Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Shadow

Chapter 2 Shadow Mrs. Darling gave a scream.Then, as if at a bell, the door opened, and Nana rushed in, having just returned from an evening outing.She snarled and threw herself on the boy, who jumped out of the window lightly.Mrs. Darling screamed again, this time worrying for the boy, for she thought he had fallen to his death, and she ran into the street to find his body, but there was no him.She looked up, but couldn't see anything in the dark night, only a little light flashed across the night sky, she thought it was a shooting star. Mrs. Darling returned to the nursery and saw Nana holding something in her mouth, which turned out to be the shadow of the child.When the boy jumped out of the window, Nana closed the window quickly, not being able to catch him, but his shadow had no time to get out, and the window slammed shut, tearing the shadow off.

No problem, of course Mrs. Darling had examined the shadow carefully, but it was just an ordinary shadow. Nana undoubtedly knew what to do with the shadow best.She hung it out of the window, meaning "the kid will come back for it, let's put it where it's easy to get without disturbing the kids." Unfortunately, Mrs. Darling could not have shadows hanging out of the window, as that would look rather like a wet laundry hanging out, and would detract from the style of the house.She wanted to show the shadow to Mr. Darling, but Mr. Darling was calculating the total cost of winter coats for John and Michael; and to keep his wits about him, he threw a wet towel over his head.I'm sorry to disturb him at this time.Besides, she knew he was going to say, "It's all about using a dog as a babysitter."

Mrs. Darling resolved to roll up the shadow, and keep it carefully in a drawer, till she would tell her husband the proper opportunity.Oops! A week later, the opportunity really came.It was on a Friday never to be forgotten, of course it was a Friday. "I should be extra careful on Fridays," she kept saying to her husband with the benefit of hindsight.Nana was probably beside her at this moment, holding her hand. "No, no," Mr. Darling would always say, "I'm entirely responsible. I, George Darling, did it all. Mea culpa, mea culpa (my fault, my fault)." He educated in classical literature.

And so they sat night after night, reminiscing about that ominous Friday, until all the details were stamped into their brains, and came through on the other side like bad coins. "If only I didn't go to the party on the 27th that day," said Mrs. Darling. "I wish I hadn't poured my medicine into Nana's bowl that day," said Mr. Darling. "If only I pretended to like drinking that potion that day." Nana's teary eyes said so. "It's all my fault for being so fond of parties, George." "It's all my hapless natural sense of humor, dearest."

"It's my fault for being so fussy about little things, my dear mistress." Then one or more of them burst into tears.Nana thought, "Yes, yes, they shouldn't have a dog as a nurse." Several times it was Mr. Darling who wiped Nana's tears with a handkerchief. "The ghost!" cried Mr. Darling.Nana barked back, but Mrs. Darling never reproached Peter.There was a little bit of something on the right corner of her mouth that kept her from scolding Peter. And so they sat in the empty nursery, dreaming over every little incident of that dreadful night.At first that evening, like any other, was uneventful, Nana poured Michael's bathwater and carried him across.

"I don't go to sleep," cried Michael, who thought he was the only one to say, "I don't, I don't. It's not six o'clock, Nana. Oh, oh, I don't love you anymore, Nana." Na. I tell you I don't want a bath, I don't wash, I don't wash!" Mrs. Darling came in, in her white evening gown.She got dressed early, because Wendy liked to see her in her evening dress, with the necklace George had given her around her neck, and Wendy's bracelets on her arms; she had borrowed them from Wendy. .Wendit likes to lend her bracelet to her mother. Mrs. Darling saw the two older children playing a game, pretending to be herself and papa the day Wendy was born.John is saying:

"I'm very pleased to tell you, Mrs. Darling, that you're a mother now." It sounded as if Mr. Darling had really said that. Wendy danced for joy, as if Mrs. Darling could really dance. Then John was born again, and he looked very smug, which he attributed to the birth of a boy.Later, Michael came in after taking a shower and asked to give birth to him, but John said roughly that they didn't want to have another child. Michael almost cried. "I'm not wanted," he said; so the lady in evening dress couldn't sit still. "I want," she said, "I want a third child."

"Boy or girl?" Michael asked, worried. "boy." So he jumped into his mother's arms.It was only a small incident, when Mr. and Mrs. Darling and Nana looked back on it now; but it was not a trivial incident when one considered that it had happened during Michael's last night in the nursery. They continue to remember. "That's when I came in like a whirlwind, didn't I?" laughed Mr. Darling to himself, and he was like a whirlwind. Maybe he was extenuating.He was also getting dressed for the dinner, all in perfect order, and when it came time to tie the tie, trouble began.Oddly enough, the guy who knows about stocks and dividends can't handle his bow ties.There were times when the thing was at his mercy; but there were occasions when, if he could swallow his pride and wear a ready-made cravat, the family would be all right.

