汤姆.索亚历险记-第18节

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ecretly　resolved　to　acquire　it　shortly。　Presently　Huck　said：
〃What　does　pirates　have　to　do？〃
Tom　said：
〃Oh；　they　have　just　a　bully　time　　take　ships　and　burn　them；　and　get　the　money　and　bury　it　in　awful　places　in　their　island　where　there's　ghosts　and　things　to　watch　it；　and　kill　everybody　in　the　ships　　make　'em　walk　a　plank。〃
〃And　they　carry　the　women　to　the　island；〃　said　Joe；　〃they　don't　kill　the　women。〃
〃No；〃　assented　Tom；　〃they　don't　kill　the　women　　they're　too　noble。　And　the　women's　always　beautiful；　too。
〃And　don't　they　wear　the　bulliest　clothes！　Oh　no！　All　gold　and　silver　and　di'monds；〃　said　Joe；　with　enthusiasm。
〃Who？〃　said　Huck。
〃Why；　the　pirates。〃
Huck　scanned　his　own　clothing　forlornly。
〃I　reckon　I　ain't　dressed　fitten　for　a　pirate；〃　said　he；　with　a　regretful　pathos　in　his　voice；　〃but　I　ain't　got　none　but　these。〃
But　the　other　boys　told　him　the　fine　clothes　would　come　fast　enough；　after　they　should　have　begun　their　adventures。　They　made　him　understand　that　his　poor　rags　would　do　to　begin　with；　though　it　was　customary　for　wealthy　pirates　to　start　with　a　proper　wardrobe。
Gradually　their　talk　died　out　and　drowsiness　began　to　steal　upon　the　eyelids　of　the　little　waifs。　The　pipe　dropped　from　the　fingers　of　the　Red…Handed；　and　he　slept　the　sleep　of　the　conscience…free　and　the　weary。　The　Terror　of　the　Seas　and　the　Black　Avenger　of　the　Spanish　Main　had　more　difficulty　in　getting　to　sleep。　They　said　their　prayers　inwardly；　and　lying　down；　since　there　was　nobody　there　with　authority　to　make　them　kneel　and　recite　aloud；　in　truth；　they　had　a　mind　not　to　say　them　at　all；　but　they　were　afraid　to　proceed　to　such　lengths　as　that；　lest　they　might　call　down　a　sudden　and　special　thunderbolt　from　heaven。　Then　at　once　they　reached　and　hovered　upon　the　imminent　verge　of　sleep　　but　an　intruder　came；　now；　that　would　not　〃down。〃　It　was　conscience。　They　began　to　feel　a　vague　fear　that　they　had　been　doing　wrong　to　run　away；　and　next　they　thought　of　the　stolen　meat；　and　then　the　real　torture　came。　They　tried　to　argue　it　away　by　reminding　conscience　that　they　had　purloined　sweetmeats　and　apples　scores　of　times；　but　conscience　was　not　to　be　appeased　by　such　thin　plausibilities；　it　seemed　to　them；　in　the　end；　that　there　was　no　getting　around　the　stubborn　fact　that　taking　sweetmeats　was　only　〃hooking；〃　while　taking　bacon　and　hams　and　such　valuables　was　plain　simple　stealing　　and　there　was　a　command　against　that　in　the　Bible。　So　they　inwardly　resolved　that　so　long　as　they　remained　in　the　business；　their　piracies　should　not　again　be　sullied　with　the　crime　of　stealing。　Then　conscience　granted　a　truce；　and　these　curiously　inconsistent　pirates　fell　peacefully　to　sleep。　
CHAPTER　XIV
WHEN　Tom　awoke　in　the　morning；　he　wondered　where　he　was。　He　sat　up　and　rubbed　his　eyes　and　looked　around。　Then　he　comprehended。　It　was　the　cool　gray　dawn；　and　there　was　a　delicious　sense　of　repose　and　peace　in　the　deep　pervading　calm　and　silence　of　the　woods。　Not　a　leaf　stirred；　not　a　sound　obtruded　upon　great　Nature's　meditation。　Beaded　dewdrops　stood　upon　the　leaves　and　grasses。　A　white　layer　of　ashes　covered　the　fire；　and　a　thin　blue　breath　of　smoke　rose　straight　into　the　air。　Joe　and　Huck　still　slept。
