The more quickly this horror is disposed of the better. The first to emerge from his tree was Curly. He rose out of it into the arms of Cecco, who flung him to Smee, who flung him to Starkey, who flung him to Bill Jukes, who flung him to Noodler, and so he was tossed from one to another till he fell at the feet of the black pirate. All the boys were plucked from their trees in this ruthless manner; and several of them were in the air at a time, like bales of goods flung from hand to hand.
A different treatment was accorded to Wendy, who came last. With ironical1 politeness Hook raised his hat to her, and, offering her his arm, escorted her to the spot where the others were being gagged. He did it with such an air, he was so frightfully distingué, that she was too fascinated to cry out. She was only a little girl.
Perhaps it is tell-tale to divulge2 that for a moment Hook entranced her, and we tell on her only because her slip led to strange results. Had she haughtily4 unhanded him (and we should have loved to write it of her), she would have been hurled5 through the air like the others, and then Hook would probably not have been present at the tying of the children; and had he not been at the tying he would not have discovered Slightly’s secret, and without the secret he could not presently have made his foul6 attempt on Peter’s life.
They were tied to prevent their flying away, doubled up with their knees close to their ears; and for the trussing of them the black pirate had cut a rope into nine equal pieces. All went well until Slightly’s turn came, when he was found to be like those irritating parcels that use up all the string in going round and leave no tags with which to tie a knot. The pirates kicked him in their rage, just as you kick the parcel (though in fairness you should kick the string); and strange to say it was Hook who told them to belay their violence. His lip was curled with malicious7 triumph. While his dogs were merely sweating because every time they tried to pack the unhappy lad tight in one part he bulged8 out in another, Hook’s master mind had gone far beneath Slightly’s surface, probing not for effects but for causes; and his exultation9 showed that he had found them. Slightly, white to the gills, knew that Hook had surprised his secret, which was this, that no boy so blown out could use a tree wherein an average man need stick. Poor Slightly, most wretched of all the children now, for he was in a panic about Peter, bitterly regretted what he had done. Madly addicted10 to the drinking of water when he was hot, he had swelled11 in consequence to his present girth, and instead of reducing himself to fit his tree he had, unknown to the others, whittled12 his tree to make it fit him.
Sufficient of this Hook guessed to persuade him that Peter at last lay at his mercy, but no word of the dark design that now formed in the subterranean13 caverns14 of his mind crossed his lips; he merely signed that the captives were to be conveyed to the ship, and that he would be alone.
How to convey them? Hunched15 up in their ropes they might indeed be rolled down hill like barrels, but most of the way lay through a morass16. Again Hook’s genius surmounted17 difficulties. He indicated that the little house must be used as a conveyance18. The children were flung into it, four stout19 pirates raised it on their shoulders, the others fell in behind, and singing the hateful pirate chorus the strange procession set off through the wood. I don’t know whether any of the children were crying; if so, the singing drowned the sound; but as the little house disappeared in the forest, a brave though tiny jet of smoke issued from its chimney as if defying Hook.
Hook saw it, and it did Peter a bad service. It dried up any trickle20 of pity for him that may have remained in the pirate’s infuriated breast.
The first thing he did on finding himself alone in the fast falling night was to tiptoe to Slightly’s tree, and make sure that it provided him with a passage. Then for long he remained brooding; his hat of ill omen3 on the sward, so that any gentle breeze which had arisen might play refreshingly21 through his hair. Dark as were his thoughts his blue eyes were as soft as the periwinkle. Intently he listened for any sound from the nether22 world, but all was as silent below as above; the house under the ground seemed to be but one more empty tenement23 in the void. Was that boy asleep, or did he stand waiting at the foot of Slightly’s tree, with his dagger24 in his hand?
There was no way of knowing, save by going down. Hook let his cloak slip softly to the ground, and then biting his lips till a lewd25 blood stood on them, he stepped into the tree. He was a brave man, but for a moment he had to stop there and wipe his brow, which was dripping like a candle. Then, silently, he let himself go into the unknown.
