“Listen, then,” said Wendy, settling down to her story, with Michael at her feet and seven boys in the bed. —
“听着，”温迪说着，安坐在床上，迈克尔坐在她脚边，还有七个男孩。 —

“There was once a gentleman–”
“从前有一个绅士——”

“I had rather he had been a lady,” Curly said.
“我更希望他是一个女士，”卡利说。

“I wish he had been a white rat,” said Nibs.
“我希望他是一只白老鼠，”尼布斯说。

“Quiet,” their mother admonished them. “There was a lady also, and–”
“安静，”他们的母亲责备他们。“还有一个女士，还——”

“Oh, mummy,” cried the first twin, “you mean that there is a lady also, don’t you? —
“哦，妈咪，”第一个双胞胎哭着说，“你是说还有一个女士，对吧？ —

She is not dead, is she?”
她没有死吧?”

“Oh, no.”
“哦，不.”

“I am awfully glad she isn’t dead,” said Tootles. “Are you glad, John?”
“太好了，她没有死。”图特尔斯说。“你高兴吗，约翰?”

“Of course I am.”
“当然高兴.”

“Are you glad, Nibs?”
“你高兴吗，尼布斯?”

“Rather.”
“当然.”

“Are you glad, Twins?”
“你们高兴吗，双胞胎?”

“We are glad.”
“我们高兴.”

“Oh dear,” sighed Wendy.
“哦，天哪，”温迪叹了口气。

“Little less noise there,” Peter called out, determined that she should have fair play, however beastly a story it might be in his opinion.
“别那么吵，”彼得大声喊道，决心让她公平竞争，尽管他对这个故事的态度可能多么可怕。

“The gentleman’s name,” Wendy continued, “was Mr. Darling, and her name was Mrs. Darling.”
“那位先生的名字，”温迪继续说道，“叫达令先生，而她的名字叫达令夫人。”

“I knew them,” John said, to annoy the others.
“我认识他们，”约翰说，为了恼怒其他人。

“I think I knew them,” said Michael rather doubtfully.
“我想我也认识他们，”迈克尔有些怀疑地说。

“They were married, you know,” explained Wendy, “and what do you think they had?”
“他们结了婚，你们知道，”温迪解释道，“你们猜他们有什么？”

“White rats,” cried Nibs, inspired.
“白老鼠，”尼布斯叫道，灵感涌现。

“No.”
“不。”

“It’s awfully puzzling,” said Tootles, who knew the story by heart.
“这真是令人困惑，”图特尔斯说，他已经滚瓜烂熟地知道这个故事了。

“Quiet, Tootles. They had three descendants.”
“安静点，图特尔斯。他们有三个后代。”

“What is descendants?”
“后代是什么意思？”

“Well, you are one, Twin.”
“哦，你就是一个，双胞胎。”

“Did you hear that, John? I am a descendant.”
“听见了吗，约翰？我是一个后代。”

“Descendants are only children,” said John.
“后代只是孩子，”约翰说。

“Oh dear, oh dear,” sighed Wendy. “Now these three children had a faithful nurse called Nana; —
“哦，天哪，天哪，”温迪叹了口气。“现在这三个孩子有一个忠诚的保姆叫娜娜； —

but Mr. Darling was angry with her and chained her up in the yard, and so all the children flew away.”
但是达令先生对她很生气，把她锁在院子里，所以所有的孩子都飞走了。”

“It’s an awfully good story,” said Nibs.
“这是一个非常好的故事，”尼布斯说。

“They flew away,” Wendy continued, “to the Neverland, where the lost children are.”
“他们飞走了，”温迪继续说，“飞到了迷失儿童所在的永无岛。”

“I just thought they did,” Curly broke in excitedly. —
“我就是这么认为的，”卡尔利兴奋地插嘴说。 —

“I don’t know how it is, but I just thought they did!”
“我不知道为什么，但我就是这么认为的！”

“O Wendy,” cried Tootles, “was one of the lost children called Tootles?”
“哦，温迪，”图特尔斯叫道，“迷失儿童中有一个叫图特尔斯吗？”

“Yes, he was.”
“是的，有。”

