V cors ɖe livd at 14, n untl Wndi cem hr muɖr wz ɖ ćīf wn. Ś wz a luvli ledi, wɖ a r’mantic mînd n sć a swīt mocñ mǎʈ. Hr r’mantic mînd wz lîc ɖ tîni boxz, wn wɖn ɖ uɖr, ɖt cm fṛm ɖ puẓlñ Īst, hvr mni y dscuvr ɖr z olwz wn mor; n hr swīt mocñ mǎʈ hd wn cis on it ɖt Wndi cd nvr gt, ɖo ɖr it wz, prficli cnspiks in ɖ rît-hand cornr.Ɖ we Mr Darlñ wún hr wz ɖs: ɖ mni jntlṃn hu hd bn bôz ẃn ś wz a grl dscuvrd simlteńsli ɖt ɖe luvd hr, n ɖe ol ran t hr hǎs t pṛpoz t hr xpt Mr Darlñ, hu tc a cab n nipt in frst, n so h got hr. H got ol v hr, xpt ɖ inrmost box n ɖ cis. H nvr ń abt ɖ box, n in tîm h gev p trayñ fr ɖ cis. Wndi ʈt Npołn cd hv got it, bt I cn picćr him trayñ, n ɖen gwñ of in a paśn, slamñ ɖ dor.

Mr Darlñ yst t bost t Wndi ɖt hr muɖr nt onli luvd him bt rspctd him. H wz wn v ɖoz dīp wnz hu nǒ abt stocs n śerz. V cors nwn riyli nz, bt h qt sīmd t nǒ, n h ofn sd stocs wr p n śerz wr dǎn in a we ɖt wd hv md eni wmn rspct him.

Msz Darlñ wz marid in ẃît, n at frst ś cept ɖ bcs prficli, olmst glīḟli, az f it wr a gem, nt so mć az a Bruslz sprǎt wz misñ; bt bî n bî hol coḷflǎrz dropt ǎt, n instd v ɖm ɖr wr picćrz v bebiz wɖt fesz. Ś drù ɖm ẃn ś śd hv bn totñ p. Ɖe wr Msz Darlñ’z gesz.

Wndi cem frst, ɖen Jon, ɖen Mîcl.

Fr a wīc or tū aftr Wndi cem it wz dǎtfl ẃɖr ɖe wd b ebl t cīp hr, az ś wz anɖr mǎʈ t fīd. Mr Darlñ wz frîtḟli prǎd v hr, bt h wz vri onṛbl, n h sat on ɖ éj v Msz Darlñ’z bed, holdñ hr hand n calkletñ xpnsz, ẃl ś lct at him implorñli. Ś wontd t risc it, cm ẃt mt, bt ɖt wz nt hiz we; hiz we wz wɖ a pnsl n a pìs v pepr, n f ś cnfyzd him wɖ sjsćnz h hd t bgin at ɖ bginñ agn.

“Nǎ d’nt inṭrupt,” h wd beg v hr.

“I hv wn pǎnd sevntīn hir, n tū n six at ɖ ofis; I cn cut of mî cofi at ɖ ofis, se ten śilñz, mcñ tū nîn n six, wɖ yr etīn n ʈri mcs ʈri nîn sevn, wɖ fîv nōt nōt in mî ćéc bc mcs et nîn sevn—hu z ɖt muvñ?—et nîn sevn, dot n cari sevn—d’nt spīc, mî ǒn—n ɖ pǎnd y lent t ɖt man hu cem t ɖ dor—qayt, ćîld—dot n cari ćîld—ɖr, y’v dn it!—dd I se nîn nîn sevn? yes, I sd nîn nîn sevn; ɖ qsćn z, cn w trî it fr a yir on nîn nîn sevn?”

“V cors w cn, Jorj,” ś craid. Bt ś wz preɉdist in Wndi’z fevr, n h wz riyli ɖ grandr caṛctr v ɖ tū.

