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"╨┼╘┼╥ ╨┴╬" ["╨ETER ╨AN ┴ND ╫ENDY"] (1911) ┬Y: ╙IR ╩AMES ═ATTHEW ┬ARRIE ╙COTTISH NOVELIST AND PLAYWRIGHT (B.09-═AY-1860, D.19-╩UN-1937) ┴ ═ILLENNIUM ╞ULCRUM ┼DITION ├OPYRIGHTED (├) 1991 BY ─UNCAN ╥ESEARCH, ╔NC. ─ISTRIBUTION ╠IMITED TO THE ╒NITED ╙TATES OF ┴MERICA. ├HAPTER 16 ╘╚┼ ╥┼╘╒╥╬ ╚╧═┼ ╨-001: ┬Y THREE BELLS THAT MORNING THEY WERE ALL STIRRING THEIR STUMPS ╨-002: [LEGS]; FOR THERE WAS A BIG SEA RUNNING; AND ╘OOTLES, THE BO'SUN, ╨-003: WAS AMONG THEM, WITH A ROPE'S END IN HIS HAND AND CHEWING TOBACCO. ╨-004: ╘HEY ALL DONNED PIRATE CLOTHES CUT OFF AT THE KNEE, SHAVED ╨-005: SMARTLY, AND TUMBLED UP, WITH THE TRUE NAUTICAL ROLL AND HITCHING ╨-006: THEIR TROUSERS. ╨-007: ╔T NEED NOT BE SAID WHO WAS THE CAPTAIN. ╬IBS AND ╩OHN WERE ╨-008: FIRST AND SECOND MATE. ╘HERE WAS A WOMAN ABOARD. ╘HE REST WERE ╨-009: TARS [SAILORS] BEFORE THE MAST, AND LIVED IN THE FO'C'SLE. ╨ETER ╨-010: HAD ALREADY LASHED HIMSELF TO THE WHEEL; BUT HE PIPED ALL HANDS ╨-011: AND DELIVERED A SHORT ADDRESS TO THEM; SAID HE HOPED THEY WOULD ╨-012: DO THEIR DUTY LIKE GALLANT HEARTIES, BUT THAT HE KNEW THEY WERE ╨-013: THE SCUM OF ╥IO AND THE ╟OLD ├OAST, AND IF THEY SNAPPED AT HIM HE ╨-014: WOULD TEAR THEM. ╘HE BLUFF STRIDENT WORDS STRUCK THE NOTE SAILORS ╨-015: UNDERSTOOD, AND THEY CHEERED HIM LUSTILY. ╘HEN A FEW SHARP ORDERS ╨-016: WERE GIVEN, AND THEY TURNED THE SHIP ROUND, AND NOSED HER FOR THE ╨-017: MAINLAND. ╨-018: ├APTAIN ╨AN CALCULATED, AFTER CONSULTING THE SHIP'S CHART, THAT ╨-019: IF THIS WEATHER LASTED THEY SHOULD STRIKE THE ┴ZORES ABOUT THE ╨-020: 21ST OF ╩UNE, AFTER WHICH IT WOULD SAVE TIME TO FLY. ╨-021: ╙OME OF THEM WANTED IT TO BE AN HONEST SHIP AND OTHERS WERE IN ╨-022: FAVOUR OF KEEPING IT A PIRATE; BUT THE CAPTAIN TREATED THEM AS ╨-023: DOGS, AND THE DARED NOT EXPRESS THEIR WISHES TO HIM EVEN IN A ╨-024: ROUND ROBIN [ONE PERSON AFTER ANOTHER, AS THEY HAD TO ╚OOK]. ╨-025: ╔NSTANT OBEDIENCE WAS THE ONLY SAFE THING. ╙LIGHTLY GOT A DOZEN ╨-026: FOR LOOKING PERPLEXED WHEN TOLD TO TAKE SOUNDINGS. ╘HE GENERAL ╨-027: FEELING WAS THAT ╨ETER WAS HONEST JUST NOW TO LULL ╫ENDY'S ╨-028: SUSPICIONS, BUT THAT THERE MIGHT BE A CHANGE WHEN THE NEW SUIT ╨-029: WAS READY, WHICH, AGAINST HER WILL, SHE WAS MAKING