
takethedative,chocolatepuddingdag
day,gettingintobraces,sayninety-nine,three-penceforpullingoutyourtoothyourself,en
andsoon,andeitherthesearedeel
partoftheislandortheyareandere
anothermapshowingthrough,anditisallratherconfusing,especiallyasniets
nothingwillstandstill.Of
natuurlijk
coursetheNeverlandsvaryagooddeal.John’s,forinstance,
had
hadalagoonwithflamingoesflyingoveritatwhichJohnwasschoot
shooting,whileMichael,whowaserg
verysmall,hadaflamingomet
withlagoonsflyingoverit.John
woonde
livedinaboatturnedupsidedownonhet
thesands,Michaelinawigwam,Wendyineen
ahouseofleavesdeftlysewnelkaar
together.Johnhadnofriends,Michaelhadfriendsatnight,Wendyhad
een
apetwolfforsakenbyitsparents,maar
butonthewholetheNeverlandshebben
haveafamilyresemblance,andals
iftheystoodstillineen
arowyoucouldsayofthemthattheyhebben
haveeachother’snose,andsoforth.Onthesemagicshores
kinderen
childrenatplayareforeverbeachingtheircoracles.Wetoo
hebben
havebeenthere;wecan
nog steeds
stillhearthesoundofthesurf,thoughweshalllandnomeer
more.Ofalldelectableislands
het
theNeverlandisthesnuggesten
andmostcompact,notlargeen
andsprawly,youknow,withtediousdistancestussen
betweenoneadventureandanother,maar
butnicelycrammed.Whenyou
speelt
playatitbydaymet
withthechairsandtable-cloth,itisnotintheleastalarming,maar
butinthetwominutesvoordat
beforeyougotosleepitwordt
becomesveryreal.Thatiswhy
er
therearenight-lights.Occasionallyinhertravels
door
throughherchildren’smindsMrs.Darlingvond
foundthingsshecouldnotbegrijpen
understand,andofthesequitethemeest
mostperplexingwasthewordPeter.She
wist
knewofnoPeter,andtoch
yethewashereanddaar
thereinJohnandMichael’sminds,terwijl
whileWendy’sbegantobescrawledallovermet
withhim.Thenamestood
uit
outinbolderlettersthananyoftheandere
otherwords,andasMrs.Darlinggazedshevoelde
feltthatithadanoddlycockyappearance.“Yes,heisrathercocky,”Wendyadmitted
met
withregret.Hermotherhadbeenquestioning
haar
her.“Butwhoishe,mypet?”
“HeisPeterPan,you
weet
know,mother.”AtfirstMrs.Darlingdidnot
wist
know,butafterthinkingbackintoherchildhoodshegewoon
justrememberedaPeterPandie
whowassaidtolivewiththefairies.Er
Therewereoddstoriesabouthem
him,asthatwhenchildrenstierven
diedhewentpartofde
thewaywiththem,sodat
thattheyshouldnotbefrightened.She
had
hadbelievedinhimatthemoment
time,butnowthatshewasgetrouwd
marriedandfullofsenseshequitedoubtedwhetherer
therewasanysuchperson.“Besides,”she
zei
saidtoWendy,“hewouldbegrownupbythistime.”“Oh
nee
no,heisn’tgrownup,”Wendyassuredherconfidently,“andheisnet
justmysize.”Shemeant
dat
thathewashersizeinzowel
bothmindandbody;shedidn’t
wist
knowhowsheknew,shegewoon
justknewit.Mrs.
DarlingconsultedMr.Darling,
maar
buthesmiledpooh-pooh.“Markmywords,”he
zei
said,“itissomenonsenseNanaheeft
hasbeenputtingintotheirheads;just
het
thesortofideaahond
dogwouldhave.Leaveit
rust
alone,anditwillblowover.”Maar
Butitwouldnotblowoveren
andsoonthetroublesomeboygaf
gaveMrs.Darlingquiteashock.Kinderen
Childrenhavethestrangestadventureszonder
withoutbeingtroubledbythem.Forinstance,they
kunnen
mayremembertomention,aweek
weekaftertheeventhappened,dat
thatwhentheywereinthewoodtheyhadontmoet
mettheirdeadfatherandhadeen
agamewithhim.Itwasin
deze
thiscasualwaythatWendyoneochtend
morningmadeadisquietingrevelation.Sommige
Someleavesofatreehadbeengevonden
foundonthenurseryfloor,die
whichcertainlywerenottheretoen
whenthechildrenwenttobed
bed,andMrs.Darlingwaspuzzlingoverthemtoen
whenWendysaidwithatolerantsmile:.“Ido
geloof
believeitisthatPeteragain!”“Whateverdoyou
bedoel
mean,Wendy?”“Itissonaughtyofhimnottowipehisfeet,”Wendy
zei
said,sighing.Shewasatidy
kind
child.Sheexplainedinquite
een
amatter-of-factwaythatshedacht
thoughtPetersometimescametode
thenurseryinthenighten
andsatonthefootofherbed
bedandplayedonhispipestohaar
her.Unfortunatelysheneverwoke,soshedidn’t
wist
knowhowsheknew,shegewoon
justknew.“Whatnonsenseyoutalk,precious.