“Rmembr mumps,” h wornd hr olmst ʈreṭnñli, n of h wnt agn. “Mumps wn pǎnd, ɖt z ẃt I hv pt dǎn, bt I derse it wl b mor lîc ʈrti śilñz—d’nt spīc—mīzlz wn fîv, Jrmn mīzlz haf a gini, mcs tū fiftīn six—d’nt wagl yr fngr—hūpñcof, se fiftīn śilñz”—n so on it wnt, n it add p difṛntli ć tîm; bt at last Wndi jst got ʈru, wɖ mumps rdyst t twelv six, n ɖ tū cndz v mīzlz trītd az wn.

Ɖr wz ɖ sem xîtmnt ovr Jon, n Mîcl hd īvn a narowr sqīc; bt bʈ wr cept, n sn, y mt hv sìn ɖ ʈri v ɖm gwñ in a ro t Mis Fŭlsm’z Cindrgartn scūl, acumṗnid bî ɖer nrs.

Msz Darlñ luvd t hv evrʈñ jst so, n Mr Darlñ hd a paśn fr biyñ xacli lîc hiz nebrz; so, v cors, ɖe hd a nrs. Az ɖe wr pur, owñ t ɖ amǎnt v milc ɖ ćildṛn dranc, ɖs nrs wz a prim Nyfndḷnd dog, cōld Nana, hu hd b’loñd t nwn in ptiklr untl ɖ Darlñz ingejd hr. Ś hd olwz ʈt ćildṛn importnt, hvr, n ɖ Darlñz hd bcm aqentd wɖ hr in Cnzñtn Gardnz, ẃr ś spent most v hr sper tîm pīpñ intu p’rambyletrz, n wz mć hetd bî cerlis nrsmeidz, hūm ś foloud t ɖer homz n cmplend v t ɖer mistṛsz. Ś pruvd t b qt a treźr v a nrs. Hǎ ʈura ś wz at baʈtîm, n p at eni momnt v ɖ nît f wn v hr ćarjz md ɖ slîtist crî. V cors hr cenl wz in ɖ nrṣri. Ś hd a jīńs fr nwñ ẃn a cof z a ʈñ t hv no peśns wɖ n ẃn it nīdz stocñ arnd yr ʈrot. Ś b’livd t hr last de in old-faśnd reṃdiz lîc rūbarblīf, n md sǎndz v cntmt ovr ol ɖs ny-fangld tōc abt jrmz, n so on. It wz a lésn in pṛprayti t si hr iscortñ ɖ ćildṛn t scūl, wōcñ sdetli bî ɖer sîd ẃn ɖe wr wel bhevd, n butñ ɖm bac intu lîn f ɖe streid. On Jon’z ftr dez ś nvr wns fgot hiz swetr, n ś yẓ́li carid an umbrela in hr mǎʈ in ces v ren. Ɖr z a rūm in ɖ besmnt v Mis Fŭlsm’z scūl ẃr ɖ nrsz wêt. Ɖe sat on formz, ẃl Nana le on ɖ flor, bt ɖt wz ɖ onli difṛns. Ɖe afctd t ignor hr az v an infirịr sośl steṭs t ɖmslvz, n ś dspîzd ɖer lît tōc. Ś rzntd vizits t ɖ nrṣri fṛm Msz Darlñ’z frendz, bt f ɖe dd cm ś frst ẃipt of Mîcl’z piṇfor n pt him intu ɖ wn wɖ blu brêdñ, n smuɖd ǎt Wndi n md a daś at Jon’z her.

No nrṣri cd poṣbli hv bn cnductd mor c’recli, n Mr Darlñ ń it, yt h smtmz wundrd unīẓli ẃɖr ɖ nebrz tōct.

H hd hiz pziśn in ɖ siti t cnsidr.

Nana olso trubld him in anɖr we. H hd smtmz a fīlñ ɖt ś dd nt admîr him. “I nǒ ś admîrz y tṛmndsli, Jorj,” Msz Darlñ wd aśur him, n ɖen ś wd sîn t ɖ ćildṛn t b speṣ́li nîs t faɖr. Luvli dansz foloud, in ẃć ɖ onli uɖr srvnt, Lîza, wz smtmz alaud t jôn. Sć a mijit ś lct in hr loñ scrt n meid’z cap, ɖo ś hd sworn, ẃn ingejd, ɖt ś wd nvr si ten agn. Ɖ geyti v ɖoz romps! N gêist v ol wz Msz Darlñ, hu wd piruét so wîldli ɖt ol y cd si v hr wz ɖ cis, n ɖen f y hd daśt at hr y mt hv got it. Ɖr nvr wz a simplr hapịr faṃli untl ɖ cmñ v Pītr Pan.

