peter pan-第8部分

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　　Even　these　noises　ceased。　　To　Michael　the　loneliness　was　dreadful。　　〃If　only　something　would　make　a　sound！〃　he　cried。

　　As　if　in　answer　to　his　request；　the　air　was　rent　by　the　most　tremendous　crash　he　had　ever　heard。　　The　pirates　had　fired　Long　Tom　at　them。

　　The　roar　of　it　echoed　through　the　mountains；　and　the　echoes　seemed　to　cry　savagely；　〃Where　are　they；　where　are　they；　where　are　they？〃

　　Thus　sharply　did　the　terrified　three　learn　the　difference　between　an　island　of　make…believe　and　the　same　island　come　true。　　　　　When　at　last　the　heavens　were　steady　again；　John　and　Michael　found　themselves　alone　in　the　darkness。　　John　was　treading　the　air　mechanically；　and　Michael　without　knowing　how　to　float　was　floating。

　　〃Are　you　shot？〃　John　whispered　tremulously。

　　〃I　haven't　tried　＇myself　out＇　yet；〃　Michael　whispered　back。

　　We　know　now　that　no　one　had　been　hit。　　Peter；　however；　had　been　carried　by　the　wind　of　the　shot　far　out　to　sea；　while　Wendy　was　blown　upwards　with　no　companion　but　Tinker　Bell。

　　It　would　have　been　well　for　Wendy　if　at　that　moment　she　had　dropped　the　hat。

　　I　don't　know　whether　the　idea　came　suddenly　to　Tink；　or　whether　she　had　planned　it　on　the　way；　but　she　at　once　popped　out　of　the　hat　and　began　to　lure　Wendy　to　her　destruction。

　　Tink　was　not　all　bad；　or；　rather；　she　was　all　bad　just　now；　but；　on　the　other　hand；　sometimes　she　was　all　good。　　Fairies　have　to　be　one　thing　or　the　other；　because　being　so　small　they　unfortunately　have　room　for　one　feeling　only　at　a　time。　　They　are；　however；　allowed　to　change；　only　it　must　be　a　complete　change。　　At　present　she　was　full　of　jealousy　of　Wendy。　　What　she　said　in　her　lovely　tinkle　Wendy　could　not　of　course　understand；　and　I　believe　some　of　it　was　bad　words；　but　it　sounded　kind；　and　she　flew　back　and　forward；　plainly　meaning　〃Follow　me；　and　all　will　be　well。〃

　　What　else　could　poor　Wendy　do？　　She　called　to　Peter　and　John　and　Michael；　and　got　only　mocking　echoes　in　reply。　　She　did　not　yet　know　that　Tink　hated　her　with　the　fierce　hatred　of　a　very　woman。　　And　so；　bewildered；　and　now　staggering　in　her　flight；　she　followed　Tink　to　her　doom。　



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　5

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　ISLAND　COME　TRUE


　　Feeling　that　Peter　was　on　his　way　back；　the　Neverland　had　again　woke　into　life。　　We　ought　to　use　the　pluperfect　and　say　wakened；　but　woke　is　better　and　was　always　used　by　Peter。

　　In　his　absence　things　are　usually　quiet　on　the　island。　　The　fairies　take　an　hour　longer　in　the　morning；　the　beasts　attend　to　their　young；　the　redskins　feed　heavily　for　six　days　and　nights；　and　when　pirates　and　lost　boys　meet　they　merely　bite　their　thumbs　at　each　other。　　But　with　the　coming　of　Peter；　who　hates　lethargy；　they　are　under　way　again：　　if　you　put　your　ear　to　the　ground　now；　you　would　hear　the　whole　island　seething　with　life。

　　On　this　evening　the　chief　forces　of　the　island　were　disposed　as　follows。　　The　lost　boys　were　out　looking　for　Peter；　the　pirates　were　out　looking　for　the　lost　boys；　the　redskins　were　out　looking　for　the　pirates；　and　the　beasts　were　out　looking　for　the　redskins。　　They　were　going　round　and　round　the　island；　but　they　did　not　meet　because　all　were　going　at　the　same　rate。

　　All　wanted　blood　except　the　boys；　who　liked　it　as　a　rule；　but　to…night　were　out　to　greet　their　captain。　　The　boys　on　the　island　vary；　of　course；　in　numbers；　according　as　they　get　killed　and　so　on；　and　when　they　seem　to　be　growing　up；　which　is　against　the　rules；　Peter　thins　them　out；　but　at　this　time　there　were　six　of　them；　counting　the　twins　as　two。　　Let　us　pretend　to　lie　here　among　the　sugar…cane　and　watch　them　as　they　steal　by　in　single　file；　each　with　his　hand　on　his　dagger。

