If you shut your eyes and are a lucky one, you may see at times a shapeless pool of lovely pale colours suspended in the darkness; —
如果你闭上双眼,碰巧是个幸运儿的话,你偶尔会在黑暗中看到一片无形的可爱的浅色池塘; —

then if you squeeze your eyes tighter, the pool begins to take shape, and the colours become so vivid that with another squeeze they must go on fire. —
然后,如果你再紧闭双眼,那个池塘开始成形,颜色变得如此鲜艳,再稍微用力一紧闭眼睛,它们必然会着火; —

But just before they go on fire you see the lagoon. —
但就在它们着火前的一刹那,你能看到那个泻湖; —

This is the nearest you ever get to it on the mainland, just one heavenly moment; —
这是你在大陆上最接近它的时候,只有天堂般的一瞬间; —

if there could be two moments you might see the surf and hear the mermaids singing.
如果有两个时刻的话,你可能会看到那泻湖的浪涛,听到美人鱼的歌唱声;

The children often spent long summer days on this lagoon, swimming or floating most of the time, playing the mermaid games in the water, and so forth. —
孩子们经常在这个泻湖上度过漫长的夏日,大部分时间都在游泳或漂浮,水中进行美人鱼游戏等等; —

You must not think from this that the mermaids were on friendly terms with them: —
请不要因此认为美人鱼和他们交好; —

on the contrary, it was among Wendy’s lasting regrets that all the time she was on the island she never had a civil word from one of them. —
相反,温迪永远遗憾的是,在岛上的这段时间里,她从来没有受到过美人鱼的友善问候。 —

When she stole softly to the edge of the lagoon she might see them by the score, especially on Marooners’ Rock, where they loved to bask, combing out their hair in a lazy way that quite irritated her; —
当她悄悄偷偷地靠近泻湖边缘的时候,她可能会看到大量的他们,尤其是在海盗岩上,他们喜欢在那里晒太阳,懒洋洋地梳理着他们的头发,这令她非常烦恼。 —

or she might even swim, on tiptoe as it were, to within a yard of them, but then they saw her and dived, probably splashing her with their tails, not by accident, but intentionally.
或者她甚至可以像踮脚尖一样游过去,在离他们仅一码的地方,但他们看见她后就会跳下水,很可能会有意朝她甩尾巴溅水,这并非意外,而是有意的。

They treated all the boys in the same way, except of course Peter, who chatted with them on Marooners’ Rock by the hour, and sat on their tails when they got cheeky. —
他们对待所有的男孩都是一样的方式,除了彼得,他可以在海盗岩上和他们聊天,如果他们太过分的话,他还会坐在他们的尾巴上。 —

He gave Wendy one of their combs.
他给了温迪其中一个他们的梳子。

The most haunting time at which to see them is at the turn of the moon, when they utter strange wailing cries; —
最令人难忘的时刻是在月圆之际,那时他们会发出奇怪的哀嚎声; —

but the lagoon is dangerous for mortals then, and until the evening of which we have now to tell, Wendy had never seen the lagoon by moonlight, less from fear, for of course Peter would have accompanied her, than because she had strict rules about every one being in bed by seven. —
但是月光下的泻湖对于凡人来说是危险的,在我们要讲述的那个晚上之前,温迪从未在月光下看过泻湖,这并不是因为害怕,因为彼得当然会陪着她,而是因为她有严格的规定,每个人都必须在晚上七点前上床睡觉。 —

She was often at the lagoon, however, on sunny days after rain, when the mermaids come up in extraordinary numbers to play with their bubbles. —
她经常到湖泊,尤其是在下雨后的晴天,当美人鱼们成群出现时,她们会和泡泡一起玩耍。 —

The bubbles of many colours made in rainbow water they treat as balls, hitting them gaily from one to another with their tails, and trying to keep them in the rainbow till they burst. —
这些多彩的泡泡是在彩虹色的水中制作的,她们把它们当作球,用尾巴开心地互相拍打,试图将它们留在彩虹里,直到它们破裂。 —

The goals are at each end of the rainbow, and the keepers only are allowed to use their hands. —
球门设在彩虹的每一端,只有守门员才能用手接住。 —

Sometimes a dozen of these games will be going on in the lagoon at a time, and it is quite a pretty sight.
有时候,湖泊中会同时进行十几场这样的游戏,真是一幅美丽的景象。

But the moment the children tried to join in they had to play by themselves, for the mermaids immediately disappeared. —
但是孩子们一试图加入时,美人鱼们立即消失了,他们只能自己玩。 —

Nevertheless we have proof that they secretly watched the interlopers, and were not above taking an idea from them; —
然而我们有证据证明他们偷偷地看着这些插班生,并从中获取了灵感; —

for John introduced a new way of hitting the bubble, with the head instead of the hand, and the mermaids adopted it. —
约翰引入了一种新的打泡泡的方式,用头而不是手,美人鱼们也采纳了这种方式。 —

This is the one mark that John has left on the Neverland.
这是约翰在梦幻岛上留下的痕迹。

It must also have been rather pretty to see the children resting on a rock for half an hour after their mid-day meal. —
看到孩子们在中午饭后在石头上休息半个小时肯定也是相当漂亮的。 —