FOR HIM OUT OF ╨-030: SOME OF ╚OOK'S WICKEDEST GARMENTS. ╔T WAS AFTERWARDS WHISPERED ╨-031: AMONG THEM THAT ON THE FIRST NIGHT HE WORE THIS SUIT HE SAT LONG ╨-032: IN THE CABIN WITH ╚OOK'S CIGAR-HOLDER IN HIS MOUTH AND ONE HAND ╨-033: CLENCHED, ALL BUT FOR THE FOREFINGER, WHICH HE BENT AND HELD ╨-034: THREATENINGLY ALOFT LIKE A HOOK. ╨-035: ╔NSTEAD OF WATCHING THE SHIP, HOWEVER, WE MUST NOW RETURN TO ╨-036: THAT DESOLATE HOME FROM WHICH THREE OF OUR CHARACTERS HAD TAKEN ╨-037: HEARTLESS FLIGHT SO LONG AGO. ╔T SEEMS A SHAME TO HAVE NEGLECTED ╨-038: ╬O. 14 ALL THIS TIME; AND YET WE MAY BE SURE THAT ═RS. ─ARLING ╨-039: DOES NOT BLAME US. ╔F WE HAD RETURNED SOONER TO LOOK WITH ╨-040: SORROWFUL SYMPATHY AT HER, SHE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE CRIED, "─ON'T ╨-041: BE SILLY; WHAT DO ╔ MATTER? ─O GO BACK AND KEEP AN EYE ON THE ╨-042: CHILDREN." ╙O LONG AS MOTHERS ARE LIKE THIS THEIR CHILDREN WILL ╨-043: TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM; AND THEY MAY LAY TO [BET ON] THAT. ╨-044: ┼VEN NOW WE VENTURE INTO THAT FAMILIAR NURSERY ONLY BECAUSE ITS ╨-045: LAWFUL OCCUPANTS ARE ON THEIR WAY HOME; WE ARE MERELY HURRYING ON ╨-046: IN ADVANCE OF THEM TO SEE THAT THEIR BEDS ARE PROPERLY AIRED AND ╨-047: THAT ═R. AND ═RS. ─ARLING DO NOT GO OUT FOR THE EVENING. ╫E ARE ╨-048: NO MORE THAN SERVANTS. ╫HY ON EARTH SHOULD THEIR BEDS BE ╨-049: PROPERLY AIRED, SEEING THAT THEY LEFT THEM IN SUCH A THANKLESS ╨-050: HURRY? ╫OULD IT NOT SERVE THEM JOLLY WELL RIGHT IF THEY CAME ╨-051: BACK AND FOUND THAT THEIR PARENTS WERE SPENDING THE WEEK-END IN ╨-052: THE COUNTRY? ╔T WOULD BE THE MORAL LESSON THEY HAVE BEEN IN NEED ╨-053: OF EVER SINCE WE MET THEM; BUT IF WE CONTRIVED THINGS IN THIS WAY ╨-054: ═RS. ─ARLING WOULD NEVER FORGIVE US. ╨-055: ╧NE THING ╔ SHOULD LIKE TO DO IMMENSELY, AND THAT IS TO TELL ╨-056: HER, IN THE WAY AUTHORS HAVE, THAT THE CHILDREN ARE COMING BACK, ╨-057: THAT INDEED THEY WILL BE HERE ON ╘HURSDAY WEEK. ╘HIS WOULD SPOIL ╨-058: SO COMPLETELY THE SURPRISE TO WHICH ╫ENDY AND ╩OHN AND ═ICHAEL ╨-059: ARE LOOKING FORWARD. ╘HEY HAVE BEEN PLANNING IT OUT ON THE SHIP: ╨-060: MOTHER'S RAPTURE, FATHER'S SHOUT OF JOY, ╬ANA'S LEAP THROUGH THE ╨-061: AIR TO EMBRACE THEM FIRST, WHEN WHAT THEY OUGHT TO BE PREPARED ╨-062: FOR IS A GOOD HIDING. ╚OW DELICIOUS TO SPOIL IT ALL BY BREAKING ╨-063: THE NEWS IN ADVANCE; SO THAT WHEN THEY ENTER GRANDLY ═RS. ─ARLING ╨-064: MAY NOT EVEN OFFER ╫ENDY HER MOUTH, AND ═R. ─ARLING MAY EXCLAIM ╨-065: PETTISHLY, "─ASH IT ALL, HERE ARE THOSE BOYS AGAIN." ╚OWEVER, WE ╨-066: SHOULD GET NO THANKS EVEN FOR THIS. ╫E ARE BEGINNING TO KNOW ╨-067: ═RS. ─ARLING BY THIS TIME, AND MAY BE SURE THAT SHE WOULD UPBRAID ╨-068: US FOR DEPRIVING THE CHILDREN OF THEIR LITTLE PLEASURE. ╨-069: "┬UT, MY DEAR MADAM, IT IS TEN DAYS TILL ╘HURSDAY WEEK; SO THAT ╨-070: BY TELLING YOU WHAT'S WHAT, WE CAN SAVE YOU TEN DAYS OF ╨-071: UNHAPPINESS." ╨-072: "┘ES, BUT AT WHAT A COST! ┬Y DEPRIVING THE CHILDREN OF TEN ╨-073: MINUTES OF DELIGHT." ╨-074: "╧H, IF YOU LOOK AT IT IN THAT WAY!" ╨-075: "╫HAT OTHER WAY IS THERE IN WHICH TO LOOK AT IT?" ╨-076: ┘OU SEE, THE WOMAN HAD NO PROPER SPIRIT. ╔ HAD MEANT TO SAY ╨-077: EXTRAORDINARILY NICE THINGS ABOUT HER; BUT ╔ DESPISE HER, AND NOT ╨-078: ONE OF THEM WILL ╔ SAY NOW. ╙HE DOES NOT REALLY NEED TO BE TOLD ╨-079: TO HAVE THINGS READY, FOR THEY ARE READY. ┴LL THE BEDS ARE AIRED, ╨-080: AND SHE NEVER LEAVES THE HOUSE, AND OBSERVE, THE WINDOW IS OPEN. ╨-081: ╞OR ALL THE USE WE ARE TO HER, WE MIGHT WELL GO BACK TO THE SHIP. ╨-082: ╚OWEVER, AS WE ARE HERE WE MAY AS WELL STAY AND LOOK ON. ╘HAT IS ╨-083: ALL WE ARE, LOOKERS-ON. ╬OBODY REALLY WANTS US. ╙O LET US WATCH ╨-084: AND SAY JAGGY THINGS, IN THE HOPE THAT SOME OF THEM WILL HURT. ╨-085: ╘HE ONLY CHANGE TO BE SEEN IN THE NIGHT-NURSERY IS THAT BETWEEN ╨-086: NINE AND SIX THE KENNEL IS NO LONGER THERE. ╫HEN THE CHILDREN ╨-087: FLEW AWAY, ═R. ─ARLING FELT IN HIS BONES THAT ALL THE BLAME WAS ╨-088: HIS FOR HAVING CHAINED ╬ANA UP, AND THAT FROM FIRST TO LAST SHE ╨-089: HAD BEEN WISER THAN HE. ╧F COURSE, AS WE HAVE SEEN, HE WAS QUITE ╨-090: A SIMPLE MAN; INDEED BE MIGHT HAVE PASSED FOR A BOY AGAIN IF HE ╨-091: HAD BEEN ABLE TO TAKE HIS BALDNESS OFF; BUT HE HAD ALSO A NOBLE ╨-092: SENSE OF JUSTICE AND A LION'S COURAGE TO DO WHAT SEEMED RIGHT TO ╨-093: HIM; AND HAVING THOUGHT THE MATTER OUT WITH ANXIOUS CARE AFTER ╨-094: THE FLIGHT OF THE CHILDREN, HE WENT DOWN ON ALL FOURS AND CRAWLED ╨-095: INTO THE KENNEL. ╘O ALL ═RS. ─ARLING'S DEAR INVITATIONS TO HIM ╨-096: TO COME OUT HE REPLIED SADLY BUT FIRMLY: ╨-097: "╬O, MY OWN ONE, THIS IS THE PLACE FOR ME." ╨-098: ╔N THE BITTERNESS OF HIS REMORSE HE SWORE THAT HE WOULD NEVER ╨-099: LEAVE THE KENNEL UNTIL HIS CHILDREN CAME BACK. ╧F COURSE THIS ╨-100: WAS A PITY; BUT WHATEVER ═R. ─ARLING DID HE HAD TO DO IN EXCESS, ╨-101: OTHERWISE HE SOON GAVE UP DOING IT. ┴ND THERE NEVER WAS A MORE ╨-102: HUMBLE MAN THAN THE ONCE PROUD ╟EORGE ─ARLING, AS HE SAT IN THE ╨-103: KENNEL OF AN EVENING TALKING WITH HIS WIFE OF THEIR CHILDREN AND ╨-104: ALL THEIR PRETTY WAYS. ╨-105: ╓ERY TOUCHING WAS HIS DEFERENCE TO ╬ANA. ╚E WOULD NOT LET HER ╨-106: COME INTO THE KENNEL, BUT ON ALL OTHER MATTERS HE FOLLOWED HER ╨-107: WISHES IMPLICITLY. ╨-108: ┼VERY MORNING THE KENNEL WAS CARRIED WITH ═R. ─ARLING IN IT TO ╨-109: A CAB, WHICH CONVEYED HIM TO HIS OFFICE, AND HE RETURNED HOME IN ╨-110: THE SAME WAY AT SIX. ╙OMETHING OF THE STRENGTH OF CHARACTER OF ╨-111: THE MAN WILL BE SEEN IF WE REMEMBER HOW SENSITIVE HE WAS TO THE ╨-112: OPINION OF NEIGHBOURS: THIS MAN WHOSE EVERY MOVEMENT NOW ╨-113: ATTRACTED SURPRISED ATTENTION. ╔NWARDLY HE MUST HAVE SUFFERED ╨-114: TORTURE; BUT HE PRESERVED A CALM EXTERIOR EVEN WHEN THE YOUNG ╨-115: CRITICISED HIS LITTLE HOME, AND HE ALWAYS LIFTED HIS HAT ╨-116: COURTEOUSLY TO ANY LADY WHO LOOKED INSIDE. ╨-117: ╔T MAY HAVE BEEN ╤UIXOTIC, BUT IT WAS MAGNIFICENT. ╙OON THE ╨-118: INWARD MEANING OF IT LEAKED OUT, AND THE GREAT HEART OF THE ╨-119: PUBLIC WAS TOUCHED. ├ROWDS FOLLOWED THE CAB, CHEERING IT ╨-120: LUSTILY; CHARMING GIRLS SCALED IT TO GET HIS AUTOGRAPH; ╨-121: INTERVIEWS APPEARED IN THE BETTER CLASS OF PAPERS, AND SOCIETY ╨-122: INVITED HIM TO DINNER AND ADDED, "─O COME IN THE KENNEL." ╨-123: ╧N THAT EVENTFUL ╘HURSDAY WEEK, ═RS. ─ARLING WAS IN THE NIGHT- ╨-124: NURSERY AWAITING ╟EORGE'S RETURN HOME; A VERY SAD-EYED WOMAN. ╨-125: ╬OW THAT WE LOOK AT HER CLOSELY AND REMEMBER THE GAIETY OF HER IN ╨-126: THE OLD DAYS, ALL GONE NOW JUST BECAUSE SHE HAS LOST HER BABES, ╔ ╨-127: FIND ╔ WON'T BE ABLE TO SAY NASTY THINGS ABOUT HER AFTER ALL. ╔F ╨-128: SHE WAS TOO FOND OF HER RUBBISHY CHILDREN, SHE COULDN'T HELP IT. ╨-129: ╠OOK AT HER IN HER CHAIR, WHERE SHE HAS FALLEN ASLEEP. ╘HE ╨-130: CORNER OF HER MOUTH, WHERE ONE LOOKS FIRST, IS ALMOST WITHERED ╨-131: UP. ╚ER HAND MOVES RESTLESSLY ON HER BREAST AS IF SHE HAD A ╨-132: PAIN THERE. ╙OME LIKE ╨ETER BEST, AND SOME LIKE ╫ENDY BEST, BUT ╨-133: ╔ LIKE HER BEST. ╙UPPOSE, TO MAKE HER HAPPY, WE WHISPER TO HER ╨-134: IN HER SLEEP THAT THE BRATS ARE COMING BACK. ╘HEY ARE REALLY ╨-135: WITHIN TWO MILES OF THE WINDOW NOW, AND FLYING STRONG, BUT ALL ╨-136: WE NEED WHISPER IS THAT THEY ARE ON THE WAY. ╠ET'S. ╨-137: ╔T IS A PITY WE DID IT, FOR SHE HAS STARTED UP, CALLING THEIR ╨-138: NAMES; AND THERE IS NO ONE IN THE ROOM BUT ╬ANA. ╨-139: "╧ ╬ANA, ╔ DREAMT MY DEAR ONES HAD COME BACK." ╨-140: ╬ANA HAD FILMY EYES, BUT ALL SHE COULD DO WAS PUT HER PAW ╨-141: GENTLY ON HER MISTRESS'S LAP; AND THEY WERE SITTING TOGETHER THUS ╨-142: WHEN THE KENNEL WAS BROUGHT BACK. ┴S ═R. ─ARLING PUTS HIS HEAD ╨-143: OUT TO KISS HIS WIFE, WE SEE THAT HIS FACE IS MORE WORN THAN OF ╨-144: YORE, BUT HAS A SOFTER EXPRESSION. ╨-145: ╚E GAVE HIS HAT TO ╠IZA, WHO TOOK IT SCORNFULLY; FOR SHE HAD NO ╨-146: IMAGINATION, AND WAS QUITE INCAPABLE OF UNDERSTANDING THE MOTIVES ╨-147: OF SUCH A MAN. ╧UTSIDE, THE CROWD WHO HAD ACCOMPANIED THE CAB ╨-148: HOME WERE STILL CHEERING, AND HE WAS NATURALLY NOT UNMOVED. ╨-149: "╠ISTEN TO THEM," HE SAID; "IT IS VERY GRATIFYING." ╨-150: "╠OTS OF LITTLE BOYS," SNEERED ╠IZA. ╨-151: "╘HERE WERE SEVERAL ADULTS TO-DAY," HE ASSURED HER WITH A FAINT ╨-152: FLUSH; BUT WHEN SHE TOSSED HER HEAD HE HAD NOT A WORD OF REPROOF ╨-153: FOR HER. ╙OCIAL SUCCESS HAD NOT SPOILT HIM; IT HAD MADE HIM ╨-154: SWEETER. ╞OR SOME TIME HE SAT WITH HIS HEAD OUT OF THE KENNEL, ╨-155: TALKING WITH ═RS. ─ARLING OF THIS SUCCESS, AND PRESSING HER HAND ╨-156: REASSURINGLY WHEN SHE SAID SHE HOPED HIS HEAD WOULD NOT BE TURNED ╨-157: BY IT. ╨-158: "┬UT IF ╔ HAD BEEN A WEAK MAN," HE SAID. "╟OOD HEAVENS, IF ╔ ╨-159: HAD BEEN A WEAK MAN!" ╨-160: "┴ND, ╟EORGE," SHE SAID TIMIDLY, "YOU ARE AS FULL OF REMORSE AS ╨-161: EVER, AREN'T YOU?" ╨-162: "╞ULL OF REMORSE AS EVER, DEAREST! ╙EE MY PUNISHMENT: LIVING ╨-163: IN A KENNEL." ╨-164: "┬UT IT IS PUNISHMENT, ISN'T IT, ╟EORGE? ┘OU ARE SURE YOU ARE ╨-165: NOT ENJOYING IT?" ╨-166: "═Y LOVE!" ╨-167: ┘OU MAY BE SURE SHE BEGGED HIS PARDON; AND THEN, FEELING ╨-168: DROWSY, HE CURLED ROUND IN THE KENNEL. ╨-169: "╫ON'T YOU PLAY ME TO