Noone
kan
cangetintothehousezonder
withoutknocking.”“Ithinkhecomesinby
het
thewindow,”shesaid.“Mylove,itis
drie
threefloorsup.”“Werenottheleavesatthefootofthewindow,mother?”
Itwas
heel
quitetrue;theleaveshadbeen
gevonden
foundverynearthewindow.Mrs.
Darlingdidnot
wist
knowwhattothink,foritallseemedsonaturaltoWendydat
thatyoucouldnotdismissitbyzeggen
sayingshehadbeendreaming.“Mychild,”
de
themothercried,“whydidyounottellmeofdit
thisbefore?”“Iforgot,”saidWendylightly.
Shewasina
haast
hurrytogetherbreakfast.Oh,surelyshe
moet
musthavebeendreaming.But,on
de
theotherhand,therewerede
theleaves.Mrs.Darlingexaminedthem
heel
verycarefully;theywereskeletonleaves,
maar
butshewassuretheydidnotkwamen
comefromanytreethatgrewinEngland.Shecrawled
over
aboutthefloor,peeringatitmet
withacandleformarksofeen
astrangefoot.Sherattled
de
thepokerupthechimneyen
andtappedthewalls.She
liet
letdownatapefromthewindowtothepavement,en
anditwasasheerdropofthirtyfeet,zonder
withoutsomuchasaspouttoclimbupby.CertainlyWendy
had
hadbeendreaming.ButWendy
had
hadnotbeendreaming,asde
theverynextnightshowed,de
thenightonwhichtheextraordinaryadventuresofthesekinderen
childrenmaybesaidtohad
havebegun.Onthenightwespeakof
alle
allthechildrenwereoncemoreinbed
bed.IthappenedtobeNana’seveningoff,
en
andMrs.Darlinghadbathedthemen
andsungtothemtillonebyonetheyhadletgoherhand
handandslidawayintothelandofslaap
sleep.Allwerelookingso
veilig
safeandcosythatshesmiledatherfearsnu
nowandsatdowntranquillybyhet
thefiretosew.Itwas
iets
somethingforMichael,whoonhisbirthdaywasgettingintoshirts.The
vuur
firewaswarm,however,andthenurserydimlylitbydrie
threenight-lights,andpresentlythesewinglag
layonMrs.Darling’slap.Thenher
hoofd
headnodded,oh,sogracefully.Shewasasleep.
Kijk
Lookatthefourofhen
them,WendyandMichaeloverdaar
there,Johnhere,andMrs.Darlingbythevuur
fire.Thereshouldhavebeen
een
afourthnight-light.Whileshe
sliep
sleptshehadadream.She
droomde
dreamtthattheNeverlandhadgekomen
cometoonearandthateen
astrangeboyhadbrokenthroughfromit.Hedidnotalarm
haar
her,forshethoughtshehadgezien
seenhimbeforeinthefacesofveel
manywomenwhohavenokinderen
children.Perhapsheistobe
vinden
foundinthefacesofsommige
somemothersalso.Butinher
droom
dreamhehadrentthefilm
filmthatobscurestheNeverland,en
andshesawWendyandJohnen
andMichaelpeepingthroughthegap.The
droom
dreambyitselfwouldhavebeeneen
atrifle,butwhileshewasdreamingthewindowofthenurseryblewopen
open,andaboydiddroponthefloor.Hewasaccompaniedby
een
astrangelight,nobiggerdan
thanyourfist,whichdartedaboutthekamer
roomlikealivingthingen
andIthinkitmusthavebeendit
thislightthatwakenedMrs.Darling.She
begon
startedupwithacry,en
andsawtheboy,andsomehowshewist
knewatoncethathewasPeterPan.Ifyou
of
orIorWendyhadbeendaar
thereweshouldhaveseendat
thathewasverylikeMrs.Darling’skiss.Hewas
een
alovelyboy,cladinskeletonleavesen
andthejuicesthatoozeuit
outoftreesbutthemeest
mostentrancingthingabouthimwasthathehad
hadallhisfirstteeth.ChapterII.