Now；　far　away　in　the　woods　a　bird　called；　another　answered；　presently　the　hammering　of　a　woodpecker　was　heard。　Gradually　the　cool　dim　gray　of　the　morning　whitened；　and　as　gradually　sounds　multiplied　and　life　manifested　itself。　The　marvel　of　Nature　shaking　off　sleep　and　going　to　work　unfolded　itself　to　the　musing　boy。　A　little　green　worm　came　crawling　over　a　dewy　leaf；　lifting　two…thirds　of　his　body　into　the　air　from　time　to　time　and　〃sniffing　around；〃　then　proceeding　again　　for　he　was　measuring；　Tom　said；　and　when　the　worm　approached　him；　of　its　own　accord；　he　sat　as　still　as　a　stone；　with　his　hopes　rising　and　falling；　by　turns；　as　the　creature　still　came　toward　him　or　seemed　inclined　to　go　elsewhere；　and　when　at　last　it　considered　a　painful　moment　with　its　curved　body　in　the　air　and　then　came　decisively　down　upon　Tom's　leg　and　began　a　journey　over　him；　his　whole　heart　was　glad　　for　that　meant　that　he　was　going　to　have　a　new　suit　of　clothes　　without　the　shadow　of　a　doubt　a　gaudy　piratical　uniform。　Now　a　procession　of　ants　appeared；　from　nowhere　in　particular；　and　went　about　their　labors；　one　struggled　manfully　by　with　a　dead　spider　five　times　as　big　as　itself　in　its　arms；　and　lugged　it　straight　up　a　tree…trunk。　A　brown　spotted　lady…bug　climbed　the　dizzy　height　of　a　grass　blade；　and　Tom　bent　down　close　to　it　and　said；　
〃Lady…bug；　lady…bug；　fly　away　home；　
your　house　is　on　fire；　your　children's　alone；〃　
and　she　took　wing　and　went　off　to　see　about　it　　which　did　not　surprise　the　boy；　for　he　knew　of　old　that　this　insect　was　credulous　about　conflagrations；　and　he　had　practised　upon　its　simplicity　more　than　once。　A　tumblebug　came　next；　heaving　sturdily　at　its　ball；　and　Tom　touched　the　creature；　to　see　it　shut　its　legs　against　its　body　and　pretend　to　be　dead。　The　birds　were　fairly　rioting　by　this　time。　A　catbird；　the　Northern　mocker；　lit　in　a　tree　over　Tom's　head；　and　trilled　out　her　imitations　of　her　neighbors　in　a　rapture　of　enjoyment；　then　a　shrill　jay　swept　down；　a　flash　of　blue　flame；　and　stopped　on　a　twig　almost　within　the　boy's　reach；　cocked　his　head　to　one　side　and　eyed　the　strangers　with　a　consuming　curiosity；　a　gray　squirrel　and　a　big　fellow　of　the　〃fox〃　kind　came　skurrying　along；　sitting　up　at　intervals　to　inspect　and　chatter　at　the　boys；　for　the　wild　things　had　probably　never　seen　a　human　being　before　and　scarcely　knew　whether　to　be　afraid　or　not。　All　Nature　was　wide　awake　and　stirring；　now；　long　lances　of　sunlight　pierced　down　through　the　dense　foliage　far　and　near；　and　a　few　butterflies　came　fluttering　upon　the　scene。
Tom　stirred　up　the　other　pirates　and　they　all　clattered　away　with　a　shout；　and　in　a　minute　or　two　were　stripped　and　chasing　after　and　tumbling　over　each　other　in　the　shallow　limpid　water　of　the　white　sandbar。　They　felt　no　longing　for　the　little　village　sleeping　in　the　distance　beyond　the　majestic　waste　of　water。　A　vagrant　current　or　a　slight　rise　in　the　river　had　carried　off　their　raft；　but　this　only　gratified　them；　since　its　going　was　something　like　burning　the　bridge　between　them　and　civilization。
