the little white bird-第22部分

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give　me　that　wish？〃



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。〃



〃Is　that　quite　a　little　wish？〃　he　inquired。



〃As　little　as　this；〃　the　Queen　answered；　putting　her　hands　near

each　other。



〃What　size　is　a　big　wish？〃　he　asked。



She　measured　it　off　on　her　skirt　and　it　was　a　very　handsome

length。



Then　Peter　reflected　and　said；　〃Well；　then；　I　think　I　shall　have

two　little　wishes　instead　of　one　big　one。〃



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。



They　tried　to　dissuade　him；　and　even　put　obstacles　in　the　way。



〃I　can　give　you　the　power　to　fly　to　her　house；〃　the　Queen　said；

〃but　I　can't　open　the　door　for　you。



〃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。〃



〃How　do　you　know？〃　they　asked；　quite　surprised；　and；　really；

Peter　could　not　explain　how　he　knew。



〃I　just　do　know；〃　he　said。



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。



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。



The　window　was　wide　open；　just　as　he　knew　it　would　be；　and　in　he

fluttered；　and　there　was　his　mother　lying　asleep。　　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。　　How　sweet　the　frills　of　her　night…

gown　were。　　He　was　very　glad　she　was　such　a　pretty　mother。



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。



〃Oh；　mother；〃　said　Peter　to　himself；　〃if　you　just　knew　who　is

sitting　on　the　rail　at　the　foot　of　the　bed。〃



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。



But　why　does　Peter　sit　so　long　on　the　rail；　why　does　he　not　tell

his　mother　that　he　has　come　back？



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。



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。



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　hardhearted　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。



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。



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。



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　shoulders　and　let　him　go。



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。



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。



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。





XVII



The　Little　House



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。



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