汤姆.索亚历险记-第21节

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〃Well；　we'll　let　the　cry…baby　go　home　to　his　mother；　won't　we；　Huck？　Poor　thing　　does　it　want　to　see　its　mother？　And　so　it　shall。　you　like　it　here；　don't　you；　Huck？　We'll　stay；　won't　we？〃
Huck　said；　〃Y…e…s〃　　without　any　heart　in　it。
〃I'll　never　speak　to　you　again　as　long　as　I　live；〃　said　Joe；　rising。　〃There　now！〃　And　he　moved　moodily　away　and　began　to　dress　himself。
〃Who　cares！〃　said　Tom。　〃Nobody　wants　you　to。　Go　'long　home　and　get　laughed　at。　Oh；　you're　a　nice　pirate。　Huck　and　me　ain't　cry…babies。　We'll　stay；　won't　we；　Huck？　Let　him　go　if　he　wants　to。　I　reckon　we　can　get　along　without　him；　per'aps。〃
But　Tom　was　uneasy；　nevertheless；　and　was　alarmed　to　see　Joe　go　sullenly　on　with　his　dressing。　And　then　it　was　discomforting　to　see　Huck　eying　Joe's　preparations　so　wistfully；　and　keeping　up　such　an　ominous　silence。　Presently；　without　a　parting　word；　Joe　began　to　wade　off　toward　the　Illinois　shore。　Tom's　heart　began　to　sink。　He　glanced　at　Huck。　Huck　could　not　bear　the　look；　and　dropped　his　eyes。　Then　he　said：
〃I　want　to　go；　too；　Tom。　It　was　getting　so　lonesome　anyway；　and　now　it'll　be　worse。　Let's　us　go；　too；　Tom。〃
〃I　won't！　You　can　all　go；　if　you　want　to。　I　mean　to　stay。〃
〃Tom；　I　better　go。〃
〃Well；　go　'long　　who's　hendering　you。〃
Huck　began　to　pick　up　his　scattered　clothes。　He　said：
〃Tom；　I　wisht　you'd　come；　too。　Now　you　think　it　over。　We'll　wait　for　you　when　we　get　to　shore。〃
〃Well；　you'll　wait　a　blame　long　time；　that's　all。〃
Huck　started　sorrowfully　away；　and　Tom　stood　looking　after　him；　with　a　strong　desire　tugging　at　his　heart　to　yield　his　pride　and　go　along　too。　He　hoped　the　boys　would　stop；　but　they　still　waded　slowly　on。　It　suddenly　dawned　on　Tom　that　it　was　become　very　lonely　and　still。　He　made　one　final　struggle　with　his　pride；　and　then　darted　after　his　comrades；　yelling：
〃Wait！　Wait！　I　want　to　tell　you　something！〃
They　presently　stopped　and　turned　around。　When　he　got　to　where　they　were；　he　began　unfolding　his　secret；　and　they　listened　moodily　till　at　last　they　saw　the　〃point〃　he　was　driving　at；　and　then　they　set　up　a　war…whoop　of　applause　and　said　it　was　〃splendid！〃　and　said　if　he　had　told　them　at　first；　they　wouldn't　have　started　away。　He　made　a　plausible　excuse；　but　his　real　reason　had　been　the　fear　that　not　even　the　secret　would　keep　them　with　him　any　very　great　length　of　time；　and　so　he　had　meant　to　hold　it　in　reserve　as　a　last　seduction。
The　lads　came　gayly　back　and　went　at　their　sports　again　with　a　will；　chattering　all　the　time　about　Tom's　stupendous　plan　and　admiring　the　genius　of　it。　After　a　dainty　egg　and　fish　dinner；　Tom　said　he　wanted　to　learn　to　smoke；　now。　Joe　caught　at　the　idea　and　said　he　would　like　to　try；　too。　So　Huck　made　pipes　and　filled　them。　These　novices　had　never　smoked　anything　before　but　cigars　made　of　grape…vine；　and　they　〃bit〃　the　tongue；　and　were　not　considered　manly　anyway。
Now　they　stretched　themselves　out　on　their　elbows　and　began　to　puff；　charily；　and　with　slender　confidence。　The　smoke　had　an　unpleasant　taste；　and　they　gagged　a　little；　but　Tom　said：
