peter pan-第9部分

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e　van；　on　all　fours；　is　Great　Big　Little　Panther；　a　brave　of　so　many　scalps　that　in　his　present　position　they　somewhat　impede　his　progress。　　Bringing　up　the　rear；　the　place　of　greatest　danger；　comes　Tiger　Lily；　proudly　erect；　a　princess　in　her　own　right。　　She　is　the　most　beautiful　of　dusky　Dianas　＇Diana　=　goddess　of　the　woods＇　and　the　belle　of　the　Piccaninnies；　coquettish　＇flirting＇；　cold　and　amorous　＇loving＇　by　turns；　there　is　not　a　brave　who　would　not　have　the　wayward　thing　to　wife；　but　she　staves　off　the　altar　with　a　hatchet。　　Observe　how　they　pass　over　fallen　twigs　without　making　the　slightest　noise。　　The　only　sound　to　be　heard　is　their　somewhat　heavy　breathing。　　The　fact　is　that　they　are　all　a　little　fat　just　now　after　the　heavy　gorging；　but　in　time　they　will　work　this　off。　　For　the　moment；　however；　it　constitutes　their　chief　danger。

　　The　redskins　disappear　as　they　have　come　like　shadows；　and　soon　their　place　is　taken　by　the　beasts；　a　great　and　motley　procession：　　lions；　tigers；　bears；　and　the　innumerable　smaller　savage　things　that　flee　from　them；　for　every　kind　of　beast；　and；　more　particularly；　all　the　man…eaters；　live　cheek　by　jowl　on　the　favoured　island。　　Their　tongues　are　hanging　out；　they　are　hungry　to…night。

　　When　they　have　passed；　comes　the　last　figure　of　all；　a　gigantic　crocodile。　　We　shall　see　for　whom　she　is　looking　presently。

　　The　crocodile　passes；　but　soon　the　boys　appear　again；　for　the　procession　must　continue　indefinitely　until　one　of　the　parties　stops　or　changes　its　pace。　　Then　quickly　they　will　be　on　top　of　each　other。

　　All　are　keeping　a　sharp　look…out　in　front；　but　none　suspects　that　the　danger　may　be　creeping　up　from　behind。　　This　shows　how　real　the　island　was。

　　The　first　to　fall　out　of　the　moving　circle　was　the　boys。　　They　flung　themselves　down　on　the　sward　＇turf＇；　close　to　their　underground　home。　

　　〃I　do　wish　Peter　would　come　back；〃　every　one　of　them　said　nervously；　though　in　height　and　still　more　in　breadth　they　were　all　larger　than　their　captain。

　　〃I　am　the　only　one　who　is　not　afraid　of　the　pirates；〃　Slightly　said；　in　the　tone　that　prevented　his　being　a　general　favourite；　but　perhaps　some　distant　sound　disturbed　him；　for　he　added　hastily；　〃but　I　wish　he　would　come　back；　and　tell　us　whether　he　has　heard　anything　more　about　Cinderella。〃

　　They　talked　of　Cinderella；　and　Tootles　was　confident　that　his　mother　must　have　been　very　like　her。

　　It　was　only　in　Peter's　absence　that　they　could　speak　of　mothers；　the　subject　being　forbidden　by　him　as　silly。

　　〃All　I　remember　about　my　mother；〃　Nibs　told　them；　〃is　that　she　often　said　to　my　father；　‘Oh；　how　I　wish　I　had　a　cheque…book　of　my　own！'　　I　don't　know　what　a　cheque…book　is；　but　I　should　just　love　to　give　my　mother　one。〃

　　While　they　talked　they　heard　a　distant　sound。　　You　or　I；　not　being　wild　things　of　the　woods；　would　have　heard　nothing；　but　they　heard　it；　and　it　was　the　grim　song：


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Yo　ho；　yo　ho；　the　pirate　life；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　flag　o'　skull　and　bones；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　A　merry　hour；　a　hempen　rope；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　And　hey　for　Davy　Jones。〃


　　At　once　the　lost　boys　　but　where　are　they？　　They　are　no　longer　there。　　Rabbits　could　not　have　disappeared　more　quickly。

　　I　will　tell　you　where　they　are。　　With　the　exception　of　Nibs；　who　has　darted　away　to　reconnoitre　＇look　around＇；　they　are　already　in　their　home　under　the　ground；　a　very　delightful　residence　of　which　we　shall　see　a　good　deal　presently。　　But　how　have　they　reached　it？　for　there　is　no　entrance　to　be　seen；　not　so　much　as　a　large　stone；　which　if　rolled　away；　would　disclose　the　mouth　of　a　cave。　　Look　closely；　however；　and　you　may　note　that　there　are　here　seven　large　trees；　each　with　a　hole　in　its　hollow　trunk　as　large　as　a　boy。　　These　are　the　seven　entrances　to　the　home　under　the　ground；　for　which　Hook　has　been　searching　in　vain　these　many　moons。　　Will　he　find　it　tonight？

