汤姆.索亚历险记-第28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！


Then　came　the　measles。
During　two　long　weeks　Tom　lay　a　prisoner；　dead　to　the　world　and　its　happenings。　He　was　very　ill；　he　was　interested　in　nothing。　When　he　got　upon　his　feet　at　last　and　moved　feebly　down…town；　a　melancholy　change　had　come　over　everything　and　every　creature。　There　had　been　a　〃revival；〃　and　everybody　had　〃got　religion；〃　not　only　the　adults；　but　even　the　boys　and　girls。　Tom　went　about；　hoping　against　hope　for　the　sight　of　one　blessed　sinful　face；　but　disappointment　crossed　him　everywhere。　He　found　Joe　Harper　studying　a　Testament；　and　turned　sadly　away　from　the　depressing　spectacle。　He　sought　Ben　Rogers；　and　found　him　visiting　the　poor　with　a　basket　of　tracts。　He　hunted　up　Jim　Hollis；　who　called　his　attention　to　the　precious　blessing　of　his　late　measles　as　a　warning。　Every　boy　he　encountered　added　another　ton　to　his　depression；　and　when；　in　desperation；　he　flew　for　refuge　at　last　to　the　bosom　of　Huckleberry　Finn　and　was　received　with　a　Scriptural　quotation；　his　heart　broke　and　he　crept　home　and　to　bed　realizing　that　he　alone　of　all　the　town　was　lost；　forever　and　forever。
And　that　night　there　came　on　a　terrific　storm；　with　driving　rain；　awful　claps　of　thunder　and　blinding　sheets　of　lightning。　He　covered　his　head　with　the　bedclothes　and　waited　in　a　horror　of　suspense　for　his　doom；　for　he　had　not　the　shadow　of　a　doubt　that　all　this　hubbub　was　about　him。　He　believed　he　had　taxed　the　forbearance　of　the　powers　above　to　the　extremity　of　endurance　and　that　this　was　the　result。　It　might　have　seemed　to　him　a　waste　of　pomp　and　ammunition　to　kill　a　bug　with　a　battery　of　artillery；　but　there　seemed　nothing　incongruous　about　the　getting　up　such　an　expensive　thunderstorm　as　this　to　knock　the　turf　from　under　an　insect　like　himself。
By　and　by　the　tempest　spent　itself　and　died　without　accomplishing　its　object。　The　boy's　first　impulse　was　to　be　grateful；　and　reform。　His　second　was　to　wait　　for　there　might　not　be　any　more　storms。
The　next　day　the　doctors　were　back；　Tom　had　relapsed。　The　three　weeks　he　spent　on　his　back　this　time　seemed　an　entire　age。　When　he　got　abroad　at　last　he　was　hardly　grateful　that　he　had　been　spared；　remembering　how　lonely　was　his　estate；　how　companionless　and　forlorn　he　was。　He　drifted　listlessly　down　the　street　and　found　Jim　Hollis　acting　as　judge　in　a　juvenile　court　that　was　trying　a　cat　for　murder；　in　the　presence　of　her　victim；　a　bird。　He　found　Joe　Harper　and　Huck　Finn　up　an　alley　eating　a　stolen　melon。　Poor　lads！　they　　like　Tom　　had　suffered　a　relapse。　
CHAPTER　XXIII
AT　last　the　sleepy　atmosphere　was　stirred　　and　vigorously：　the　murder　trial　came　on　in　the　court。　It　became　the　absorbing　topic　of　village　talk　immediately。　Tom　could　not　get　away　from　it。　Every　reference　to　the　murder　sent　a　shudder　to　his　heart；　for　his　troubled　conscience　and　fears　almost　persuaded　him　that　these　remarks　were　put　forth　in　his　hearing　as　〃feelers〃；　he　did　not　see　how　he　could　be　suspected　of　knowing　anything　about　the　murder；　but　still　he　could　not　be　comfortable　in　the　midst　of　this　gossip。　It　kept　him　in　a　cold　shiver　all　the　time。　He　took　Huck　to　a　lonely　place　to　have　a　talk　with　him。　It　would　be　some　relief　to　unseal　his　tongue　for　a　little　while；　to　divide　his　burden　of　distress　with　another　sufferer。　Moreover；　he　wanted　to　assure　himself　that　Huck　had　remained　discreet。