“I am in a story. Hurrah, I am in a story, Nibs.”
“我在故事里了。万岁，我在故事里，尼布斯。”

“Hush. Now I want you to consider the feelings of the unhappy parents with all their children flown away.”
“嘘。现在我要你们考虑一下那些失去孩子的悲伤父母的感受。”

“Oo!” they all moaned, though they were not really considering the feelings of the unhappy parents one jot.
“哦！”他们都呻吟道，尽管他们实际上并没有认真考虑过那些悲伤父母的感受。

“Think of the empty beds!”
“想象一下空空的床位！”

“Oo!”
“哦！”

“It’s awfully sad,” the first twin said cheerfully.
“这真是太伤心了，”第一个双胞胎开心地说道。

“I don’t see how it can have a happy ending,” said the second twin. “Do you, Nibs?”
“我不明白它怎么可能有个快乐的结局，”第二个双胞胎说道。“你觉得呢，尼布斯？”

“I’m frightfully anxious.”
“我非常担心。”

“If you knew how great is a mother’s love,” Wendy told them triumphantly, “you would have no fear. —
“如果你知道母爱有多伟大，”温迪得意地告诉他们，“你就不会害怕了。” —

” She had now come to the part that Peter hated.
“现在她要谈到彼得讨厌的部分了。”

“I do like a mother’s love,” said Tootles, hitting Nibs with a pillow. —
“我喜欢母爱，”图特尔斯说着，用枕头击打尼布斯。 —

“Do you like a mother’s love, Nibs?”
“尼布斯，你喜欢母爱吗？”

“I do just,” said Nibs, hitting back.
“喜欢，”尼布斯说着，反击。

“You see,” Wendy said complacently, “our heroine knew that the mother would always leave the window open for her children to fly back by; —
“你们瞧，”温迪自满地说，“我们的女主角知道母亲总是会给孩子们留下窗户开着，供他们飞回来； —

so they stayed away for years and had a lovely time.”
所以他们离开了好几年，过上了美好的时光。”

“Did they ever go back?”
“他们有回去过吗？”

“Let us now,” said Wendy, bracing herself up for her finest effort, “take a peep into the future”; —
“现在，”温迪说着，为自己最大的努力做好准备，“让我们来瞧一眼未来”； —

and they all gave themselves the twist that makes peeps into the future easier. —
他们全都给自己来了个扭扭的动作，使得瞥见未来更容易。 —

“Years have rolled by, and who is this elegant lady of uncertain age alighting at London Station?”
“岁月已经过去，这位不确定年龄的优雅女士正要从伦敦车站下车。”

“O Wendy, who is she?” cried Nibs, every bit as excited as if he didn’t know.
“哦，温迪，她是谁？”尼布斯大呼小叫，好像不知道一样兴奋。

“Can it be–yes–no–it is–the fair Wendy!”
“难道能是——是的——不——是——温迪！”

“Oh!”
“哦！”

“And who are the two noble portly figures accompanying her, now grown to man’s estate? —
“陪同她的两位高贵壮实的身影，如今已经长大成人。” —

Can they be John and Michael? They are!”
他们可以是约翰和迈克尔吗？是他们！

“Oh!”
哦！

“‘See, dear brothers,’ says Wendy pointing upwards, ‘there is the window still standing open. Ah, now we are rewarded for our sublime faith in a mother’s love. —
“见，亲爱的兄弟们，”温迪指着上方说，“那里还是开着的窗户。啊，我们因为对母爱的崇高信仰而得到了回报。” —

’ So up they flew to their mummy and daddy, and pen cannot describe the happy scene, over which we draw a veil.”
于是他们飞向了他们的爸爸妈妈，用字笔无法描述的幸福场景，在这背后我们画上了幕布。

That was the story, and they were as pleased with it as the fair narrator herself. —
这就是那个故事，他们对它一样满意，就像那位美丽的叙述者本身一样。 —

Everything just as it should be, you see. —
一切都是应该如此的，你看。 —

Off we skip like the most heartless things in the world, which is what children are, but so attractive; —
我们像世界上最无情的东西一样轻盈地跳跃，这就是孩子们，但他们如此吸引人； —

and we have an entirely selfish time, and then when we have need of special attention we nobly return for it, confident that we shall be rewarded instead of smacked.
我们度过完全自私的时光，当我们需要特别关注时，我们高尚地回归，相信我们将被奖励而不是被打。