He arrived unmolested at the foot of the shaft26, and stood still again, biting at his breath, which had almost left him. As his eyes became accustomed to the dim light various objects in the home under the trees took shape; but the only one on which his greedy gaze rested, long sought for and found at last, was the great bed. On the bed lay Peter fast asleep.
Unaware27 of the tragedy being enacted28 above, Peter had continued, for a little time after the children left, to play gaily29 on his pipes: no doubt rather a forlorn attempt to prove to himself that he did not care. Then he decided30 not to take his medicine, so as to grieve Wendy. Then he lay down on the bed outside the coverlet, to vex31 her still more; for she had always tucked them inside it, because you never know that you may not grow chilly32 at the turn of the night. Then he nearly cried; but it struck him how indignant she would be if he laughed instead; so he laughed a haughty33 laugh and fell asleep in the middle of it.
Sometimes, though not often, he had dreams, and they were more painful than the dreams of other boys. For hours he could not be separated from these dreams, though he wailed34 piteously in them. They had to do, I think, with the riddle35 of his existence. At such times it had been Wendy’s custom to take him out of bed and sit with him on her lap, soothing36 him in dear ways of her own invention, and when he grew calmer to put him back to bed before he quite woke up, so that he should not know of the indignity37 to which she had subjected him. But on this occasion he had fallen at once into a dreamless sleep. One arm dropped over the edge of the bed, one leg was arched, and the unfinished part of his laugh was stranded38 on his mouth, which was open, showing the little pearls.
Thus defenceless Hook found him. He stood silent at the foot of the tree looking across the chamber39 at his enemy. Did no feeling of compassion40 disturb his sombre breast? The man was not wholly evil; he loved flowers (I have been told) and sweet music (he was himself no mean performer on the harpsichord); and, let it be frankly41 admitted, the idyllic42 nature of the scene stirred him profoundly. Mastered by his better self he would have returned reluctantly up the tree, but for one thing.
What stayed him was Peter’s impertinent appearance as he slept. The open mouth, the drooping43 arm, the arched knee: they were such a personification of cockiness as, taken together, will never again, one may hope, be presented to eyes so sensitive to their offensiveness. They steeled Hook’s heart. If his rage had broken him into a hundred pieces every one of them would have disregarded the incident, and leapt at the sleeper44.
Though a light from the one lamp shone dimly on the bed, Hook stood in darkness himself, and at the first stealthy step forward he discovered an obstacle, the door of Slightly’s tree. It did not entirely45 fill the aperture46, and he had been looking over it. Feeling for the catch, he found to his fury that it was low down, beyond his reach. To his disordered brain it seemed then that the irritating quality in Peter’s face and figure visibly increased, and he rattled47 the door and flung himself against it. Was his enemy to escape him after all?
But what was that? The red in his eye had caught sight of Peter’s medicine standing48 on a ledge49 within easy reach. He fathomed50 what it was straightaway, and immediately knew that the sleeper was in his power.
Lest he should be taken alive, Hook always carried about his person a dreadful drug, blended by himself of all the death-dealing rings that had come into his possession. These he had boiled down into a yellow liquid quite unknown to science, which was probably the most virulent51 poison in existence.
Five drops of this he now added to Peter’s cup. His hand shook, but it was in exultation rather than in shame. As he did it he avoided glancing at the sleeper, but not lest pity should unnerve him; merely to avoid spilling. Then one long gloating look he cast upon his victim, and turning, wormed his way with difficulty up the tree. As he emerged at the top he looked the very spirit of evil breaking from its hole. Donning his hat at its most rakish angle, he wound his cloak around him, holding one end in front as if to conceal52 his person from the night, of which it was the blackest part, and muttering strangely to himself, stole away through the trees.
Peter slept on. The light guttered53 and went out, leaving the tenement in darkness; but still he slept. It must have been not less than ten o’clock by the crocodile, when he suddenly sat up in his bed, wakened by he knew not what. It was a soft cautious tapping on the door of his tree.
Soft and cautious, but in that stillness it was sinister54. Peter felt for his dagger till his hand gripped it. Then he spoke55.
“Who is that?”
For long there was no answer: then again the knock.
“Who are you?”
No answer.
He was thrilled, and he loved being thrilled. In two strides he reached the door. Unlike Slightly’s door, it filled the aperture, so that he could not see beyond it, nor could the one knocking see him.
