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Chapter 9 The Never Bird
第九章 永无鸟
The last sound Peter heard before he was quite alone were the mermaids retiring one by one to their bedchambers under the sea.
礁湖上只剩下彼得一人了，在这之前，他最后听到的声音，是人鱼回到海底寝室时的响动。
He was too far away to hear their doors shut;
因为距离太远，他听不到关门的声音。
but every door in the coral caves where they live rings a tiny bell when it opens or closes
不过，她们居住的珊瑚窟，门上都有小铃，开门关门时都会发出叮当声
(as in all the nicest houses on the mainland), and he heard the bells.
（恰像英国本土最讲究的房子那样），这铃声彼得听到了。
Steadily the waters rose till they were nibbling at his feet;
海水渐渐涨上来了，正一小口一小口地吞噬彼得的脚；
and to pass the time until they made their final gulp, he watched the only thing on the lagoon.
在海水把他整个吞没以前，为了消磨时间，他凝视着漂游在礁湖上的唯一一件东西。
He thought it was a piece of floating paper, perhaps part of the kite, and wondered idly how long it would take to drift ashore.
他想那大概是一张漂浮着的纸片，或许是那风筝的一部分。他闲得无聊，估算着那东西漂到岸边需要多少时间。
Presently he noticed as an odd thing that it was undoubtedly out upon the lagoon with some definite purpose,
忽然，他发现这东西有点异乎寻常，它来到湖上肯定是带有某种目的的，
for it was fighting the tide, and sometimes winning;
因为，它正在逆浪而行，有时战胜了海浪。
and when it won, Peter, always sympathetic to the weaker side, could not help clapping; it was such a gallant piece of paper.
每次它战胜时，总是同情弱者的彼得，就忍不住拍起手来；好勇敢的一张纸片。
It was not really a piece of paper; it was the Never bird, making desperate efforts to reach Peter on the nest.
其实，那不是一张纸片，那是永无鸟。她正坐在巢上拼命努力向彼得划来。
By working her wings, in a way she had learned since the nest fell into the water,
自打她落到水上以后，她就学会了用翅膀划水，
she was able to some extent to guide her strange craft, but by the time Peter recognised her she was very exhausted.
居然也能勉强行驶她那只奇异的小船了。可是，在彼得认出她来时，她已经非常疲乏了。
She had come to save him, to give him her nest, though there were eggs in it.
她是来救彼得的，她要把巢让给他，尽管巢里头有卵。