So great indeed was their faith in a mother’s love that they felt they could afford to be callous for a bit longer.
他们如此坚信母爱，以至于他们觉得可以再冷酷一段时间。

But there was one there who knew better, and when Wendy finished he uttered a hollow groan.
但那里有一个人知道得更清楚，当温迪讲完后，他发出了一个空洞的呻吟。

“What is it, Peter?” she cried, running to him, thinking he was ill. —
“彼得，怎么了？”她跑向他，认为他生病了。 —

She felt him solicitously, lower down than his chest. —
她关切地触摸他，比他的胸口更低。 —

“Where is it, Peter?”
“它在哪里，彼得？”

“It isn’t that kind of pain,” Peter replied darkly.
“这不是那种痛苦，”彼得阴沉地回答道。

“Then what kind is it?”
“那是什么样的痛苦？”

“Wendy, you are wrong about mothers.”
“温迪，你对母亲说错了。”

They all gathered round him in affright, so alarming was his agitation; —
他们都惊恐地聚集在他身边，他的激动是如此令人担忧； —

and with a fine candour he told them what he had hitherto concealed.
并且他坦率地告诉他们他此前一直隐瞒的事情。

“Long ago,” he said, “I thought like you that my mother would always keep the window open for me, so I stayed away for moons and moons and moons, and then flew back; —
“很久以前，”他说，“我像你们一样认为我的母亲会永远为我开着窗户，所以我离开了几个月又几个月，然后飞回来； —

but the window was barred, for mother had forgotten all about me, and there was another little boy sleeping in my bed.”
但是窗户上了门，因为母亲忘记了我，另一个小男孩在我的床上睡觉。”

I am not sure that this was true, but Peter thought it was true; and it scared them.
我不确定这是真的，但彼得认为这是真的；他们被吓到了。

“Are you sure mothers are like that?”
“你确定母亲是这样的吗？”

“Yes.”
“是的。”

So this was the truth about mothers. The toads!
这就是母亲的真相。真讨厌！

Still it is best to be careful; and no one knows so quickly as a child when he should give in. —
尽管如此，小孩子在应该让步的时候很快就能意识到要小心一点。 —

“Wendy, let us go home,” cried John and Michael together.
“温迪，让我们回家吧，”约翰和迈克尔同时喊道。

“Yes,” she said, clutching them.
“是的。”她紧紧地抱住他们。

“Not to-night?” asked the lost boys bewildered. —
“不是今天晚上吗？”迷失的男孩们疑惑地问道。 —

They knew in what they called their hearts that one can get on quite well without a mother, and that it is only the mothers who think you can’t.
他们知道在他们所谓的内心里，没有母亲也可以过得很好，只有母亲们才认为你无法做到。

“At once,” Wendy replied resolutely, for the horrible thought had come to her: —
“立刻，”温迪坚定地回答道，因为可怕的想法浮现在她心头： —

“Perhaps mother is in half mourning by this time.”
“也许妈妈现在已经穿着半守孝了。”

This dread made her forgetful of what must be Peter’s feelings, and she said to him rather sharply, “Peter, will you make the necessary arrangements?”
这种恐惧使她忘记了彼得的感受，她有点生气地对他说：“彼得，你会做必要的安排吗？”

“If you wish it,” he replied, as coolly as if she had asked him to pass the nuts.
“如果你愿意的话，”他冷静地回答道，就好像她让他递一些坚果一样。

Not so much as a sorry-to-lose-you between them! —
他们之间没有一个道别的话！ —

If she did not mind the parting, he was going to show her, was Peter, that neither did he.
如果她不介意分别，那么彼得要向她展示，他也并不介意。

But of course he cared very much; and he was so full of wrath against grown-ups, who, as usual, were spoiling everything, that as soon as he got inside his tree he breathed intentionally quick short breaths at the rate of about five to a second. —
然而，他当然非常在意；他对那些成年人充满了愤怒，正如往常一样，他们总是在破坏一切，所以他一进入他的树屋后，他有意识地急促呼吸，每秒钟呼吸约五次。 —

