the little white bird-第1部分

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THE　LITTLE　WHITE　BIRD

OR

ADVENTURES　IN　

KENSINGTON　GARDENS



BY



J。M。　BARRIE









CONTENTS



　　　　I。　David　and　I　Set　Forth　Upon　a　Journey

　　　II。　The　Little　Nursery　Governess

　　III。　Her　Marriage；　Her　Clothes；　Her　Appetite；　and　an

　　　　　　　Inventory　of　Her　Furniture。

　　　IV。　A　Night…Piece

　　　　V。　The　Fight　For　Timothy

　　　VI。　A　Shock

　　VII。　The　Last　of　Timothy

　VIII。　The　Inconsiderate　Waiter

　　　IX。　A　Confirmed　Spinster

　　　　X。　Sporting　Reflections

　　　XI。　The　Runaway　Perambulator

　　XII。　The　Pleasantest　Club　in　London

　XIII。　The　Graound　Tour　of　the　Gardens

　　XIV。　Peter　Pan

　　　XV。　The　Thrush's　Nest

　　XVI。　Lock…Out　Time

　XVII。　The　Little　House

XVIII。　Peter's　Goat

　　XIX。　An　Interloper

　　　XX。　David　and　Porthos　Compared

　　XXI。　William　Paterson

　XXII。　Joey

XXIII。　Pilkington's

　XXIV。　Barbara

　　XXV。　The　Cricket　Match

　XXVI。　The　Dedication









THE　LITTLE　WHITE　BIRD





I



David　and　I　Set　Forth　Upon　a　Journey



Sometimes　the　little　boy　who　calls　me　father　brings　me　an

invitation　from　his　mother：　〃I　shall　be　so　pleased　if　you　will

come　and　see　me；〃　and　I　always　reply　in　some　such　words　as　these：

〃Dear　madam；　I　decline。〃　　And　if　David　asks　why　I　decline；　I

explain　that　it　is　because　I　have　no　desire　to　meet　the　woman。



〃Come　this　time；　father；〃　he　urged　lately；　〃for　it　is　her

birthday；　and　she　is　twenty…six；〃　which　is　so　great　an　age　to

David；　that　I　think　he　fears　she　cannot　last　much　longer。



〃Twenty…six；　is　she；　David？〃　I　replied。　　〃Tell　her　I　said　she

looks　more。〃



I　had　my　delicious　dream　that　night。　　I　dreamt　that　I　too　was

twenty…six；　which　was　a　long　time　ago；　and　that　I　took　train　to　a

place　called　my　home；　whose　whereabouts　I　see　not　in　my　waking

hours；　and　when　I　alighted　at　the　station　a　dear　lost　love　was

waiting　for　me；　and　we　went　away　together。　　She　met　me　in　no

ecstasy　of　emotion；　nor　was　I　surprised　to　find　her　there；　it　was

as　if　we　had　been　married　for　years　and　parted　for　a　day。　　I　like

to　think　that　I　gave　her　some　of　the　things　to　carry。



Were　I　to　tell　my　delightful　dream　to　David's　mother；　to　whom　I

have　never　in　my　life　addressed　one　word；　she　would　droop　her

head　and　raise　it　bravely；　to　imply　that　I　make　her　very　sad　but

very　proud；　and　she　would　be　wishful　to　lend　me　her　absurd　little

pocket　handkerchief。　　And　then；　had　I　the　heart；　I　might　make　a

disclosure　that　would　startle　her；　for　it　is　not　the　face　of

David's　mother　that　I　see　in　my　dreams。



Has　it　ever　been　your　lot；　reader；　to　be　persecuted　by　a　pretty

woman　who　thinks；　without　a　tittle　of　reason；　that　you　are　bowed

down　under　a　hopeless　partiality　for　her？　　It　is　thus　that　I　have

been　pursued　for　several　years　now　by　the　unwelcome　sympathy　of

the　tender…hearted　and　virtuous　Mary　A。　　When　we　pass　in　the

street　the　poor　deluded　soul　subdues　her　buoyancy；　as　if　it　were

shame　to　walk　happy　before　one　she　has　lamed；　and　at　such　times

the　rustle　of　her　gown　is　whispered　words　of　comfort　to　me；　and

her　arms　are　kindly　wings　that　wish　I　was　a　little　boy　like

David。　I　also　detect　in　her　a　fearful　elation；　which　I　am　unaware

of　until　she　has　passed；　when　it　comes　back　to　me　like　a　faint

note　of　challenge。　　Eyes　that　say　you　never　must；　nose　that　says

