Peter Pan — Page 3

只要母亲们是这样的，她们的孩子就会利用她们；她们可以把这一点记在心里。

So long as mothers are like this their children will take advantage of them; and they may lay to that.

就在此刻，我们冒昧地踏入那间熟悉的育儿室，只因为它的合法主人正在回家的路上；我们不过是赶在他们前头，去看看他们的床铺是否妥善通风，并确认达林先生和达林太太不会出门度过这个夜晚。

Even now we venture into that familiar nursery only because its lawful occupants are on their way home; we are merely hurrying on in advance of them to see that their beds are properly aired and that Mr. and Mrs. Darling do not go out for the evening.

我们不过是仆人罢了。

We are no more than servants.

他们的床铺究竟为何要妥善通风呢？要知道，他们当初离开时可是毫无感恩之心地仓皇而去。

Why on earth should their beds be properly aired, seeing that they left them in such a thankless hurry?

如果他们回来后发现父母正在乡下度周末，这难道不是他们活该受到的惩罚吗？

Would it not serve them jolly well right if they came back and found that their parents were spending the week-end in the country?

这正是自从我们认识他们以来，他们一直需要的道德教训；但如果我们这样安排，达林太太永远不会原谅我们。

It would be the moral lesson they have been in need of ever since we met them; but if we contrived things in this way Mrs. Darling would never forgive us.

有一件事我非常想做，那就是以作者惯用的方式告诉她，孩子们就要回来了，事实上他们将在下周四到达。

One thing I should like to do immensely, and that is to tell her, in the way authors have, that the children are coming back, that indeed they will be here on Thursday week.

这将会彻底破坏温迪、约翰和迈克尔所期待的那个惊喜。

This would spoil so completely the surprise to which Wendy and John and Michael are looking forward.

他们一直在船上筹划着这一切：母亲的欣喜若狂，父亲欢呼雀跃，娜娜腾空跳起抢先拥抱他们——然而他们真正应该有所准备的，是一顿痛打。

They have been planning it out on the ship: mother's rapture, father's shout of joy, Nana's leap through the air to embrace them first, when what they ought to be prepared for is a good hiding.