peter pan-第23部分

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t　circle　of　fire。　　They　had　done　for　his　dogs；　but　this　man　alone　seemed　to　be　a　match　for　them　all。　　Again　and　again　they　closed　upon　him；　and　again　and　again　he　hewed　a　clear　space。　　He　had　lifted　up　one　boy　with　his　hook；　and　was　using　him　as　a　buckler　＇shield＇；　when　another；　who　had　just　passed　his　sword　through　Mullins；　sprang　into　the　fray。

　　〃Put　up　your　swords；　boys；〃　cried　the　newcomer；　〃this　man　is　mine。〃

　　Thus　suddenly　Hook　found　himself　face　to　face　with　Peter。　　The　others　drew　back　and　formed　a　ring　around　them。

　　For　long　the　two　enemies　looked　at　one　another；　Hook　shuddering　slightly；　and　Peter　with　the　strange　smile　upon　his　face。

　　〃So；　Pan；〃　said　Hook　at　last；　〃this　is　all　your　doing。〃

　　〃Ay；　James　Hook；〃　came　the　stern　answer；　〃it　is　all　my　doing。〃

　　〃Proud　and　insolent　youth；〃　said　Hook；　〃prepare　to　meet　thy　doom。〃

　　〃Dark　and　sinister　man；〃　Peter　answered；　〃have　at　thee。〃

　　Without　more　words　they　fell　to；　and　for　a　space　there　was　no　advantage　to　either　blade。　　Peter　was　a　superb　swordsman；　and　parried　with　dazzling　rapidity；　ever　and　anon　he　followed　up　a　feint　with　a　lunge　that　got　past　his　foe's　defence；　but　his　shorter　reach　stood　him　in　ill　stead；　and　he　could　not　drive　the　steel　home。　　Hook；　scarcely　his　inferior　in　brilliancy；　but　not　quite　so　nimble　in　wrist　play；　forced　him　back　by　the　weight　of　his　onset；　hoping　suddenly　to　end　all　with　a　favourite　thrust；　　taught　him　long　ago　by　Barbecue　at　Rio；　but　to　his　astonishment　he　found　this　thrust　turned　aside　again　and　again。　　Then　he　sought　to　close　and　give　the　quietus　with　his　iron　hook；　which　all　this　time　had　been　pawing　the　air；　but　Peter　doubled　under　it　and；　lunging　fiercely；　pierced　him　in　the　ribs。　　At　the　sight　of　his　own　blood；　whose　peculiar　colour；　you　remember；　was　offensive　to　him；　the　sword　fell　from　Hook's　hand；　and　he　was　at　Peter's　mercy。

　　〃Now！〃　cried　all　the　boys；　but　with　a　magnificent　gesture　Peter　invited　his　opponent　to　pick　up　his　sword。　　Hook　did　so　instantly；　but　with　a　tragic　feeling　that　Peter　was　showing　good　form。

　　Hitherto　he　had　thought　it　was　some　fiend　fighting　him；　but　darker　suspicions　assailed　him　now。

　　〃Pan；　who　and　what　art　thou？〃　he　cried　huskily。

　　〃I'm　youth；　I'm　joy；〃　Peter　answered　at　a　venture；　〃I'm　a　　little　bird　that　has　broken　out　of　the　egg。〃

　　This；　of　course；　was　nonsense；　but　it　was　proof　to　the　unhappy　Hook　that　Peter　did　not　know　in　the　least　who　or　what　he　was；　which　is　the　very　pinnacle　of　good　form。

　　〃To't　again；〃　he　cried　despairingly。

　　He　fought　now　like　a　human　flail；　and　every　sweep　of　that　terrible　sword　would　have　severed　in　twain　any　man　or　boy　who　obstructed　it；　but　Peter　fluttered　round　him　as　if　the　very　wind　it　made　blew　him　out　of　the　danger　zone。　　And　again　and　again　he　darted　in　and　pricked。

　　Hook　was　fighting　now　without　hope。　　That　passionate　breast　no　longer　asked　for　life；　but　for　one　boon　it　craved：　　to　see　Peter　show　bad　form　before　it　was　cold　forever。　

　　Abandoning　the　fight　he　rushed　into　the　powder　magazine　and　fired　it。

　　〃In　two　minutes；〃　he　cried；　〃the　ship　will　be　blown　to　pieces。〃

　　Now；　now；　he　thought；　true　form　will　show。

　　But　Peter　issued　from　the　powder　magazine　with　the　shell　in　his　hands；　and　calmly　flung　it　overboard。