Wendy insisted on their doing this, and it had to be a real rest even though the meal was make-believe. —
温迪坚持让他们这样做,即使是假的饭,也必须是真正的休息。 —

So they lay there in the sun, and their bodies glistened in it, while she sat beside them and looked important.
于是他们躺在太阳下,身体在阳光下闪闪发亮,而温迪坐在他们旁边,显得很重要。

It was one such day, and they were all on Marooners’ Rock. The rock was not much larger than their great bed, but of course they all knew how not to take up much room, and they were dozing, or at least lying with their eyes shut, and pinching occasionally when they thought Wendy was not looking. —
这是一个这样的日子,他们都在“马伦诺锐”岩上。这块岩石比他们的大床要大不了多少,但当然他们都知道怎样占用很少的空间,他们正在打盹,或者至少带着闭着的眼睛,不时捏一下,以为温迪没有看到。 —

She was very busy, stitching.
她很忙,正在缝纫。

While she stitched a change came to the lagoon. —
她一边缝纫,湖泊发生了变化。 —

Little shivers ran over it, and the sun went away and shadows stole across the water, turning it cold. —
湖面上出现了一阵微微的颤动,太阳消失了,阴影逐渐笼罩着寒冷的水面。 —

Wendy could no longer see to thread her needle, and when she looked up, the lagoon that had always hitherto been such a laughing place seemed formidable and unfriendly.
温迪再也看不清线孔,当她抬头看时,这片曾经一直是欢乐之地的湖泊显得可怕而不友好。

It was not, she knew, that night had come, but something as dark as night had come. —
她知道这并不是夜晚的降临,而是某种与黑夜一样黑暗的东西降临了。 —

No, worse than that. It had not come, but it had sent that shiver through the sea to say that it was coming. What was it?
不,比这更糟糕。它并没有降临,而是通过大海传递一种寒意,预示着它即将到来。它是什么?

There crowded upon her all the stories she had been told of Marooners’ Rock, so called because evil captains put sailors on it and leave them there to drown. —
所有关于魔鬼岩的故事在她脑海中涌现,这里因为邪恶的船长会将水手们囚禁在上面,让他们被淹死。 —

They drown when the tide rises, for then it is submerged.
当涨潮时,岩石会被淹没,他们就会被淹死。

Of course she should have roused the children at once; —
当然,她应该立即叫醒孩子们; —

not merely because of the unknown that was stalking toward them, but because it was no longer good for them to sleep on a rock grown chilly. —
不仅仅是因为有什么未知的东西正向他们接近,而是因为他们不能再在变冷的岩石上睡觉了。 —

But she was a young mother and she did not know this; —
但她是一名年轻的母亲,她不知道这一点; —

she thought you simply must stick to your rule about half an hour after the mid-day meal. —
她认为你必须坚持规定的午餐后半小时的规则。 —

So, though fear was upon her, and she longed to hear male voices, she would not waken them. —
因此,尽管她害怕,渴望听到男性的声音,她不愿将他们叫醒。 —

Even when she heard the sound of muffled oars, though her heart was in her mouth, she did not waken them. —
即使她听到细密浆糊船桨的声音,尽管她心口如焚,她也没有唤醒他们。 —

She stood over them to let them have their sleep out. —
她站在他们旁边,让他们尽情地睡觉。 —

Was it not brave of Wendy?
温迪真勇敢,不是吗?

It was well for those boys then that there was one among them who could sniff danger even in his sleep. —
幸亏他们当中有一个人,就连在睡梦中也能察觉到危险。 —

Peter sprang erect, as wide awake at once as a dog, and with one warning cry he roused the others.
彼得一下子跳了起来,像只狗一样立刻全神贯注,他发出一声警告的呼喊,把其他人都惊醒了。

He stood motionless, one hand to his ear.
他一动不动,一手捂住耳朵。

“Pirates!” he cried. The others came closer to him. —
“海盗!”他喊道。其他人靠近他。 —

A strange smile was playing about his face, and Wendy saw it and shuddered. —
他脸上游离着一丝奇怪的笑容,温迪看到了,感到害怕。 —

While that smile was on his face no one dared address him; —
只要他面带微笑,谁也不敢跟他说话; —

all they could do was to stand ready to obey. —
他们只能准备服从他的命令。 —

The order came sharp and incisive.
命令突然而严厉地传来。

“Dive!”
“潜下!”