　　As　the　pirates　advanced；　the　quick　eye　of　Starkey　sighted　Nibs　disappearing　through　the　wood；　and　at　once　his　pistol　flashed　out。　　But　an　iron　claw　gripped　his　shoulder。

　　〃Captain；　let　go！〃　he　cried；　writhing。

　　Now　for　the　first　time　we　hear　the　voice　of　Hook。　　It　was　a　black　voice。　　〃Put　back　that　pistol　first；〃　it　said　threateningly。

　　〃It　was　one　of　those　boys　you　hate。　　I　could　have　shot　him　dead。〃

　　〃Ay；　and　the　sound　would　have　brought　Tiger　Lily's　redskins　upon　us。　　Do　you　want　to　lose　your　scalp？〃

　　〃Shall　I　after　him；　Captain；〃　asked　pathetic　Smee；　〃and　tickle　him　with　Johnny　Corkscrew？〃　　Smee　had　pleasant　names　for　everything；　and　his　cutlass　was　Johnny　Corkscrew；　because　he　wiggled　it　in　the　wound。　　One　could　mention　many　lovable　traits　in　Smee。　　For　instance；　after　killing；　it　was　his　spectacles　he　wiped　instead　of　his　weapon。

　　〃Johnny's　a　silent　fellow；〃　he　reminded　Hook。

　　〃Not　now；　Smee；〃　Hook　said　darkly。　　〃He　is　only　one；　and　I　want　to　mischief　all　the　seven。　　Scatter　and　look　for　them。〃

　　The　pirates　disappeared　among　the　trees；　and　in　a　moment　their　Captain　and　Smee　were　alone。　　Hook　heaved　a　heavy　sigh；　and　I　know　not　why　it　was；　perhaps　it　was　because　of　the　soft　beauty　of　the　evening；　but　there　came　over　him　a　desire　to　confide　to　his　faithful　bo'sun　the　story　of　his　life。　　He　spoke　long　and　earnestly；　but　what　it　was　all　about　Smee；　who　was　rather　stupid；　did　not　know　in　the　least。

　　Anon　＇later＇　he　caught　the　word　Peter。

　　〃Most　of　all；〃　Hook　was　saying　passionately；　〃I　want　their　captain；　Peter　Pan。　　'Twas　he　cut　off　my　arm。〃　　He　brandished　the　hook　threateningly。　　〃I've　waited　long　to　shake　his　hand　with　this。　　Oh；　I'll　tear　him！〃

　　〃And　yet；〃　said　Smee；　〃I　have　often　heard　you　say　that　hook　was　worth　a　score　of　hands；　for　combing　the　hair　and　other　homely　uses。〃

　　〃Ay；〃　the　captain　answered。　〃if　I　was　a　mother　I　would　pray　to　have　my　children　born　with　this　instead　of　that；〃　and　he　cast　a　look　of　pride　upon　his　iron　hand　and　one　of　scorn　upon　the　other。　　Then　again　he　frowned。

　　〃Peter　flung　my　arm；〃　he　said；　wincing；　〃to　a　crocodile　that　happened　to　be　passing　by。〃

　　〃I　have　often；〃　said　Smee；　〃noticed　your　strange　dread　of　crocodiles。〃

　　〃Not　of　crocodiles；〃　Hook　corrected　him；　〃but　of　that　one　crocodile。〃　　He　lowered　his　voice。　　〃It　liked　my　arm　so　much；　Smee；　that　it　has　followed　me　ever　since；　from　sea　to　sea　and　from　land　to　land；　licking　its　lips　for　the　rest　of　me。〃

　　〃In　a　way；〃　said　Smee；　〃it's　sort　of　a　compliment。〃

　　〃I　want　no　such　compliments；〃　Hook　barked　petulantly。　　〃I　want　Peter　Pan；　who　first　gave　the　brute　its　taste　for　me。〃　

　　He　sat　down　on　a　large　mushroom；　and　now　there　was　a　quiver　in　his　voice。　　〃Smee；〃　he　said　huskily；　〃that　crocodile　would　have　had　me　before　this；　but　by　a　lucky　chance　it　swallowed　a　clock　which　goes　tick　tick　inside　it；　and　so　before　it　can　reach　me　I　hear　the　tick　and　bolt。〃　　He　laughed；　but　in　a　hollow　way。

