peter pan-第13部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　it　was　among　Wendy's　lasting　regrets　that　all　the　time　she　was　on　the　island　she　never　had　a　civil　word　from　one　of　them。　　When　she　stole　softly　to　the　edge　of　the　lagoon　she　might　see　them　by　the　score；　especially　on　Marooners'　Rock；　where　they　loved　to　bask；　combing　out　their　hair　in　a　lazy　way　that　quite　irritated　her；　or　she　might　even　swim；　on　tiptoe　as　it　were；　to　within　a　yard　of　them；　but　then　they　saw　her　and　dived；　probably　splashing　her　with　their　tails；　not　by　accident；　but　intentionally。

　　They　treated　all　the　boys　in　the　same　way；　except　of　course　Peter；　who　chatted　with　them　on　Marooners'　Rock　by　the　hour；　and　sat　on　their　tails　when　they　got　cheeky。　　He　gave　Wendy　one　of　their　combs。

　　The　most　haunting　time　at　which　to　see　them　is　at　the　turn　of　the　moon；　when　they　utter　strange　wailing　cries；　but　the　lagoon　is　dangerous　for　mortals　then；　and　until　the　evening　of　which　we　have　now　to　tell；　Wendy　had　never　seen　the　lagoon　by　moonlight；　less　from　fear；　for　of　course　Peter　would　have　accompanied　her；　than　because　she　had　strict　rules　about　every　one　being　in　bed　by　seven。　　She　was　often　at　the　lagoon；　however；　on　sunny　days　after　rain；　when　the　mermaids　come　up　in　extraordinary　numbers　to　play　with　their　bubbles。　　The　bubbles　of　many　colours　made　in　rainbow　water　they　treat　as　balls；　hitting　them　gaily　from　one　to　another　with　their　tails；　and　trying　to　keep　them　in　the　rainbow　till　they　burst。　　The　goals　are　at　each　end　of　the　rainbow；　and　the　keepers　only　are　allowed　to　use　their　hands。　　Sometimes　a　dozen　of　these　games　will　be　going　on　in　the　lagoon　at　a　time；　and　it　is　quite　a　pretty　sight。　

　　But　the　moment　the　children　tried　to　join　in　they　had　to　play　by　themselves；　for　the　mermaids　immediately　disappeared。　　Nevertheless　we　have　proof　that　they　secretly　watched　the　interlopers；　and　were　not　above　taking　an　idea　from　them；　for　John　introduced　a　new　way　of　hitting　the　bubble；　with　the　head　instead　of　the　hand；　and　the　mermaids　adopted　it。　　This　is　the　one　mark　that　John　has　left　on　the　Neverland。

　　It　must　also　have　been　rather　pretty　to　see　the　children　resting　on　a　rock　for　half　an　hour　after　their　mid…day　meal。　　Wendy　insisted　on　their　doing　this；　and　it　had　to　be　a　real　rest　even　though　the　meal　was　make…believe。　　So　they　lay　there　in　the　sun；　and　their　bodies　glistened　in　it；　while　she　sat　beside　them　and　looked　important。

　　It　was　one　such　day；　and　they　were　all　on　Marooners'　Rock。　　The　rock　was　not　much　larger　than　their　great　bed；　but　of　course　they　all　knew　how　not　to　take　up　much　room；　and　they　were　dozing；　or　at　least　lying　with　their　eyes　shut；　and　pinching　occasionally　when　they　thought　Wendy　was　not　looking。　　She　was　very　busy；　stitching。

　　While　she　stitched　a　change　came　to　the　lagoon。　　Little　shivers　ran　over　it；　and　the　sun　went　away　and　shadows　stole　across　the　water；　turning　it　cold。　　Wendy　could　no　longer　see　to　thread　her　needle；　and　when　she　looked　up；　the　lagoon　that　had　always　hitherto　been　such　a　laughing　place　seemed　formidable　and　unfriendly。

　　It　was　not；　she　knew；　that　night　had　come；　but　something　as　dark　as　night　had　come。　　No；　worse　than　that。　　It　had　not　come；　but　it　had　sent　that　shiver　through　the　sea　to　say　that　it　was　coming。　　What　was　it？

　　There　crowded　upon　her　all　the　stories　she　had　been　told　of　Marooners'　Rock；　so　called　because　evil　captains　put　sailors　on　it　and　leave　them　there　to　drown。　　They　drown　when　the　tide　rises；　for　then　it　is　submerged。