There was a gleam of legs, and instantly the lagoon seemed deserted. —
一片闪动的腿,顿时湖面上变得空荡荡的。 —

Marooners’ Rock stood alone in the forbidding waters as if it were itself marooned.
孤零零地矗立在令人生畏的水域中,就像被困住了一样。

The boat drew nearer. It was the pirate dinghy, with three figures in her, Smee and Starkey, and the third a captive, no other than Tiger Lily. Her hands and ankles were tied, and she knew what was to be her fate. —
小船靠近了。那是海盗的小船,上面有三个人,斯密和斯塔基,还有第三个人——虎莉莉。她的手脚被捆绑着,她知道自己的命运。 —

She was to be left on the rock to perish, an end to one of her race more terrible than death by fire or torture, for is it not written in the book of the tribe that there is no path through water to the happy hunting-ground? —
她注定要被留在岩石上而死,这比火刑或酷刑更可怕,因为在部落的书中,水中没有通往幸福的狩猎场的道路。 —

Yet her face was impassive; she was the daughter of a chief, she must die as a chief’s daughter, it is enough.
然而她的脸上没有表情;她是酋长的女儿,她必须像酋长的女儿一样死,这已足够了。

They had caught her boarding the pirate ship with a knife in her mouth. —
他们抓住了她口中带着刀登上海盗船。 —

No watch was kept on the ship, it being Hook’s boast that the wind of his name guarded the ship for a mile around. —
船上没有值班,因为胡克吹嘘说他的名字之风能保护船舶一英里范围内。 —

Now her fate would help to guard it also. —
现在她的命运也将有助于保护它。 —

One more wail would go the round in that wind by night.
夜晚河风中会再次传来一声哀嚎。

In the gloom that they brought with them the two pirates did not see the rock till they crashed into it.
两个海盗带来的黑暗中,他们没有看到这块岩石,直到撞上它。

“Luff, you lubber,” cried an Irish voice that was Smee’s; “here’s the rock. —
“向下拉帆,你这个笨蛋!” 是斯密(Smee)的爱尔兰口音说的,“这里是岩石。 —

Now, then, what we have to do is to hoist the redskin on to it and leave her here to drown.”
现在,我们要做的是把红肤人放上去,让她在这里淹死。”

It was the work of one brutal moment to land the beautiful girl on the rock; —
仅仅一个残忍的时刻就把美丽的女孩丢在了岩石上; —

she was too proud to offer a vain resistance.
她太骄傲了,不肯无谓地反抗。

Quite near the rock, but out of sight, two heads were bobbing up and down, Peter’s and Wendy’s. —
就在岩石附近,但是看不见的地方,有两个人的头在上下移动,彼得和温迪的。 —

Wendy was crying, for it was the first tragedy she had seen. —
温迪在哭,因为这是她见过的第一个悲剧。 —

Peter had seen many tragedies, but he had forgotten them all. —
彼得见过很多悲剧,但他已经忘记了它们全部。 —

He was less sorry than Wendy for Tiger Lily: —
对于虎鲁终日他不如温迪伤心: —

it was two against one that angered him, and he meant to save her. —
两个对一个的事让他生气,他要去救她。 —

An easy way would have been to wait until the pirates had gone, but he was never one to choose the easy way.
等海盗们走了再说会容易得多,但他从不选择容易的方式。

There was almost nothing he could not do, and he now imitated the voice of Hook.
几乎没有他做不到的事情,他现在模仿起胡克的声音来了。

“Ahoy there, you lubbers!” he called. It was a marvellous imitation.
“喂,你们这些家伙!”他喊道。这是一个精彩的模仿。

“The captain!” said the pirates, staring at each other in surprise.
“船长!”海盗们惊讶地互相看着。

“He must be swimming out to us,” Starkey said, when they had looked for him in vain.
“他一定在向我们游过来,”斯塔奇说,当他们绝望地寻找他时。

“We are putting the redskin on the rock,” Smee called out.
“我们把红皮女孩放在岩石上了,”斯密大声喊道。

“Set her free,” came the astonishing answer.
“释放她吧”,惊人的答案传来。

“Free!”
“释放!”

“Yes, cut her bonds and let her go.”
“是的,解开她的束缚,让她走。”

“But, captain–”
“但是,船长——”

“At once, d’ye hear,” cried Peter, “or I’ll plunge my hook in you.”
“立刻,听到了吗,”彼得大声喊道,“否则我会用钩子刺入你。”

“This is queer!” Smee gasped.
“这太奇怪了!”斯密喘不过气来。

“Better do what the captain orders,” said Starkey nervously.
“最好按船长的吩咐去做,”斯塔基紧张地说。

“Ay, ay.” Smee said, and he cut Tiger Lily’s cords. —
“好吧,好吧。”斯密说着,他剪断了虎百合的绳索。 —

At once like an eel she slid between Starkey’s legs into the water.
她立刻像一条鳗鱼一样从斯塔基的腿间溜入水中。

Of course Wendy was very elated over Peter’s cleverness; —
当然温迪对彼得的聪明才智感到非常高兴; —

but she knew that he would be elated also and very likely crow and thus betray himself, so at once her hand went out to cover his mouth. —
但她知道他也会感到高兴,很可能喜形于色,从而暴露自己,所以她的手立刻伸出去掩住了他的嘴。 —

But it was stayed even in the act, for “Boat ahoy! —
但在这一刻,一声“船来了!”响彻在海湾上,声音是胡克的,这次不是彼得在说话。 —

” rang over the lagoon in Hook’s voice, and this time it was not Peter who had spoken.
“船来了!”声音再次响起。

