汤姆.索亚历险记-第23节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


m　in　the　lead；　Joe　next；　and　Huck；　a　ruin　of　drooping　rags；　sneaking　sheepishly　in　the　rear！　They　had　been　hid　in　the　unused　gallery　listening　to　their　own　funeral　sermon！
Aunt　Polly；　Mary；　and　the　Harpers　threw　themselves　upon　their　restored　ones；　smothered　them　with　kisses　and　poured　out　thanksgivings；　while　poor　Huck　stood　abashed　and　uncomfortable；　not　knowing　exactly　what　to　do　or　where　to　hide　from　so　many　unwelcoming　eyes。　He　wavered；　and　started　to　slink　away；　but　Tom　seized　him　and　said：
〃Aunt　Polly；　it　ain't　fair。　Somebody's　got　to　be　glad　to　see　Huck。〃
〃And　so　they　shall。　I'm　glad　to　see　him；　poor　motherless　thing！〃　And　the　loving　attentions　Aunt　Polly　lavished　upon　him　were　the　one　thing　capable　of　making　him　more　uncomfortable　than　he　was　before。
Suddenly　the　minister　shouted　at　the　top　of　his　voice：　〃Praise　God　from　whom　all　blessings　flow　　sing！　　and　put　your　hearts　in　it！〃
And　they　did。　Old　Hundred　swelled　up　with　a　triumphant　burst；　and　while　it　shook　the　rafters　Tom　Sawyer　the　Pirate　looked　around　upon　the　envying　juveniles　about　him　and　confessed　in　his　heart　that　this　was　the　proudest　moment　of　his　life。
As　the　〃sold〃　congregation　trooped　out　they　said　they　would　almost　be　willing　to　be　made　ridiculous　again　to　hear　Old　Hundred　sung　like　that　once　more。
Tom　got　more　cuffs　and　kisses　that　day　　according　to　Aunt　Polly's　varying　moods　　than　he　had　earned　before　in　a　year；　and　he　hardly　knew　which　expressed　the　most　gratefulness　to　God　and　affection　for　himself。　
CHAPTER　XVIII
THAT　was　Tom's　great　secret　　the　scheme　to　return　home　with　his　brother　pirates　and　attend　their　own　funerals。　They　had　paddled　over　to　the　Missouri　shore　on　a　log；　at　dusk　on　Saturday；　landing　five　or　six　miles　below　the　village；　they　had　slept　in　the　woods　at　the　edge　of　the　town　till　nearly　daylight；　and　had　then　crept　through　back　lanes　and　alleys　and　finished　their　sleep　in　the　gallery　of　the　church　among　a　chaos　of　invalided　benches。
At　breakfast；　Monday　morning；　Aunt　Polly　and　Mary　were　very　loving　to　Tom；　and　very　attentive　to　his　wants。　There　was　an　unusual　amount　of　talk。　In　the　course　of　it　Aunt　Polly　said：
〃Well；　I　don't　say　it　wasn't　a　fine　joke；　Tom；　to　keep　everybody　suffering　'most　a　week　so　you　boys　had　a　good　time；　but　it　is　a　pity　you　could　be　so　hard…hearted　as　to　let　me　suffer　so。　If　you　could　come　over　on　a　log　to　go　to　your　funeral；　you　could　have　come　over　and　give　me　a　hint　some　way　that　you　warn't　dead；　but　only　run　off。〃
〃Yes；　you　could　have　done　that；　Tom；〃　said　Mary；　〃and　I　believe　you　would　if　you　had　thought　of　it。〃
〃Would　you；　Tom？〃　said　Aunt　Polly；　her　face　lighting　wistfully。　〃Say；　now；　would　you；　if　you'd　thought　of　it？〃
〃I　　well；　I　don't　know。　'Twould　'a'　spoiled　everything。〃
〃Tom；　I　hoped　you　loved　me　that　much；〃　said　Aunt　Polly；　with　a　grieved　tone　that　discomforted　the　boy。　〃It　would　have　been　something　if　you'd　cared　enough　to　think　of　it；　even　if　you　didn't　do　it。〃
〃Now；　auntie；　that　ain't　any　harm；〃　pleaded　Mary；　〃it's　only　Tom's　giddy　way　　he　is　always　in　such　a　rush　that　he　never　thinks　of　anything。〃