“I won’t open unless you speak,” Peter cried.
Then at last the visitor spoke, on a lovely bell-like voice.
“Let me in, Peter.”
It was Tink, and quickly he unbarred to her. She flew in excitedly, her face flushed and her dress stained with mud.
“What is it?”
“Oh, you could never guess!” she cried, and offered him three guesses. “Out with it!” he shouted, and in one ungrammatical sentence, as long as the ribbons that conjurers pull from their mouths, she told of the capture of Wendy and the boys.
Peter’s heart bobbed up and down as he listened. Wendy bound, and on the pirate ship; she who loved everything to be just so!
“I’ll rescue her!” he cried, leaping at his weapons. As he leapt he thought of something he could do to please her. He could take his medicine.
His hand closed on the fatal draught56.
“No!” shrieked57 Tinker Bell, who had heard Hook mutter about his deed as he sped through the forest.
“Why not?”
“It is poisoned.”
“Poisoned? Who could have poisoned it?”
“Hook.”
“Don’t be silly. How could Hook have got down here?”
Alas58, Tinker Bell could not explain this, for even she did not know the dark secret of Slightly’s tree. Nevertheless Hook’s words had left no room for doubt. The cup was poisoned.
“Besides,” said Peter, quite believing himself “I never fell asleep.”
He raised the cup. No time for words now; time for deeds; and with one of her lightning movements Tink got between his lips and the draught, and drained it to the dregs.
“Why, Tink, how dare you drink my medicine?”
But she did not answer. Already she was reeling in the air.
“What is the matter with you?” cried Peter, suddenly afraid.
“It was poisoned, Peter,” she told him softly; “and now I am going to be dead.”
“O Tink, did you drink it to save me?”
“Yes.”
“But why, Tink?”
Her wings would scarcely carry her now, but in reply she alighted on his shoulder and gave his nose a loving bite. She whispered in his ear “You silly ass,” and then, tottering59 to her chamber, lay down on the bed.
His head almost filled the fourth wall of her little room as he knelt near her in distress60. Every moment her light was growing fainter; and he knew that if it went out she would be no more. She liked his tears so much that she put out her beautiful finger and let them run over it.
Her voice was so low that at first he could not make out what she said. Then he made it out. She was saying that she thought she could get well again if children believed in fairies.
Peter flung out his arms. There were no children there, and it was night time; but he addressed all who might be dreaming of the Neverland, and who were therefore nearer to him than you think: boys and girls in their nighties, and naked papooses in their baskets hung from trees.
“Do you believe?” he cried.
Tink sat up in bed almost briskly to listen to her fate.
She fancied she heard answers in the affirmative, and then again she wasn’t sure.
“What do you think?” she asked Peter.
“If you believe,” he shouted to them, “clap your hands; don’t let Tink die.”
Many clapped.
Some didn’t.
The clapping stopped suddenly; as if countless62 mothers had rushed to their nurseries to see what on earth was happening; but already Tink was saved. First her voice grew strong, then she popped out of bed, then she was flashing through the room more merry and impudent63 than ever. She never thought of thanking those who believed, but she would have like to get at the ones who had hissed.
“And now to rescue Wendy!”
The moon was riding in a cloudy heaven when Peter rose from his tree, begirt with weapons and wearing little else, to set out upon his perilous64 quest. It was not such a night as he would have chosen. He had hoped to fly, keeping not far from the ground so that nothing unwonted should escape his eyes; but in that fitful light to have flown low would have meant trailing his shadow through the trees, thus disturbing birds and acquainting a watchful65 foe66 that he was astir.
He regretted now that he had given the birds of the island such strange names that they are very wild and difficult of approach.
There was no other course but to press forward in redskin fashion, as which happily he was an adept67. But in what direction, for he could not be sure that the children had been taken to the ship? A light fall of snow had obliterated69 all footmarks; and a deathly silence pervaded70 the island, as if for a space Nature stood still in horror of the recent carnage. He had taught the children something of the forest lore71 that he had himself learned from Tiger Lily and Tinker Bell, and knew that in their dire68 hour they were not likely to forget it. Slightly, if he had an opportunity, would blaze the trees, for instance, Curly would drop seeds, and Wendy would leave her handkerchief at some important place. The morning was needed to search for such guidance, and he could not wait. The upper world had called him, but would give no help.