　Of　course　she　should　have　roused　the　children　at　once；　not　merely　because　of　the　unknown　that　was　stalking　toward　them；　but　because　it　was　no　longer　good　for　them　to　sleep　on　a　rock　grown　chilly。　　But　she　was　a　young　mother　and　she　did　not　know　this；　she　thought　you　simply　must　stick　to　your　rule　about　half　an　hour　after　the　mid…day　meal。　　So；　though　fear　was　upon　her；　and　she　longed　to　hear　male　voices；　she　would　not　waken　them。　　Even　when　she　heard　the　sound　of　muffled　oars；　though　her　heart　was　in　her　mouth；　she　did　not　waken　them。　　She　stood　over　them　to　let　them　have　their　sleep　out。　　Was　it　not　brave　of　Wendy？

　　It　was　well　for　those　boys　then　that　there　was　one　among　them　who　could　sniff　danger　even　in　his　sleep。　　Peter　sprang　erect；　as　wide　awake　at　once　as　a　dog；　and　with　one　warning　cry　he　roused　the　others。

　　He　stood　motionless；　one　hand　to　his　ear。

　　〃Pirates！〃　he　cried。　　The　others　came　closer　to　him。　　A　strange　smile　was　playing　about　his　face；　and　Wendy　saw　it　and　shuddered。　　While　that　smile　was　on　his　face　no　one　dared　address　him；　all　they　could　do　was　to　stand　ready　to　obey。　　The　order　came　sharp　and　incisive。

　　〃Dive！〃

　　There　was　a　gleam　of　legs；　and　instantly　the　lagoon　seemed　deserted。　　Marooners'　Rock　stood　alone　in　the　forbidding　waters　as　if　it　were　itself　marooned。

　　The　boat　drew　nearer。　　It　was　the　pirate　dinghy；　with　three　figures　in　her；　Smee　and　Starkey；　and　the　third　a　captive；　no　other　than　Tiger　Lily。　　Her　hands　and　ankles　were　tied；　and　she　knew　what　was　to　be　her　fate。　　She　was　to　be　left　on　the　rock　to　perish；　an　end　to　one　of　her　race　more　terrible　than　death　by　fire　or　torture；　for　is　it　not　written　in　the　book　of　the　tribe　that　there　is　no　path　through　water　to　the　happy　hunting…ground？　　Yet　her　face　was　impassive；　she　was　the　daughter　of　a　chief；　she　must　die　as　a　chief's　daughter；　it　is　enough。

　　They　had　caught　her　boarding　the　pirate　ship　with　a　knife　in　her　mouth。　　No　watch　was　kept　on　the　ship；　it　being　Hook's　boast　that　the　wind　of　his　name　guarded　the　ship　for　a　mile　around。　　Now　her　fate　would　help　to　guard　it　also。　　One　more　wail　would　go　the　round　in　that　wind　by　night。

　　In　the　gloom　that　they　brought　with　them　the　two　pirates　did　not　see　the　rock　till　they　crashed　into　it。

　　〃Luff；　you　lubber；〃　cried　an　Irish　voice　that　was　Smee's；　〃here's　the　rock。　　Now；　then；　what　we　have　to　do　is　to　hoist　the　redskin　on　to　it　and　leave　her　here　to　drown。〃

　　It　was　the　work　of　one　brutal　moment　to　land　the　beautiful　girl　on　the　rock；　she　was　too　proud　to　offer　a　vain　resistance。

　　Quite　near　the　rock；　but　out　of　sight；　two　heads　were　bobbing　up　and　down；　Peter's　and　Wendy's。　　Wendy　was　crying；　for　it　was　the　first　tragedy　she　had　seen。　　Peter　had　seen　many　tragedies；　but　he　had　forgotten　them　all。　　He　was　less　sorry　than　Wendy　for　Tiger　Lily：　　it　was　two　against　one　that　angered　him；　and　he　meant　to　save　her。　　An　easy　way　would　have　been　to　wait　until　the　pirates　had　gone；　but　he　was　never　one　to　choose　the　easy　way。

　　There　was　almost　nothing　he　could　not　do；　and　he　now　imitated　the　voice　of　Hook。

　　〃Ahoy　there；　you　lubbers！〃　he　called。　　It　was　a　marvellous　imitation。

　　〃The　captain！〃　said　the　pirates；　staring　at　each　other　in　surprise。

　　〃He　must　be　swimming　out　to　us；〃　Starkey　said；　when　they　had　looked　for　him　in　vain。