De
THESHADOWMrs.
Darlingscreamed,
en
and,asifinanswertoeen
abell,thedooropened,en
andNanaentered,returnedfromhereveningout.Shegrowled
en
andsprangattheboy,die
wholeaptlightlythroughthewindow.Weer
AgainMrs.Darlingscreamed,thiskeer
timeindistressforhim,forshedacht
thoughthewaskilled,andsherandownintothestraat
streettolookforhiskleine
littlebody,butitwasnoter
there;andshelookedup,
en
andintheblacknightshekon
couldseenothingbutwhatshedacht
thoughtwasashootingstar.Shereturnedto
de
thenursery,andfoundNanamet
withsomethinginhermouth,whichprovedtobede
theboy’sshadow.AsheleaptatthewindowNanahad
gesloten
closeditquickly,toolatetovangen
catchhim,buthisshadowhadnothadtijd
timetogetout;slam
ging
wentthewindowandsnappeditaf
off.YoumaybesureMrs.Darlingexaminedtheshadowcarefully,
maar
butitwasquitetheordinarysoort
kind.Nanahadnodoubtofwhatwas
het
thebestthingtodomet
withthisshadow.Shehungitoutatthewindow,
betekent
meaning“Heissuretocomebackforit;laten
letusputitwherehekan
cangetiteasilywithoutdisturbingthechildren.”Maar
ButunfortunatelyMrs.Darlingcouldnotlaten
leaveithangingoutatthewindow,itlookedsoals
likethewashingandloweredthehele
wholetoneofthehouse.She
dacht
thoughtofshowingittoMr.Darling,maar
buthewastottingupwintergreat-coatsforJohnen
andMichael,withawettowelaroundhishoofd
headtokeephisbrainclear,en
anditseemedashametotroublehem
him;besides,sheknewexactlywhathe
zou
wouldsay:“Itallcomesof
hebben
havingadogforanurse.”Shedecidedtorolltheshadowup
en
andputitawaycarefullyineen
adrawer,untilafittingopportunitykwam
camefortellingherhusband.Ahme!
De
Theopportunitycameaweeklater
later,onthatnever-to-be-forgottenFriday.Of
natuurlijk
courseitwasaFriday.“Ioughtto
had
havebeenspeciallycarefuloneen
aFriday,”sheusedtozei
sayafterwardstoherhusband,terwijl
whileperhapsNanawasonde
theothersideofher,holdingherhand.“No,no,”Mr.Darling
altijd
alwayssaid,“Iamresponsibleforitall.Ik
I,GeorgeDarling,didit.Meaculpa,meaculpa.”
Hehadhad
een
aclassicaleducation.Theysatthus
nacht
nightafternightrecallingthatfatalFriday,tillelk
everydetailofitwasstampedontheirbrainsen
andcamethroughontheandere
othersidelikethefacesoneen
abadcoinage.“IfonlyI
had
hadnotacceptedthatinvitationtodineat27,”Mrs.Darlingzei
said.“IfonlyIhadnotpouredmymedicineintoNana’sbowl,”
zei
saidMr.Darling.“IfonlyI
had
hadpretendedtolikethemedicine,”waswhatNana’sweteyeszei
said.“Mylikingforparties,George.”
“Myfatalgiftofhumour,dearest.”
“Mytouchinessabouttrifles,
lieve
dearmasterandmistress.”Then
een
oneormoreofthemzou
wouldbreakdownaltogether;Nanaat
het
thethought,“It’strue,it’swaar
true,theyoughtnottohadden
havehadadogforanurse.”Vele
ManyatimeitwasMr.Darlingdie
whoputthehandkerchieftoNana’seyes.“Thatfiend!”
Mr.Darlingwouldcry,
en
andNana’sbarkwastheechoofit,maar
butMrs.DarlingneverupbraidedPeter;er
therewassomethingintheright-handcornerofhermouthdat
thatwantedhernottonoemen
callPeternames.Theywould
zaten
sitthereintheemptynursery,recallingfondlyelk
everysmallestdetailofthatdreadfulevening.