〃More's　the　pity。　Sid　would　have　thought。　And　Sid　would　have　come　and　done　it；　too。　Tom；　you'll　look　back；　some　day；　when　it's　too　late；　and　wish　you'd　cared　a　little　more　for　me　when　it　would　have　cost　you　so　little。〃
〃Now；　auntie；　you　know　I　do　care　for　you；〃　said　Tom。
〃I'd　know　it　better　if　you　acted　more　like　it。〃
〃I　wish　now　I'd　thought；〃　said　Tom；　with　a　repentant　tone；　〃but　I　dreamt　about　you；　anyway。　That's　something；　ain't　it？〃
〃It　ain't　much　　a　cat　does　that　much　　but　it's　better　than　nothing。　What　did　you　dream？〃
〃Why；　Wednesday　night　I　dreamt　that　you　was　sitting　over　there　by　the　bed；　and　Sid　was　sitting　by　the　woodbox；　and　Mary　next　to　him。〃
〃Well；　so　we　did。　So　we　always　do。　I'm　glad　your　dreams　could　take　even　that　much　trouble　about　us。〃
〃And　I　dreamt　that　Joe　Harper's　mother　was　here。〃
〃Why；　she　was　here！　Did　you　dream　any　more？〃
〃Oh；　lots。　But　it's　so　dim；　now。〃
〃Well；　try　to　recollect　　can't　you？〃
〃Somehow　it　seems　to　me　that　the　wind　　the　wind　blowed　the　　the　〃
〃Try　harder；　Tom！　The　wind　did　blow　something。　Come！〃
Tom　pressed　his　fingers　on　his　forehead　an　anxious　minute；　and　then　said：
〃I've　got　it　now！　I've　got　it　now！　It　blowed　the　candle！〃
〃Mercy　on　us！　Go　on；　Tom　　go　on！〃
〃And　it　seems　to　me　that　you　said；　'Why；　I　believe　that　that　door　'〃
〃Go　on；　Tom！〃
〃Just　let　me　study　a　moment　　just　a　moment。　Oh；　yes　　you　said　you　believed　the　door　was　open。〃
〃As　I'm　sitting　here；　I　did！　Didn't　I；　Mary！　Go　on！〃
〃And　then　　and　then　　well　I　won't　be　certain；　but　it　seems　like　as　if　you　made　Sid　go　and　　and　〃
〃Well？　Well？　What　did　I　make　him　do；　Tom？　What　did　I　make　him　do？〃
〃You　made　him　　you　　Oh；　you　made　him　shut　it。〃
〃Well；　for　the　land's　sake！　I　never　heard　the　beat　of　that　in　all　my　days！　Don't　tell　me　there　ain't　anything　in　dreams；　any　more。　Sereny　Harper　shall　know　of　this　before　I'm　an　hour　older。　I'd　like　to　see　her　get　around　this　with　her　rubbage　'bout　superstition。　Go　on；　Tom！〃
〃Oh；　it's　all　getting　just　as　bright　as　day；　now。　Next　you　said　I　warn't　BAD；　only　mischeevous　and　harum…scarum；　and　not　any　more　responsible　than　　than　　I　think　it　was　a　colt；　or　something。〃
〃And　so　it　was！　Well；　goodness　gracious！　Go　on；　Tom！〃
〃And　then　you　began　to　cry。〃
〃So　I　did。　So　I　did。　Not　the　first　time；　neither。　And　then　〃
〃Then　Mrs。　Harper　she　began　to　cry；　and　said　Joe　was　just　the　same；　and　she　wished　she　hadn't　whipped　him　for　taking　cream　when　she'd　throwed　it　out　her　own　self　〃
〃Tom！　The　sperrit　was　upon　you！　You　was　a　prophesying　　that's　what　you　was　doing！　Land　alive；　go　on；　Tom！〃
〃Then　Sid　he　said　　he　said　〃
〃I　don't　think　I　said　anything；〃　said　Sid。
〃Yes　you　did；　Sid；〃　said　Mary。
〃Shut　your　heads　and　let　Tom　go　on！　What　did　he　say；　Tom？〃
〃He　said　　I　think　he　said　he　hoped　I　was　better　off　where　I　was　gone　to；　but　if　I'd　been　better　sometimes　〃
〃There；　d'you　hear　that！　It　was　his　very　words！〃
〃And　you　shut　him　up　sharp。〃
〃I　lay　I　did！　There　must　'a'　been　an　angel　there。　There　was　an　angel　there；　somewheres！〃
〃And　Mrs。　Harper　told　about　Joe　scaring　her　with　a　firecracker；　and　you　told　about　Peter　and　the　Painkiller　〃
