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“I hd rɖr h hd bn a ledi,” Crli sd.

“I wś h hd bn a ẃît rat,” sd Nibz.

“Qayt,” ɖer muɖr admoniśt ɖm. “Ɖr wz a ledi olso, n—”

“Ǒ, mumi,” craid ɖ frst twin, “y mīn ɖt ɖr z a ledi olso, d’nt y? Ś z nt ded, z ś?”

“Ǒ, No.”

“I am ōḟli glad ś z’nt ded,” sd Tūtlz. “R y glad, Jon?”

“V cors I am.”

“R y glad, Nibz?”

“Rɖr.”

“R y glad, Twinz?”

“W r glad.”

“Ǒ dir,” said Wndi.

“Litl les nôz ɖr,” Pītr cōld ǎt, dtrmind ɖt ś śd hv fer ple, hvr bīstli a stori it mt b in hiz opińn.

“Ɖ jntlmn’z nem,” Wndi cntinyd, “wz Mr Darlñ, n hr nem wz Msz Darlñ.”

“I ń ɖm,” Jon sd, t anô ɖ uɖrz.

“I ʈnc I ń ɖm,” sd Mîcl rɖr dǎtḟli.

“Ɖe wr marid, y nǒ,” xplend Wndi, “n ẃt d y ʈnc ɖe hd?”

“Ẃît rats,” craid Nibz, inspîrd.

“No.”

“It’s ōḟli puẓlñ,” sd Tūtlz, hu ń ɖ stori bî hart.

“Qayt, Tūtlz. Ɖe hd ʈri dsndnts.”

“Ẃt z dsndnts?”

“Wel, y r wn, Twin.”

“Dd y hír ɖt, Jon? I am a dsndnt.”

“Dsndnts r onli ćildṛn,” sd Jon.

“Ǒ dir, ǒ dir,” said Wndi. “Nǎ ɖz ʈri ćildṛn hd a feʈfl nrs cōld Nana; bt Mr Darlñ wz angri wɖ hr n ćend hr p in ɖ yard, n so ol ɖ ćildṛn flù awe.”

“It’s an ōḟli gd stori,” sd Nibz.

“Ɖe flù awe,” Wndi cntinyd, “t ɖ Neṿland, ẃr ɖ lost ćildṛn r.”

“I jst ʈt ɖe dd,” Crli brouc in xîtidli. “I d’nt nǒ hǎ it z, bt I jst ʈt ɖe dd!”

“O Wndi,” craid Tūtlz, “wz wn v ɖ lost ćildṛn cōld Tūtlz?”

“Yes, h wz.”

“I am in a stori. Hrā, I am in a stori, Nibz.”

“Huś. Nǎ I wont y t cnsidr ɖ fīlñz v ɖ unhapi peṛnts wɖ ol ɖer ćildṛn floun awe.”

“Oo!” ɖe ol mond, ɖo ɖe wr nt riyli cnsiḍrñ ɖ fīlñz v ɖ unhapi peṛnts wn jot.

“Ʈnc v ɖ emti bedz!”

“Oo!”

“It’s ōḟli sad,” ɖ frst twin sd ćirḟli.

“I d’nt si hǎ it cn hv a hapi endñ,” sd ɖ secnd twin. “D y, Nibz?”

“I’m frîtḟli añśs.”

“F y ń hǎ gret z a muɖr’z luv,” Wndi tld ɖm trîumfntli, “y wd hv no fir.” Ś hd nǎ cm t ɖ part ɖt Pītr hetd.

“I d lîc a muɖr’z luv,” sd Tūtlz, hitñ Nibz wɖ a pilo. “D y lîc a muɖr’z luv, Nibz?”

“I d jst,” sd Nibz, hitñ bac.

“Y si,” Wndi sd cmplesntli, “ǎr herǒin ń ɖt ɖ muɖr wd olwz līv ɖ windo opn fr hr ćildṛn t flî bac bî; so ɖe steid awe fr yirz n hd a luvli tîm.”

“Dd ɖe evr g bac?”

“Let s nǎ,” sd Wndi, bresñ hrslf p fr hr fînist eḟt, “tec a pīp intu ɖ fyćr;” n ɖe ol gev ɖmslvz ɖ twist ɖt mcs pīps intu ɖ fyćr īzịr. “Yirz hv rold bî, n hu z ɖs elignt ledi v unsrtn ej alîtñ at Lundn Steśn?”

