I hop y wont t nǒ ẃt bcem v ɖ uɖr bôz. Ɖe wr wêtñ b’lo t gv Wndi tîm t xplen abt ɖm; n ẃn ɖe hd cǎntd fîv hundṛd ɖe wnt p. Ɖe wnt p bî ɖ ster, bcz ɖe ʈt ɖs wd mc a betr impreśn. Ɖe std in a ro in frunt v Msz Darlñ, wɖ ɖer hats of, n wśñ ɖe wr nt wẹrñ ɖer pîṛtcloɖz. Ɖe sd nʈñ, bt ɖer îz asct hr t hv ɖm. Ɖe òt t hv lct at Mr Darlñ olso, bt ɖe fgot abt him.
V cors Msz Darlñ sd at wns ɖt ś wd hv ɖm; bt Mr Darlñ wz krịsli dprest, n ɖe sw ɖt h cnsidrd six a rɖr larj numbr.
“I mst se,” h sd t Wndi, “ɖt y d’nt d ʈñz bî havz,” a grujñ rmarc ẃć ɖ twinz ʈt wz pôntd at ɖm.
Ɖ frst twin wz ɖ prǎd wn, n h asct, fluśñ, “D y ʈnc w śd b tù mć v a hanfl, sr? Bcz, f so, w cn g awe.”
“Faɖr!” Wndi craid, śoct; bt stl ɖ clǎd wz on him. H ń h wz bhevñ unwrɖ̇li, bt h cd nt hlp it.
“W cd lî dubld p,” sd Nibz.
“I olwz cut ɖer her mslf,” sd Wndi.
“Jorj!” Msz Darlñ xclemd, pend t si hr dir wn śowñ himslf in sć an unfevṛbl lît.
Ɖen h brst intu tirz, n ɖ truʈ cem ǎt. H wz az glad t hv ɖm az ś wz, h sd, bt h ʈt ɖe śd hv asct hiz cnsnt az wel az hrz, instd v trītñ him az a sîfr in hiz ǒn hǎs.
“I d’nt ʈnc h z a sîfr,” Tūtlz craid instntli. “D y ʈnc h z a sîfr, Crli?”
“No, I d’nt. D y ʈnc h z a sîfr, Slîtli?”
“Rɖr nt. Twin, ẃt d y ʈnc?”
It trnd ǎt ɖt nt wn v ɖm ʈt him a sîfr; n h wz absrdli graṭfaid, n sd h wd fînd spes fr ɖm ol in ɖ drw̃rūm f ɖe fitd in.
“W’l fit in, sr,” ɖe aśurd him.
“Ɖen folo ɖ līdr,” h craid gêli. “Mînd y, I am nt śr ɖt w hv a drw̃rūm, bt w pritnd w hv, n it’s ol ɖ sem. Hūp la!”
H wnt of dansñ ʈru ɖ hǎs, n ɖe ol craid “Hūp la!” n danst aftr him, srćñ fr ɖ drw̃rūm; n I fget ẃɖr ɖe faund it, bt at eni ret ɖe faund cornrz, n ɖe ol fitd in.
Az fr Pītr, h sw Wndi wns agn bfr h flù awe. H dd nt xacli cm t ɖ windo, bt h bruśt agnst it in pasñ so ɖt ś cd opn it f ś lîct n cōl t him. Ɖt z ẃt ś dd.
“Hlo, Wndi, gdbî,” h sd.
“Ǒ dir, r y gwñ awe?”
“Yes.”
“Y d’nt fīl, Pītr,” ś sd fōlṭrñli, “ɖt y wd lîc t se enʈñ t mî peṛnts abt a vri swīt subjict?”
“No.”
“Abt m, Pītr?”
“No.”
Msz Darlñ cem t ɖ windo, fr at preznt ś wz cīpñ a śarp î on Wndi. Ś tld Pītr ɖt ś hd adoptd ol ɖ uɖr bôz, n wd lîc t adopt him olso.
“Wd y snd m t scūl?” h inqîrd crafṭli.
“Yes.”
“N ɖen t an ofis?”
“I s’poz so.”