He did this because there is a saying in the Neverland that, every time you breathe, a grown-up dies; —
他这样做是因为在梦幻岛上有一句谚语，每次你呼吸，一个成年人就会死去； —

and Peter was killing them off vindictively as fast as possible.
彼得在报复性地尽可能快地杀掉他们。

Then having given the necessary instructions to the redskins he returned to the home, where an unworthy scene had been enacted in his absence. —
然后，彼得向红人给出必要的指示后，返回家中，在他的缺席期间，一场不值得的场景发生了。 —

Panic-stricken at the thought of losing Wendy the lost boys had advanced upon her threateningly.
对失去温迪的想法感到恐慌的迷失男孩们威胁性地向她逼近。

“It will be worse than before she came,” they cried.
“她来之前会比现在更糟糕的，”他们喊道。

“We shan’t let her go.”
“我们不会让她走的。”

“Let’s keep her prisoner.”
“让我们把她囚禁起来。”

“Ay, chain her up.”
“对，把她锁起来。”

In her extremity an instinct told her to which of them to turn.
在危急时刻，本能告诉温迪应该求助于他们中的哪一个。

“Tootles,” she cried, “I appeal to you.”
“图腾，”她喊道，“我请求你。”

Was it not strange? She appealed to Tootles, quite the silliest one.
这不是奇怪吗？她求助于图腾，那个最傻的人。

Grandly, however, did Tootles respond. For that one moment he dropped his silliness and spoke with dignity.
然而，Tootles回应得非常庄重。在那一瞬间，他放下了愚蠢的举止，以庄重的语气说道。

“I am just Tootles,” he said, “and nobody minds me. —
“我只是Tootles，”他说，“没有人介意我。 —

But the first who does not behave to Wendy like an English gentleman I will blood him severely.”
但是第一个对Wendy不像个英国绅士那样行为的人，我会狠狠地揍他一顿。”

He drew back his hanger; and for that instant his sun was at noon. The others held back uneasily. —
他收回他的短剑，短暂的一瞬间，他的阳光正午。其他人局促不安地退后了。 —

Then Peter returned, and they saw at once that they would get no support from him. He would keep no girl in the Neverland against her will.
然后Peter回来了，他们一下子就意识到他们得不到他的支持。他不会违背一个女孩的意愿，把她留在梦幻岛上。

“Wendy,” he said, striding up and down, “I have asked the redskins to guide you through the wood, as flying tires you so.”
“Wendy，”他走来走去地说道，“我已经请求红肤人来带你穿过树林，因为飞行会让你筋疲力尽。”

“Thank you, Peter.”
“谢谢，Peter。”

“Then,” he continued, in the short sharp voice of one accustomed to be obeyed, “Tinker Bell will take you across the sea. Wake her, Nibs.”
“然后，”他继续用一贯的尖锐声音说道，“小仙女Tinker Bell会带你过海。唤醒她，Nibs。”

Nibs had to knock twice before he got an answer, though Tink had really been sitting up in bed listening for some time.
Nibs敲了两次才得到回答，尽管Tink其实早就坐在床上倾听了一段时间。

“Who are you? How dare you? Go away,” she cried.
“你是谁？你怎么敢？走开！”她喊道。

“You are to get up, Tink,” Nibs called, “and take Wendy on a journey.”
“你该起床了，Tink，”尼布斯喊道，“带着温迪去旅行。”

Of course Tink had been delighted to hear that Wendy was going; —
当然，Tink听到温迪要去时非常高兴； —

but she was jolly well determined not to be her courier, and she said so in still more offensive language. —
但她下定决心绝不当温迪的信使，并且还用更加冒犯的语言说了出来。 —

Then she pretended to be asleep again.
然后她又假装睡着了。

“She says she won’t!” Nibs exclaimed, aghast at such insubordination, whereupon Peter went sternly toward the young lady’s chamber.
“她说她不想去！”尼布斯惊讶地喊道，彼得因为这种违抗而板起了脸，朝着年轻女子的房间走去。