〃Just　as　true　as　I　live！〃
〃And　then　there　was　a　whole　lot　of　talk　'bout　dragging　the　river　for　us；　and　'bout　having　the　funeral　Sunday；　and　then　you　and　old　Miss　Harper　hugged　and　cried；　and　she　went。〃
〃It　happened　just　so！　It　happened　just　so；　as　sure　as　I'm　a…sitting　in　these　very　tracks。　Tom；　you　couldn't　told　it　more　like　if　you'd　'a'　seen　it！　And　then　what？　Go　on；　Tom！〃
〃Then　I　thought　you　prayed　for　me　　and　I　could　see　you　and　hear　every　word　you　said。　And　you　went　to　bed；　and　I　was　so　sorry　that　I　took　and　wrote　on　a　piece　of　sycamore　bark；　'We　ain't　dead　　we　are　only　off　being　pirates；'　and　put　it　on　the　table　by　the　candle；　and　then　you　looked　so　good；　laying　there　asleep；　that　I　thought　I　went　and　leaned　over　and　kissed　you　on　the　lips。〃
〃Did　you；　Tom；　did　you！　I　just　forgive　you　everything　for　that！〃　And　she　seized　the　boy　in　a　crushing　embrace　that　made　him　feel　like　the　guiltiest　of　villains。
〃It　was　very　kind；　even　though　it　was　only　a　　dream；〃　Sid　soliloquized　just　audibly。
〃Shut　up；　Sid！　A　body　does　just　the　same　in　a　dream　as　he'd　do　if　he　was　awake。　Here's　a　big　Milum　apple　I've　been　saving　for　you；　Tom；　if　you　was　ever　found　again　　now　go　'long　to　school。　I'm　thankful　to　the　good　God　and　Father　of　us　all　I've　got　you　back；　that's　long…suffering　and　merciful　to　them　that　believe　on　Him　and　keep　His　word；　though　goodness　knows　I'm　unworthy　of　it；　but　if　only　the　worthy　ones　got　His　blessings　and　had　His　hand　to　help　them　over　the　rough　places；　there's　few　enough　would　smile　here　or　ever　enter　into　His　rest　when　the　long　night　comes。　Go　'long　Sid；　Mary；　Tom　　take　yourselves　off　　you've　hendered　me　long　enough。〃
The　children　left　for　school；　and　the　old　lady　to　call　on　Mrs。　Harper　and　vanquish　her　realism　with　Tom's　marvellous　dream。　Sid　had　better　judgment　than　to　utter　the　thought　that　was　in　his　mind　as　he　left　the　house。　It　was　this：　〃Pretty　thin　　as　long　a　dream　as　that；　without　any　mistakes　in　it！〃
What　a　hero　Tom　was　become；　now！　He　did　not　go　skipping　and　prancing；　but　moved　with　a　dignified　swagger　as　became　a　pirate　who　felt　that　the　public　eye　was　on　him。　And　indeed　it　was；　he　tried　not　to　seem　to　see　the　looks　or　hear　the　remarks　as　he　passed　along；　but　they　were　food　and　drink　to　him。　Smaller　boys　than　himself　flocked　at　his　heels；　as　proud　to　be　seen　with　him；　and　tolerated　by　him；　as　if　he　had　been　the　drummer　at　the　head　of　a　procession　or　the　elephant　leading　a　menagerie　into　town。　Boys　of　his　own　size　pretended　not　to　know　he　had　been　away　at　all；　but　they　were　consuming　with　envy；　nevertheless。　They　would　have　given　anything　to　have　that　swarthy　suntanned　skin　of　his；　and　his　glittering　notoriety；　and　Tom　would　not　have　parted　with　either　for　a　circus。
At　school　the　children　made　so　much　of　him　and　of　Joe；　and　delivered　such　eloquent　admiration　from　their　eyes；　that　the　two　heroes　were　not　long　in　becoming　insufferably　〃stuck…up。〃　They　began　to　tell　their　adventures　to　hungry　listeners　　but　they　only　began；　it　was　not　a　thing　likely　to　have　an　end；　with　imaginations　like　theirs　to　furn