“Sn I wd b a man?”
“Vri sn.”
“I d’nt wont t g t scūl n lrn soḷm ʈñz,” h tld hr paśṇtli. “I d’nt wont t b a man. O Wndi’z muɖr, f I wz t wec p n fīl ɖr wz a bird!”
“Pītr,” sd Wndi ɖ cumḟtr, “I śd luv y in a bird;” n Msz Darlñ strećt ǎt hr armz t him, bt h rpulst hr.
“Cīp bac, ledi, nwn z gwñ t cać m n mc m a man.”
“Bt ẃr r y gwñ t liv?”
“Wɖ Tnc in ɖ hǎs w bilt fr Wndi. Ɖ fẹriz r t pt it hî p amñ ɖ tri tops ẃr ɖe slīp at nîts.”
“Hǎ luvli,” craid Wndi so loññli ɖt Msz Darlñ tîtnd hr grip.
“I ʈt ol ɖ fẹriz wr ded,” Msz Darlñ sd.
“Ɖr r olwz a lot v yuñ wnz,” xplend Wndi, hu wz nǎ qt an oʈoṛti, “bcz y si ẃn a ny bebi lafs fr ɖ frst tîm a ny fẹri z born, n az ɖr r olwz ny bebiz ɖr r olwz ny fẹriz. Ɖe liv in nsts on ɖ tops v triz; n ɖ mov wnz r bôz n ɖ ẃît wnz r grlz, n ɖ blu wnz r jst litl siliz hu r nt śr ẃt ɖe r.”
“I śl hv sć fun,” sd Pītr, wɖ î on Wndi.
“It wl b rɖr lonli in ɖ īvnñ,” ś sd, “sitñ bî ɖ fîr.”
“I śl hv Tnc.”
“Tnc c’nt g a twentiiʈ part v ɖ we rnd,” ś rmîndd him a litl tartli.
“Snīci tel-têl!” Tnc cōld ǎt fṛm smẃr rnd ɖ cornr.
“It dz’nt matr,” Pītr sd.
“O Pītr, y nǒ it matrz.”
“Wel, ɖen, cm wɖ m t ɖ litl hǎs.”
“Me I, mumi?”
“Srtnli nt. I hv got y hom agn, n I mīn t cīp y.”
“Bt h dz so nīd a muɖr.”
“So d y, mî luv.”
“Ǒ, ol rît,” Pītr sd, az f h hd asct hr fṛm p’lîtnis mirli; bt Msz Darlñ sw hiz mǎʈ twić, n ś md ɖs hansm ofr: t let Wndi g t him fr a wīc evri yir t d hiz sprñclīnñ. Wndi wd hv prifŕd a mor prṃnnt arenjmnt; n it sīmd t hr ɖt sprñ wd b loñ in cmñ; bt ɖs promis snt Pītr awe qt ge agn. H hd no sns v tîm, n wz so fl v advnćrz ɖt ol I hv tld y abt him z onli a heṗniwrʈ v ɖm. I s’poz it wz bcz Wndi ń ɖs ɖt hr last wrdz t him wr ɖz rɖr plentiv wnz:
“Y w’nt fget m, Pītr, wl y, bfr sprñclīnñ tîm cmz?”
V cors Pītr promist; n ɖen h flù awe. H tc Msz Darlñ’z cis wɖ him. Ɖ cis ɖt hd bn fr nwn els, Pītr tc qt īẓli. Funi. Bt ś sīmd saṭsfaid.
V cors ol ɖ bôz wnt t scūl; n most v ɖm got intu Clas III, bt Slîtli wz pt frst intu Clas IV n ɖen intu Clas V. Clas I z ɖ top clas. Bfr ɖe hd atndd scūl a wīc ɖe sw ẃt gǒts ɖe hd bn nt t rmen on ɖ îḷnd; bt it wz tù lêt nǎ, n sn ɖe setld dǎn t biyñ az ordnri az y or m or Jncinz mînr. It z sad t hv t se ɖt ɖ pǎr t flî graɉli left ɖm. At frst Nana taid ɖer fīt t ɖ bedposts so ɖt ɖe śd nt flî awe in ɖ nît; n wn v ɖer dvrśnz bî de wz t pritnd t fōl of busz; bt bî n bî ɖe sīst t tug at ɖer bondz in bed, n faund ɖt ɖe hrt ɖmslvz ẃn ɖe let g v ɖ bus. In tîm ɖe cd nt īvn flî aftr ɖer hats. Wont v practis, ɖe cōld it; bt ẃt it riyli mnt wz ɖt ɖe no longr b’livd.