Msz Darlñ frst hŕd v Pītr ẃn ś wz tîdiyñ p hr ćildṛn’z mîndz. It z ɖ nîtli custm v evri gd muɖr aftr hr ćildṛn r aslip t rumij in ɖer mîndz n pt ʈñz stret fr nxt mornñ, rīpacñ intu ɖer propr plesz ɖ mni articlz ɖt hv wondrd jrñ ɖ de. F y cd cīp awec (bt v cors y c’nt) y wd si yr ǒn muɖr dwñ ɖs, n y wd fînd it vri inṭrestñ t woć hr. It z qt lîc tîdiyñ p drorz. Y wd si hr on hr niz, I xpct, linġrñ hymṛsli ovr sm v yr contents, wunḍrñ ẃr on rʈ y hd pict ɖs ʈñ p, mcñ dscuṿriz swīt n nt so swīt, presñ ɖs t hr ćīc az f it wr az nîs az a citn, n huridli stowñ ɖt ǎt v sît. Ẃn y wec in ɖ mornñ, ɖ nōtinis n īvl paśnz wɖ ẃć y wnt t bed hv bn foldd p smōl n plest at ɖ botm v yr mînd n on ɖ top, bytifli erd, r spred ǎt yr pritịr ʈts, redi fr y t pt on.

I d’nt nǒ ẃɖr y hv evr sìn a map v a prsn’z mînd. Doctrz smtmz drw maps v uɖr parts v y, n yr ǒn map cn bcm intnsli inṭrestñ, bt cać ɖm trayñ t drw a map v a ćîld’z mînd, ẃć z nt onli cnfyzd, bt cīps gwñ rnd ol ɖ tîm. Ɖr r zigzag lînz on it, jst lîc yr tmpṛćr on a card, n ɖz r probbli rodz in ɖ îḷnd, fr ɖ Neṿland z olwz mor or les an îḷnd, wɖ astoṇśñ splaśz v culr hir n ɖr, n coṛlrīfs n rêciś-lcñ craft in ɖ ofñ, n saṿjz n lonli lerz, n nomz hu r mostli teilrz, n cevz ʈru ẃć a rivr runz, n prinsz wɖ six eldr bruɖrz, n a hut fast gwñ t dce, n wn vri smōl old ledi wɖ a hct nǒz. It wd b an īzi map f ɖt wr ol, bt ɖr z olso frst de at scūl, rlijn, faɖrz, ɖ rǎnd pond, nīdlwrc, mrdrz, haññz, vrbz ɖt tec ɖ detiv, ćocḷt-pdñ de, gtñ intu bresz, se nînti-nîn, ʈri-pns fr pŭlñ ǎt yr tuʈ yrslf, n so on, n îɖr ɖz r part v ɖ îḷnd or ɖe r anɖr map śowñ ʈru, n it z ol rɖr cnfyzñ, ispeṣ́li az nʈñ wl stand stl.

V cors ɖ Neṿlandz vẹri a gd dīl. Jon’z, fr instns, hd a l’gūn wɖ fḷmngoz flayñ ovr it at ẃć Jon wz śūtñ, ẃl Mîcl, hu wz vri smōl, hd a fḷmngo wɖ l’gūnz flayñ ovr it. Jon livd in a bot trnd upsîd-dǎn on ɖ sandz, Mîcl in a wigwam, Wndi in a hǎs v līvz deftli soun tgɖr. Jon hd no frendz, Mîcl hd frendz at nît, Wndi hd a pet wlf fōrsecn bî its peṛnts, bt on ɖ hol ɖ Neṿlandz hv a faṃli rzmbḷns, n f ɖe std stl in a ro y cd se v ɖm ɖt ɖe hv ć uɖr’z nǒz, n so fʈ. On ɖz majic śorz ćildṛn at ple r fr evr bīćñ ɖer coṛclz. W tù hv bn ɖr; w cn stl hír ɖ sǎnd v ɖ srf, ɖo w śl land no mor.