“O Wndi, hu z ś?” craid Nibz, evri bit az xîtd az f h dd’nt nǒ.

“Cn it b—yes—no—it z—ɖ fer Wndi!”

“Ǒ!”

“N hu r ɖ tū nobl portli figrz acumṗniyñ hr, nǎ groun t man’z istet? Cn ɖe b Jon n Mîcl? Ɖe r!”

“Ǒ!”

“‘Si, dir bruɖrz,’ sz Wndi pôntñ upwdz, ‘ɖr z ɖ windo stl standñ opn. Ā, nǎ w r rwordd fr ǎr sblîm feʈ in a muɖr’z luv.’ So p ɖe flù t ɖer mumi n dadi, n pén canot dscrîb ɖ hapi sīn, ovr ẃć w drw a veil.”

Ɖt wz ɖ stori, n ɖe wr az plizd wɖ it az ɖ fer nretr hrslf. Evrʈñ jst az it śd b, y si. Of w scip lîc ɖ most hartlis ʈñz in ɖ wrld, ẃć z ẃt ćildṛn r, bt so atractiv; n w hv an intîrli slfiś tîm, n ɖen ẃn w hv nīd v speśl atnśn w nobli rtrn fr it, confidnt ɖt w śl b rwordd instd v smact.

So gret indd wz ɖer feʈ in a muɖr’z luv ɖt ɖe flt ɖe cd aford t b caḷs fr a bit longr.

Bt ɖr wz wn ɖr hu ń betr, n ẃn Wndi finiśt h utrd a holo gron.

“Ẃt z it, Pītr?” ś craid, runñ t him, ʈncñ h wz il. Ś flt him s’lisiṭsli, lowr dǎn ɖn hiz ćst. “Ẃr z it, Pītr?”

“It z’nt ɖt cnd v pen,” Pītr rplaid darcli.

“Ɖen ẃt cnd z it?”

“Wndi, y r roñ abt muɖrz.”

Ɖe ol gaɖrd rnd him in afrît, so alarmñ wz hiz ajteśn; n wɖ a fîn candr h tld ɖm ẃt h hd hiɖrtu cnsild.

“Loñ ago,” h sd, “I ʈt lîc y ɖt mî muɖr wd olwz cīp ɖ windo opn fr m, so I steid awe fr mūnz n mūnz n mūnz, n ɖen flù bac; bt ɖ windo wz bàrd, fr muɖr hd fgotn ol abt m, n ɖr wz anɖr litl bô slīpñ in mî bed.”

I am nt śr ɖt ɖs wz tru, bt Pītr ʈt it wz tru; n it scerd ɖm.

“R y śr muɖrz r lîc ɖt?”

“Yes.”

So ɖs wz ɖ truʈ abt muɖrz. Ɖ tǒdz!

Stl it z bst t b cerfl; n nwn nz so qcli az a ćîld ẃn h śd gv in. “Wndi, let s g hom,” craid Jon n Mîcl tgɖr.

“Yes,” ś sd, clućñ ɖm.

“Nt tnît?” asct ɖ lost bôz bwildrd. Ɖe ń in ẃt ɖe cōld ɖer harts ɖt wn cn gt on qt wel wɖt a muɖr, n ɖt it z onli ɖ muɖrz hu ʈnc y c’nt.

“At wns,” Wndi rplaid reẓlutli, fr ɖ hoṛbl ʈōt hd cm t hr: “Phps muɖr z in haf mōrnñ bî ɖs tîm.”

Ɖs dred md hr fgetfl v ẃt mst b Pītr’z fīlñz, n ś sd t him rɖr śarpli, “Pītr, wl y mc ɖ nesṣri arenjmnts?”

“F y wś it,” h rplaid, az cūli az f ś hd asct him t pas ɖ nuts.

Nt so mć az a sori-t-lūz-y btwn ɖm! F ś dd nt mînd ɖ partñ, h wz gwñ t śo hr, wz Pītr, ɖt nɖr dd h.

Bt v cors h cerd vri mć; n h wz so fl v roʈ agnst groun-ups, hu, az yźl, wr spôlñ evrʈñ, ɖt az sn az h got insd hiz tri h briɖd intnśṇli qc śort breʈs at ɖ ret v abt fîv t a secnd. H dd ɖs bcz ɖr z a seyñ in ɖ Neṿland ɖt, evri tîm y briɖ, a groun-up dîz; n Pītr wz cilñ ɖm of vndictivli az fast az poṣbl.

