ChapterI.PETERBREAKSTHROUGH
Allchildren,exceptone,growup.
Theysoonknowthattheywillgrowup,andthewayWendyknewwasthis.
Onedaywhenshewastwoyearsoldshewasplayinginagarden,andshe
plockade
pluckedanotherflowerandranwithittohermother.Isupposeshemusthavelookedrather
härlig
delightful,forMrs.Darlingputherhandtoherheartandcried,“Oh,whycan’tyouremainlikethisforever!”Thiswasallthatpassedbetweenthemonthesubject,buthenceforthWendyknewthatshemustgrowup.
Youalwaysknowafteryouaretwo.
Twoisthebeginningoftheend.
Ofcoursetheylivedat14,anduntilWendycamehermotherwasthechiefone.
Shewasalovelylady,witharomanticmindandsuchasweetmockingmouth.
Herromanticmindwaslikethetinyboxes,onewithintheother,thatcomefromthepuzzlingEast,howevermanyyou
upptäcker
discoverthereisalwaysonemore;andhersweetmockingmouthhadonekissonitthatWendycouldneverget,thoughthereitwas,perfectlyconspicuousintheright-handcorner.
ThewayMr.Darlingwonherwasthis:
themanygentlemenwhohadbeenboyswhenshewasagirl
upptäckte
discoveredsimultaneouslythattheylovedher,andtheyallrantoherhousetoproposetoherexceptMr.Darling,whotookacabandnippedinfirst,andsohegother.Hegotallofher,excepttheinnermostboxandthekiss.
Heneverknewaboutthebox,andintimehegaveuptryingforthekiss.
WendythoughtNapoleoncouldhavegotit,butIcanpicturehimtrying,andthengoingoffinapassion,slammingthedoor.
Mr.
Darlingusedto
skryta
boasttoWendythathermothernotonlylovedhimbutrespectedhim.Hewasoneofthosedeeponeswhoknowaboutstocksandshares.
Ofcoursenoonereallyknows,buthequiteseemedtoknow,andheoftensaidstockswereupandsharesweredowninawaythatwouldhavemadeanywomanrespecthim.
Mrs.
Darlingwasmarriedinwhite,andatfirstshekeptthebooksperfectly,almostgleefully,asifitwereagame,notsomuchasaBrusselssproutwasmissing;
butbyandbywholecauliflowersdroppedout,andinsteadofthemtherewerepicturesofbabieswithoutfaces.
Shedrewthemwhensheshouldhavebeentottingup.
TheywereMrs.Darling’sguesses.
Wendycamefirst,thenJohn,thenMichael.
ForaweekortwoafterWendycameitwas
tveksamt
doubtfulwhethertheywouldbeabletokeepher,asshewasanothermouthtofeed.Mr.Darlingwasfrightfullyproudofher,buthewasveryhonourable,andhesatontheedgeofMrs.Darling’sbed,holdingherhandand
beräknade
calculatingexpenses,whileshelookedathimimploringly.Shewantedtoriskit,comewhatmight,butthatwasnothisway;
hiswaywaswitha
penna
pencilandapieceofpaper,andifsheconfusedhimwithsuggestionshehadtobeginatthebeginningagain.“Nowdon’tinterrupt,”hewouldbegofher.
“Ihaveone
pund
poundseventeenhere,andtwoandsixattheoffice;Icancutoffmycoffeeattheoffice,saytenshillings,makingtwonineandsix,withyoureighteenandthreemakesthreenineseven,withfivenaughtnaughtinmycheque-bookmakeseightnineseven—whoisthatmoving?—eightnineseven,
punkt
dotandcarryseven—don’tspeak,myown—andthepundet
poundyoulenttothatmanwhocametothedoor—quiet,child—dotandcarrychild—there,you’vedoneit!—didIsayninenineseven?yes,Isaidninenineseven;
thequestionis,canwetryitforayearonninenineseven?”
“Ofcoursewecan,George,”shecried.
ButshewasprejudicedinWendy’sfavour,andhewasreallythegrandercharacterofthetwo.
“Remembermumps,”hewarnedheralmostthreateningly,andoffhewentagain.
“Mumpsone
pund
pound,thatiswhatIhaveputdown,butIdaresayitwillbemorelikethirtyshillings—don’tspeak—measlesonefive,Germanmeasleshalfaguinea,makestwofifteensix—don’twaggleyourfinger—whooping-cough,sayfifteenshillings”—andsoonitwent,anditaddedupannorlunda
differentlyeachtime;butatlastWendyjustgotthrough,withmumpsreducedtotwelvesix,andthetwokindsofmeaslestreatedasone.