V ol dlectbl îḷndz ɖ Neṿland z ɖ snugist n most compact, nt larj n sprōli, y nǒ, wɖ tīdịs distnsz btwn wn advnćr n anɖr, bt nîsli cramd. Ẃn y ple at it bî de wɖ ɖ ćerz n teblcloʈ, it z nt in ɖ līst alarmñ, bt in ɖ tū minits bfr y g t slīp it bcmz vri riyl. Ɖt z ẃ ɖr r nîtlîts.

Oceźṇli in hr travlz ʈru hr ćildṛn’z mîndz Msz Darlñ faund ʈñz ś cd nt unḍstand, n v ɖz qt ɖ most pplexñ wz ɖ wrd Pītr. Ś ń v no Pītr, n yt h wz hir n ɖr in Jon n Mîcl’z mîndz, ẃl Wndi’z bgan t b scrōld ol ovr wɖ him. Ɖ nem std ǎt in boldr letrz ɖn eni v ɖ uɖr wrdz, n az Msz Darlñ gezd ś flt ɖt it hd an odli coci apiṛns.

“Yes, h z rɖr coci,” Wndi admitd wɖ rgret. Hr muɖr hd bn qsć̣nñ hr.

“Bt hu z h, mî pet?”

“H z Pītr Pan, y nǒ, muɖr.”

At frst Msz Darlñ dd nt nǒ, bt aftr ʈncñ bac intu hr ćîldhd ś jst rmembrd a Pītr Pan hu wz sd t liv wɖ ɖ fẹriz. Ɖr wr od storiz abt him, az ɖt ẃn ćildṛn daid h wnt part v ɖ we wɖ ɖm, so ɖt ɖe śd nt b frîtnd. Ś hd b’livd in him at ɖ tîm, bt nǎ ɖt ś wz marid n fl v sns ś qt dǎtd ẃɖr ɖr wz eni sć prsn.

“Bsdz,” ś sd t Wndi, “h wd b groun p bî ɖs tîm.”

“Ǒ no, h z’nt groun p,” Wndi aśurd hr confidntli, “n h z jst mî sîz.” Ś mnt ɖt h wz hr sîz in bʈ mînd n bodi; ś dd’nt nǒ hǎ ś ń, ś jst ń it.

Msz Darlñ cnsultd Mr Darlñ, bt h smîld pu-pu. “Marc mî wrdz,” h sd, “it z sm nonsns Nana hz bn ptñ intu ɖer hedz; jst ɖ sort v îdīa a dog wd hv. Līv it alon, n it wl blo ovr.”

Bt it wd nt blo ovr n sn ɖ trublsm bô gev Msz Darlñ qt a śoc.

Ćildṛn hv ɖ strenjist advnćrz wɖt biyñ trubld bî ɖm. Fr instns, ɖe me rmembr t mnśn, a wīc aftr ɖ ivnt hapnd, ɖt ẃn ɖe wr in ɖ wŭd ɖe hd met ɖer ded faɖr n hd a gem wɖ him. It wz in ɖs caźl we ɖt Wndi wn mornñ md a dsqaytñ reṿleśn. Sm līvz v a tri hd bn faund on ɖ nrṣri flor, ẃć srtnli wr nt ɖr ẃn ɖ ćildṛn wnt t bed, n Msz Darlñ wz puẓlñ ovr ɖm ẃn Wndi sd wɖ a tolṛnt smîl:

“I d b’liv it z ɖt Pītr agn!”

“Ẃtvr d y mīn, Wndi?”

“It z so nōti v him nt t wîp hiz fīt,” Wndi sd, sayñ. Ś wz a tîdi ćîld.

Ś xplend in qt a matr-v-fact we ɖt ś ʈt Pītr smtmz cem t ɖ nrṣri in ɖ nît n sat on ɖ ft v hr bed n pleid on hiz pîps t hr. Unforćṇtli ś nvr wouc, so ś dd’nt nǒ hǎ ś ń, ś jst ń.

“Ẃt nonsns y tōc, preśs. Nwn cn gt intu ɖ hǎs wɖt nocñ.”

“I ʈnc h cmz in bî ɖ windo,” ś sd.