SLEEP," HE ASKED, "ON THE NURSERY PIANO?" ╨-170: AND AS SHE WAS CROSSING TO THE DAY-NURSERY HE ADDED THOUGHTLESSLY, ╨-171: "┴ND SHUT THAT WINDOW. ╔ FEEL A DRAUGHT." ╨-172: "╧ ╟EORGE, NEVER ASK ME TO DO THAT. ╘HE WINDOW MUST ALWAYS BE ╨-173: LEFT OPEN FOR THEM, ALWAYS, ALWAYS." ╨-174: ╬OW IT WAS HIS TURN TO BEG HER PARDON; AND SHE WENT INTO THE ╨-175: DAY-NURSERY AND PLAYED, AND SOON HE WAS ASLEEP; AND WHILE HE ╨-176: SLEPT, ╫ENDY AND ╩OHN AND ═ICHAEL FLEW INTO THE ROOM. ╨-177: ╧H NO. ╫E HAVE WRITTEN IT SO, BECAUSE THAT WAS THE CHARMING ╨-178: ARRANGEMENT PLANNED BY THEM BEFORE WE LEFT THE SHIP; BUT ╨-179: SOMETHING MUST HAVE HAPPENED SINCE THEN, FOR IT IS NOT THEY WHO ╨-180: HAVE FLOWN IN, IT IS ╨ETER AND ╘INKER ┬ELL. ╨-181: ╨ETER'S FIRST WORDS TELL ALL. ╨-182: "╤UICK ╘INK," HE WHIPERED, "CLOSE THE WINDOW; BAR IT! ╘HAT'S ╨-183: RIGHT. ╬OW YOU AND ╔ MUST GET AWAY BY THE DOOR; AND WHEN ╫ENDY ╨-184: COMES SHE WILL THINK HER MOTHER HAS BARRED HER OUT; AND SHE WILL ╨-185: HAVE TO GO BACK WITH ME." ╨-186: ╬OW ╔ UNDERSTAND WHAT HAD HITHERTO PUZZLED ME, WHY WHEN ╨ETER ╨-187: HAD EXTERMINATED THE PIRATES HE DID NOT RETURN TO THE ISLAND AND ╨-188: LEAVE ╘INK TO ESCORT THE CHILDREN TO THE MAINLAND. ╘HIS TRICK ╨-189: HAD BEEN IN HIS HEAD ALL THE TIME. ╨-190: ╔NSTEAD OF FEELING THAT HE WAS BEHAVING BADLY HE DANCED WITH ╨-191: GLEE; THEN HE PEEPED INTO THE DAY-NURSERY TO SEE WHO WAS PLAYING. ╨-192: ╚E WHISPERED TO ╘INK, "╔T'S ╫ENDY'S MOTHER! ╙HE IS A PRETTY ╨-193: LADY, BUT NOT SO PRETTY AS MY MOTHER. ╚ER MOUTH IS FULL OF ╨-194: THIMBLES, BUT NOT SO FULL AS MY MOTHER'S WAS." ╨-195: ╧F COURSE HE KNEW NOTHING WHATEVER ABOUT HIS MOTHER; BUT HE ╨-196: SOMETIMES BRAGGED ABOUT HER. ╨-197: ╚E DID NOT KNOW THE TUNE, WHICH WAS "╚OME, ╙WEET ╚OME," BUT HE ╨-198: KNEW IT WAS SAYING, "├OME BACK, ╫ENDY, ╫ENDY, ╫ENDY"; AND HE ╨-199: CRIED EXULTANTLY, "┘OU WILL NEVER SEE ╫ENDY AGAIN, LADY, FOR THE ╨-200: WINDOW IS BARRED!" ╨-201: ╚E PEEPED IN AGAIN TO SEE WHY THE MUSIC HAD STOPPED, AND NOW HE ╨-202: SAW THAT ═RS. ─ARLING HAD LAID HER HEAD ON THE BOX, AND THAT TWO ╨-203: TEARS WERE SITTING ON HER EYES. ╨-204: "╙HE WANTS ME TO UNBAR THE WINDOW," THOUGHT ╨ETER, "BUT ╔ ╨-205: WON'T, NOT ╔!" ╨-206: ╚E PEEPED AGAIN, AND THE TEARS WERE STILL THERE, OR ANOTHER TWO ╨-207: HAD TAKEN THEIR PLACE. ╨-208: "╙HE'S AWFULLY FOND OF ╫ENDY," HE SAID TO HIMSELF. ╚E WAS ╨-209: ANGRY WITH HER NOW FOR NOT SEEING WHY SHE COULD NOT HAVE ╫ENDY. ╨-210: ╘HE REASON WAS SO SIMPLE: "╔'M FOND OF HER TOO. ╫E CAN'T BOTH ╨-211: HAVE HER, LADY." ╨-212: ┬UT THE LADY WOULD NOT MAKE THE BEST OF IT, AND HE WAS UNHAPPY. ╨-213: ╚E CEASED TO LOOK AT HER, BUT EVEN THEN SHE WOULD NOT LET GO OF ╨-214: HIM. ╚E SKIPPED ABOUT AND MADE FUNNY FACES, BUT WHEN HE STOPPED ╨-215: IT WAS JUST AS IF SHE WERE INSIDE HIM, KNOCKING. ╨-216: "╧H, ALL RIGHT," HE SAID AT LAST, AND GULPED. ╘HEN HE UNBARRED ╨-217: THE WINDOW. "├OME ON, ╘INK," HE CRIED, WITH A FRIGHTFUL SNEER AT ╨-218: THE LAWS OF NATURE; "WE DON'T WANT ANY SILLY MOTHERS"; AND HE ╨-219: FLEW AWAY. ╨-220: ╘HUS ╫ENDY AND ╩OHN AND ═ICHAEL FOUND THE WINDOW OPEN FOR THEM ╨-221: AFTER ALL, WHICH OF COURSE WAS MORE THAN THEY DESERVED. ╘HEY ╨-222: ALIGHTED ON THE FLOOR, QUITE UNASHAMED OF THEMSELVES, AND THE ╨-223: YOUNGEST ONE HAD ALREADY FORGOTTEN HIS HOME. ╨-224: "╩OHN," HE SAID, LOOKING AROUND HIM DOUBTFULLY, "╔ THINK ╔ HAVE ╨-225: BEEN HERE BEFORE." ╨-226: "╧F COURSE YOU HAVE, YOU SILLY. ╘HERE IS YOUR OLD BED." ╨-227: "╙O IT IS," ═ICHAEL SAID, BUT NOT WITH MUCH CONVICTION. ╨-228: "╔ SAY," CRIED ╩OHN, "THE KENNEL!" AND HE DASHED ACROSS TO LOOK ╨-229: INTO IT. ╨-230: "╨ERHAPS ╬ANA IS INSIDE IT," ╫ENDY SAID. ╨-231: ┬UT ╩OHN WHISTLED. "╚ULLO," HE SAID, "THERE'S A MAN INSIDE ╨-232: IT." ╨-233: "╔T'S FATHER!" EXCLAIMED ╫ENDY. ╨-234: "╠ET ME SEE FATHER," ═ICHAEL BEGGED EAGERLY, AND HE TOOK A GOOD ╨-235: LOOK. "╚E IS NOT SO BIG AS THE PIRATE ╔ KILLED," HE SAID WITH ╨-236: SUCH FRANK DISAPPOINTMENT THAT ╔ AM GLAD ═R. ─ARLING WAS ASLEEP; ╨-237: IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SAD IF THOSE HAD BEEN THE FIRST WORDS HE HEARD ╨-238: HIS LITTLE ═ICHAEL SAY. ╨-239: ╫ENDY AND ╩OHN HAD BEEN TAKEN ABACK SOMEWHAT AT FINDING THEIR ╨-240: FATHER IN THE KENNEL. ╨-241: "╙URELY," SAID ╩OHN, LIKE ONE WHO HAD LOST FAITH IN HIS MEMORY, ╨-242: "HE USED NOT TO SLEEP IN THE KENNEL?" ╨-243: "╩OHN," ╫ENDY SAID FALTERINGLY, "PERHAPS WE DON'T REMEMBER THE ╨-244: OLD LIFE AS WELL AS WE THOUGHT WE DID." ╨-245: ┴ CHILL FELL UPON THEM; AND SERVE THEM RIGHT. ╨-246: "╔T IS VERY CARELESS OF MOTHER," SAID THAT