　　What　sort　of　form　was　Hook　himself　showing？　　Misguided　man　though　he　was；　we　may　be　glad；　without　sympathising　with　him；　that　in　the　end　he　was　true　to　the　traditions　of　his　race。　　The　other　boys　were　flying　around　him　now；　flouting；　scornful；　and　he　staggered　about　the　deck　striking　up　at　them　impotently；　his　mind　was　no　longer　with　them；　it　was　slouching　in　the　playing　fields　of　long　ago；　or　being　sent　up　＇to　the　headmaster＇　for　good；　or　watching　the　wall…game　from　a　famous　wall。　　And　his　shoes　were　right；　and　his　waistcoat　was　right；　and　his　tie　was　right；　and　his　socks　were　right。

　　James　Hook；　thou　not　wholly　unheroic　figure；　farewell。

　　For　we　have　come　to　his　last　moment。

　　Seeing　Peter　slowly　advancing　upon　him　through　the　air　with　dagger　poised；　he　sprang　upon　the　bulwarks　to　cast　himself　into　the　sea。　　He　did　not　know　that　the　crocodile　was　waiting　for　him；　for　we　purposely　stopped　the　clock　that　this　knowledge　might　be　spared　him：　　a　little　mark　of　respect　from　us　at　the　end。

　　He　had　one　last　triumph；　which　I　think　we　need　not　grudge　him。　　As　he　stood　on　the　bulwark　looking　over　his　shoulder　at　Peter　gliding　through　the　air；　he　invited　him　with　a　gesture　to　use　his　foot。　　It　made　Peter　kick　instead　of　stab。

　　At　last　Hook　had　got　the　boon　for　which　he　craved。　

　　〃Bad　form；〃　he　cried　jeeringly；　and　went　content　to　the　crocodile。

　　Thus　perished　James　Hook。

　　〃Seventeen；〃　Slightly　sang　out；　but　he　was　not　quite　correct　in　his　figures。　　Fifteen　paid　the　penalty　for　their　crimes　that　night；　but　two　reached　the　shore：　　Starkey　to　be　captured　by　the　redskins；　who　made　him　nurse　for　all　their　papooses；　a　melancholy　come…down　for　a　pirate；　and　Smee；　who　henceforth　wandered　about　the　world　in　his　spectacles；　making　a　precarious　living　by　saying　he　was　the　only　man　that　Jas。　Hook　had　feared。

　　Wendy；　of　course；　had　stood　by　taking　no　part　in　the　fight；　though　watching　Peter　with　glistening　eyes；　but　now　that　all　was　over　she　became　prominent　again。　　She　praised　them　equally；　and　shuddered　delightfully　when　Michael　showed　her　the　place　where　he　had　killed　one；　and　then　she　took　them　into　Hook's　cabin　and　pointed　to　his　watch　which　was　hanging　on　a　nail。　　It　said　〃half…　past　one！〃

　　The　lateness　of　the　hour　was　almost　the　biggest　thing　of　all。　　She　got　them　to　bed　in　the　pirates'　bunks　pretty　quickly；　you　may　be　sure；　all　but　Peter；　who　strutted　up　and　down　on　the　deck；　until　at　last　he　fell　asleep　by　the　side　of　Long　Tom。　　He　had　one　of　his　dreams　that　night；　and　cried　in　his　sleep　for　a　long　time；　and　Wendy　held　him　tightly。　



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　　16

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　RETURN　HOME


　　By　three　bells　that　morning　they　were　all　stirring　their　stumps　＇legs＇；　for　there　was　a　big　sea　running；　and　Tootles；　the　bo'sun；　was　among　them；　with　a　rope's　end　in　his　hand　and　chewing　tobacco。　　They　all　donned　pirate　clothes　cut　off　at　the　knee；　shaved　smartly；　and　tumbled　up；　with　the　true　nautical　roll　and　hitching　their　trousers。

　　It　need　not　be　said　who　was　the　captain。　　Nibs　and　John　were　first　and　second　mate。　　There　was　a　woman　aboard。　　The　rest　were　tars　＇sailors＇　before　the　mast；　and　lived　in　the　fo'c'sle。　　Peter　had　already　lashed　himself　to　the　wheel；　but　he　piped　all　hands　and　delivered　a　short　address　to　them；　said　he　hoped　they　would　do　their　duty　like　gallant　hearties；　but　that　he　knew　they　were　the　scum　of　Rio　and　the　Gold　Coast；　and　if　they　snapped　at　him　he　would　tear　them。　　The　bluff　strident　words　struck　the　note　sailors　understood；　and　they　cheered　him　lustily。　　Then　a　few　sharp　orders　were　given；　and　they　turned　the　ship　round；　and　nosed　her　for　the　mainland。