why　don't　you？　and　a　mouth　that　says　I　rather　wish　you　could：

such　is　the　portrait　of　Mary　A　as　she　and　I　pass　by。



Once　she　dared　to　address　me；　so　that　she　could　boast　to　David

that　I　had　spoken　to　her。　　I　was　in　the　Kensington　Gardens；　and

she　asked　would　I　tell　her　the　time　please；　just　as　children　ask；

and　forget　as　they　run　back　with　it　to　their　nurse。　　But　I　was

prepared　even　for　this；　and　raising　my　hat　I　pointed　with　my

staff　to　a　clock　in　the　distance。　　She　should　have　been

overwhelmed；　but　as　I　walked　on　listening　intently；　I　thought

with　displeasure　that　I　heard　her　laughing。



Her　laugh　is　very　like　David's；　whom　I　could　punch　all　day　in

order　to　hear　him　laugh。　　I　dare　say　she　put　this　laugh　into　him。

She　has　been　putting　qualities　into　David；　altering　him；　turning

him　forever　on　a　lathe　since　the　day　she　first　knew　him；　and

indeed　long　before；　and　all　so　deftly　that　he　is　still　called　a

child　of　nature。　　When　you　release　David's　hand　he　is　immediately

lost　like　an　arrow　from　the　bow。　　No　sooner　do　you　cast　eyes　on

him　than　you　are　thinking　of　birds。　　It　is　difficult　to　believe

that　he　walks　to　the　Kensington　Gardens；　he　always　seems　to　have

alighted　there：　and　were　I　to　scatter　crumbs　I　opine　he　would

come　and　peck。　　This　is　not　what　he　set　out　to　be；　it　is　all　the

doing　of　that　timid…looking　lady　who　affects　to　be　greatly

surprised　by　it。　　He　strikes　a　hundred　gallant　poses　in　a　day；

when　he　tumbles；　which　is　often；　he　comes　to　the　ground　like　a

Greek　god；　so　Mary　A　has　willed　it。　　But　how　she　suffers　that

he　may　achieve！　　I　have　seen　him　climbing　a　tree　while　she　stood

beneath　in　unutterable　anguish；　she　had　to　let　him　climb；　for

boys　must　be　brave；　but　I　am　sure　that；　as　she　watched　him；　she

fell　from　every　branch。



David　admires　her　prodigiously；　he　thinks　her　so　good　that　she

will　be　able　to　get　him　into　heaven；　however　naughty　he　is。

Otherwise　he　would　trespass　less　light…heartedly。　　Perhaps　she

has　discovered　this；　for；　as　I　learn　from　him；　she　warned　him

lately　that　she　is　not　such　a　dear　as　he　thinks　her。



〃I　am　very　sure　of　it；〃　I　replied。



〃Is　she　such　a　dear　as　you　think　her？〃　he　asked　me。



〃Heaven　help　her；〃　I　said；　〃if　she　be　not　dearer　than　that。〃



Heaven　help　all　mothers　if　they　be　not　really　dears；　for　their

boy　will　certainly　know　it　in　that　strange　short　hour　of　the　day

when　every　mother　stands　revealed　before　her　little　son。　　That

dread　hour　ticks　between　six　and　seven；　when　children　go　to　bed

later　the　revelation　has　ceased　to　come。　　He　is　lapt　in　for　the

night　now　and　lies　quietly　there；　madam；　with　great；　mysterious

eyes　fixed　upon　his　mother。　　He　is　summing　up　your　day。　　Nothing

in　the　revelations　that　kept　you　together　and　yet　apart　in　play

time　can　save　you　now；　you　two　are　of　no　age；　no　experience　of

life　separates　you；　it　is　the　boy's　hour；　and　you　have　come　up

for　judgment。　　〃Have　I　done　well　to…day；　my　son？〃　　You　have　got

to　say　it；　and　nothing　may　you　hide　from　him；　he　knows　all。　　How

like　your　voice　has　grown　to　his；　but　more　tremulous；　and　both　so

solemn；　so　unlike　the　voice　of　either　of　you　by　day。



〃You　were　a　little　unjust　to　me　to…day　about　the　apple；　were　you

not；　mother？〃



Stand　there；　woman；　by　the　foot　of　the　bed　and　cross　your　hands

