Питер Пен / Peter Pan
Шрифт:
He really thought this was true, and Wendy believed it also, and she said, to encourage Michael, “That medicine you sometimes take, father, is much nastier, isn’t it?”
“Ever so much nastier [12] ,” Mr. Darling said bravely, “and I am ready to take it now as an example to you, Michael, but I lost the bottle.”
He did not exactly lose it; he climbed in the night to the top of the wardrobe and hid it there. What he did not know was that the faithful Liza found it, and put it back on his table.
12
Ever so much nastier –
“I know where it is, father,” Wendy cried. “I’ll bring it!”
“Very well,” said Mr. Darling, “we shall see who is the braver.”
Wendy returned with the medicine in a glass.
“You were wonderfully quick,” her father said. “Michael first,” he added doggedly.
“Father first,” said Michael, who was very suspicious.
“Come on, father,” said John.
“Hold your tongue [13] , John.”
Wendy was quite puzzled. “I thought you took it quite easily, father.”
13
Hold your tongue. – Попридержи язык.
“That is not the point [14] ,” he retorted. “The point is, that there is more in my glass than in Michael’s spoon. And it isn’t fair.”
“Father, I am waiting,” said Michael coldly.
“It’s all very well to say you are waiting; so am I waiting.”
“Father’s a cowardly custard [15] .”
“So are you a cowardly custard.”
“I’m not frightened.”
“Neither am I frightened.”
14
That is not the point. – Дело не в этом.
15
cowardly custard – жалкий трус
“Well, then, take it.”
“Well, then, you take it.”
Wendy had a splendid idea. “Why not both take it at the same time?”
“Certainly,” said Mr. Darling. “Are you ready, Michael?”
“One, two, three,” cried Wendy; Michael took his medicine like a man, but Mr. Darling only pretended to, and quietly hid the glass behind his back.
John cried, “Father didn’t take his!”
“O father!” Wendy exclaimed.
“What do you mean by ‘O father’?” Mr. Darling demanded. “I wanted to take my medicine, but I – I did not have enough time.”
“Look here, all of you,” he said, as soon as [16] Nana went into the bathroom. “I have a splendid joke. I shall pour my medicine into Nana’s bowl, and she will drink it, thinking it is milk!”
It was the colour of milk; but the children did not have their father’s sense of humour, and they looked at him reproachfully as he poured the medicine into Nana’s bowl. Mrs. Darling and Nana returned.
“Nana, good dog,” he said, “I put some milk into your bowl, Nana.”
16
as soon as – как только
Nana wagged her tail, ran to the medicine, and began to lap it. Then she gave Mrs. Darling such a look, not an angry look: she showed him the great red tear, and crept into her kennel.
The children, who loved their old nurse very dearly, were terribly distressed. Mr. Darling smelt the bowl. “O George,” she said, “it’s your medicine!”
“It was only a joke,” he answered, and Wendy hugged Nana.
“Oh, that dog…” cried Mr. Darling. “I refuse to allow that dog to rule in my nursery! The proper place for this dog is the yard…”
Mr. Darling, angry that they did not enjoy his joke, coaxed Nana out of her kennel, seized her by the collar and dragged her off in disgrace. The children wept, but he felt he was a strong man again.
“George, George,” Mrs. Darling whispered, “remember what I told you about that boy.”
But he wanted to show who was the master in that house. He was ashamed of himself, but he took Nana and brought the dog outdoor.
Mrs. Darling put the children to bed in silence and lit their night-lights. Nana was barking, and John whimpered, “It is because he is chaining her up in the yard,” but Wendy was wiser.
“No,” she said, “that is her bark when she smells danger.”
Danger!
“Are you sure, Wendy?”
“Oh, yes.”
Mrs. Darling went to the window. It was securely fastened. She looked out, the stars were crowding round the house.
Michael asked, “Can anything harm us, mother, after the night-lights are lit?”
“Nothing, precious,” she said; “they are the eyes a mother leaves behind her to guard her children.”
Michael flung his arms round her. “Mother,” he cried, “I’m glad of you [17] .”
17
I’m glad of you. –
They were the last words she heard from him.
She comforted the children, kissed them very tenderly as mothers always do, sang them to sleep and crept softly out of the room to go to the dinner-party with Mr. Darling. When they were going to the party, all the stars were watching them. When the door of the house closed, the smallest of all the stars in the Milky Way [18] screamed out:
“Now, Peter! [19] ”
18
Milky Way – Млечный Путь
19
Now, Peter! – Питер, давай!
Chapter 3
Come Away, Come Away! [20]
The night-lights by the beds of the three children continued to burn clearly. But there was another light in the room now, a thousand times brighter than the night-lights. It was not really a light; it was a fairy, no longer than your hand. It was a girl called Tinker Bell [21] . The window was blown open [22] , and Peter dropped in. “Tinker Bell,” he called softly, “Tink, where are you?” She was in a jug.
20
Come away, come away! – Улетим, улетим!
21
Tinker Bell – Динь-динь
22
The window was blown open – Окно распахнулось