YOUNG SCOUNDREL ╨-247: ╩OHN, "NOT TO BE HERE WHEN WE COME BACK." ╨-248: ╔T WAS THEN THAT ═RS. ─ARLING BEGAN PLAYING AGAIN. ╨-249: "╔T'S MOTHER!" CRIED ╫ENDY, PEEPING. ╨-250: "╙O IT IS!" SAID ╩OHN. ╨-251: "╘HEN ARE YOU NOT REALLY OUR MOTHER, ╫ENDY?" ASKED ═ICHAEL, WHO ╨-252: WAS SURELY SLEEPY. ╨-253: "╧H DEAR!" EXCLAIMED ╫ENDY, WITH HER FIRST REAL TWINGE OF ╨-254: REMORSE [FOR HAVING GONE], "IT WAS QUITE TIME WE CAME BACK," ╨-255: "╠ET US CREEP IN," ╩OHN SUGGESTED, "AND PUT OUR HANDS OVER HER ╨-256: EYES." ╨-257: ┬UT ╫ENDY, WHO SAW THAT THEY MUST BREAK THE JOYOUS NEWS MORE ╨-258: GENTLY, HAD A BETTER PLAN. ╨-259: "╠ET US ALL SLIP INTO OUR BEDS, AND BE THERE WHEN SHE COMES IN, ╨-260: JUST AS IF WE HAD NEVER BEEN AWAY." ╨-261: ┴ND SO WHEN ═RS. ─ARLING WENT BACK TO THE NIGHT-NURSERY TO SEE ╨-262: IF HER HUSBAND WAS ASLEEP, ALL THE BEDS WERE OCCUPIED. ╘HE ╨-263: CHILDREN WAITED FOR HER CRY OF JOY, BUT IT DID NOT COME. ╙HE SAW ╨-264: THEM, BUT SHE DID NOT BELIEVE THEY WERE THERE. ┘OU SEE, SHE SAW ╨-265: THEM IN THEIR BEDS SO OFTEN IN HER DREAMS THAT SHE THOUGHT THIS ╨-266: WAS JUST THE DREAM HANGING AROUND HER STILL. ╨-267: ╙HE SAT DOWN IN THE CHAIR BY THE FIRE, WHERE IN THE OLD DAYS ╨-268: SHE HAD NURSED THEM. ╨-269: ╘HEY COULD NOT UNDERSTAND THIS, AND A COLD FEAR FELL UPON ALL ╨-270: THE THREE OF THEM. ╨-271: "═OTHER!" ╫ENDY CRIED. ╨-272: "╘HAT'S ╫ENDY," SHE SAID, BUT STILL SHE WAS SURE IT WAS THE ╨-273: DREAM. ╨-274: "═OTHER!" ╨-275: "╘HAT'S ╩OHN," SHE SAID. ╨-276: "═OTHER!" CRIED ═ICHAEL. ╚E KNEW HER NOW. ╨-277: "╘HAT'S ═ICHAEL," SHE SAID, AND SHE STRETCHED OUT HER ARMS FOR ╨-278: THE THREE LITTLE SELFISH CHILDREN THEY WOULD NEVER ENVELOP AGAIN. ╨-279: ┘ES, THEY DID, THEY WENT ROUND ╫ENDY AND ╩OHN AND ═ICHAEL, WHO ╨-280: HAD SLIPPED OUT OF BED AND RUN TO HER. ╨-281: "╟EORGE, ╟EORGE!" SHE CRIED WHEN SHE COULD SPEAK; AND ═R. ╨-282: ─ARLING WOKE TO SHARE HER BLISS, AND ╬ANA CAME RUSHING IN. ╘HERE ╨-283: COULD NOT HAVE BEEN A LOVELIER SIGHT; BUT THERE WAS NONE TO SEE ╨-284: IT EXCEPT A LITTLE BOY WHO WAS STARING IN AT THE WINDOW. ╚E HAD ╨-285: HAD ECSTASIES INNUMERABLE THAT OTHER CHILDREN CAN NEVER KNOW; BUT ╨-286: HE WAS LOOKING THROUGH THE WINDOW AT THE ONE JOY FROM WHICH HE ╨-287: MUST BE FOR EVER BARRED. [ ├ONCLUDED IN ├HAPTER 17. ]