〃Why；　it's　just　as　easy！　If　I'd　a　knowed　this　was　all；　I'd　a　learnt　long　ago。〃
〃So　would　I；〃　said　Joe。　〃It's　just　nothing。〃
〃Why；　many　a　time　I've　looked　at　people　smoking；　and　thought　well　I　wish　I　could　do　that；　but　I　never　thought　I　could；〃　said　Tom。
〃That's　just　the　way　with　me；　hain't　it；　Huck？　You've　heard　me　talk　just　that　way　　haven't　you；　Huck？　I'll　leave　it　to　Huck　if　I　haven't。〃
〃Yes　　heaps　of　times；〃　said　Huck。
〃Well；　I　have　too；〃　said　Tom；　〃oh；　hundreds　of　times。　Once　down　by　the　slaughter…house。　Don't　you　remember；　Huck？　Bob　Tanner　was　there；　and　Johnny　Miller；　and　Jeff　Thatcher；　when　I　said　it。　Don't　you　remember；　Huck；　'bout　me　saying　that？〃
〃Yes；　that's　so；〃　said　Huck。　〃That　was　the　day　after　I　lost　a　white　alley。　No；　'twas　the　day　before。〃
〃There　　I　told　you　so；〃　said　Tom。　〃Huck　recollects　it。〃
〃I　bleeve　I　could　smoke　this　pipe　all　day；〃　said　Joe。　〃I　don't　feel　sick。〃
〃Neither　do　I；〃　said　Tom。　〃I　could　smoke　it　all　day。　But　I　bet　you　Jeff　Thatcher　couldn't。〃
〃Jeff　Thatcher！　Why；　he'd　keel　over　just　with　two　draws。　Just　let　him　try　it　once。　He'd　see！〃
〃I　bet　he　would。　And　Johnny　Miller　　I　wish　could　see　Johnny　Miller　tackle　it　once。〃
〃Oh；　don't　I！〃　said　Joe。　〃Why；　I　bet　you　Johnny　Miller　couldn't　any　more　do　this　than　nothing。　Just　one　little　snifter　would　fetch　him。〃
〃'Deed　it　would；　Joe。　Say　　I　wish　the　boys　could　see　us　now。〃
〃So　do　I。〃
〃Say　　boys；　don't　say　anything　about　it；　and　some　time　when　they're　around；　I'll　come　up　to　you　and　say；　'Joe；　got　a　pipe？　I　want　a　smoke。'　And　you'll　say；　kind　of　careless　like；　as　if　it　warn't　anything；　you'll　say；　'Yes；　I　got　my　old　pipe；　and　another　one；　but　my　tobacker　ain't　very　good。'　And　I'll　say；　'Oh；　that's　all　right；　if　it's　strong　enough。'　And　then　you'll　out　with　the　pipes；　and　we'll　light　up　just　as　ca'm；　and　then　just　see　'em　look！〃
〃By　jings；　that'll　be　gay；　Tom！　I　wish　it　was　now！〃
〃So　do　I！　And　when　we　tell　'em　we　learned　when　we　was　off　pirating；　won't　they　wish　they'd　been　along？〃
〃Oh；　I　reckon　not！　I'll　just　bet　they　will！〃
So　the　talk　ran　on。　But　presently　it　began　to　flag　a　trifle；　and　grow　disjointed。　The　silences　widened；　the　expectoration　marvellously　increased。　Every　pore　inside　the　boys'　cheeks　became　a　spouting　fountain；　they　could　scarcely　bail　out　the　cellars　under　their　tongues　fast　enough　to　prevent　an　inundation；　little　overflowings　down　their　throats　occurred　in　spite　of　all　they　could　do；　and　sudden　retchings　followed　every　time。　Both　boys　were　looking　very　pale　and　miserable；　now。　Joe's　pipe　dropped　from　his　nerveless　fingers。　Tom's　followed。　Both　fountains　were　going　furiously　and　both　pumps　bailing　with　might　and　main。　Joe　said　feebly：
〃I've　lost　my　knife。　I　reckon　I　better　go　and　find　it。〃
Tom　said；　with　quivering　lips　and　halting　utterance：
〃I'll　help　you。　You　go　over　that　way　and　I'll　hunt　around　by　the　spring。　No；　you　needn't　come；　Huck　　we　can　find　it。〃
So　Huck　sat　down　again；　and　waited　an　hour。　Then　he　found　it　lonesome；　and　went　to　find　his　comrades。　They　were　wide　apart　in　the　woods；　both　very　pale；　both　fast　asleep。　But　something　informed　him　that　if　they　had　had　any　trouble　they　had　got　rid　of　it。