Mîcl b’livd longr ɖn ɖ uɖr bôz, ɖo ɖe jird at him; so h wz wɖ Wndi ẃn Pītr cem fr hr at ɖ end v ɖ frst yir. Ś flù awe wɖ Pītr in ɖ froc ś hd wovn fṛm līvz n bériz in ɖ Neṿland, n hr wn fir wz ɖt h mt notis hǎ śort it hd bcm; bt h nvr notist, h hd so mć t se abt himslf.
Ś hd lct fwd t ʈrilñ tōcs wɖ him abt old tîmz, bt ny advnćrz hd crǎdd ɖ old wnz fṛm hiz mînd.
“Hu z Captin Hc?” h asct wɖ inṭrest ẃn ś spouc v ɖ arć eṇmi.
“D’nt y rmembr,” ś asct, amezd, “hǎ y cild him n sevd ol ǎr lîvz?”
“I fget ɖm aftr I cil ɖm,” h rplaid cerlisli.
Ẃn ś xprest a dǎtfl hop ɖt Tncr Bel wd b glad t si hr h sd, “Hu z Tncr Bel?”
“O Pītr,” ś sd, śoct; bt īvn ẃn ś xplend h cd nt rmembr.
“Ɖr r sć a lot v ɖm,” h sd. “I xpct ś z no mor.”
I xpct h wz rît, fr fẹriz d’nt liv loñ, bt ɖe r so litl ɖt a śort tîm sīmz a gd ẃl t ɖm.
Wndi wz pend tù t fînd ɖt ɖ past yir wz bt az yesṭde t Pītr; it hd sīmd sć a loñ yir v wêtñ t hr. Bt h wz xacli az faṣnetñ az evr, n ɖe hd a luvli sprñclīnñ in ɖ litl hǎs on ɖ tri tops.
Nxt yir h dd nt cm fr hr. Ś wêtd in a ny froc bcz ɖ old wn simpli wd nt mīt; bt h nvr cem.
“Phps h z il,” Mîcl sd.
“Y nǒ h z nvr il.”
Mîcl cem clos t hr n ẃisprd, wɖ a śivr, “Phps ɖr z no sć prsn, Wndi!” n ɖen Wndi wd hv craid f Mîcl hd nt bn crayñ.
Pītr cem nxt sprñclīnñ; n ɖ strenj ʈñ wz ɖt h nvr ń h hd míst a yir.
Ɖt wz ɖ last tîm ɖ grl Wndi evr sw him. Fr a litl longr ś traid fr hiz sec nt t hv growñ penz; n ś flt ś wz untru t him ẃn ś got a prîz fr jenṛl nolij. Bt ɖ yirz cem n wnt wɖt brññ ɖ cerlis bô; n ẃn ɖe met agn Wndi wz a marid wmn, n Pītr wz no mor t hr ɖn a litl dust in ɖ box in ẃć ś hd cept hr tôz. Wndi wz groun p. Y nīd nt b sori fr hr. Ś wz wn v ɖ cnd ɖt lîcs t gro p. In ɖ end ś grù p v hr ǒn fri wil a de qcr ɖn uɖr grlz.
Ol ɖ bôz wr groun p n dn fr bî ɖs tîm; so it z scersli wrʈ ẃl seyñ enʈñ mor abt ɖm. Y me si ɖ twinz n Nibz n Crli eni de gwñ t an ofis, ć cariyñ a litl bag n an umbrela. Mîcl z an enjindrîvr. Slîtli marid a ledi v tîtl, n so h bcem a lord. Y si ɖt juj in a wig cmñ ǎt at ɖ ayn dor? Ɖt yst t b Tūtlz. Ɖ birdd man hu dz’nt nǒ eni stori t tel hiz ćildṛn wz wns Jon.
