汤姆.索亚历险记-第22节

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im　outlines　of　the　high　bluffs　on　the　other　side；　glimpsed　through　the　drifting　cloud…rack　and　the　slanting　veil　of　rain。　Every　little　while　some　giant　tree　yielded　the　fight　and　fell　crashing　through　the　younger　growth；　and　the　unflagging　thunderpeals　came　now　in　ear…splitting　explosive　bursts；　keen　and　sharp；　and　unspeakably　appalling。　The　storm　culminated　in　one　matchless　effort　that　seemed　likely　to　tear　the　island　to　pieces；　burn　it　up；　drown　it　to　the　tree…tops；　blow　it　away；　and　deafen　every　creature　in　it；　all　at　one　and　the　same　moment。　It　was　a　wild　night　for　homeless　young　heads　to　be　out　in。
But　at　last　the　battle　was　done；　and　the　forces　retired　with　weaker　and　weaker　threatenings　and　grumblings；　and　peace　resumed　her　sway。　The　boys　went　back　to　camp；　a　good　deal　awed；　but　they　found　there　was　still　something　to　be　thankful　for；　because　the　great　sycamore；　the　shelter　of　their　beds；　was　a　ruin；　now；　blasted　by　the　lightnings；　and　they　were　not　under　it　when　the　catastrophe　happened。
Everything　in　camp　was　drenched；　the　camp…fire　as　well；　for　they　were　but　heedless　lads；　like　their　generation；　and　had　made　no　provision　against　rain。　Here　was　matter　for　dismay；　for　they　were　soaked　through　and　chilled。　They　were　eloquent　in　their　distress；　but　they　presently　discovered　that　the　fire　had　eaten　so　far　up　under　the　great　log　it　had　been　built　against　（where　it　curved　upward　and　separated　itself　from　the　ground）；　that　a　handbreadth　or　so　of　it　had　escaped　wetting；　so　they　patiently　wrought　until；　with　shreds　and　bark　gathered　from　the　under　sides　of　sheltered　logs；　they　coaxed　the　fire　to　burn　again。　Then　they　piled　on　great　dead　boughs　till　they　had　a　roaring　furnace；　and　were　glad…hearted　once　more。　They　dried　their　boiled　ham　and　had　a　feast；　and　after　that　they　sat　by　the　fire　and　expanded　and　glorified　their　midnight　adventure　until　morning；　for　there　was　not　a　dry　spot　to　sleep　on；　anywhere　around。
As　the　sun　began　to　steal　in　upon　the　boys；　drowsiness　came　over　them；　and　they　went　out　on　the　sandbar　and　lay　down　to　sleep。　They　got　scorched　out　by　and　by；　and　drearily　set　about　getting　breakfast。　After　the　meal　they　felt　rusty；　and　stiff…jointed；　and　a　little　homesick　once　more。　Tom　saw　the　signs；　and　fell　to　cheering　up　the　pirates　as　well　as　he　could。　But　they　cared　nothing　for　marbles；　or　circus；　or　swimming；　or　anything。　He　reminded　them　of　the　imposing　secret；　and　raised　a　ray　of　cheer。　While　it　lasted；　he　got　them　interested　in　a　new　device。　This　was　to　knock　off　being　pirates；　for　a　while；　and　be　Indians　for　a　change。　They　were　attracted　by　this　idea；　so　it　was　not　long　before　they　were　stripped；　and　striped　from　head　to　heel　with　black　mud；　like　so　many　zebras　　all　of　them　chiefs；　of　course　　and　then　they　went　tearing　through　the　woods　to　attack　an　English　settlement。
By　and　by　they　separated　into　three　hostile　tribes；　and　darted　upon　each　other　from　ambush　with　dreadful　war…whoops；　and　killed　and　scalped　each　other　by　thousands。　It　was　a　gory　day。　Consequently　it　was　an　extremely　satisfactory　one。
They　assembled　in　camp　toward　supper…time；　hungry　and　happy；　but　now　a　difficulty　arose　　hostile　Indians　could　not　break　the　bread　of　hospitality　together　without　first　making　peace；　and　this　was　a　simple　impossibility　without　smoking　a　pipe　of　peace。　There　was　no　other　process　that　ever　they　had　heard　of。　Two　of　the　savages　almost　wished　they　had　remained　pirates。　However；　there　was　no　other　way；　so　with　such　show　of　cheerfulness　as　they　could　muster　they　called　for　the　pipe　and　took　their　whiff　as　it　passed；　in　due　form。
And　behold；　they　were　glad　they　had　gone　into　savagery；　for　they　had　gained　something；　they　found　that　they　could　now　smoke　a　little　without　having　to　go　and　hunt　for　a　lost　knife；　they　did　not　get　sick　enough　to　be　seriously　uncomfortable。　They　were　not　likely　to　fool　away　this　high　promise　for　lack　of　effort。　No；　they　practised　cautiously；　after　supper；　with　right　fair　success；　and　so　they　spent　a　jubilant　evening。　They　were　prouder　and　happier　in　their　new　acquirement　than　they　would　have　been　in　the　scalping　and　skinning　of　the　Six　Nations。　We　will　leave　them　to　smoke　and　chatter　and　brag；　since　we　have　no　further　use　for　them　at　present。　
CHAPTER　XVII
BUT　there　was　no　hilarity　in　the　little　town　that　same　tranquil　Saturday　afternoon。　The　Harpers；　and　Aunt　Polly's　family；　were　being　put　into　mourning；　with　great　grief　and　many　tears。　An　unusual　quiet　possessed　the　village；　although　it　was　ordinarily　quiet　enough；　in　all　conscience。　The　villagers　conducted　their　concerns　with　an　absent　air；　and　talked　little；　but　they　sighed　often。　The　Saturday　holiday　seemed　a　burden　to　the　children。　They　had　no　heart　in　their　sports；　and　gradually　gave　them　up。