Peter may have been about to crow, but his face puckered in a whistle of surprise instead.
彼得可能正准备 crow,但他的脸因惊讶而呈口哨般的皱纹。

“Boat ahoy!” again came the voice.
“船来了!”声音再次传来。

Now Wendy understood. The real Hook was also in the water.
现在温迪明白了。真正的胡克也在水中。

He was swimming to the boat, and as his men showed a light to guide him he had soon reached them. —
他正朝着船游过去,当他的人点亮灯光来引导他时,他很快就到达了船边。 —

In the light of the lantern Wendy saw his hook grip the boat’s side; —
在灯笼的光亮下,温迪看到他的钩子紧紧抓住了船的一侧; —

she saw his evil swarthy face as he rose dripping from the water, and, quaking, she would have liked to swim away, but Peter would not budge. —
她看到他从水中浮出,水滴从他那邪恶的黝黑的脸上滴落下来,她颤抖着希望能游开,但彼得一动不动。 —

He was tingling with life and also top-heavy with conceit. “Am I not a wonder, oh, I am a wonder! —
他满身充满生气,自负得让人厌烦。“难道我不是个奇迹吗,哦,我真是个奇迹!” —

” he whispered to her, and though she thought so also, she was really glad for the sake of his reputation that no one heard him except herself.
他对她低声说,虽然她也这么认为,但为了他的声誉起见,她真的很高兴除了她自己之外没有人听到他。

He signed to her to listen.
他示意她倾听。

The two pirates were very curious to know what had brought their captain to them, but he sat with his head on his hook in a position of profound melancholy.
两个海盗很好奇他们的船长为什么来找他们,但他低着头,手上挂着钩,陷入了沉思的状态。

“Captain, is all well?” they asked timidly, but he answered with a hollow moan.
“船长,一切都好吗?”他们小心地问道,但他的回答只是发出空洞的呻吟。

“He sighs,” said Smee.
“他叹气了,”史密说。

“He sighs again,” said Starkey.
“他又叹气了,”斯塔奇说。

“And yet a third time he sighs,” said Smee.
“还有第三次他叹气了,”史密说。

Then at last he spoke passionately.
最后他激动地说话了。

“The game’s up,” he cried, “those boys have found a mother.”
“游戏结束了,”他喊道,“那些孩子们找到了一个母亲。”

Affrighted though she was, Wendy swelled with pride.
尽管惊讶,但温迪感到自豪。

“O evil day!” cried Starkey.
“哦,邪恶的一天!”史塔基呼喊道。

“What’s a mother?” asked the ignorant Smee.
“什么是母亲?”无知的史米问道。

Wendy was so shocked that she exclaimed. “He doesn’t know! —
温迪震惊得大叫道:“他不知道!” —

” and always after this she felt that if you could have a pet pirate Smee would be her one.
此后她一直觉得,如果你能拥有一只海盗宠物,那一定是史米。

Peter pulled her beneath the water, for Hook had started up, crying, “What was that?”
彼得把她拉到水下,因为胡克已经起身喊道:“那是什么声音?”

“I heard nothing,” said Starkey, raising the lantern over the waters, and as the pirates looked they saw a strange sight. —
“我什么也没听到,”史塔基说着,把灯笼举到水面上,海盗们看到了一个奇怪的景象。 —

It was the nest I have told you of, floating on the lagoon, and the Never bird was sitting on it.
那是我告诉过你的巢,漂浮在泻湖上,而永不离开的鸟正坐在上面。

“See,” said Hook in answer to Smee’s question, “that is a mother. What a lesson! —
“你看,”胡克回答史米的问题,“那是一个母亲。多么重要的教训! —

The nest must have fallen into the water, but would the mother desert her eggs? No.”
巢肯定是掉进水里了,但那位母亲会抛弃她的蛋吗?不会。”

There was a break in his voice, as if for a moment he recalled innocent days when–but he brushed away this weakness with his hook.
他的声音有些颤抖,仿佛一时回忆起无辜的日子——但是他用钩子拂去了这种软弱。

Smee, much impressed, gazed at the bird as the nest was borne past, but the more suspicious Starkey said, “If she is a mother, perhaps she is hanging about here to help Peter.”
史密大为震撼,凝视着那只鸟的巢穴被运过,但更加猜疑心的斯塔基说:“也许她是个母亲,也许她现在就在这附近帮助彼得。”

Hook winced. “Ay,” he said, “that is the fear that haunts me.”
胡克痛苦地皱了皱眉。“是的,”他说,“这正是让我感到恐惧的事情。”

He was roused from this dejection by Smee’s eager voice.
斯米兴奋的声音打破了他的沮丧。

“Captain,” said Smee, “could we not kidnap these boys’ mother and make her our mother?”
“船长,”史密说,“我们能不能绑架这些孩子的母亲,让她成为我们的母亲?”

