One important result of the brush on the lagoon was that it made the redskins their friends. —
湖面上的灌木丛对红印人来说是一个重要的事件，因为它使他们与他们成为朋友。 —

Peter had saved Tiger Lily from a dreadful fate, and now there was nothing she and her braves would not do for him. —
彼得救了老虎莉莉免受可怕的命运，现在她和她的勇士们愿意为他做任何事。 —

All night they sat above, keeping watch over the home under the ground and awaiting the big attack by the pirates which obviously could not be much longer delayed. —
整晚他们坐在上面，守望着地下的家，等待海盗的大攻击，显然这个攻击不会再迟延多久了。 —

Even by day they hung about, smoking the pipe of peace, and looking almost as if they wanted tit-bits to eat.
他们甚至白天也在附近晃荡，吸着和平烟斗，看起来好像他们想要点小吃。

They called Peter the Great White Father, prostrating themselves before him; —
他们称彼得为伟大的白人父亲，在他们跪伏在他脚前时。 —

and he liked this tremendously, so that it was not really good for him.
他非常喜欢这样，所以这对他来说并不是真的好。

“The great white father,” he would say to them in a very lordly manner, as they grovelled at his feet, “is glad to see the Piccaninny warriors protecting his wigwam from the pirates.”
“伟大的白人父亲，” 他会以非常宰相的态度对他们说，当他们在他脚前匍匐不起时， “非常高兴看到皮卡宁玩家保护他的帐篷免受海盗的侵害。”

“Me Tiger Lily,” that lovely creature would reply. —
“我是老虎莉莉，” 这个可爱的生物会回答说。 —

“Peter Pan save me, me his velly nice friend. —
“彼得潘救了我，我是他非常好的朋友。 —

Me no let pirates hurt him.”
我不会让海盗伤害他。”

She was far too pretty to cringe in this way, but Peter thought it his due, and he would answer condescendingly, “It is good. —
她太漂亮了，不应该这样感到尴尬，但彼得认为这是他应得的，他会傲慢地回答：“这很好。” —

Peter Pan has spoken.”
彼得潘说过了。

Always when he said, “Peter Pan has spoken,” it meant that they must now shut up, and they accepted it humbly in that spirit; —
每当他说“彼得潘说过了”，这意味着他们必须闭嘴了，他们虚心地接受了这一点。 —

but they were by no means so respectful to the other boys, whom they looked upon as just ordinary braves. —
但他们对其他男孩们却没有那么尊敬，他们把其他男孩们看作普通的勇士。 —

They said “How-do?” to them, and things like that; —
他们向他们打招呼，诸如此类的事情； —

and what annoyed the boys was that Peter seemed to think this all right.
而令男孩们恼火的是，彼得似乎认为这一切都没问题。

Secretly Wendy sympathised with them a little, but she was far too loyal a housewife to listen to any complaints against father. —
秘密里，温迪对他们有些同情，但她是个非常忠实的贤妻，无论她私下的意见如何，她总是说：“父亲最懂。” —

“Father knows best,” she always said, whatever her private opinion must be. —
她的私下意见是，红人不应该称她为一个女人。 —

Her private opinion was that the redskins should not call her a squaw.
现在我们已经到了他们之间被称为“夜晚之夜”的晚上，因为它的冒险和结果。

We have now reached the evening that was to be known among them as the Night of Nights, because of its adventures and their upshot. —
这是因为它的冒险和后果，他们把它称为“夜晚之夜”。 —

The day, as if quietly gathering its forces, had been almost uneventful, and now the redskins in their blankets were at their posts above, while, below, the children were having their evening meal; —
这一天几乎毫无波澜地过去了，仿佛悄悄地积蓄着力量。红肤人们盖着毯子守卫在它们的岗位上，而下方的孩子们正在吃晚餐； —

all except Peter, who had gone out to get the time. —
除了彼得，他出去取时间了。 —

The way you got the time on the island was to find the crocodile, and then stay near him till the clock struck.
在岛上获得时间的方法是找到鳄鱼，然后待在它附近直到时钟敲响。