The crocodile passed him, but not another living thing, not a sound, not a movement; and yet he knew well that sudden death might be at the next tree, or stalking him from behind.
He swore this terrible oath: “Hook or me this time.”
Now he crawled forward like a snake, and again erect72, he darted73 across a space on which the moonlight played, one finger on his lip and his dagger at the ready. He was frightfully happy.
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ironical
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| adj.讽刺的，冷嘲的 | |
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divulge
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| v.泄漏(秘密等)；宣布，公布 | |
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omen
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| n.征兆，预兆；vt.预示 | |
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haughtily
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| adv. 傲慢地, 高傲地 | |
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hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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malicious
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| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
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bulged
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| 凸出( bulge的过去式和过去分词 )； 充满； 塞满（某物） | |
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exultation
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| n.狂喜，得意 | |
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addicted
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| adj.沉溺于....的，对...上瘾的 | |
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swelled
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| 增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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whittled
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| v.切，削（木头），使逐渐变小( whittle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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subterranean
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| adj.地下的，地表下的 | |
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caverns
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| 大山洞，大洞穴( cavern的名词复数 ) | |
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hunched
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| （常指因寒冷、生病或愁苦）耸肩弓身的，伏首前倾的 | |
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morass
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| n.沼泽，困境 | |
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surmounted
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| 战胜( surmount的过去式和过去分词 )； 克服（困难）； 居于…之上； 在…顶上 | |
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conveyance
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| n.(不动产等的)转让，让与；转让证书；传送；运送；表达；（正）运输工具 | |
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trickle
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| vi.淌，滴，流出，慢慢移动，逐渐消散 | |
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refreshingly
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| adv.清爽地，有精神地 | |
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nether
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| adj.下部的，下面的；n.阴间；下层社会 | |
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tenement
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| n.公寓；房屋 | |
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dagger
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| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
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lewd
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| adj.淫荡的 | |
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shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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unaware
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| a.不知道的，未意识到的 | |
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enacted
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| 制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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vex
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| vt.使烦恼，使苦恼 | |
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chilly
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| adj.凉快的，寒冷的 | |
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haughty
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| adj.傲慢的，高傲的 | |
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wailed
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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riddle
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| n.谜，谜语，粗筛；vt.解谜，给…出谜，筛，检查，鉴定，非难，充满于；vi.出谜 | |
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soothing
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| adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的 | |
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indignity
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| n.侮辱，伤害尊严，轻蔑 | |
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stranded
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| a.搁浅的，进退两难的 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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compassion
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| n.同情，怜悯 | |
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frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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idyllic
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| adj.质朴宜人的，田园风光的 | |
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drooping
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| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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sleeper
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| n.睡眠者，卧车，卧铺 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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aperture
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| n.孔，隙，窄的缺口 | |
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rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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ledge
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| n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁 | |
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fathomed
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| 理解…的真意( fathom的过去式和过去分词 )； 彻底了解； 弄清真相 | |
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virulent
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| adj.有毒的，有恶意的，充满敌意的 | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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guttered
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| vt.形成沟或槽于…（gutter的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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56
draught
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| n.拉，牵引，拖；一网（饮，吸，阵)；顿服药量，通风；v.起草，设计 | |
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shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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tottering
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| adj.蹒跚的，动摇的v.走得或动得不稳( totter的现在分词 )；踉跄；蹒跚；摇摇欲坠 | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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hissed
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| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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countless
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| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
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impudent
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| adj.鲁莽的，卑鄙的，厚颜无耻的 | |
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perilous
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| adj.危险的，冒险的 | |
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watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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adept
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| adj.老练的，精通的 | |
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dire
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| adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的 | |
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obliterated
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| v.除去( obliterate的过去式和过去分词 )；涂去；擦掉；彻底破坏或毁灭 | |
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pervaded
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| v.遍及，弥漫( pervade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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lore
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| n.传说；学问，经验，知识 | |
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72
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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