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PeterPan'sWorld¡¡Chapter1Peterbreaksthrough¡¡Allchildren,exceptone,growup.Theysoonknowthattheywillgrowup,andthewayWendyknewwasthis.Onedaywhenshewastwoyearsoldshewasplayinginagarden,andshepluckedanotherflowerandranwithittohermother.Isupposeshemusthavelookedratherdelightful,forMrs.Darlingputherhandtoherheartandcried,Oh,whycan'tyouremainlikethisforever!Thiswasallthatpassedbetweenthemonthesubject,buthenceforthWendyknewthatshemustgrowup.Youalwaysknowafteryouaretwo.Twoisthebeginningoftheend.Ofcoursetheylivedat14[theirhousenumberontheirstreet],anduntilWendycamehermotherwasthechiefone.Shewasalovelylady,witharomanticmindandsuchasweetmockingmouth.Herromanticmindwaslikethetinyboxes,onewithintheother,thatcomefromthepuzzlingEast,howevermanyyoudiscoverthereisalwaysonemore;andhersweetmockingmouthhadonekissonitthatWendycouldneverget,thoughthereiswas,perfectlyconspicuousintheright-handcorner.ThewayMr.Darlingwonherwasthis:themanygentlemenwhohadbeenboyswhenshewasagirldiscoveredsimultaneouslythattheylovedher,andtheyallrantoherhousetoproposetoherexceptMr.Darling,whotookacabandnippedinfirst,andsohegother.Hegotallofher,excepttheinnermostboxandthekiss.Heneverknewaboutthebox,andintimehegaveuptryingforthekiss.WendythoughtNapoleoncouldhavegotit,butIcanpicturehimtrying,andthengoingoffinapassion,slammingthedoor.Mr.DarlingusedtoboasttoWendythathermothernotonlylovedhimbutrespectedhim.Hewasoneofthosedeeponeswhoknowaboutstocksandshares.Ofcoursenoonereallyknows,buthequiteseemedtoknow,andheoftensaidstockswereupandsharesweredowninawaythatwouldhavemadeanywomanrespecthim.Mrs.Darlingwasmarriedinwhite,andatfirstshekeptthebooksperfectly,almostgleefully,asifitwereagame,notsomuchasaBrusselssproutwasmissing;butbyandbywholecauliflowersdroppedout,andinsteadofthemtherewerepicturesofbabieswithoutfaces.Shedrewthemwhensheshouldhavebeentottingup.TheywereMrs.Darling'sguesses.Wendycamefirst,thenJohn,thenMichael.ForaweekortwoafterWendycameitwasdoubtfulwhethertheywouldbeabletokeepher,asshewasanothermouthtofeed.Mr.Darlingwasfrightfullyproudofher,buthewasveryhonourable,andhesatontheedgeofMrs.Darling'sbed,holdingherhandandcalculatingexpenses,whileshelookedathimimploringly.Shewantedtoriskit,comewhatmight,butthatwasnothisway;hiswaywaswithapencilandapieceofpaper,andifsheconfusedhimwithsuggestionshehadtobeginatthebeginningagain.Nowdon'tinterrupt,hewouldbegofher.Ihaveonepoundseventeenhere,andtwoandsixattheoffice;Icancutoffmycoffeeattheoffice,saytenshillings,makingtwonineandsix,withyoureighteenandthreemakesthreenineseven,withfivenaughtnaughtinmycheque-bookmakeseightnineseven--whoisthatmoving?--eightnineseven,dotandcarryseven--don'tspeak,myown--andthepoundyoulenttothatmanwhocametothedoor--quiet,child--dotandcarrychild--there,you'vedoneit!--didIsayninenineseven?yes,Isaidninenineseven;thequestionis,canwetryitforayearonninenineseven?Ofcoursewecan,George,shecried.ButshewasprejudicedinWendy'sfavour,andhewasreallythegrandercharacterofthetwo.Remembermumps,hewarnedheralmostthreateningly,andoffhewentagain.Mumpsonepound,thatiswhatIhaveputdown,butIdaresayitwillbemorelikethirtyshillings--don'tspeak--measlesonefive,Germanmeasleshalfaguinea,makestwofifteensix--don'twaggleyourfinger--whooping-cough,sayfifteenshillings--andsoonitwent,anditaddedupdifferentlyeachtime;butatlastWendyjustgotthrough,withmumpsreducedtotwelvesix,andthetwokindsofmeaslestreatedasone.TherewasthesameexcitementoverJohn,andMichaelhadevenanarrowersqueak;butbothwerekept,andsoon,youmighthaveseenthethreeofthemgoinginarowtoMissFulsom'sKindergartenschool,accompaniedbytheirnurse.Mrs.Darlinglovedtohaveeverythingjustso,andMr.Darlinghadapassionforbeingexactlylikehisneighbours;so,ofcourse,theyhadanurse.Astheywerepoor,owingtotheamountofmilkthechildrendrank,thisnursewasaprimNewfoundlanddog,calledNana,whohadbelongedtonooneinparticularuntiltheDarlingsengagedher.Shehadalwaysthoughtchildrenimportant,however,andtheDarlingshadbecomeacquaintedwithherinKensingtonGardens,whereshespentmostofhersparetimepeepingintoperambulators,andwasmuchhatedbycarelessnursemaids,whomshefollowedtotheirhomesandcomplainedoftotheirmistresses.Sheprovedtobequiteatreasureofanurse.Howthoroughshewasatbath-time,andupatanymomentofthenightifoneofherchargesmadetheslightestcry.Ofcourseherkennelwasinthenursery.Shehadageniusforknowingwhenacoughisathingtohavenopatiencewithandwhenitneedsstockingaroundyourthroat.Shebelievedtoherlastdayinold-fashionedremedieslikerhubarbleaf,andmadesoundsofcontemptoverallthisnew-fangledtalkaboutgerms,andsoon.Itwasalessoninproprietytoseeherescortingthechildrentoschool,walkingsedatelybytheirsidewhentheywerewellbehaved,andbuttingthembackintolineiftheystrayed.OnJohn'sfooter[inEnglandsoccerwascalledfootball,footerforshort]dayssheneveronceforgothissweater,andsheusuallycarriedanumbrellainhermouthincaseofrain.ThereisaroominthebasementofMissFulsom'sschoolwherethenurseswait.Theysatonforms,whileNanalayonthefloor,butthatwastheonlydifference.Theyaffectedtoignoreherasofaninferiorsocialstatustothemselves,andshedespisedtheirlighttalk.Sheresentedvisitstothenur