“It is a princely scheme,” cried Hook, and at once it took practical shape in his great brain. —
“这是个宫廷级的计划,”胡克大声说道,立即在他聪明的大脑中变得具体起来。 —

“We will seize the children and carry them to the boat: —
“我们将抓住这些孩子,把他们带到船上,让男孩们走上木板,温迪将成为我们的母亲。” —

the boys we will make walk the plank, and Wendy shall be our mother.
温迪再次只顾着自己。

Again Wendy forgot herself.
“绝不!”她大声喊道,躺了下去。

“Never!” she cried, and bobbed.
“那是什么声音?”

“What was that?”
但他们什么也看不到。他们以为那一定是风中的一片树叶。

But they could see nothing. They thought it must have been a leaf in the wind. —
“你们同意吗,我的恶棍?”胡克问道。 —

“Do you agree, my bullies?” asked Hook.
“我同意,”他们都说。

“There is my hand on it,” they both said.
“而这是我的钩子。发誓。”

“And there is my hook. Swear.”
他们都发誓了。

They all swore. By this time they were on the rock, and suddenly Hook remembered Tiger Lily.
他们都发誓了。此时他们站在岩石上,突然钩子船长想起了老虎莉莉。

“Where is the redskin?” he demanded abruptly.
“红人在哪?”他突然问道。

He had a playful humour at moments, and they thought this was one of the moments.
他常常带有一种调皮幽默感,而他们觉得这就是其中之一。

“That is all right, captain,” Smee answered complacently; “we let her go.”
“那没关系,船长。”史密回答道,“我们让她走了。”

“Let her go!” cried Hook.
“让她走了!”钩子船长大喊。

“‘Twas your own orders,” the bo’sun faltered.
“‘你亲自命令过我们让她走的,”大副结结巴巴地说道。

“You called over the water to us to let her go,” said Starkey.
“你曾向我们喊过,让她走,”斯塔基说道。

“Brimstone and gall,” thundered Hook, “what cozening is going on here! —
“充满火硫石与愤怒,”钩子船长咆哮道,“这里到底发生着什么欺骗! —

” His face had gone black with rage, but he saw that they believed their words, and he was startled. —
“他的脸已经因愤怒而发黑,但他看到他们相信了他们说的话,他感到震惊。 —

“Lads,” he said, shaking a little, “I gave no such order.”
“伙计们,”他颤抖着说道,“我从未下过这样的命令。”

“It is passing queer,” Smee said, and they all fidgeted uncomfortably. —
“这太奇怪了,”史密说道,他们都不舒服地坐立不安。 —

Hook raised his voice, but there was a quiver in it.
钩子船长提高了嗓音,但声音中带着颤动。

“Spirit that haunts this dark lagoon to-night,” he cried, “dost hear me?”
“在今晚笼罩着这个黑暗泻湖的灵魂,”他大喊道,“你听到我说话了吗?”

Of course Peter should have kept quiet, but of course he did not. —
当然,彼得应该保持安静,但当然他没有。 —

He immediately answered in Hook’s voice:
他即刻用胡克的声音回答道:

“Odds, bobs, hammer and tongs, I hear you.”
“赌咒、护卫、一击杀傲,我听见你了。”

In that supreme moment Hook did not blanch, even at the gills, but Smee and Starkey clung to each other in terror.
在那一刻,胡克毫不畏缩,连斯密和斯塔基都吓得紧紧抱在一起。

“Who are you, stranger? Speak!” Hook demanded.
“你是谁,陌生人?说话!”胡克要求道。

“I am James Hook,” replied the voice, “captain of the Jolly Roger.”
“我是詹姆斯·胡克,”那个声音答道,“可得勇敢号的船长。”

“You are not; you are not,” Hook cried hoarsely.
“你不是,你不是,”胡克沙哑地喊道。

“Brimstone and gall,” the voice retorted, “say that again, and I’ll cast anchor in you.”
“硫磺和胆汁,”那个声音反驳道,“再说一遍,我就在你身上扔下锚。”

Hook tried a more ingratiating manner. “If you are Hook,” he said almost humbly, “come tell me, who am I?”
胡克试着更加讨好一些。“如果你是胡克,”他几乎谦卑地说,“那就来告诉我,我是谁?”

“A codfish,” replied the voice, “only a codfish.”
“一条鳕鱼,”那个声音回答道,“只不过是一条鳕鱼。”

“A codfish!” Hook echoed blankly, and it was then, but not till then, that his proud spirit broke. —
“一条鳕鱼!”胡克茫然地重复道,直到此刻才是他骄傲的精神彻底崩溃的时候。 —

He saw his men draw back from him.
他看到自己的手下与他拉开了距离。

“Have we been captained all this time by a codfish! —
“我们这么久以来都由一条鳕鱼来指挥! —

” they muttered. “It is lowering to our pride.”
”他们低声嘀咕道,“这对我们的自豪感来说是极不利的。”

They were his dogs snapping at him, but, tragic figure though he had become, he scarcely heeded them. Against such fearful evidence it was not their belief in him that he needed, it was his own. —
它们是他的狗,咬住了他,然而,尽管他已成为一个悲剧人物,他几乎没有注意到它们。在这样可怕的证据面前,他需要的不是他们对他的信任,而是他自己对自己的信任。 —

He felt his ego slipping from him. “Don’t desert me, bully,” he whispered hoarsely to it.
他感到自己的自我正在消失。“别离开我,恶霸,”他沙哑地对它低声说道。

In his dark nature there was a touch of the feminine, as in all the great pirates, and it sometimes gave him intuitions. —
他的邪恶天性中带有一丝女性特质,就像所有伟大的海盗一样,有时会给他直觉。 —

Suddenly he tried the guessing game.
突然他尝试了猜谜游戏。

“Hook,” he called, “have you another voice?”
“胡克,你还有另一个声音吗?”