“Mî luv, it z ʈri florz p.”

“Wr nt ɖ līvz at ɖ ft v ɖ windo, muɖr?”

It wz qt tru; ɖ līvz hd bn faund vri nir ɖ windo.

Msz Darlñ dd nt nǒ ẃt t ʈnc, fr it ol sīmd so naćṛl t Wndi ɖt y cd nt dsmis it bî seyñ ś hd bn drīmñ.

“Mî ćîld,” ɖ muɖr craid, “ẃ dd y nt tel m v ɖs bfr?”

“I fgot,” sd Wndi lîtli. Ś wz in a huri t gt hr brecfst.

Ǒ, śrli ś mst hv bn drīmñ.

Bt, on ɖ uɖr hand, ɖr wr ɖ līvz. Msz Darlñ xamind ɖm vri cerḟli; ɖe wr scelitn līvz, bt ś wz śr ɖe dd nt cm fṛm eni tri ɖt grù in Ñgḷnd. Ś crōld abt ɖ flor, pirñ at it wɖ a candl fr marcs v a strenj ft. Ś ratld ɖ pǒcr p ɖ ćimni n tapt ɖ wōlz. Ś let dǎn a tep fṛm ɖ windo t ɖ pevmnt, n it wz a śir drop v ʈrti fīt, wɖt so mć az a spǎt t clîm p bî.

Srtnli Wndi hd bn drīmñ.

Bt Wndi hd nt bn drīmñ, az ɖ vri nxt nît śoud, ɖ nît on ẃć ɖ xtrordnri advnćrz v ɖz ćildṛn me b sd t hv bgun.

On ɖ nît w spīc v ol ɖ ćildṛn wr wns mor in bed. It hapnd t b Nana’z īvnñ of, n Msz Darlñ hd beɖd ɖm n suñ t ɖm tl wn bî wn ɖe hd let g hr hand n slid awe intu ɖ land v slīp.

Ol wr lcñ so sef n cozi ɖt ś smîld at hr firz nǎ n sat dǎn tranqli bî ɖ fîr t sou.

It wz smʈñ fr Mîcl, hu on hiz brʈde wz gtñ intu śrts. Ɖ fîr wz worm, hvr, n ɖ nrṣri dimli lit bî ʈri nîtlîts, n prezntli ɖ sowñ le on Msz Darlñ’z lap. Ɖen hr hed nodd, ǒ, so gresḟli. Ś wz aslip. Lc at ɖ for v ɖm, Wndi n Mîcl ovr ɖr, Jon hir, n Msz Darlñ bî ɖ fîr. Ɖr śd hv bn a forʈ nîtlît.

Ẃl ś slept ś hd a drīm. Ś dremt ɖt ɖ Neṿland hd cm tù nir n ɖt a strenj bô hd brocn ʈru fṛm it. H dd nt alarm hr, fr ś ʈt ś hd sìn him bfr in ɖ fesz v mni wimin hu hv no ćildṛn. Phps h z t b faund in ɖ fesz v sm muɖrz olso. Bt in hr drīm h hd rent ɖ film ɖt obskrz ɖ Neṿland, n ś sw Wndi n Jon n Mîcl pīpñ ʈru ɖ gap.

Ɖ drīm bî itslf wd hv bn a trîfl, bt ẃl ś wz drīmñ ɖ windo v ɖ nrṣri blù opn, n a bô dd drop on ɖ flor. H wz acumṗnid bî a strenj lît, no bigr ɖn yr fist, ẃć dartd abt ɖ rūm lîc a livñ ʈñ n I ʈnc it mst hv bn ɖs lît ɖt wecnd Msz Darlñ.

Ś startd p wɖ a crî, n sw ɖ bô, n smhǎ ś ń at wns ɖt h wz Pītr Pan. F y or I or Wndi hd bn ɖr w śd hv sìn ɖt h wz vri lîc Msz Darlñ’z cis. H wz a luvli bô, clad in scelitn līvz n ɖ jūsz ɖt ūz ǎt v triz bt ɖ most intransñ ʈñ abt him wz ɖt h hd ol hiz frst tīʈ. Ẃn h sw ś wz a groun-up, h náśt ɖ litl prlz at hr.