The meal happened to be a make-believe tea, and they sat around the board, guzzling in their greed; —
这顿饭碰巧是假想的茶会，他们围坐在桌旁，贪婪地狼吞虎咽； —

and really, what with their chatter and recriminations, the noise, as Wendy said, was positively deafening. —
真的，他们的喋喋不休和互相指责声音太吵了，正如温迪所说，简直让人听不见其他声音。 —

To be sure, she did not mind noise, but she simply would not have them grabbing things, and then excusing themselves by saying that Tootles had pushed their elbow. —
当然，她不介意噪音，但她绝对不允许他们抓东西，然后以图尔特斯推了他们的肘腋作为借口。 —

There was a fixed rule that they must never hit back at meals, but should refer the matter of dispute to Wendy by raising the right arm politely and saying, “I complain of so-and-so; —
有一个固定的规定，他们在饭桌上不得还手，而是应该彬彬有礼地向温迪举起右臂并说：“我抱怨某某人； —

” but what usually happened was that they forgot to do this or did it too much.
但通常发生的是他们忘记这样做了或者做得太多。

“Silence,” cried Wendy when for the twentieth time she had told them that they were not all to speak at once. —
“安静！”温迪喊道，当她第二十次告诉他们不要同时说话时。 —

“Is your mug empty, Slightly darling?”
“斯里特亲爱的，你的杯子空了吗？”

“Not quite empty, mummy,” Slightly said, after looking into an imaginary mug.
“还没空，妈咪，”斯里特看了看一个想象中的杯子后说道。

“He hasn’t even begun to drink his milk,” Nibs interposed.
“他甚至还没开始喝牛奶呢，”尼布斯插嘴道。

This was telling, and Slightly seized his chance.
这可说出了个道理，斯里特抓住了机会。

“I complain of Nibs,” he cried promptly.
“我投诉尼布斯，”他立即喊道。

John, however, had held up his hand first.
然而，约翰先举起了手。

“Well, John?”
“怎么了，约翰？”

“May I sit in Peter’s chair, as he is not here?”
“我可以坐在彼得的椅子上吗，因为他不在这里？”

“Sit in father’s chair, John!” Wendy was scandalised. Certainly not.”
“坐在爸爸的椅子上，约翰！”温迪感到很不可思议。当然不能。

“He is not really our father,” John answered. —
“他并不是真正的我们的爸爸，”约翰回答道。 —

“He didn’t even know how a father does till I showed him.”
“他甚至不知道父亲应该怎么做，直到我教给他。”

This was grumbling. “We complain of John,” cried the twins.
这是抱怨。”我们投诉约翰，”双胞胎喊道。

Tootles held up his hand. He was so much the humblest of them, indeed he was the only humble one, that Wendy was specially gentle with him.
图特斯举起了手。他是他们中最谦逊的一个，实际上他是唯一一个谦逊的，所以温迪对他特别温和。

“I don’t suppose,” Tootles said diffidently , that I could be father.
“我想，”图图羞怯地说道，“我可能不会成为父亲。”

“No, Tootles.”
“不，图图。”

Once Tootles began, which was not very often, he had a silly way of going on.
图图很少说话，一旦他开始说话，他总是说一些傻话。

“As I can’t be father,” he said heavily, “I don’t suppose, Michael, you would let me be baby?”
“既然我不能成为父亲，”他沉重地说，“迈克尔，我猜你也不会让我扮演婴儿吧？”

“No, I won’t,” Michael rapped out. He was already in his basket.
“不，我不会的。”迈克尔板着脸回答道。他已经躺在自己的篮子里。

“As I can’t be baby,” Tootles said, getting heavier and heavier and heavier, “do you think I could be a twin?”
“既然我不能扮演婴儿，”图图越来越沉重地说，“你们认为我可以扮演一个双胞胎吗？”

“No, indeed,” replied the twins; “it’s awfully difficult to be a twin.”
“不，当然不行。”双胞胎回答说，“扮演双胞胎太困难了。”

“As I can’t be anything important,” said Tootles, “would any of you like to see me do a trick?”
“既然我无法扮演任何重要的角色，”图图说，“你们中是否有人想看我表演一个技巧？”

“No,” they all replied.
“不，”他们都回答道。

Then at last he stopped. “I hadn’t really any hope,” he said.
最后他停下来说道。“我其实没有任何希望了。”他说。