They　came　back　to　camp　wonderfully　refreshed；　glad…hearted；　and　ravenous；　and　they　soon　had　the　camp…fire　blazing　up　again。　Huck　found　a　spring　of　clear　cold　water　close　by；　and　the　boys　made　cups　of　broad　oak　or　hickory　leaves；　and　felt　that　water；　sweetened　with　such　a　wildwood　charm　as　that；　would　be　a　good　enough　substitute　for　coffee。　While　Joe　was　slicing　bacon　for　breakfast；　Tom　and　Huck　asked　him　to　hold　on　a　minute；　they　stepped　to　a　promising　nook　in　the　river…bank　and　threw　in　their　lines；　almost　immediately　they　had　reward。　Joe　had　not　had　time　to　get　impatient　before　they　were　back　again　with　some　handsome　bass；　a　couple　of　sun…perch　and　a　small　catfish　　provisions　enough　for　quite　a　family。　They　fried　the　fish　with　the　bacon；　and　were　astonished；　for　no　fish　had　ever　seemed　so　delicious　before。　They　did　not　know　that　the　quicker　a　fresh…water　fish　is　on　the　fire　after　he　is　caught　the　better　he　is；　and　they　reflected　little　upon　what　a　sauce　open…air　sleeping；　open…air　exercise；　bathing；　and　a　large　ingredient　of　hunger　make；　too。
They　lay　around　in　the　shade；　after　breakfast；　while　Huck　had　a　smoke；　and　then　went　off　through　the　woods　on　an　exploring　expedition。　They　tramped　gayly　along；　over　decaying　logs；　through　tangled　underbrush；　among　solemn　monarchs　of　the　forest；　hung　from　their　crowns　to　the　ground　with　a　drooping　regalia　of　grape…vines。　Now　and　then　they　came　upon　snug　nooks　carpeted　with　grass　and　jeweled　with　flowers。
They　found　plenty　of　things　to　be　delighted　with；　but　nothing　to　be　astonished　at。　They　discovered　that　the　island　was　about　three　miles　long　and　a　quarter　of　a　mile　wide；　and　that　the　shore　it　lay　closest　to　was　only　separated　from　it　by　a　narrow　channel　hardly　two　hundred　yards　wide。　They　took　a　swim　about　every　hour；　so　it　was　close　upon　the　middle　of　the　afternoon　when　they　got　back　to　camp。　They　were　too　hungry　to　stop　to　fish；　but　they　fared　sumptuously　upon　cold　ham；　and　then　threw　themselves　down　in　the　shade　to　talk。　But　the　talk　soon　began　to　drag；　and　then　died。　The　stillness；　the　solemnity　that　brooded　in　the　woods；　and　the　sense　of　loneliness；　began　to　tell　upon　the　spirits　of　the　boys。　They　fell　to　thinking。　A　sort　of　undefined　longing　crept　upon　them。　This　took　dim　shape；　presently　　it　was　budding　homesickness。　Even　Finn　the　Red…Handed　was　dreaming　of　his　doorsteps　and　empty　hogsheads。　But　they　were　all　ashamed　of　their　weakness；　and　none　was　brave　enough　to　speak　his　thought。
For　some　time；　now；　the　boys　had　been　dully　conscious　of　a　peculiar　sound　in　the　distance；　just　as　one　sometimes　is　of　the　ticking　of　a　clock　which　he　takes　no　distinct　note　of。　But　now　this　mysterious　sound　became　more　pronounced；　and　forced　a　recognition。　The　boys　started；　glanced　at　each　other；　and　then　each　assumed　a　listening　attitude。　There　was　a　long　silence；　profound　and　unbroken；　then　a　deep；　sullen　boom　came　floating　down　out　of　the　distance。
〃What　is　it！〃　exclaimed　Joe；　under　his　breath。
〃I　wonder；〃　said　Tom　i