“Tink,” he rapped out, “if you don’t get up and dress at once I will open the curtains, and then we shall all see you in your negligee.”
“Tink,” 他抓住机会喊道，“如果你不立刻起床穿衣服，我就会拉开窗帘，然后大家都会看到你穿着睡袍。”

This made her leap to the floor. “Who said I wasn’t getting up?” she cried.
这使她跳下床。“谁说我不起床？”她大声喊道。

In the meantime the boys were gazing very forlornly at Wendy, now equipped with John and Michael for the journey. —
与此同时，男孩们对温迪望着她，现在她已经带上约翰和迈克尔准备出发了，他们感到非常沮丧。 —

By this time they were dejected, not merely because they were about to lose her, but also because they felt that she was going off to something nice to which they had not been invited. —
此时他们感到沮丧，不仅因为他们即将失去她，还因为他们感到她要去一个他们没有被邀请参加的美好事物。 —

Novelty was beckoning to them as usual.
如往常一样，新奇事物引诱着他们。

Crediting them with a nobler feeling Wendy melted.
温迪赞赏他们愈发高尚的情感融化了。

“Dear ones,” she said, “if you will all come with me I feel almost sure I can get my father and mother to adopt you.”
“亲爱的孩子们，”她说，“如果你们愿意跟我一起来，我几乎肯定能说动我爸爸和妈妈收养你们。”

The invitation was meant specially for Peter, but each of the boys was thinking exclusively of himself, and at once they jumped with joy.
邀请特意是给彼得的，但每个男孩都只顾着自己，立刻欢呼雀跃起来。

“But won’t they think us rather a handful?” Nibs asked in the middle of his jump.
“但他们会不会觉得我们比较麻烦？”尼布斯跳跃时问道。

“Oh no,” said Wendy, rapidly thinking it out, “it will only mean having a few beds in the drawing-room; —
“噢不，”温迪迅速思考着，“那只是意味着客厅里要多几张床； —

they can been hidden behind the screens on first Thursdays.”
第一个星期四时，它们可以被挡板遮住。”

“Peter, can we go?” they all cried imploringly. —
“彼得，我们能去吗？”他们都央求地喊道。 —

They took it for granted that if they went he would go also, but really they scarcely cared. —
他们认为，如果他们去了，他也会跟着去，但实际上他们几乎不关心。 —

Thus children are ever ready, when novelty knocks, to desert their dearest ones.
当新奇事物来敲门时，孩子们总是毫不犹豫地离开他们最亲爱的人。

“All right,” Peter replied with a bitter smile, and immediately they rushed to get their things.
“好吧，”彼得带着痛苦的微笑回答道，然后他们立刻冲着拿东西去了。

“And now, Peter,” Wendy said, thinking she had put everything right, “I am going to give you your medicine before you go. —
“彼得，”温迪说道，她以为一切问题都解决了，“在你走之前，我要给你吃药。” —

” She loved to give them medicine, and undoubtedly gave them too much. —
她喜欢给他们吃药，但往往给得太多。 —

Of course it was only water, but it was out of a bottle, and she always shook the bottle and counted the drops, which gave it a certain medicinal quality. —
当然，药只是水，但是从瓶子里倒出来，她总是摇晃着瓶子并数清滴数，给药带来了一种特殊的药效。 —

On this occasion, however, she did not give Peter his draught , for just as she had prepared it, she saw a look on his face that made her heart sink.
但是这次，她没有给彼得喝药，因为就在她准备好的时候，她看到了他脸上的表情，她的心沉了下去。

“Get your things, Peter,” she cried, shaking.
“收拾好你的东西，彼得，”她喊道，抖动着。

“No,” he answered, pretending indifference, “I am not going with you, Wendy.”
“不，”他回答，装作漠不关心的样子，“温迪，我不和你一起走。”

“Yes, Peter.”
“是的，彼得。”

“No.”
“不。”

To show that her departure would leave him unmoved, he skipped up and down the room, playing gaily on his heartless pipes. —
为了显示自己的离开不会对他产生影响，他在房间里欢快地蹦跳，吹着没心没肺的笛子。 —

She had to run about after him, though it was rather undignified.
她不得不在他身后跑来跑去，虽然这显得有些不庄重。