The hateful telling broke out again.
令人讨厌的指责声又爆发出来。

“Slightly is coughing on the table.”
“斯莱特在桌子上咳嗽。”

“The twins began with cheese-cakes.”
“双胞胎开始吃芝士蛋糕。”

“Curly is taking both butter and honey.”
“卷发小子同时取了黄油和蜂蜜。”

“Nibs is speaking with his mouth full.”
“尼布斯满嘴说话。”

“I complain of the twins.”
“我抱怨那对双胞胎。”

“I complain of Curly.”
“我抱怨卡利。”

“I complain of Nibs.”
“我抱怨尼布斯。”

“Oh dear, oh dear,” cried Wendy, “I’m sure I sometimes think that spinsters are to be envied.”
“哦，亲爱的，哦，亲爱的，”温迪喊道，“我有时觉得老姑娘们是令人羡慕的。”

She told them to clear away, and sat down to her work-basket, a heavy load of stockings and every knee with a hole in it as usual.
她让他们收拾东西，然后坐下来织毛线篮，一堆沉重的袜子，每只袜子上都有一个眼。

“Wendy,” remonstrated Michael, “I’m too big for a cradle.”
“温迪，”迈克尔提醒道，“我已经太大了，坐不进摇篮。”

“I must have somebody in a cradle,” she said almost tartly, “and you are the littlest. —
“我必须得有个人坐在摇篮里，”她几乎有点生气地说道，“而你是最小的。” —

A cradle is such a nice homely thing to have about a house.”
摇篮是家里的一个可爱而温馨的东西。”

While she sewed they played around her; such a group of happy faces and dancing limbs lit up by that romantic fire. —
在她缝纫的时候，他们在她周围玩耍；这是一群快乐的面孔和跳跃的身体，被浪漫的火光照亮着。 —

It had become a very familiar scene, this, in the home under the ground, but we are looking on it for the last time.
这在地下的家里已经成为一个非常熟悉的场景，但这是我们最后一次看到它。

There was a step above, and Wendy, you may be sure, was the first to recognize it.
楼上传来了脚步声，可以肯定的是，温迪第一个听出来了。

“Children, I hear your father’s step. He likes you to meet him at the door.”
“孩子们，我听到你爸爸的脚步声。他喜欢你们在门口迎接他。”

Above, the redskins crouched before Peter.
在上面，印第安人在彼得面前蹲下。

“Watch well, braves. I have spoken.”
“勇士们，仔细看好。我已经说过了。”

And then, as so often before, the gay children dragged him from his tree. —
然后，像往常一样，这些开朗的孩子们把他从树上拖了下来。 —

As so often before, but never again.
和往常一样，但再也不会发生了。

He had brought nuts for the boys as well as the correct time for Wendy.
他给男孩们带了坚果，以及温迪需要的准确时间。

“Peter, you just spoil them, you know,” Wendy simpered.
“彼得，你真是宠坏了他们，你知道的，”温迪嬉皮笑脸地说。

“Ah, old lady,” said Peter, hanging up his gun.
“啊，老太太，”彼得说着挂起了他的枪。

“It was me told him mothers are called old lady,” Michael whispered to Curly.
“是我告诉他母亲被称为老太太的，”迈克尔悄声对卷毛说。

“I complain of Michael,” said Curly instantly.
“我抱怨迈克尔，”卷毛立即说道。

The first twin came to Peter. “Father, we want to dance.”
第一个双胞胎走到了彼得面前。“爸爸，我们想跳舞。”

“Dance away, my little man,” said Peter, who was in high good humour.
“尽管跳吧，小伙子们，”彼得说道，心情非常好。

“But we want you to dance.”
“可是我们想要你跳。”

Peter was really the best dancer among them, but he pretended to be scandalised.
彼得实际上是他们中最擅长跳舞的，但他假装被吓到了。

“Me! My old bones would rattle!”
“我跳！我的老骨头会发出咯吱声！”

“And mummy too.”
“妈妈也跳。”

“What,” cried Wendy, “the mother of such an armful, dance!”
“什么？”温迪大喊道，“这么多孩子的母亲，跳舞！”