Now Peter could never resist a game, and he answered blithely in his own voice, “I have.”
现在彼得不能抵抗一个游戏,他高兴地用自己的声音回答:“我有。”

“And another name?”
“还有另一个名字吗?”

“Ay, ay.”
“有,有。”

“Vegetable?” asked Hook.
“蔬菜?”胡克问道。

“No.”
“不是。”

“Mineral?”
“矿物?”

“No.”
“不是。”

“Animal?”
“动物?”

“Yes.”
“是的。”

“Man?”
“人类?”

“No!” This answer rang out scornfully.
“不!” 这个回答轻蔑地传开。

“Boy?”
“孩子?”

“Yes.”
“是的。”

“Ordinary boy?”
“普通的孩子?”

“No!”
“不!”

“Wonderful boy?”
“了不起的孩子?”

To Wendy’s pain the answer that rang out this time was “Yes.”
而对于温迪来说,这次回答是“是”。

“Are you in England?”
“你在英国吗?”

“No.”
“不在。”

“Are you here?”
“你在这里吗?”

“Yes.”
“是的。”

Hook was completely puzzled. “You ask him some questions,” he said to the others, wiping his damp brow.
胡克完全困惑了。“你们问他一些问题,”他对其他人说着,擦去了额头上的汗水。

Smee reflected. “I can’t think of a thing,” he said regretfully.
斯密陷入沉思。“我考虑不出任何事情,”他遗憾地说。

“Can’t guess, can’t guess!” crowed Peter. “Do you give it up?”
“猜不到,猜不到!”彼得大声说。“你放弃了吗?”

Of course in his pride he was carrying the game too far, and the miscreants saw their chance.
在他的骄傲中,他太过分地进行游戏,而罪犯们看到了机会。

“Yes, yes,” they answered eagerly.
“是的, 是的,” 他们迫不及待地回答道。

“Well, then,” he cried, “I am Peter Pan.”
“那么,” 他喊道, “我是彼得·潘。”

Pan!
潘!

In a moment Hook was himself again, and Smee and Starkey were his faithful henchmen.
一瞬间, 赫克恢复了原样, 斯密和斯塔奇成为了他忠实的帮手。

“Now we have him,” Hook shouted. “Into the water, Smee. Starkey, mind the boat. —
“现在我们得到他了,” 赫克大喊道。“把他丢进水里, 斯米。斯塔奇,看住船。 —

Take him dead or alive!”
活捉或者死捉!”

He leaped as he spoke, and simultaneously came the gay voice of Peter.
他一边说着跳了起来, 彼得的欢快声音同时响起。

“Are you ready, boys?”
“准备好了吗,伙计们?”

“Ay, ay,” from various parts of the lagoon.
“嗯嗯,” 湖泊的各个地方传来回答。

“Then lam into the pirates.”
“那就对海盗们发起突袭吧。”

The fight was short and sharp. First to draw blood was John, who gallantly climbed into the boat and held Starkey. —
斗争很短暂而又激烈。第一个流血的是约翰, 他英勇地爬到了船上并制住了斯塔奇。 —

There was fierce struggle, in which the cutlass was torn from the pirate’s grasp. —
这引发了激烈的争斗, 杂耍刀从海盗手中被夺走了。 —

He wriggled overboard and John leapt after him. —
他挣扎着掉进了水里, 紧接着约翰也跳下去。 —

The dinghy drifted away.
救生艇漂走了。

Here and there a head bobbed up in the water, and there was a flash of steel followed by a cry or a whoop. —
这里那里都有人头在水中浮出, 紧接着是刀光一闪然后是哭喊或者欢呼声。 —

In the confusion some struck at their own side. —
在混乱中,一些人攻击了自己的一方。 —

The corkscrew of Smee got Tootles in the fourth rib, but he was himself pinked in turn by Curly. Farther from the rock Starkey was pressing Slightly and the twins hard.
斯密的螺旋手枪击中了图特尔斯的第四根肋骨,但他却被柯利反击。远离岩石的斯塔基正猛攻着斯莱特和双胞胎。

Where all this time was Peter? He was seeking bigger game.
这段时间彼得在哪儿呢?他正在寻找更大的猎物。

The others were all brave boys, and they must not be blamed for backing from the pirate captain. —
其他人都是勇敢的男孩,他们不能因为退避海盗船长而受责备。 —

His iron claw made a circle of dead water round him, from which they fled like affrighted fishes.
他的铁爪在他周围形成了一圈死水,他们像受惊的鱼一样逃离。