　　They　are　forbidden　by　Peter　to　look　in　the　least　like　him；　and　they　wear　the　skins　of　the　bears　slain　by　themselves；　in　which　they　are　so　round　and　furry　that　when　they　fall　they　roll。　　They　have　therefore　become　very　sure…footed。

　　The　first　to　pass　is　Tootles；　not　the　least　brave　but　the　most　unfortunate　of　all　that　gallant　band。　　He　had　been　in　fewer　adventures　than　any　of　them；　because　the　big　things　constantly　happened　just　when　he　had　stepped　round　the　corner；　all　would　be　quiet；　he　would　take　the　opportunity　of　going　off　to　gather　a　few　sticks　for　firewood；　and　then　when　he　returned　the　others　would　be　sweeping　up　the　blood。　　This　ill…luck　had　given　a　gentle　melancholy　to　his　countenance；　but　instead　of　souring　his　nature　had　sweetened　it；　so　that　he　was　quite　the　humblest　of　the　boys。　　Poor　kind　Tootles；　there　is　danger　in　the　air　for　you　to…night。　　Take　care　lest　an　adventure　is　now　offered　you；　which；　if　accepted；　will　plunge　you　in　deepest　woe。　　Tootles；　the　fairy　Tink；　who　is　bent　on　mischief　this　night　is　looking　for　a　tool　＇for　doing　her　mischief＇；　and　she　thinks　you　are　the　most　easily　tricked　of　the　boys。　　'Ware　Tinker　Bell。

　　Would　that　he　could　hear　us；　but　we　are　not　really　on　the　island；　and　he　passes　by；　biting　his　knuckles。

　　Next　comes　Nibs；　the　gay　and　debonair；　followed　by　Slightly；　who　cuts　whistles　out　of　the　trees　and　dances　ecstatically　to　his　own　tunes。　　Slightly　is　the　most　conceited　of　the　boys。　　He　thinks　he　remembers　the　days　before　he　was　lost；　with　their　manners　and　customs；　and　this　has　given　his　nose　an　offensive　tilt。　　Curly　is　fourth；　he　is　a　pickle；　＇a　person　who　gets　in　pickles…predicaments＇　and　so　often　has　he　had　to　deliver　up　his　person　when　Peter　said　sternly；　〃Stand　forth　the　one　who　did　this　thing；〃　that　now　at　the　command　he　stands　forth　automatically　whether　he　has　done　it　or　not。　　Last　come　the　Twins；　who　cannot　be　described　because　we　should　be　sure　to　be　describing　the　wrong　one。　　Peter　never　quite　knew　what　twins　were；　and　his　band　were　not　allowed　to　know　anything　he　did　not　know；　so　these　two　were　always　vague　about　themselves；　and　did　their　best　to　give　satisfaction　by　keeping　close　together　in　an　apologetic　sort　of　way。

　　The　boys　vanish　in　the　gloom；　and　after　a　pause；　but　not　a　long　pause；　for　things　go　briskly　on　the　island；　come　the　pirates　on　their　track。　　We　hear　them　before　they　are　seen；　and　it　is　always　the　same　dreadful　song：


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Avast　belay；　yo　ho；　heave　to；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　A…pirating　we　go；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　And　if　we're　parted　by　a　shot　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　We're　sure　to　meet　below！〃


　　A　more　villainous…looking　lot　never　hung　in　a　row　on　Execution　dock。　　Here；　a　little　in　advance；　ever　and　again　with　his　head　to　the　ground　listening；　his　great　arms　bare；　pieces　of　eight　in　his　ears　as　ornaments；　is　the　handsome　Italian　Cecco；　who　cut　his　name　in　letters　of　blood　on　the　back　of　the　governor　of　the　prison　at　Gao。　　That　gigantic　black　behind　him　has　had　many　names　since　he　dropped　the　one　with　which　dusky　mothers　still　terrify　their　children　on　the　banks　of　the　Guadjo…mo。　　Here　is　Bill　Jukes；　every　inch　of　him　tattooed；　the　same　Bill　Jukes　who　got　six　dozen　on　the　WALRUS　from　Flint　before　he　would　drop　the　bag　of　moidores　＇Portuguese　gold　pieces＇；　and　Cookson；　said　to　be　Black　Murphy's　brother　（but　this　was　never　proved）；　and　Gentleman　Starkey；　once　an　usher　in　a　public　school　and　still　dainty　in　his　ways　of　killing；　and　Skylights　（Morgan's　Skylights）；　and　the　Irish　bo'sun　Smee；　an　oddly　genial　man　who　stabbed；　so　to　speak；　without　offence；　and　was　the　only　Non…conformist　in　Hook's　crew；　　and　Noodler；　whose　hands　were　fixed　on　backwards；　and　Robt。　Mullins　and　Alf　Mason　and　many　another　ruffian　long　known　and　feared　on　the　Spanish　Main。