“To find your mother,” she coaxed.
“去找你的妈妈，”她哄着说道。

Now, if Peter had ever quite had a mother, he no longer missed her. —
“现在，如果彼得曾经有过妈妈，他已经不再想起她了。” —

He could do very well without one. He had thought them out, and remembered only their bad points.
他可以没有一个很好。他已经想过了，只记住了他们的坏处。

“No, no,” he told Wendy decisively; “perhaps she would say I was old, and I just want always to be a little boy and to have fun.”
“不，不，”他果断地告诉温迪，“也许她会说我老了，但我只是想永远当个小男孩，享受快乐。”

“But, Peter–”
“但是，彼得——”

“No.”
“不。”

And so the others had to be told.
所以其他人也被告知了。

“Peter isn’t coming.”
“彼得不来了。”

Peter not coming! They gazed blankly at him, their sticks over their backs, and on each stick a bundle. —
彼得不来了！他们茫然地看着他，棍子背在背上，每根棍子上都绑着一捆东西。 —

Their first thought was that if Peter was not going he had probably changed his mind about letting them go.
他们首先想到的是，如果彼得不去，他可能已经改变主意，不让他们去了。

But he was far too proud for that. “If you find your mothers,” he said darkly, “I hope you will like them.”
但他太自豪了。 “如果你找到你们的妈妈，”他阴沉地说道，“我希望你会喜欢她们。”

The awful cynicism of this made an uncomfortable impression, and most of them began to look rather doubtful. —
这种可怕的玩笑话让人不舒服，他们中的大多数人开始感到有些怀疑。 —

After all, their faces said, were they not noodles to want to go?
毕竟，他们的脸上说，他们难道不是傻瓜才想去吗？

“Now then,” cried Peter, “no fuss, no blubbering; good-bye, Wendy”; —
“好了，”彼得叫道，“别闹了，别哭了，再见，温迪。” —

and he held out his hand cheerily, quite as if they must really go now, for he had something important to do.
他高高举起手，愉快地说道，好像他们确实必须走了，因为他有重要的事情要做。

She had to take his hand, and there was no indication that he would prefer a thimble.
她必须牵起他的手，没有任何迹象表明他会喜欢一个顶针。

“You will remember about changing your flannels, Peter? —
“你记得要换你的法兰绒衣服，彼得吗？”她说着，还停留在他身边。她总是对他们的法兰绒衣服特别讲究。 —

” she said, lingering over him. She was always so particular about their flannels.
“记得。”

“Yes.”
“你会服药吗？”

“And you will take your medicine?”
“会的。”

“Yes.”
似乎没有其他要说的了，于是尴尬的沉默随之而来。

That seemed to be everything, and an awkward pause followed. —
然而，彼得不是那种在别人面前垮掉的人。 —

Peter, however, was not the kind that breaks down before other people. —
“你准备好了吗, 小叮当?” 他喊道。 —

“Are you ready, Tinker Bell?” he called out.
“哎哟, 哎哟。”

“Ay, ay.”
“那就领路吧。”

“Then lead the way.”
小叮当飞快地冲上最近的一棵树；但是没有人跟着她，因为就在这时，海盗对红皮人发起了可怕的进攻。

Tink darted up the nearest tree; but no one followed her, for it was at this moment that the pirates made their dreadful attack upon the redskins. —
在上面，一直那么寂静的地方，空气中充满了尖叫声和钢器的撞击声。 —

Above, where all had been so still, the air was rent with shrieks and the clash of steel. —
在下面，死一般的寂静。嘴巴张开并保持张开。 —

Below, there was dead silence. Mouths opened and remained open. —
—

Wendy fell on her knees, but her arms were extended toward Peter. All arms were extended to him, as if suddenly blown in his direction; —
温迪跪倒在地，但她的手臂伸向了彼得。所有的手臂都朝着他伸展，仿佛突然向他吹去； —

they were beseeching him mutely not to desert them. —
他们默默地乞求他不要抛弃他们。 —

As for Peter, he seized his sword, the same he thought he had slain Barbecue with, and the lust of battle was in his eye.
至于彼得，他抓住他的剑，他以为用这把剑杀死了巴贝克，眼中充满了战斗的渴望。