But there was one who did not fear him: there was one prepared to enter that circle.
但有一个人不怕他:有一个人准备进入那个圈子。

Strangely, it was not in the water that they met. —
奇怪的是,他们并不是在水中相遇的。 —

Hook rose to the rock to breathe, and at the same moment Peter scaled it on the opposite side. —
胡克爬上岩石呼吸时,彼得正好同时从对面爬上去。 —

The rock was slippery as a ball, and they had to crawl rather than climb. —
岩石如球一般滑腻,他们不得不匍匐前进而不是攀爬。 —

Neither knew that the other was coming. Each feeling for a grip met the other’s arm: —
彼此都不知道对方正在过来。每个人触摸着寻找支撑,却碰到了对方的手臂: —

in surprise they raised their heads; their faces were almost touching; so they met.
他们惊讶地抬起头来,他们的脸几乎贴在一起;于是他们相遇了。

Some of the greatest heroes have confessed that just before they fell to they had a sinking. —
一些伟大的英雄承认,在他们倒下之前,他们都有一种沉入水底的感觉。 —

Had it been so with Peter at that moment I would admit it. —
如果彼得那一刻也是这样的话,我会承认的。 —

After all, he was the only man that the Sea-Cook had feared. —
毕竟,只有彼得才是海上厨师真正害怕的人。 —

But Peter had no sinking, he had one feeling only, gladness; —
但是彼得没有沮丧,他只有一种感觉,那就是喜悦; —

and he gnashed his pretty teeth with joy. —
他满意地咬着他漂亮的牙齿。 —

Quick as thought he snatched a knife from Hook’s belt and was about to drive it home, when he saw that he was higher up the rock that his foe. —
他瞬间从胡克的腰带上抓起一把刀,正准备刺向对方,但他发现自己站在比敌人更高的岩石上。 —

It would not have been fighting fair. He gave the pirate a hand to help him up.
这是不公平的战斗。他伸出手帮助海盗爬上岩石。

It was then that Hook bit him.
正是在那时胡克咬了他。

Not the pain of this but its unfairness was what dazed Peter. It made him quite helpless. —
彼得被这种不公平而不是疼痛搞糊涂了。这使他完全无助。 —

He could only stare, horrified. Every child is affected thus the first time he is treated unfairly. —
他只能惊恐地凝视着。每个孩子第一次受到不公平对待时都会受到影响。 —

All he thinks he has a right to when he comes to you to be yours is fairness. —
他认为当他来找你并称为你的人时,他有权得到公平待遇。 —

After you have been unfair to him he will love you again, but will never afterwards be quite the same boy. —
在你对他不公平之后,他会再次爱你,但以后再也不会是同样的孩子了。 —

No one ever gets over the first unfairness; —
没有人能够忘掉第一次的不公平; —

no one except Peter. He often met it, but he always forgot it. —
除了彼得,他经历了很多次,但他总是忘记了; —

I suppose that was the real difference between him and all the rest.
我想这就是他与所有其他人的真正区别;

So when he met it now it was like the first time; —
所以当他现在再次遇到时,就像第一次一样; —

and he could just stare, helpless. Twice the iron hand clawed him.
他只能目瞪口呆,无助。铁手两次抓住了他;

A few moments afterwards the other boys saw Hook in the water striking wildly for the ship; —
几分钟后,其他男孩看到胡克在水中拼命向船游去; —

no elation on the pestilent face now, only white fear, for the crocodile was in dogged pursuit of him. —
此时邪恶的脸上没有喜悦,只有白色的恐惧,因为鳄鱼顽强地追逐着他; —

On ordinary occasions the boys would have swum alongside cheering; —
在普通的情况下,男孩们会一边游泳一边欢呼; —

but now they were uneasy, for they had lost both Peter and Wendy, and were scouring the lagoon for them, calling them by name. —
但现在他们感到不安,因为他们失去了彼得和温迪,正在海湾里找寻他们,呼喊他们的名字; —

They found the dinghy and went home in it, shouting “Peter, Wendy” as they went, but no answer came save mocking laughter from the mermaids. —
他们找到了小艇,并乘着它回家,一边喊着“彼得,温迪”,但没有回答,只有美人鱼嘲笑的笑声; —

“They must be swimming back or flying,” the boys concluded. —
男孩们得出结论:“他们一定是游回去了或者飞了回去。” —

They were not very anxious, because they had such faith in Peter. They chuckled, boylike, because they would be late for bed; —
他们并不太担心,因为他们对彼得非常有信心。他们像男孩一样咯咯笑,因为他们要晚睡了; —

and it was all mother Wendy’s fault!
这全都是温迪妈妈的错!

When their voices died away there came cold silence over the lagoon, and then a feeble cry.
当他们的声音渐渐消失后,湖泊上降临了寒冷的寂静,接着传来了一声虚弱的呼救。

“Help, help!”
“救命,救命!”