They　were　not　talkative　at　supper　that　night。　They　had　a　humble　look；　and　when　Huck　prepared　his　pipe　after　the　meal　and　was　going　to　prepare　theirs；　they　said　no；　they　were　not　feeling　very　well　　something　they　ate　at　dinner　had　disagreed　with　them。
About　midnight　Joe　awoke；　and　called　the　boys。　There　was　a　brooding　oppressiveness　in　the　air　that　seemed　to　bode　something。　The　boys　huddled　themselves　together　and　sought　the　friendly　companionship　of　the　fire；　though　the　dull　dead　heat　of　the　breathless　atmosphere　was　stifling。　They　sat　still；　intent　and　waiting。　The　solemn　hush　continued。　Beyond　the　light　of　the　fire　everything　was　swallowed　up　in　the　blackness　of　darkness。　Presently　there　came　a　quivering　glow　that　vaguely　revealed　the　foliage　for　a　moment　and　then　vanished。　By　and　by　another　came；　a　little　stronger。　Then　another。　Then　a　faint　moan　came　sighing　through　the　branches　of　the　forest　and　the　boys　felt　a　fleeting　breath　upon　their　cheeks；　and　shuddered　with　the　fancy　that　the　Spirit　of　the　Night　had　gone　by。　There　was　a　pause。　Now　a　weird　flash　turned　night　into　day　and　showed　every　little　grass…blade；　separate　and　distinct；　that　grew　about　their　feet。　And　it　showed　three　white；　startled　faces；　too。　A　deep　peal　of　thunder　went　rolling　and　tumbling　down　the　heavens　and　lost　itself　in　sullen　rumblings　in　the　distance。　A　sweep　of　chilly　air　passed　by；　rustling　all　the　leaves　and　snowing　the　flaky　ashes　broadcast　about　the　fire。　Another　fierce　glare　lit　up　the　forest　and　an　instant　crash　followed　that　seemed　to　rend　the　tree…tops　right　over　the　boys'　heads。　They　clung　together　in　terror；　in　the　thick　gloom　that　followed。　A　few　big　rain…drops　fell　pattering　upon　the　leaves。
〃Quick！　boys；　go　for　the　tent！〃　exclaimed　Tom。
They　sprang　away；　stumbling　over　roots　and　among　vines　in　the　dark；　no　two　plunging　in　the　same　direction。　A　furious　blast　roared　through　the　trees；　making　everything　sing　as　it　went。　One　blinding　flash　after　another　came；　and　peal　on　peal　of　deafening　thunder。　And　now　a　drenching　rain　poured　down　and　the　rising　hurricane　drove　it　in　sheets　along　the　ground。　The　boys　cried　out　to　each　other；　but　the　roaring　wind　and　the　booming　thunder…blasts　drowned　their　voices　utterly。　However；　one　by　one　they　straggled　in　at　last　and　took　shelter　under　the　tent；　cold；　scared；　and　streaming　with　water；　but　to　have　company　in　misery　seemed　something　to　be　grateful　for。　They　could　not　talk；　the　old　sail　flapped　so　furiously；　even　if　the　other　noises　would　have　allowed　them。　The　tempest　rose　higher　and　higher；　and　presently　the　sail　tore　loose　from　its　fastenings　and　went　winging　away　on　the　blast。　The　boys　seized　each　others'　hands　and　fled；　with　many　tumblings　and　bruises；　to　the　shelter　of　a　great　oak　that　stood　upon　the　river…bank。　Now　the　battle　was　at　its　highest。　Under　the　ceaseless　conflagration　of　lightning　that　flamed　in　the　skies；　everything　below　stood　out　in　clean…cut　and　shadowless　distinctness：　the　bending　trees；　the　billowy　river；　white　with　foam；　the　driving　spray　of　spume…flakes；　the　dim　outlin