　　〃We　are　putting　the　redskin　on　the　rock；〃　Smee　called　out。

　　〃Set　her　free；〃　came　the　astonishing　answer。　

　　〃Free！〃　

　　〃Yes；　cut　her　bonds　and　let　her　go。〃

　　〃But；　captain　　〃

　　〃At　once；　d'ye　hear；〃　cried　Peter；　〃or　I'll　plunge　my　hook　in　you。〃

　　〃This　is　queer！〃　Smee　gasped。

　　〃Better　do　what　the　captain　orders；〃　said　Starkey　nervously。

　　〃Ay；　ay。〃　Smee　said；　and　he　cut　Tiger　Lily's　cords。　　At　once　like　an　eel　she　slid　between　Starkey's　legs　into　the　water。

　　Of　course　Wendy　was　very　elated　over　Peter's　cleverness；　but　she　knew　that　he　would　be　elated　also　and　very　likely　crow　and　thus　betray　himself；　so　at　once　her　hand　went　out　to　cover　his　mouth。　　But　it　was　stayed　even　in　the　act；　for　〃Boat　ahoy！〃　rang　over　the　lagoon　in　Hook's　voice；　and　this　time　it　was　not　Peter　who　had　spoken。

　　Peter　may　have　been　about　to　crow；　but　his　face　puckered　in　a　whistle　of　surprise　instead。

　　〃Boat　ahoy！〃　again　came　the　voice。

　　Now　Wendy　understood。　　The　real　Hook　was　also　in　the　water。

　　He　was　swimming　to　the　boat；　and　as　his　men　showed　a　light　to　guide　him　he　had　soon　reached　them。　　In　the　light　of　the　lantern　Wendy　saw　his　hook　grip　the　boat's　side；　she　saw　his　evil　swarthy　face　as　he　rose　dripping　from　the　water；　and；　quaking；　she　would　have　liked　to　swim　away；　but　Peter　would　not　budge。　　He　was　tingling　with　life　and　also　top…heavy　with　conceit。　　〃Am　I　not　a　wonder；　oh；　I　am　a　wonder！〃　he　whispered　to　her；　and　though　she　thought　so　also；　she　was　really　glad　for　the　sake　of　his　reputation　that　no　one　heard　him　except　herself。

　　He　signed　to　her　to　listen。

　　The　two　pirates　were　very　curious　to　know　what　had　brought　their　captain　to　them；　but　he　sat　with　his　head　on　his　hook　in　a　position　of　profound　melancholy。

　　〃Captain；　is　all　well？〃　they　asked　timidly；　but　he　answered　with　a　hollow　moan。

　　〃He　sighs；〃　said　Smee。

　　〃He　sighs　again；〃　said　Starkey。

　　〃And　yet　a　third　time　he　sighs；〃　said　Smee。

　　Then　at　last　he　spoke　passionately。

　　〃The　game's　up；〃　he　cried；　〃those　boys　have　found　a　mother。〃

　　Affrighted　though　she　was；　Wendy　swelled　with　pride。

　　〃O　evil　day！〃　cried　Starkey。

　　〃What's　a　mother？〃　asked　the　ignorant　Smee。

　　Wendy　was　so　shocked　that　she　exclaimed。　　〃He　doesn't　know！〃　and　always　after　this　she　felt　that　if　you　could　have　a　pet　pirate　Smee　would　be　her　one。

　　Peter　pulled　her　beneath　the　water；　for　Hook　had　started　up；　crying；　〃What　was　that？〃

　　〃I　heard　nothing；〃　said　Starkey；　raising　the　lantern　over　the　waters；　and　as　the　pirates　looked　they　saw　a　strange　sight。　　It　was　the　nest　I　have　told　you　of；　floating　on　the　lagoon；　and　the　Never　bird　was　sitting　on　it。

　　〃See；〃　said　Hook　in　answer　to　Smee's　question；　〃that　is　a　mother。　　What　a　lesson！　　The　nest　must　have　fallen　into　the　water；　but　would　the　mother　desert　her　eggs？　　No。〃

　　There　was　a　break　in　his　voice；　as　if　for　a　moment　he　recalled　innocent　days　when　　but　he　brushed　away　this　weakness　with　his　hook。

　　Smee；　much　impressed；　gazed　at　the　bird　as　the　nest　was　borne　past；　but　the　more　suspicious　Starkey　said；　〃If　she　is　a　mother；　perhaps　she　is　hanging　about　here　to　help　Peter。〃

　　Hook　winced。　　〃Ay；〃　he　said；　〃that　is　the　fear　that　haunts　me。〃

　　He　was　roused　from　this　dejection　by　Smee's　eager　voice。

　　〃Captain；〃　said　Smee；　〃could　we　not　kidnap　these　boys'　mother　and　make　her　our　mother？〃

　　〃It　is　a　princely　scheme；〃　cried　Hook；　and