This time, it happened to be such an occasion.Mr. Darling burst into the nursery clutching a goddam little cravat crumpled up in his hand. "Why, what's the matter, dear father?" "What's the matter!" He yelled, and he was yelling. "This cravat, it won't be put on," he said bitterly, "not on my neck! On the bed-post! Can't I? I've tied it on the bed-post twenty times, But it won't work when it's on my neck! My boy, I can't do it! Please spare it!" He felt that Mrs. Darling did not pay enough attention to his words, and he went on sharply: "I warn you, mother, if this cravat does not tie around my neck, I will not go to the party to-night; If I don't go to dinner, I won't go to work; if I don't go to work, you and I will starve to death, and our children will be on the streets."

Still Mrs. Darling was not at all alarmed. "I'll try, dear," she said.To be honest, Mr. Darling wanted her to be in the department.Mrs. Darling fastened his tie with her deft cool hands.At this time, the children stood around, waiting to decide their fate.Some men might have been offended that she had tied the tie with such ease; but Mr. Darling, being a generous man, did not mind it.He thanked him casually, and immediately his anger disappeared; in the blink of an eye, he was dancing around the room with Michael on his back. Mrs. Darling, recalling it now, said: "How much fun we had!"

"That was our last joke!" sighed Mr. Darling. "Oh, George! Do you remember Michael saying to me suddenly, 'How did you know me, Mother?'" "I remember." "They're lovely, aren't they, George?" "They were ours, ours, and now they're all gone." Nana came in, and the teasing had just ended.Unfortunately, Mr. Darling bumped into Nana, and his pants were covered with dog hair.They were new trousers, and Mr. Darling's first overalls, so he had to bite his lip to keep the tears from falling.Mrs. Darling brushed him, of course, but then he muttered about the mistake of using a dog as a nurse. "George, Nana is a treasure." "Of course, but I sometimes get upset that she treats the children like puppies." "Oh no, dear, I'm sure she knows they have souls." "Hard to say," said Mr. Darling thoughtfully. "I doubt it." His wife saw this as an opportunity to tell him about the child.At first he laughed off the story, but when Mrs. Darling showed him the shadow, he fell into thought. "This isn't anyone I know," he said, examining the shadow, "but he does look like a bad guy." "You remember, while we were talking, Nana came in with Michael's medicine," Mr. Darling recalled. "You never take a bottle of medicine in your mouth, Nana. It's all about me." It's wrong." Although he is a strong person, he is undoubtedly a bit embarrassed when it comes to taking medicine.If there is any weakness in him, it is that he thinks that he has always been brave in taking medicine all his life.So this time, when Michael turned his head away from the medicine spoon in Nana's mouth, he scolded him and said, "Be manly, Michael." "I'm not, I'm not." Michael shouted mischievously.Mrs. Darling went out of the room to bring him a bar of chocolate, which Mr. Darling thought was a sign of uncertainty. "Mother, don't coddle him," he called into Mrs. Darling's back. "Michael, when I was your age, I didn't cry when I took medicine. I just said, 'Thank you, loving parents. , thank you for giving me medicine and making my illness better soon.'” He really believed he was telling the truth.Wendy was in her pajamas now, and she also believed it was true. To encourage Michael, she said, "Dad, the medicine you always take is worse than this, isn't it?" "Much worse," said Mr. Darling solemnly. "If I hadn't lost the bottle, Michael, I'd show you right now." In fact, the bottle was not lost, but Mr. Darling had crept to the top of the cupboard in the middle of the night and hid it there.But he didn't expect that the faithful maid Lisa found the medicine bottle and put it back on the dressing table. "I know where the bottle is, Dad," Wendy called.She was always willing to oblige, "I'll get it." She ran out before Mr. Darling could stop her.Mr. Darling was suddenly and inexplicably discouraged. "John," said Mr. Darling, shuddering, "that's a terrible thing. It's a sticky, sweet, cloying stuff." "Eat it for a while and you'll be fine, Dad." John encouraged him.Just then Wendy ran in with a glass of potion in her hand. "I came running as fast as I could," she gasped. "You're amazingly fast," her father quipped politely, with a touch of vengeance. "Michael eats first," he said stubbornly. "Daddy eats first," said Michael, who was suspicious by nature. "I'm going to be sick, you know," said Mr. Darling threateningly. "Eat, Dad," John said. "Don't talk, John," his father snapped. Wendy was confused: "I thought you could eat it easily, Dad." "That's not the problem," retorted Mr. Darling. "The problem is that I have more medicine in my cup than in Michael's spoon." His proud heart was about to burst. "It's not fair. Even with my last breath, I'm going to say, it's not fair." "Dad, I'll wait." Michael said coldly. "You're right. You wait, and I'll wait." "Daddy's a boneless coward." "Then you're a boneless coward, too." "I'm not afraid." "I'm not afraid either." "Okay then, eat it." "Okay then, eat it." Wendy thought of a brilliant