In　the　afternoon　Becky　Thatcher　found　herself　moping　about　the　deserted　schoolhouse　yard；　and　feeling　very　melancholy。　But　she　found　nothing　there　to　comfort　her。　She　soliloquized：
〃Oh；　if　I　only　had　a　brass　andiron…knob　again！　But　I　haven't　got　anything　now　to　remember　him　by。〃　And　she　choked　back　a　little　sob。
Presently　she　stopped；　and　said　to　herself：
〃It　was　right　here。　Oh；　if　it　was　to　do　over　again；　I　wouldn't　say　that　　I　wouldn't　say　it　for　the　whole　world。　But　he's　gone　now；　I'll　never；　never；　never　see　him　any　more。〃
This　thought　broke　her　down；　and　she　wandered　away；　with　tears　rolling　down　her　cheeks。　Then　quite　a　group　of　boys　and　girls　　playmates　of　Tom's　and　Joe's　　came　by；　and　stood　looking　over　the　paling　fence　and　talking　in　reverent　tones　of　how　Tom　did　so…and…so　the　last　time　they　saw　him；　and　how　Joe　said　this　and　that　small　trifle　（pregnant　with　awful　prophecy；　as　they　could　easily　see　now！）　　and　each　speaker　pointed　out　the　exact　spot　where　the　lost　lads　stood　at　the　time；　and　then　added　something　like　〃and　I　was　a…standing　just　so　　just　as　I　am　now；　and　as　if　you　was　him　　I　was　as　close　as　that　　and　he　smiled；　just　this　way　　and　then　something　seemed　to　go　all　over　me；　like　　awful；　you　know　　and　I　never　thought　what　it　meant；　of　course；　but　I　can　see　now！〃
Then　there　was　a　dispute　about　who　saw　the　dead　boys　last　in　life；　and　many　claimed　that　dismal　distinction；　and　offered　evidences；　more　or　less　tampered　with　by　the　witness；　and　when　it　was　ultimately　decided　who　DID　see　the　departed　last；　and　exchanged　the　last　words　with　them；　the　lucky　parties　took　upon　themselves　a　sort　of　sacred　importance；　and　were　gaped　at　and　envied　by　all　the　rest。　One　poor　chap；　who　had　no　other　grandeur　to　offer；　said　with　tolerably　manifest　pride　in　the　remembrance：
〃Well；　Tom　Sawyer　he　licked　me　once。〃
But　that　bid　for　glory　was　a　failure。　Most　of　the　boys　could　say　that；　and　so　that　cheapened　the　distinction　too　much。　The　group　loitered　away；　still　recalling　memories　of　the　lost　heroes；　in　awed　voices。
When　the　Sunday…school　hour　was　finished；　the　next　morning；　the　bell　began　to　toll；　instead　of　ringing　in　the　usual　way。　It　was　a　very　still　Sabbath；　and　the　mournful　sound　seemed　in　keeping　with　the　musing　hush　that　lay　upon　nature。　The　villagers　began　to　gather；　loitering　a　moment　in　the　vestibule　to　converse　in　whispers　about　the　sad　event。　But　there　was　no　whispering　in　the　house；　only　the　funereal　rustling　of　dresses　as　the　women　gathered　to　their　seats　disturbed　the　silence　there。　None　could　remember　when　the　little　church　had　been　so　full　before。　There　was　finally　a　waiting　pause；　an　expectant　dumbness；　and　then　Aunt　Polly　entered；　followed　by　Sid　and　Mary；　and　they　by　the　Harper　family；　all　in　deep　black；　and　the　whole　congregation；　the　old　minister　as　well；　rose　reverently　and　stood　until　the　mourners　were　seated　in　the　front　pew。　There　was　another　communing　silence；　broken　at　intervals　by　muffled　sobs；　and　then　the　minister　spread　his　hands　abroad　and　prayed。　A　moving　hymn　was　sung；　and　the　text　followed：　〃I　am　the　Resurrection　and　the　Life。〃
As　the　service　proceeded；　the　clergyman　drew　such　pictures　of　the　graces；　the　winning　ways；　and　the　rare　promise　of　the　lost　lads　that　every　soul　there；　thinking　he　recognized　these　pictures；　felt　a　pang　in　remembering　that　he　had　persistently　blinded　himself　to　them　always　before；　and　had　as　persistently　seen　only　faults　and　flaws　in　the　poor　boys。　The　minister　related　many　a　touching　incident　in　the　lives　of　the　departed；　too；　which　illustrated　their　sweet；　generous　natures；　and　the　people　could　easily　see；　now；　how　noble　and　beautiful　those　episodes　were；　and　remembered　with　grief　that　at　the　time　they　occurred　they　had　seemed　rank　rascalities；　well　deserving　of　the　cowhide。　The　congregation　became　more　and　more　moved；　as　the　pathetic　tale　went　on；　till　at　last　the　whole　company　broke　down　and　joined　the　weeping　mourners　in　a　chorus　of　anguished　sobs；　the　preacher　himself　giving　way　to　his　feelings；　and　crying　in　the　pulpit。
There　was　a　rustle　in　the　gallery；　which　nobody　noticed；　a　moment　later　the　church　door　creaked；　the　minister　raised　his　streaming　eyes　above　his　handkerchief；　and　stood　transfixed！　First　one　and　then　another　pair　of　eyes　followed　the　minister's；　and　then　almost　with　one　impulse　the　congregation　rose　and　stared　while　the　three　dead　boys　came　marching　up　the　aisle；　Tom　in　the　lead；　Joe　next；　and　Huck；　a　ruin　of　drooping　rags；　sneaking　sheepishly　in　the　rear！　They　ha