Wndi wz marid in ẃît wɖ a pnc saś. It z strenj t ʈnc ɖt Pītr dd nt alît in ɖ ćrć n fbid ɖ bánz.
Yirz rold on agn, n Wndi hd a dōtr. Ɖs òt nt t b ritn in ñc bt in a goldn splaś.
Ś wz cōld Jen, n olwz hd an od inqîrñ lc, az f fṛm ɖ momnt ś arîvd on ɖ mênḷnd ś wontd t asc qsćnz. Ẃn ś wz old inuf t asc ɖm ɖe wr mostli abt Pītr Pan. Ś luvd t hír v Pītr, n Wndi tld hr ol ś cd rmembr in ɖ vri nrṣri fṛm ẃć ɖ feṃs flît hd tecn ples. It wz Jen’z nrṣri nǎ, fr hr faɖr hd bòt it at ɖ ʈri psnts fṛm Wndi’z faɖr, hu wz no longr fond v sterz. Msz Darlñ wz nǎ ded n fgotn.
Ɖr wr onli tū bedz in ɖ nrṣri nǎ, Jen’z n hr nrs’z; n ɖr wz no cenl, fr Nana olso hd pást awe. Ś daid v old ej, n at ɖ end ś hd bn rɖr dificlt t gt on wɖ; biyñ vri frmli cnvinst ɖt nwn ń hǎ t lc aftr ćildṛn xpt hrslf.
Wns a wīc Jen’z nrs hd hr īvnñ of; n ɖen it wz Wndi’z part t pt Jen t bed. Ɖt wz ɖ tîm fr storiz. It wz Jen’z invnśn t rêz ɖ śīt ovr hr muɖr’z hed n hr ǒn, ɖus mcñ a tnt, n in ɖ ōfl darcnis t ẃispr:
“Ẃt d w si nǎ?”
“I d’nt ʈnc I si enʈñ tnît,” sz Wndi, wɖ a fīlñ ɖt f Nana wr hir ś wd objct t frɖr convseśn.
“Yes, y d,” sz Jen, “y si ẃn y wr a litl grl.”
“Ɖt z a loñ tîm ago, swīthart,” sz Wndi. “Ā m, hǎ tîm flîz!”
“Dz it flî,” ascs ɖ artfl ćîld, “ɖ we y flù ẃn y wr a litl grl?”
“Ɖ we I flù? D y nǒ, Jen, I smtmz wundr ẃɖr I evr dd riyli flî.”
“Yes, y dd.”
“Ɖ dir old dez ẃn I cd flî!”
“Ẃ c’nt y flî nǎ, muɖr?”
“Bcz I am groun p, dirist. Ẃn ppl gro p ɖe fget ɖ we.”
“Ẃ d ɖe fget ɖ we?”
“Bcz ɖe r no longr ge n iṇsnt n hartlis. It z onli ɖ ge n iṇsnt n hartlis hu cn flî.”
“Ẃt z ge n iṇsnt n hartlis? I d wś I wr ge n iṇsnt n hartlis.”
Or phps Wndi admits ś dz si smʈñ.
“I d b’liv,” ś sz, “ɖt it z ɖs nrṣri.”
“I d b’liv it z,” sz Jen. “G on.”
Ɖe r nǎ imbarct on ɖ gret advnćr v ɖ nît ẃn Pītr flù in lcñ fr hiz śado.
“Ɖ fūliś felo,” sz Wndi, “traid t stic it on wɖ sop, n ẃn h cd nt h craid, n ɖt wouc m, n I soud it on fr him.”
“Y hv míst a bit,” inṭrupts Jen, hu nǎ nz ɖ stori betr ɖn hr muɖr. “Ẃn y sw him sitñ on ɖ flor crayñ, ẃt dd y se?”
“I sat p in bed n I sd, ‘Bô, ẃ r y crayñ?’”
“Yes, ɖt wz it,” sz Jen, wɖ a big breʈ.