Ɖen hvñ gvn ɖ nesṣri instrux́nz t ɖ redscinz h rtrnd t ɖ hom, ẃr an unwrɖi sīn hd bn inactd in hiz absns. Panic-stricn at ɖ ʈōt v luzñ Wndi ɖ lost bôz hd advanst upn hr ʈreṭnñli.

“It wl b wrs ɖn bfr ś cem,” ɖe craid.

“W ś’nt let hr g.”

“Let’s cīp hr priznr.”

“Ai, ćen hr p.”

In hr xtreṃti an instñt tld hr t ẃć v ɖm t trn.

“Tūtlz,” ś craid, “I apil t y.”

Wz it nt strenj? Ś apild t Tūtlz, qt ɖ siliist wn.

Grandli, hvr, dd Tūtlz rspond. Fr ɖt wn momnt h dropt hiz silinis n spouc wɖ digṇti.

“I am jst Tūtlz,” h sd, “n nbdi mîndz m. Bt ɖ frst hu dz nt bhev t Wndi lîc an Ñgliś jntlmn I wl blud him svirli.”

H drù bac hiz hañr; n fr ɖt instnt hiz sún wz at nūn. Ɖ uɖrz hld bac unīẓli. Ɖen Pītr rtrnd, n ɖe sw at wns ɖt ɖe wd gt no s’port fṛm him. H wd cīp no grl in ɖ Neṿland agnst hr wl.

“Wndi,” h sd, strîdñ p n dǎn, “I hv asct ɖ redscinz t gîd y ʈru ɖ wŭd, az flayñ tîrz y so.”

“Ʈanc y, Pītr.”

“Ɖen,” h cntinyd, in ɖ śort śarp vôs v wn acustmd t b obeid, “Tncr Bel wl tec y acrs ɖ sī. Wec hr, Nibz.”

Nibz hd t noc twîs bfr h got an ansr, ɖo Tnc hd riyli bn sitñ p in bed liṣnñ fr sm tîm.

“Hu r y? Hǎ der y? G awe,” ś craid.

“Y r t gt p, Tnc,” Nibz cōld, “n tec Wndi on a jrni.”

V cors Tnc hd bn dlîtd t hír ɖt Wndi wz gwñ; bt ś wz joli wel dtrmind nt t b hr curịr, n ś sd so in stl mor ofnsiv lanḡj. Ɖen ś pritndd t b aslip agn.

“Ś sz ś w’nt!” Nibz xclemd, agast at sć insborḍneśn, ẃr’pn Pītr wnt strnli twd ɖ yuñ ledi’z ćembr.

“Tnc,” h rapt ǎt, “f y d’nt gt p n dres at wns I wl opn ɖ crtnz, n ɖen w śl ol si y in yr negligée.”

Ɖs md hr līp t ɖ flor. “Hu sd I wz’nt gtñ p?” ś craid.

In ɖ mntm ɖ bôz wr gezñ vri f’lornli at Wndi, nǎ iqipt wɖ Jon n Mîcl fr ɖ jrni. Bî ɖs tîm ɖe wr djctd, nt mirli bcz ɖe wr abt t lūz hr, bt olso bcz ɖe flt ɖt ś wz gwñ of t smʈñ nîs t ẃć ɖe hd nt bn invîtd. Novlti wz bec̣nñ t ɖm az yźl.

Creḍtñ ɖm wɖ a noblr fīlñ Wndi mltd.

“Dir wnz,” ś sd, “f y wl ol cm wɖ m I fīl olmst śr I cn gt mî faɖr n muɖr t adopt y.”

Ɖ invteśn wz mnt speṣ́li fr Pītr, bt ć v ɖ bôz wz ʈncñ xclusivli v himslf, n at wns ɖe jumt wɖ jô.

“Bt w’nt ɖe ʈnc s rɖr a hanfl?” Nibz asct in ɖ midl v hiz jump.

“Ǒ no,” sd Wndi, rapidli ʈncñ it ǎt, “it wl onli mīn hvñ a fy bedz in ɖ drw̃rūm; ɖe cn b hidn bhnd ɖ scrīnz on frst Ʈrzdez.”