　　Captain　Pan　calculated；　after　consulting　the　ship's　chart；　that　if　this　weather　lasted　they　should　strike　the　Azores　about　the　21st　of　June；　after　which　it　would　save　time　to　fly。

　　Some　of　them　wanted　it　to　be　an　honest　ship　and　others　were　in　favour　of　keeping　it　a　pirate；　but　the　captain　treated　them　as　dogs；　and　they　dared　not　express　their　wishes　to　him　even　in　a　round　robin　＇one　person　after　another；　as　they　had　to　Cpt。　Hook＇。　　Instant　obedience　was　the　only　safe　thing。　　Slightly　got　a　dozen　for　looking　perplexed　when　told　to　take　soundings。　　The　general　feeling　was　that　Peter　was　honest　just　now　to　lull　Wendy's　suspicions；　but　that　there　might　be　a　change　when　the　new　suit　was　ready；　which；　against　her　will；　she　was　making　for　him　out　of　some　of　Hook's　wickedest　garments。　　It　was　afterwards　whispered　among　them　that　on　the　first　night　he　wore　this　suit　he　sat　long　in　the　cabin　with　Hook's　cigar…holder　in　his　mouth　and　one　hand　clenched；　all　but　for　the　forefinger；　which　he　bent　and　held　threateningly　aloft　like　a　hook。

　　Instead　of　watching　the　ship；　however；　we　must　now　return　to　that　desolate　home　from　which　three　of　our　characters　had　taken　heartless　flight　so　long　ago。　　It　seems　a　shame　to　have　neglected　No。　14　all　this　time；　and　yet　we　may　be　sure　that　Mrs。　Darling　does　not　blame　us。　　If　we　had　returned　sooner　to　look　with　sorrowful　sympathy　at　her；　she　would　probably　have　cried；　〃Don't　be　silly；　what　do　I　matter？　　Do　go　back　and　keep　an　eye　on　the　children。〃　　So　long　as　mothers　are　like　this　their　children　will　take　advantage　of　them；　and　they　may　lay　to　＇bet　on＇　that。

　　Even　now　we　venture　into　that　familiar　nursery　only　because　its　lawful　occupants　are　on　their　way　home；　we　are　merely　hurrying　on　in　advance　of　them　to　see　that　their　beds　are　properly　aired　and　that　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Darling　do　not　go　out　for　the　evening。　　We　are　no　more　than　servants。　　Why　on　earth　should　their　beds　be　properly　aired；　seeing　that　they　left　them　in　such　a　thankless　hurry？　　Would　it　not　serve　them　jolly　well　right　if　they　came　back　and　found　that　their　parents　were　spending　the　week…end　in　the　country？　　It　would　be　the　moral　lesson　they　have　been　in　need　of　ever　since　we　met　them；　but　if　we　contrived　things　in　this　way　Mrs。　Darling　would　never　forgive　us。

　　One　thing　I　should　like　to　do　immensely；　and　that　is　to　tell　her；　in　the　way　authors　have；　that　the　children　are　coming　back；　that　indeed　they　will　be　here　on　Thursday　week。　　This　would　spoil　so　completely　the　surprise　to　which　Wendy　and　John　and　Michael　are　looking　forward。　　They　have　been　planning　it　out　on　the　ship：　　mother's　rapture；　father's　shout　of　joy；　Nana's　leap　through　the　air　to　embrace　them　first；　when　what　they　ought　to　be　prepared　for　is　a　good　hiding。　　How　delicious　to　spoil　it　all　by　breaking　the　news　in　advance；　so　that　when　they　enter　grandly　Mrs。　Darling　may　not　even　offer　Wendy　her　mouth；　and　Mr。　Darling　may　exclaim　pettishly；　〃Dash　it　all；　here　are　those　boys　again。〃　　However；　we　should　get　no　thanks　even　for　this。　　We　are　beginning　to　know　Mrs。　Darling　by　this　time；　and　may　be　sure　that　she　would　upbraid　us　for　depriving　the　children　of　their　little　pleasure。

　　〃But；　my　dear　madam；　it　is　ten　days　till　Thursday　week；　so　that　by　telling　you　what's　what；　we　can　save　you