　　In　the　midst　of　them；　the　blackest　and　largest　in　that　dark　setting；　reclined　James　Hook；　or　as　he　wrote　himself；　Jas。　Hook；　of　whom　it　is　said　he　was　the　only　man　that　the　Sea…Cook　feared。　　He　lay　at　his　ease　in　a　rough　chariot　drawn　and　propelled　by　his　men；　and　instead　of　a　right　hand　he　had　the　iron　hook　with　which　ever　and　anon　he　encouraged　them　to　increase　their　pace。　　As　dogs　this　terrible　man　treated　and　addressed　them；　and　as　dogs　they　obeyed　him。　　In　person　he　was　cadaverous　＇dead　looking＇　and　blackavized　＇dark　faced＇；　and　his　hair　was　dressed　in　long　curls；　which　at　a　little　distance　looked　like　black　candles；　and　gave　a　singularly　threatening　expression　to　his　handsome　countenance。　　His　eyes　were　of　the　blue　of　the　forget…me…not；　and　of　a　profound　melancholy；　save　when　he　was　plunging　his　hook　into　you；　at　which　time　two　red　spots　appeared　in　them　and　lit　them　up　horribly。　　In　manner；　something　of　the　grand　seigneur　still　clung　to　him；　so　that　he　even　ripped　you　up　with　an　air；　and　I　have　been　told　that　he　was　a　RACONTEUR　＇storyteller＇　of　repute。　　He　was　never　more　sinister　than　when　he　was　most　polite；　which　is　probably　the　truest　test　of　breeding；　and　the　elegance　of　his　diction；　even　when　he　was　swearing；　no　less　than　the　distinction　of　his　demeanour；　showed　him　one　of　a　different　cast　from　his　crew。　　A　man　of　indomitable　courage；　it　was　said　that　the　only　thing　he　shied　at　was　the　sight　of　his　own　blood；　which　was　thick　and　of　an　unusual　colour。　　In　dress　he　somewhat　aped　the　attire　associated　with　the　name　of　Charles　II；　having　heard　it　said　in　some　earlier　period　of　his　career　that　he　bore　a　strange　resemblance　to　the　ill…fated　Stuarts；　and　in　his　mouth　he　had　a　holder　of　his　own　contrivance　which　enabled　him　to　smoke　two　cigars　at　once。　　But　undoubtedly　the　grimmest　part　of　him　was　his　iron　claw。

　　Let　us　now　kill　a　pirate；　to　show　Hook's　method。　　Skylights　will　do。　　As　they　pass；　Skylights　lurches　clumsily　against　him；　ruffling　his　lace　collar；　the　hook　shoots　forth；　there　is　a　tearing　sound　and　one　screech；　then　the　body　is　kicked　aside；　and　the　pirates　pass　on。　　He　has　not　even　taken　the　cigars　from　his　mouth。

　　Such　is　the　terrible　man　against　whom　Peter　Pan　is　pitted。　　Which　will　win？

　　On　the　trail　of　the　pirates；　stealing　noiselessly　down　the　war…　path；　which　is　not　visible　to　inexperienced　eyes；　come　the　redskins；　every　one　of　them　with　his　eyes　peeled。　　They　carry　tomahawks　and　knives；　and　their　naked　bodies　gleam　with　paint　and　oil。　　Strung　around　them　are　scalps；　of　boys　as　well　as　of　pirates；　for　these　are　the　Piccaninny　tribe；　and　not　to　be　confused　with　the　softer…hearted　Delawares　or　the　Hurons。　　In　the　van；　on　all　fours；　is　Great　Big　Little　Panther；　a　brave　of　so　many　scalps　that　in　his　p