“But on a Saturday night,” Slightly insinuated.
“但是在一个星期六的晚上，”稍微含沙射影地说道。

It was not really Saturday night, at least it may have been, for they had long lost count of the days; —
那真的不是星期六的晚上，至少可能是的，因为他们早就不记得日子了； —

but always if they wanted to do anything special they said this was Saturday night, and then they did it.
但是如果他们想做些特别的事情，他们总是说这是星期六的晚上，然后他们就去做了。

“Of course it is Saturday night, Peter,” Wendy said, relenting.
“当然是星期六晚上，彼得，”温迪说道，有些松口。

“People of our figure, Wendy!”
“我们这种身材的人，温迪！”

“But it is only among our own progeny.”
“但只有在我们自己的后代中。”

“True, true.”
“对，对。”

So they were told they could dance, but they must put on their nighties first.
于是他们被告知他们可以跳舞，但必须先穿上睡衣。

“Ah, old lady,” Peter said aside to Wendy, warming himself by the fire and looking down at her as she sat turning a heel, “there is nothing more pleasant of an evening for you and me when the day’s toil is over than to rest by the fire with the little ones near by.”
“啊，老太太，”彼得对温迪低声说道，他站在火炉旁边取暖，目光落在她身上，她正坐着编织着一只袜子，“当一天的辛劳结束时，在火炉旁休息并有孩子们在附近是我们之间晚上最愉快的事情了。”

“It is sweet, Peter, isn’t it?” Wendy said, frightfully gratified. —
“是的，彼得，是吗？”温迪说道，非常满足。 —

“Peter, I think Curly has your nose.”
“彼得，我觉得卷发小子长得像你。”

“Michael takes after you.”
“迈克尔像你。”

She went to him and put her hand on his shoulder.
温迪走到他身边，把手放在他的肩膀上。

“Dear Peter,” she said, “with such a large family, of course, I have now passed my best, but you don’t want to change me, do you?”
“亲爱的彼得，”她说，“有这么多的家人，我当然已经过了最好的时光了，但你不想改变我，是吗？”

“No, Wendy.”
“不，温迪。”

Certainly he did not want a change, but he looked at her uncomfortably, blinking, you know, like one not sure whether he was awake or asleep.
当然他不想改变，但他不舒服地看着她，眨巴着眼睛，你知道的，像一个不确定自己是醒着还是睡着的人。

“Peter, what is it?”
“彼得，怎么了？”

“I was just thinking,” he said, a little scared. —
“我刚在想，”他说，有点害怕。 —

“It is only make-believe, isn’t it, that I am their father?”
“这只是假装，对吧，我是他们的父亲？”

“Oh yes,” Wendy said primly.
“噢，是的，”温迪正经地说。

“You see,” he continued apologetically, “it would make me seem so old to be their real father.”
“你看，”他继续道歉地说，“如果我是他们的亲生父亲，我会显得那么老。”

“But they are ours, Peter, yours and mine.”
“但是他们是我们的，彼得，你和我。”

“But not really, Wendy?” he asked anxiously.
“但真的吗，温迪？”他焦虑地问。

“Not if you don’t wish it,” she replied; and she distinctly heard his sigh of relief. —
“如果你不愿意的话，不真的，”她回答；她清楚地听到他松了一口气。 —

“Peter,” she asked, trying to speak firmly, “what are your exact feelings for me?”
“彼得，”她试图坚定地问，“你对我有什么确切的感觉？”

“Those of a devoted son, Wendy.”
“作为一个忠诚的儿子，温迪。”

“I thought so,” she said, and went and sat by herself at the extreme end of the room.
“我也是这么想的，”她说着，走到了房间的最边缘，独自坐下。

“You are so queer,” he said, frankly puzzled, “and Tiger Lily is just the same. —
“你真是太奇怪了，”他诚实地感到困惑，“而老虎百合也是一样的。 —

There is something she wants to be to me, but she says it is not my mother.”
她想成为我什么，但她说她不是我的母亲。”

“No, indeed, it is not,” Wendy replied with frightful emphasis. —
“不，确实不是的，”温迪害怕地强调道。 —