Therewasthesame
spänning
excitementoverJohn,andMichaelhadevenanarrowersqueak
squeak;butbothwerekept,andsoon,youmighthaveseenthethreeofthemgoinginarowtoMissFulsom’s
Dagis
Kindergartenschool,accompaniedbytheirnurse.Mrs.
Darlinglovedtohaveeverythingjustso,andMr.Darlinghadapassionforbeingexactlylikehisneighbours;
so,ofcourse,theyhadanurse.
Astheywerepoor,owingtotheamountofmilkthechildrendrank,thisnursewasaprimNewfoundlanddog,calledNana,whohadbelongedtonooneinparticularuntiltheDarlingsengagedher.
Shehadalwaysthoughtchildrenimportant,however,andtheDarlingshadbecomeacquaintedwithherinKensingtonGardens,whereshespentmostofhersparetimepeepingintoperambulators,andwasmuchhatedbycarelessnursemaids,whomshefollowedtotheirhomesand
klagade
complainedoftotheirmistresses.Sheprovedtobequiteatreasureofanurse.
How
noggrann
thoroughshewasatbath-time,andupatanymomentofthenightifoneofherchargesmadetheslightestcry.Ofcourseherkennelwasinthenursery.
Shehadageniusforknowingwhena
hosta
coughisathingtohavenotålamod
patiencewithandwhenitneedsstockingaroundyourthroat.Shebelievedtoherlastdayinold-fashionedremedieslikerhubarbleaf,andmadesoundsof
förakt
contemptoverallthisnew-fangledtalkaboutgerms,andsoon.Itwasalessoninproprietytoseeher
eskortera
escortingthechildrentoschool,walkingsedatelybytheirsidewhentheywerewellbehaved,andbuttingthembackintolineiftheystrayed.OnJohn’sfooterdayssheneveronceforgothis
tröja
sweater,andsheusuallycarriedanparaply
umbrellainhermouthincaseofrain.ThereisaroominthebasementofMissFulsom’sschoolwherethenurseswait.
Theysatonforms,whileNanalayonthefloor,butthatwastheonlydifference.
Theyaffectedtoignoreherasofaninferiorsocial
status
statustothemselves,andsheföraktade
despisedtheirlighttalk.She
ogillade
resentedvisitstothenurseryfromMrs.Darling’sfriends,butiftheydidcomeshefirstwhippedoffMichael’spinaforeandputhimintotheonewithbluebraiding,andjämnade
smoothedoutWendyandmadeadash
dashatJohn’shair.No
barnkammare
nurserycouldpossiblyhavebeenconductedmorekorrekt
correctly,andMr.Darlingknewit,yethesometimeswondereduneasilywhethertheneighbourstalked.Hehadhispositioninthecitytoconsider.
Nanaalsotroubledhiminanotherway.
Hehadsometimesafeelingthatshedidnot
beundrade
admirehim.“Iknowshe
beundrar
admiresyoutremendously,George,”Mrs.Darlingwouldförsäkra
assurehim,andthenshewouldsigntothechildrentobesärskilt
speciallynicetofather.Lovelydancesfollowed,inwhichtheonlyotherservant,Liza,wassometimesallowedtojoin.
Sucha
dvärg
midgetshelookedinherlongkjol
skirtandmaid’scap,thoughshehadsworn,whenengaged,thatshewouldneverseetenagain.Thegaietyofthoseromps!
AndgayestofallwasMrs.Darling,whowouldpirouettesowildlythatallyoucouldseeofherwasthekiss,andthenifyouhaddashedatheryoumighthavegotit.
Thereneverwasasimpler
lyckligare
happierfamilyuntilthecomingofPeterPan
Pan.Mrs.
DarlingfirstheardofPeterwhenshewas
städade
tidyingupherchildren’sminds.Itisthe
nattliga
nightlycustomofeverygoodmotherafterherchildrenareasleeptorummageintheirmindsandputthingsstraightfornextmorning,repackingintotheirproperplacesthemanyarticlesthathavevandrat
wanderedduringtheday.Ifyoucouldkeepawake(butofcourseyoucan’t)youwouldseeyourownmotherdoingthis,andyouwouldfinditveryinterestingtowatchher.