“Pītr, cn w g?” ɖe ol craid implorñli. Ɖe tc it fr grantd ɖt f ɖe wnt h wd g olso, bt riyli ɖe scersli cerd. Ɖus ćildṛn r evr redi, ẃn novlti nocs, t dzrt ɖer dirist wnz.

“Ol rît,” Pītr rplaid wɖ a bitr smîl, n imīɉtli ɖe ruśt t gt ɖer ʈñz.

“N nǎ, Pītr,” Wndi sd, ʈncñ ś hd pt evrʈñ rît, “I am gwñ t gv y yr meḍsin bfr y g.” Ś luvd t gv ɖm meḍsin, n undǎtidli gev ɖm tù mć. V cors it wz onli wōtr, bt it wz ǎt v a botl, n ś olwz śc ɖ botl n cǎntd ɖ drops, ẃć gev it a srtn mdisinl qoḷti. On ɖs oceźn, hvr, ś dd nt gv Pītr hiz dráft, fr jst az ś hd priperd it, ś sw a lc on hiz fes ɖt md hr hart snc.

“Gt yr ʈñz, Pītr,” ś craid, śecñ.

“No,” h ansrd, pritndñ indifṛns, “I am nt gwñ wɖ y, Wndi.”

“Yes, Pītr.”

“No.”

T śo ɖt hr dparćr wd līv him unmuvd, h scipt p n dǎn ɖ rūm, pleyñ gêli on hiz hartlis pîps. Ś hd t run abt aftr him, ɖo it wz rɖr undigṇfaid.

“T fînd yr muɖr,” ś cǒxt.

Nǎ, f Pītr hd evr qt hd a muɖr, h no longr míst hr. H cd d vri wel wɖt wn. H hd ʈt ɖm ǎt, n rmembrd onli ɖer bad pônts.

“No, no,” h tld Wndi dsîsivli; “phps ś wd se I wz old, n I jst wont olwz t b a litl bô n t hv fun.”

“Bt, Pītr—”

“No.”

N so ɖ uɖrz hd t b tld.

“Pītr z’nt cmñ.”

Pītr nt cmñ! Ɖe gezd blancli at him, ɖer stics ovr ɖer bacs, n on ć stic a bundl. Ɖer frst ʈōt wz ɖt f Pītr wz nt gwñ h hd probbli ćenjd hiz mînd abt letñ ɖm g.

Bt h wz far tù prǎd fr ɖt. “F y fînd yr muɖrz,” h sd darcli, “I hop y wl lîc ɖm.”

Ɖ ōfl siṇsizm v ɖs md an uncumftbl impreśn, n most v ɖm bgan t lc rɖr dǎtfl. Aftr ol, ɖer fesz sd, wr ɖe nt nūdlz t wont t g?

“Nǎ ɖen,” craid Pītr, “no fus, no bluḅrñ; gdbî, Wndi;” n h hld ǎt hiz hand ćiṛli, qt az f ɖe mst riyli g nǎ, fr h hd smʈñ importnt t d.

Ś hd t tec hiz hand, n ɖr wz no indceśn ɖt h wd prifŕ a ʈimbl.

“Y wl rmembr abt ćenjñ yr flanlz, Pītr?” ś sd, linġrñ ovr him. Ś wz olwz so ptiklr abt ɖer flanlz.

“Yes.”

“N y wl tec yr meḍsin?”

“Yes.”

Ɖt sīmd t b evrʈñ, n an ōcẉd pōz foloud. Pītr, hvr, wz nt ɖ cnd ɖt brecs dǎn bfr uɖr ppl. “R y redi, Tncr Bel?” h cōld ǎt.

“Ai, ai.”

“Ɖen līd ɖ we.”

Tnc dartd p ɖ nirist tri; bt nwn foloud hr, fr it wz at ɖs momnt ɖt ɖ pîṛts md ɖer dredfl atac upn ɖ redscinz. Abv, ẃr ol hd bn so stil, ɖ er wz rent wɖ śrīcz n ɖ claś v stīl. B’lo, ɖr wz ded sîḷns. Mǎɖz opnd n rmend opn. Wndi fél on hr niz, bt hr armz wr xtndd twd Pītr. Ol armz wr xtndd t him, az f sudnli bloun in hiz d’rex́n; ɖe wr bsićñ him ḿtli nt t dzrt ɖm. Az fr Pītr, h sizd hiz sord, ɖ sem h ʈōt h hd slein Barḅk wɖ, n ɖ lust v batl wz in hiz î.

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