　　〃Some　day；〃　said　Smee；　〃the　clock　will　run　down；　and　then　he'll　get　you。〃

　　Hook　wetted　his　dry　lips。　　〃Ay；〃　he　said；　〃that's　the　fear　that　haunts　me。〃

　　Since　sitting　down　he　had　felt　curiously　warm。　　〃Smee；〃　he　said；　〃this　seat　is　hot。〃　　He　jumped　up。　　〃Odds　bobs；　hammer　and　tongs　I'm　burning。〃

　　They　examined　the　mushroom；　which　was　of　a　size　and　solidity　unknown　on　the　mainland；　they　tried　to　pull　it　up；　and　it　came　away　at　once　in　their　hands；　for　it　had　no　root。　　Stranger　still；　smoke　began　at　once　to　ascend。　　The　pirates　looked　at　each　other。　　〃A　chimney！〃　they　both　exclaimed。

　　They　had　indeed　discovered　the　chimney　of　the　home　under　the　ground。　　It　was　the　custom　of　the　boys　to　stop　it　with　a　mushroom　when　enemies　were　in　the　neighbourhood。

　　Not　only　smoke　came　out　of　it。　　There　came　also　children's　voices；　for　so　safe　did　the　boys　feel　in　their　hiding…place　that　they　were　gaily　chattering。　　The　pirates　listened　grimly；　and　then　replaced　the　mushroom。　　They　looked　around　them　and　noted　the　holes　in　the　seven　trees。

　　〃Did　you　hear　them　say　Peter　Pan's　from　home？〃　Smee　whispered；　fidgeting　with　Johnny　Corkscrew。

　　Hook　nodded。　　He　stood　for　a　long　time　lost　in　thought；　and　at　last　a　curdling　smile　lit　up　his　swarthy　face。　　Smee　had　been　waiting　for　it。　　〃Unrip　your　plan；　captain；〃　he　cried　eagerly。

　　〃To　return　to　the　ship；〃　Hook　replied　slowly　through　his　teeth；　〃and　cook　a　large　rich　cake　of　a　jolly　thickness　with　green　sugar　on　it。　　There　can　be　but　one　room　below；　for　there　is　but　one　chimney。　　The　silly　moles　had　not　the　sense　to　see　that　they　did　not　need　a　door　apiece。　　That　shows　they　have　no　mother。　　We　will　leave　the　cake　on　the　shore　of　the　Mermaids'　Lagoon。　　These　boys　are　always　swimming　about　there；　playing　with　the　mermaids。　　They　will　find　the　cake　and　they　will　gobble　it　up；　because；　having　no　mother；　they　don't　know　how　dangerous　'tis　to　eat　rich　damp　cake。〃　　He　burst　into　laughter；　not　hollow　laughter　now；　but　honest　laughter。　　〃Aha；　they　will　die。〃

　　Smee　had　listened　with　growing　admiration。

　　〃It's　the　wickedest；　prettiest　policy　ever　I　heard　of！〃　he　cried；　and　in　their　exultation　they　danced　and　sang：


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Avast；　belay；　when　I　appear；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　By　fear　they're　overtook；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Nought's　left　upon　your　bones　when　you　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Have　shaken　claws　with　Cook。〃

　　They　began　the　verse；　but　they　never　finished　it；　for　another　sound　broke　in　and　stilled　them。　　The　was　at　first　such　a　tiny　sound　that　a　leaf　might　have　fallen　on　it　and　smothered　it；　but　as　it　came　nearer　it　was　more　distinct。

　　Tick　tick　tick　tick。！　

　　Hook　stood　shuddering；　one　foot　in　the　air。

　　〃The　crocodile！〃　he　gasped；　and　bounded　away；　followed　by　his　bo'sun。

　　It　was　indeed　the　crocodile。　　It　had　passed　the　redskins；　who　were　now　on　the　trail　of　the　other　pirates。　　It　oozed　on　after　Hook。

　　Once　more　the　boys　emerged　into　the　open；　but　the　dangers　of　the　night　were　not　yet　over；　for　presently　Nibs　rushed　breathless　into　their　midst；　pursued　by　a　pack　of　wolves。　　The　tongues　of　the　pursuers　were　hanging　out；　the　baying　of　them　was　horrible。

　　〃Save　me；　save　me！〃　cried　Nibs；　falling　on　the　ground。

　　〃But　what　can　we　do；　what　can　we　do？〃

　　It　was　a　high　compliment　to　Peter　that　at　that　dire　moment　their　thoughts　turned　to　him。

　　〃What　would　Peter　do？〃