“N ɖen h flù s ol awe t ɖ Neṿland n ɖ fẹriz n ɖ pîṛts n ɖ redscinz n ɖ mrmeidz’ l’gūn, n ɖ hom undr ɖ grǎnd, n ɖ litl hǎs.”
“Yes! ẃć dd y lîc bst v ol?”
“I ʈnc I lîct ɖ hom undr ɖ grǎnd bst v ol.”
“Yes, so d I. Ẃt wz ɖ last ʈñ Pītr evr sd t y?”
“Ɖ last ʈñ h evr sd t m wz, ‘Jst olwz b wêtñ fr m, n ɖen sm nît y wl hír m crowñ’.”
“Yes.”
“Bt, alas, h fgot ol abt m,” Wndi sd it wɖ a smîl. Ś wz az groun p az ɖt.
“Ẃt dd hiz cro sǎnd lîc?” Jen asct wn īvnñ.
“It wz lîc ɖs,” Wndi sd, trayñ t iṃtet Pītr’z cro.
“No, it wz’nt,” Jen sd grevli, “it wz lîc ɖs;” n ś dd it evr so mć betr ɖn hr muɖr.
Wndi wz a litl startld. “Mî darlñ, hǎ cn y nǒ?”
“I ofn hír it ẃn I am slīpñ,” Jen sd.
“Ā yes, mni grlz hír it ẃn ɖe r slīpñ, bt I wz ɖ onli wn hu hŕd it awec.”
“Luci y,” sd Jen.
N ɖen wn nît cem ɖ traɉdi. It wz ɖ sprñ v ɖ yir, n ɖ stori hd bn tld fr ɖ nît, n Jen wz nǎ aslip in hr bed. Wndi wz sitñ on ɖ flor, vri clos t ɖ fîr, so az t si t darn, fr ɖr wz no uɖr lît in ɖ nrṣri; n ẃl ś sat darnñ ś hŕd a cro. Ɖen ɖ windo blù opn az v old, n Pītr dropt in on ɖ flor.
H wz xacli ɖ sem az evr, n Wndi sw at wns ɖt h stl hd ol hiz frst tīʈ.
H wz a litl bô, n ś wz groun p. Ś hudld bî ɖ fîr nt dẹrñ t muv, hlplis n gilti, a big wmn.
“Hlo, Wndi,” h sd, nt noṭsñ eni difṛns, fr h wz ʈncñ ćīfli v himslf; n in ɖ dim lît hr ẃît dres mt hv bn ɖ nîtgǎn in ẃć h hd sìn hr frst.
“Hlo, Pītr,” ś rplaid fentli, sqizñ hrslf az smōl az poṣbl. Smʈñ insd hr wz crayñ “Wmn, Wmn, let g v m.”
“Hlo, ẃr z Jon?” h asct, sudnli misñ ɖ ʈrd bed.
“Jon z nt hir nǎ,” ś gaspt.
“Z Mîcl aslip?” h asct, wɖ a cerlis glans at Jen.
“Yes,” ś ansrd; n nǎ ś flt ɖt ś wz untru t Jen az wel az t Pītr.
“Ɖt z nt Mîcl,” ś sd qcli, lest a jujmnt śd fōl on hr.
Pītr lct. “Hlo, z it a ny wn?”
“Yes.”
“Bô or grl?”
“Grl.”
Nǎ śrli h wd unḍstand; bt nt a bit v it.
“Pītr,” ś sd, fōlṭrñ, “r y xpctñ m t flî awe wɖ y?”
“V cors; ɖt z ẃ I hv cm.” H add a litl strnli, “Hv y fgotn ɖt ɖs z sprñclīnñ tîm?”
Ś ń it wz yslis t se ɖt h hd let mni sprñclīnñ tîmz pas.
“I c’nt cm,” ś sd apoḷjeticli, “I hv fgotn hǎ t flî.”
“I’l sn tīć y agn.”
“O Pītr, d’nt west ɖ fẹridust on m.”
Ś hd rizn; n nǎ at last a fir aseld him. “Ẃt z it?” h craid, śrincñ.
“I wl trn p ɖ lît,” ś sd, “n ɖen y cn si fr yrslf.”