Two small figures were beating against the rock; the girl had fainted and lay on the boy’s arm. —
两个小人物正在撞击岩石;女孩晕倒了,躺在男孩的臂弯里。 —

With a last effort Peter pulled her up the rock and then lay down beside her. —
彼得最后一次努力将她拉上岩石,然后躺在她身旁。 —

Even as he also fainted he saw that the water was rising. —
就在他也昏过去之际,他看到水面正在上升。 —

He knew that they would soon be drowned, but he could do no more.
他知道他们很快会被淹死,但他无能为力。

As they lay side by side a mermaid caught Wendy by the feet, and began pulling her softly into the water. —
当他们并肩躺着时,一位美人鱼抓住温迪的脚,温柔地将她拖入水中。 —

Peter, feeling her slip from him, woke with a start, and was just in time to draw her back. —
感觉到她离开自己时,彼得惊醒过来,及时将她拉了回来。 —

But he had to tell her the truth.
但他不得不告诉她真相。

“We are on the rock, Wendy,” he said, “but it is growing smaller. —
“温迪,我们在岩石上,”他说,“但它变得越来越小了。 —

Soon the water will be over it.”
很快水会覆盖它。”

She did not understand even now.
到现在为止,她仍然不理解。

“We must go,” she said, almost brightly.
“我们必须走了。”她说,几乎是开心的声音。

“Yes,” he answered faintly.
“是的。”他微弱地回答。

“Shall we swim or fly, Peter?”
“彼得,我们游泳还是飞过去呢?”

He had to tell her.
他不得不告诉她。

“Do you think you could swim or fly as far as the island, Wendy, without my help?”
“温迪,你觉得你能不能不靠我帮助就游泳或飞到那个岛上去?”

She had to admit that she was too tired.
她不得不承认她太累了。

He moaned.
他呻吟起来。

“What is it?” she asked, anxious about him at once.
“怎么了?”她马上关切地问。

“I can’t help you, Wendy. Hook wounded me. I can neither fly nor swim.”
“我无法帮助你,温迪。虎克伤到了我,我既不能飞也不能游泳。”

“Do you mean we shall both be drowned?”
“你的意思是我们会被淹死吗?”

“Look how the water is rising.”
“看水涨得快。”

They put their hands over their eyes to shut out the sight. They thought they would soon be no more. —
他们用手捂住眼睛,不想看见那可怕的情景。他们以为很快就会消失了。 —

As they sat thus something brushed against Peter as light as a kiss, and stayed there, as if saying timidly, “Can I be of any use?”
就在他们这样坐着的时候,有什么东西轻轻地刮了一下彼得,像是一个轻轻的吻,停在那里,好像正在犹豫地说:“我能有什么帮助吗?”

It was the tail of a kite, which Michael had made some days before. —
那是迈克尔几天前做的一个风筝的尾巴。 —

It had torn itself out of his hand and floated away.
它从他手中撕裂了出来,飘走了。

“Michael’s kite,” Peter said without interest, but next moment he had seized the tail, and was pulling the kite toward him.
“迈克尔的风筝,” 彼得毫不在意地说道,但下一刻他抓住风筝的尾巴,拉着风筝朝自己这边拽。

“It lifted Michael off the ground,” he cried; “why should it not carry you?”
“它把迈克尔从地上升起来了,”他喊道,“为什么它不能带着你也飞翔呢?”

“Both of us!”
“我们两个一起去!”

“It can’t lift two; Michael and Curly tried.”
“它不能托起两个人;迈克尔和卷毛曾经尝试过。”

“Let us draw lots,” Wendy said bravely.
“我们抽签吧。”温迪勇敢地说道。

“And you a lady; never.” Already he had tied the tail round her. She clung to him; —
“你可是个女士,决不行。”他已经把尾巴绑在她身上。她紧紧抓住他; —

she refused to go without him; but with a “Good-bye, Wendy,” he pushed her from the rock; —
她不愿意离开他;但他说了声“再见,温迪”,他将她推出岩石之上; —

and in a few minutes she was borne out of his sight. —
几分钟后,她已经从他的视线中消失。 —

Peter was alone on the lagoon.
彼得独自留在泻湖上。

The rock was very small now; soon it would be submerged. —
岩石现在很小,很快就会被淹没。 —

Pale rays of light tiptoed across the waters; —
苍白的光线在水面上蹑手蹑脚地流动; —

and by and by there was to be heard a sound at once the most musical and the most melancholy in the world: —
不久之后,世界上最悦耳却又最忧伤的声音响起来了: —

the mermaids calling to the moon.
美人鱼们呼唤着月亮。

Peter was not quite like other boys; but he was afraid at last. —
彼得不完全像其他男孩,但他最后害怕了。 —

A tremour ran through him, like a shudder passing over the sea; —
一阵颤栗穿过他,就像海上掠过一阵战栗; —

but on the sea one shudder follows another till there are hundreds of them, and Peter felt just the one. —
在海上,恐惧令人不断颤栗,直到数以百计,而彼得只感到了一次。 —

Next moment he was standing erect on the rock again, with that smile on his face and a drum beating within him. —
下一刻,他又站在岩石上,脸上带着微笑,内心像是在敲着鼓。 —

It was saying, “To die will be an awfully big adventure.”
它在说,“死去将是一次极大的冒险。”