and　answer　him。



〃Yes；　my　son；　I　was。　　I　thought〃



But　what　you　thought　will　not　affect　the　verdict。



〃Was　it　fair；　mother；　to　say　that　I　could　stay　out　till　six；　and

then　pretend　it　was　six　before　it　was　quite　six？〃



〃No；　it　was　very　unfair。　　I　thought〃



〃Would　it　have　been　a　lie　if　I　had　said　it　was　quite　six？〃



〃Oh；　my　son；　my　son！　　I　shall　never　tell　you　a　lie　again。〃



〃No；　mother；　please　don't。〃



〃My　boy；　have　I　done　well　to…day　on　the　whole？〃



Suppose　he　were　unable　to　say　yes。



These　are　the　merest　peccadilloes；　you　may　say。　　Is　it　then　a

little　thing　to　be　false　to　the　agreement　you　signed　when　you　got

the　boy？　　There　are　mothers　who　avoid　their　children　in　that

hour；　but　this　will　not　save　them。　　Why　is　it　that　so　many　women

are　afraid　to　be　left　alone　with　their　thoughts　between　six　and

seven？　I　am　not　asking　this　of　you；　Mary。　　I　believe　that　when

you　close　David's　door　softly　there　is　a　gladness　in　your　eyes；

and　the　awe　of　one　who　knows　that　the　God　to　whom　little　boys　say

their　prayers　has　a　face　very　like　their　mother's。



I　may　mention　here　that　David　is　a　stout　believer　in　prayer；　and

has　had　his　first　fight　with　another　young　Christian　who

challenged　him　to　the　jump　and　prayed　for　victory；　which　David

thought　was　taking　an　unfair　advantage。



〃So　Mary　is　twenty…six！　　I　say；　David；　she　is　getting　on。　　Tell

her　that　I　am　coming　in　to　kiss　her　when　she　is　fifty…two。〃



He　told　her；　and　I　understand　that　she　pretended　to　be　indignant。

When　I　pass　her　in　the　street　now　she　pouts。　　Clearly　preparing

for　our　meeting。　　She　has　also　said；　I　learn；　that　I　shall　not

think　so　much　of　her　when　she　is　fifty…two；　meaning　that　she　will

not　be　so　pretty　then。　　So　little　does　the　sex　know　of　beauty。

Surely　a　spirited　old　lady　may　be　the　prettiest　sight　in　the

world。　　For　my　part；　I　confess　that　it　is　they；　and　not　the　young

ones；　who　have　ever　been　my　undoing。　　Just　as　I　was　about　to　fall

in　love　I　suddenly　found　that　I　preferred　the　mother。　　Indeed；　I

cannot　see　a　likely　young　creature　without　impatiently

considering　her　chances　for；　say；　fifty…two。　　Oh；　you　mysterious

girls；　when　you　are　fifty…two　we　shall　find　you　out；　you　must

come　into　the　open　then。　　If　the　mouth　has　fallen　sourly　yours

the　blame：　all　the　meannesses　your　youth　concealed　have　been

gathering　in　your　face。　　But　the　pretty　thoughts　and　sweet　ways

and　dear；　forgotten　kindnesses　linger　there　also；　to　bloom　in

your　twilight　like　evening　primroses。



Is　it　not　strange　that；　though　I　talk　thus　plainly　to　David　about

his　mother；　he　still　seems　to　think　me　fond　of　her？　　How　now；　I

reflect；　what　sort　of　bumpkin　is　this；　and　perhaps　I　say　to　him

cruelly：　〃Boy；　you　are　uncommonly　like　your　mother。〃



To　which　David：　〃Is　that　why　you　are　so　kind　to　me？〃



I　suppose　I　am　kind　to　him；　but　if　so　it　is　not　for　love　of　his

mother；　but　because　he　sometimes　calls　me　father。　　On　my　honour

as　a　soldier；　there　is　nothing　more　in　it　than　that。　　I　must　not

let　him　know　this；　for　it　would　make　him　conscious；　and　so　break

the　spell　that　binds　him　and　me　together。　　Oftenest　I　am　but

Captain　W　to　him；　and　for　the　best　of　reasons。　　He　addresses　me

as　father　when　he　is　in　a　hurry　only；　and　never　have　I　dared　ask

him　to　use　the　name。　　He　says；　〃Come；