Fr olmst ɖ onli tîm in hiz lîf ɖt I nǒ v, Pītr wz afreid. “D’nt trn p ɖ lît,” h craid.
Ś let hr handz ple in ɖ her v ɖ trajic bô. Ś wz nt a litl grl hart-brocn abt him; ś wz a groun wmn smîlñ at it ol, bt ɖe wr wet-aid smîlz.
Ɖen ś trnd p ɖ lît, n Pītr sw. H gev a crî v pen; n ẃn ɖ tōl bytifl crīćr stūpt t lift him in hr armz h drù bac śarpli.
“Ẃt z it?” h craid agn.
Ś hd t tel him.
“I am old, Pītr. I am evr so mć mor ɖn twenti. I grù p loñ ago.”
“Y promist nt t!”
“I cd’nt hlp it. I am a marid wmn, Pītr.”
“No, y’r nt.”
“Yes, n ɖ litl grl in ɖ bed z mî bebi.”
“No, ś’z nt.”
Bt h s’pozd ś wz; n h tc a step twdz ɖ slīpñ ćîld wɖ hiz dagr uprezd. V cors h dd nt strîc. H sat dǎn on ɖ flor instd n sobd; n Wndi dd nt nǒ hǎ t cumḟt him, ɖo ś cd hv dn it so īẓli wns. Ś wz onli a wmn nǎ, n ś ran ǎt v ɖ rūm t trî t ʈnc.
Pītr cntinyd t crî, n sn hiz sobz wouc Jen. Ś sat p in bed, n wz inṭrestd at wns.
“Bô,” ś sd, “ẃ r y crayñ?”
Pītr rouz n baud t hr, n ś baud t him fṛm ɖ bed.
“Hlo,” h sd.
“Hlo,” sd Jen.
“Mî nem z Pītr Pan,” h tld hr.
“Yes, I nǒ.”
“I cem bac fr mî muɖr,” h xplend, “t tec hr t ɖ Neṿland.”
“Yes, I nǒ,” Jen sd, “I hv bn wêtñ fr y.”
Ẃn Wndi rtrnd difidntli ś faund Pītr sitñ on ɖ bedpost crowñ glorịsli, ẃl Jen in hr nighty wz flayñ rnd ɖ rūm in soḷm xṭsi.
“Ś z mî muɖr,” Pītr xplend; n Jen dsndd n std bî hiz sîd, wɖ ɖ lc in hr fes ɖt h lîct t si on lediz ẃn ɖe gezd at him.
“H dz so nīd a muɖr,” Jen sd.
“Yes, I nǒ,” Wndi admitd rɖr f’lornli; “nwn nz it so wel az I.”
“Gdbî,” sd Pītr t Wndi; n h rouz in ɖ er, n ɖ śemlis Jen rouz wɖ him; it wz olrdi hr īziist we v muvñ abt.
Wndi ruśt t ɖ windo.
“No, no,” ś craid.
“It z jst fr sprñclīnñ tîm,” Jen sd, “h wonts m olwz t d hiz sprñclīnñ.”
“F onli I cd g wɖ y,” Wndi said.
“Y si y c’nt flî,” sd Jen.
V cors in ɖ end Wndi let ɖm flî awe tgɖr. Ǎr last glims v hr śoz hr at ɖ windo, woćñ ɖm rsidñ intu ɖ scî untl ɖe wr az smōl az starz.
Az y lc at Wndi, y me si hr her bcmñ ẃît, n hr figr litl agn, fr ol ɖs hapnd loñ ago. Jen z nǎ a comn groun-up, wɖ a dōtr cōld Marġrit; n evri sprñclīnñ tîm, xpt ẃn h fgets, Pītr cmz fr Marġrit n tecs hr t ɖ Neṿland, ẃr ś tlz him storiz abt himslf, t ẃć h lisnz īgrli. Ẃn Marġrit groz p ś wl hv a dōtr, hu z t b Pītr’z muɖr in trn; n ɖus it wl g on, so loñ az ćildṛn r ge n iṇsnt n hartlis.
Ɖ END
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