Itisquitelike
städa
tidyingupdrawers.Youwouldseeheronherknees,Iexpect,
dröja
lingeringhumorouslyoversomeofyourcontents,wonderingwhereonearthyouhadpickedthisthingup,makingdiscoveriessweetandnotsosweet,pressingthistoherkind
cheekasifitwereasniceasakattunge
kitten,andhurriedlystowingthatoutofsight.Whenyouwakeinthemorning,thenaughtinessandevilpassionswithwhichyouwenttobedhavebeenfoldedupsmallandplacedatthebottomofyourmindandonthetop,
vackert
beautifullyaired,arespreadoutyourprettierthoughts,readyforyoutoputon.Idon’tknowwhetheryouhaveeverseenamapofaperson’smind.
Doctorssometimesdrawmapsofotherpartsofyou,andyourownmapcanbecomeintenselyinteresting,butcatchthemtryingtodrawamapofachild’smind,whichisnotonlyconfused,butkeepsgoingroundallthetime.
Therearezigzaglinesonit,justlikeyourtemperatureonacard,andtheseareprobablyroadsintheisland,fortheNeverlandisalwaysmoreorlessanisland,with
häpnadsväckande
astonishingsplashesofcolourhereandthere,andcoralreefsandrakish-lookingcraftintheoffing,andsavagesandlonelylairs,andgnomeswhoaremostlytailors,andcavesthroughwhichariverruns,andprinceswithsixäldre
elderbrothers,andahutfastgoingtodecay,andoneverysmalloldladywithahookednose.Itwouldbeaneasymapifthatwereall,butthereisalsofirstdayatschool,religion,fathers,theround
dammen
pond,needle-work,murders,hangings,verbsthattakethedative,chocolatepuddingday,gettingintobraces,sayninety-nine,three-penceforpullingoutyourtand
toothyourself,andsoon,andeitherthesearepartoftheislandortheyareanothermapshowingthrough,anditisallratherförvirrande
confusing,especiallyasnothingwillstandstill.OfcoursetheNeverlands
varierar
varyagooddeal.John’s,for
exempel
instance,hadalagoonwithflamingoesflyingoveritatwhichJohnwasshooting,whileMichael,whowasverysmall,hadaflamingowithlagoonsflyingoverit.Johnlivedinaboatturnedupsidedownonthesands,Michaelinawigwam,Wendyinahouseofleavesdeftlysewntogether.
Johnhadnofriends,Michaelhadfriendsatnight,Wendyhadapetwolfforsakenbyitsparents,butonthewholetheNeverlandshaveafamily
likhet
resemblance,andiftheystoodstillinarowyoucouldsayofthemthattheyhaveeachother’snose,andsovidare
forth.Onthesemagicshoreschildrenatplayareforeverbeachingtheircoracles.
Wetoohavebeenthere;
wecanstillhearthesoundofthesurf,thoughweshalllandnomore.
OfalldelectableislandstheNeverlandisthesnuggestandmostcompact,notlargeandsprawly,youknow,with
tråkiga
tediousdistancesbetweenoneadventureandanother,buttrevligt
nicelycrammed.Whenyouplayatitbydaywiththechairsandtable-cloth,itisnotintheleastalarming,butinthetwominutesbeforeyougotosleepitbecomesveryreal.
Thatiswhytherearenight-lights.
Ibland
Occasionallyinhertravelsthroughherchildren’smindsMrs.Darlingfoundthingsshecouldnotunderstand,andofthesequitethemostperplexingwasthewordPeter.SheknewofnoPeter,andyethewashereandthereinJohnandMichael’sminds,whileWendy’sbegantobescrawledalloverwithhim.
Thenamestoodoutinbolderlettersthananyoftheotherwords,andasMrs.Darling
stirrade
gazedshefeltthatithadankonstigt
oddlycockyappearance.“Yes,heisrathercocky,”Wendyadmittedwithregret.
Hermotherhadbeenquestioningher.
“Butwhoishe,mypet?”
“HeisPeter
Pan
Pan,youknow,mother.”AtfirstMrs.Darlingdidnotknow,butafterthinkingbackintoherchildhoodshejustrememberedaPeter
Pan
Panwhowassaidtolivewiththefairies.Therewereoddstoriesabouthim,asthatwhenchildrendiedhewentpartofthewaywiththem,sothattheyshouldnotbefrightened.
Shehadbelievedinhimatthetime,butnowthatshewasmarriedandfullofsenseshequitedoubtedwhethertherewasanysuchperson.
“Besides,”shesaidtoWendy,“hewouldbegrownupbythistime.”