Now we know why she was prejudiced against the redskins.
现在我们知道她为什么对红印第安人队有偏见。

“Then what is it?”
“那是什么呢？”

“It isn’t for a lady to tell.”
“这不是女士该说的。”

“Oh, very well,” Peter said, a little nettled. “Perhaps Tinker Bell will tell me.”
“哦，好吧，”彼得有点恼怒地说。“也许小叮当会告诉我。”

“Oh yes, Tinker Bell will tell you,” Wendy retorted scornfully. —
“哦，是的，小仙女特里尔会告诉你的，”温迪傲慢地反驳道。 —

“She is an abandoned little creature.”
“她是一个被遗弃的小生物。”

Here Tink, who was in her bedroom, eavesdropping, squeaked out something impudent.
在她的卧室里偷听的Tink冒出了一些无礼的话。

“She says she glories in being abandoned,” Peter interpreted.
“她说自己欣然接受被抛弃，”彼得解释道。

He had a sudden idea. “Perhaps Tink wants to be my mother?”
他突然有了一个主意。“也许小叮当想成为我的母亲？”

“You silly ass!” cried Tinker Bell in a passion.
“你这个蠢驴！”小叮当愤怒地喊道。

She had said it so often that Wendy needed no translation.
她说这话说得如此频繁，以至于温迪不需要解释。

“I almost agree with her,” Wendy snapped. Fancy Wendy snapping! —
“我几乎同意她的观点，”温迪厉声说道。想象一下温迪居然这样脾气暴躁！ —

But she had been much tried, and she little knew what was to happen before the night was out. —
但她已经受够了，她并不知道今夜会发生什么。 —

If she had known she would not have snapped.
如果她知道的话，她就不会发火了。

None of them knew. Perhaps it was best not to know. Their ignorance gave them one more glad hour; —
他们都不知道。也许不知道是最好的。他们的无知给了他们一个更快乐的小时； —

and as it was to be their last hour on the island, let us rejoice that there were sixty glad minutes in it. —
因为这将是他们在岛上的最后一个小时，所以让我们为这六十愉快的分钟感到高兴吧。 —

They sang and danced in their night-gowns. —
她们穿着睡袍唱歌跳舞。 —

Such a deliciously creepy song it was, in which they pretended to be frightened at their own shadows, little witting that so soon shadows would close in upon them, from whom they would shrink in real fear. —
这是一首美妙而令人毛骨悚然的歌曲，他们在其中假装对自己的影子感到害怕，却不知道很快影子会笼罩着他们，让他们真正感到恐惧。 —

So uproariously gay was the dance, and how they buffeted each other on the bed and out of it! —
舞蹈是如此欢快，他们在床上互相撞击！ —

It was a pillow fight rather than a dance, and when it was finished, the pillows insisted on one bout more, like partners who know that they may never meet again. —
这更像是一场枕头大战而不是舞蹈，当它结束时，枕头坚持要再来一回合，就像是知道可能再也见不到的伴侣。 —

The stories they told, before it was time for Wendy’s good-night story! —
在Wendy的晚安故事之前，他们讲述了许多故事！ —

Even Slightly tried to tell a story that night, but the beginning was so fearfully dull that it appalled not only the others but himself, and he said happily:
那天晚上，连稍微也试着讲了一个故事，但开头非常乏味，不仅让别人感到沮丧，连他自己也是如此，他高兴地说道：

“Yes, it is a dull beginning. I say, let us pretend that it is the end.”
“是的，这是一个无聊的开头。我说，我们假装它已经结束吧。”

And then at last they all got into bed for Wendy’s story, the story they loved best, the story Peter hated. —
最后，他们都上了床听Wendy讲最受欢迎的故事，对于这个故事，Peter是讨厌的。 —

Usually when she began to tell this story he left the room or put his hands over his ears; —
通常当她开始讲这个故事时，他就离开房间或捂住耳朵； —

and possibly if he had done either of those things this time they might all still be on the island. —
可能如果他这次做了其中任何一件事情，他们都可能还在小岛上。 —

But to-night he remained on his stool; and we shall see what happened.
但是今晚他坐在凳子上没有离开；我们会看到发生了什么。