plan: "Why not eat both at the same time?" "Certainly," said Mr. Darling, "are you ready, Michael?" Wendy counted, one, two, three, and Michael took his medicine, but Mr. Darling hid his medicine behind his back. Michael let out a growl. "Oh, Dad!" Wendy exclaimed. "What's the meaning of 'Oh, Daddy'?" demanded Mr. Darling. "Don't yell, Michael. I meant to eat it, but I—I didn't." The way the three children looked at Mr. Darling was terrible, as if they didn't admire him. "Come and see," said Mr. Darling, as soon as Nana had gone into the bathroom, "I've just thought of a wonderful joke. I'm going to pour my medicine into Nana's basin, and she'll drink it. Go down and think it's milk!" It was the color of milk; but the children had not father's sense of humor, and they watched him reproachfully as he poured the medicine into Nana's basin. "What fun," said Mr. Darling half-heartedly.When Mrs. Darling and Nana returned to the room, the children did not dare to tell them. "Nana, good dog," said Mr. Darling, patting her on the head, "I poured some milk into your basin, Nana." Nana wagged her tail, ran over and licked the medicine.Then she gave Mr. Darling that look which, instead of anger, showed him a big red tear.We see the faithful dog shed such tears and always feel sorry for her.She climbed into the kennel. Mr. Darling was very ashamed, but he would not budge.In terrible silence Mrs. Darling sniffed the basin. "Oh, George," she said, "here's your medicine!" "It's only a joke," cried Mr. Darling.Mrs. Darling comforted the boys, and Wendy went and put her arms around Nana. "Very well," said Mr. Darling bitterly. "I've worked my ass off to keep the whole family happy." Wendy still had Nana in her arms. "Yes," cried Mr. Darling, "dote on her! Nobody dote on me. No! Why do you dote on me as I earn your living! Why, why, why!" "George," Mrs. Darling begged him, "not so loudly, the servants will hear." Somehow they got into the habit of calling Lisa servants. "Let them hear," replied Mr. Darling recklessly, "and let the whole world hear. I can't have that dog dominating my nursery any longer, not for a moment. " The children cried, and Nana ran to Darling to intercede, but he waved her away.He felt himself a strong man again. "It's no use, it's no use," he cried. "Your proper place is in the yard. Go into the yard and I'll tie you up right away." "George, George," whispered Mrs. Darling, "don't forget what I told you about the boy." Well, Mr. Darling won't listen.He was determined to see who was the master of the house.He ordered Nana not to be called out of the kennel, so he lured her out with sweet words, then grabbed her roughly, and dragged her out of the nursery.He felt ashamed, but he did it anyway.This is all because he is too emotional by nature and longs for the admiration of his children.After he had chained Nana in the back yard, the unfortunate father went into the passage, sat down there, and covered his eyes with his hands. Meanwhile Mrs. Darling had put the children to bed in unnatural silence, and lit the night-light.They could hear Nana barking, and John whimpered, "It's all because he chained her in the yard." But Wendy knew better. "It's not Nana's bark when she's upset," she said, not guessing what was going to happen. "It's her bark when she smells danger." Danger! "Are you sure, Wendy?" "Oh, of course." Mrs. Darling trembled and went to the window.The windows were fastened tightly.She looked out, and the night sky was dotted with stars.The stars were all clustered around the house, as if curious to see what was going to happen there.But she didn't notice this, nor did she notice that one or two little stars were winking at her. "Oh, how I wish I didn't go to the party tonight!" Michael was already half asleep, and even he knew that his mother was worried. He asked, "Mom, with the night light on, is there anything else that can hurt us?" "No, dear," said Mr. Darling, "the night-light is the mother's left to guard the eyes of the children." Mrs. Darling went to the beds and sang to them charmingly, and little Michael threw his arms around her neck. "Mom," he called, "I like you." Those were the last words she'd heard him say in a long time. No. 27 was only a few yards from their house, but there had been a little snow, so that Mr. and Mrs. Darling had to pick their way deftly so as not to get their shoes dirty.They were already the only people on the street, and the stars in the sky were watching them.The stars are beautiful, but they can't take an active part in anything, they can only watch from the sidelines forever.It's a punishment for them for doing something wrong long ago.What's wrong?Because time is too long, no star can know now.So the older stars have become glazed-eyed and rarely speak (blinking is the language of the stars), but the little stars are still wondering.They weren't really friendly with Peter because he was a mischievous guy who liked to sneak up behind them and try to blow them out.However, they were too fond of jokes, so they were all on his side tonight, eager to drive the adults away.So as soon as Mr. and Mrs. Darling entered into Number 27, as the door closed, there was a commotion in the sky, and the smallest of all the stars in the Milky Way cried out: "Come on, Peter!"