“Ohno,heisn’tgrownup,”Wendy
försäkrade
assuredherconfidently,“andheisjustmysize.”Shemeantthathewashersizeinbothmindandbody;
shedidn’tknowhowsheknew,shejustknewit.
Mrs.
Darling
rådfrågade
consultedMr.Darling,buthesmiledpooh-pooh.“Markmywords,”hesaid,“itissomenonsenseNanahasbeenputtingintotheirheads;
justthesortofideaadogwouldhave.
Leaveitalone,anditwillblowover.”
ButitwouldnotblowoverandsoonthetroublesomeboygaveMrs.Darlingquiteashock.
Childrenhavethestrangestadventureswithoutbeingtroubledbythem.
For
exempel
instance,theymayremembertomention,aweekaftertheeventhappened,thatwhentheywereinthewoodtheyhadmettheirdeadfatherandhadagamewithhim.ItwasinthiscasualwaythatWendyonemorningmadeadisquieting
uppenbarelse
revelation.Someleavesofatreehadbeenfoundonthe
barnkammaren
nurseryfloor,whichcertainlywerenottherewhenthechildrenwenttobed,andMrs.DarlingwaspuzzlingoverthemwhenWendysaidwithatolerant
tolerantsmile:.“IdobelieveitisthatPeteragain!”
“Whateverdoyoumean,Wendy?”
“Itissonaughtyofhimnottowipehisfeet,”Wendysaid,
suckade
sighing.Shewasatidychild.
Sheexplainedinquiteamatter-of-factwaythatshethoughtPetersometimescametothe
barnkammaren
nurseryinthenightandsatonthefootofherbedandplayedonhispipestoher.Unfortunatelysheneverwoke,soshedidn’tknowhowsheknew,shejustknew.
“Whatnonsenseyoutalk,precious.
Noonecangetintothehousewithoutknocking.”
“Ithinkhecomesinbythewindow,”shesaid.
“Mylove,itisthreefloorsup.”
“Werenottheleavesatthefootofthewindow,mother?”
Itwasquitetrue;
theleaveshadbeenfoundverynearthewindow.
Mrs.
Darlingdidnotknowwhattothink,foritallseemedsonaturaltoWendythatyoucouldnot
avfärda
dismissitbysayingshehadbeendreaming.“Mychild,”themothercried,“whydidyounottellmeofthisbefore?”
“Iforgot,”saidWendy
lätt
lightly.Shewasinahurrytogetherbreakfast.
Oh,surelyshemusthavebeendreaming.
But,ontheotherhand,thereweretheleaves.
Mrs.Darling
undersökte
examinedthemverycarefully;theywereskeletonleaves,butshewassuretheydidnotcomefromanytreethatgrewinEngland.
She
kröp
crawledaboutthefloor,peeringatitwithaljus
candleformarksofastrangefoot.Sherattledthepokerupthechimneyand
knackade
tappedthewalls.Sheletdownatapefromthewindowtothe
trottoaren
pavement,anditwasaren
sheerdropofthirtyfeet,withoutsomuchasaspouttoclimbupby.CertainlyWendyhadbeendreaming.
ButWendyhadnotbeendreaming,astheverynextnightshowed,thenightonwhichtheextraordinaryadventuresofthesechildrenmaybesaidtohavebegun.
Onthenightwespeakofallthechildrenwereoncemoreinbed.
IthappenedtobeNana’seveningoff,andMrs.Darlinghadbathedthemandsungtothemtillonebyonetheyhadletgoherhandand
gled
slidawayintothelandofsleep.Allwerelookingsosafeand
mysiga
cosythatshesmiledatherfearsnowandsatdowntranquillybythefiretosy
sew.ItwassomethingforMichael,whoonhisbirthdaywasgettingintoshirts.
Thefirewaswarm,however,andthenurserydimlylitbythreenight-lights,andpresentlythesewinglayonMrs.Darling’s
knä
lap.Thenherheadnodded,oh,sogracefully.
Shewasasleep.
Lookatthefourofthem,WendyandMichaeloverthere,Johnhere,andMrs.Darlingbythefire.
Thereshouldhavebeenafourthnight-light.
Whileshesleptshehadadream.
ShedreamtthattheNeverlandhadcometoonearandthatastrangeboyhadbrokenthroughfromit.
Hedidnotalarmher,forshethoughtshehadseenhimbeforeinthefacesofmanywomenwhohavenochildren.
Perhapsheistobefoundinthefacesofsomemothersalso.
ButinherdreamhehadrentthefilmthatobscurestheNeverland,andshesawWendyandJohnandMichaelpeepingthroughthe
klyftan
gap.Thedreambyitselfwouldhavebeena
bagatell
trifle,butwhileshewasdreamingthewindowofthenurseryblewopen,andaboydiddroponthefloor.Hewasaccompaniedbyastrangelight,nobiggerthanyour
näve
fist,whichdartedabouttheroomlikealivingthingandIthinkitmusthavebeenthislightthatwakenedMrs.Darling.Shestartedupwithacry,andsawtheboy,andsomehowsheknewatoncethathewasPeter
Pan
Pan.IfyouorIorWendyhadbeenthereweshouldhaveseenthathewasverylikeMrs.Darling’skiss.
Hewasalovelyboy,cladinskeletonleavesandthejuicesthatoozeoutoftreesbutthemostentrancingthingabouthimwasthathehadallhisfirstteeth.
Kapitel
ChapterII.THESHADOWMrs.
Darlingscreamed,and,asifinanswertoabell,thedooropened,andNanaentered,returnedfromhereveningout.
Shegrowledandsprangattheboy,who
hoppade
leaptlightlythroughthewindow.AgainMrs.Darlingscreamed,thistimein
nöd
distressforhim,forshethoughthewaskilled,andsherandownintothestreettolookforhislittlebody,butitwasnotthere;andshelookedup,andintheblacknightshecouldseenothingbutwhatshethoughtwasashootingstar.
Shereturnedtothenursery,andfoundNanawithsomethinginhermouth,whichprovedtobetheboy’sshadow.
Ashe
hoppade
leaptatthewindowNanahadcloseditquickly,toolatetocatchhim,buthisshadowhadnothadtimetogetout;slamwentthewindowand
knäppte
snappeditoff.YoumaybesureMrs.Darling
undersökte
examinedtheshadowcarefully,butitwasquitetheordinarykind.Nanahadnodoubtofwhatwasthebestthingtodowiththisshadow.
Shehungitoutatthewindow,meaning“Heissuretocomebackforit;
letusputitwherehecangetiteasilywithout
störa
disturbingthechildren.”ButunfortunatelyMrs.Darlingcouldnotleaveithangingoutatthewindow,itlookedsolikethewashingandloweredthewholetoneofthehouse.
ShethoughtofshowingittoMr.Darling,buthewastottingupwintergreat-coatsforJohnandMichael,withawet
handduk
towelaroundhisheadtokeephisbrainclear,anditseemedashametotroublehim;besides,sheknewexactlywhathewouldsay:
“Itallcomesofhavingadogforanurse.”
Shedecidedtorolltheshadowupandputitawaycarefullyina
låda
drawer,untilafittingopportunitycamefortellingherhusband.Ahme!
Theopportunitycameaweeklater,onthatnever-to-be-forgottenFriday.
OfcourseitwasaFriday.
“Ioughttohavebeen
särskilt
speciallycarefulonaFriday,”sheusedtosayafterwardstoherhusband,whileperhapsNanawasontheothersideofher,holdingherhand.“No,no,”Mr.Darlingalwayssaid,“Iamresponsibleforitall.
I,GeorgeDarling,didit.
Meaculpa,meaculpa.”
Hehadhada
klassisk
classicaleducation.Theysatthusnightafternight
mindes
recallingthatfatalFriday,tilleverydetalj
detailofitwasstampedontheirbrainsandcamethroughontheothersidelikethefacesonabadcoinage.“IfonlyIhadnotacceptedthat
inbjudan
invitationtodineat27,”Mrs.Darlingsaid.“IfonlyIhadnot
hällt
pouredmymedicineintoNana’sbowl,”saidMr.Darling.“IfonlyIhadpretendedtolikethemedicine,”waswhatNana’sweteyessaid.
“Mylikingforparties,George.”
“Myfatalgiftofhumour,dearest.”
“Mytouchinessabouttrifles,dearmasterandmistress.”
Thenoneormoreofthemwouldbreakdownaltogether;
Nanaatthethought,“It’strue,it’strue,theyoughtnottohavehadadogforanurse.”
ManyatimeitwasMr.DarlingwhoputthehandkerchieftoNana’seyes.
“Thatfiend!”
Mr.Darlingwouldcry,andNana’s
skäll
barkwastheechoofit,butMrs.DarlingneverupbraidedPeter;therewassomethingintheright-handcornerofhermouththatwantedhernottocallPeternames.
Theywouldsitthereintheemptynursery,
minnas
recallingfondlyeverysmallestdetailofthatfruktansvärda
dreadfulevening.