〃Huck；　have　you　ever　told　anybody　about　　that？〃
〃'Bout　what？〃
〃You　know　what。〃
〃Oh　　'course　I　haven't。〃
〃Never　a　word？〃
〃Never　a　solitary　word；　so　help　me。　What　makes　you　ask？〃
〃Well；　I　was　afeard。〃
〃Why；　Tom　Sawyer；　we　wouldn't　be　alive　two　days　if　that　got　found　out。　You　know　that。〃
Tom　felt　more　comfortable。　After　a　pause：
〃Huck；　they　couldn't　anybody　get　you　to　tell；　could　they？〃
〃Get　me　to　tell？　Why；　if　I　wanted　that　half…breed　devil　to　drownd　me　they　could　get　me　to　tell。　They　ain't　no　different　way。〃
〃Well；　that's　all　right；　then。　I　reckon　we're　safe　as　long　as　we　keep　mum。　But　let's　swear　again；　anyway。　It's　more　surer。〃
〃I'm　agreed。〃
So　they　swore　again　with　dread　solemnities。
〃What　is　the　talk　around；　Huck？　I've　heard　a　power　of　it。〃
〃Talk？　Well；　it's　just　Muff　Potter；　Muff　Potter；　Muff　Potter　all　the　time。　It　keeps　me　in　a　sweat；　constant；　so's　I　want　to　hide　som'ers。〃
〃That's　just　the　same　way　they　go　on　round　me。　I　reckon　he's　a　goner。　Don't　you　feel　sorry　for　him；　sometimes？〃
〃Most　always　　most　always。　He　ain't　no　account；　but　then　he　hain't　ever　done　anything　to　hurt　anybody。　Just　fishes　a　little；　to　get　money　to　get　drunk　on　　and　loafs　around　considerable；　but　lord；　we　all　do　that　　leastways　most　of　us　　preachers　and　such　like。　But　he's　kind　of　good　　he　give　me　half　a　fish；　once；　when　there　warn't　enough　for　two；　and　lots　of　times　he's　kind　of　stood　by　me　when　I　was　out　of　luck。〃
〃Well；　he's　mended　kites　for　me；　Huck；　and　knitted　hooks　on　to　my　line。　I　wish　we　could　get　him　out　of　there。〃
〃My！　we　couldn't　get　him　out；　Tom。　And　besides；　'twouldn't　do　any　good；　they'd　ketch　him　again。〃
〃Yes　　so　they　would。　But　I　hate　to　hear　'em　abuse　him　so　like　the　dickens　when　he　never　done　　that。〃
〃I　do　too；　Tom。　Lord；　I　hear　'em　say　he's　the　bloodiest　looking　villain　in　this　country；　and　they　wonder　he　wasn't　ever　hung　before。〃
〃Yes；　they　talk　like　that；　all　the　time。　I've　heard　'em　say　that　if　he　was　to　get　free　they'd　lynch　him。〃
〃And　they'd　do　it；　too。〃
The　boys　had　a　long　talk；　but　it　brought　them　little　comfort。　As　the　twilight　drew　on；　they　found　themselves　hanging　about　the　neighborhood　of　the　little　isolated　jail；　perhaps　with　an　undefined　hope　that　something　would　happen　that　might　clear　away　their　difficulties。　But　nothing　happened；　there　seemed　to　be　no　angels　or　fairies　interested　in　this　luckless　captive。
The　boys　did　as　they　had　often　done　before　　went　to　the　cell　grating　and　gave　Potter　some　tobacco　and　matches。　He　was　on　the　ground　floor　and　there　were　no　guards。
His　gratitude　for　their　gifts　had　always　smote　their　consciences　before　　it　cut　deeper　than　ever；　this　time。　They　felt　cowardly　and　treacherous　to　the　last　degree　when　Potter　said：
〃You've　been　mighty　good　to　me；　boys　　better'n　anybody　else　in　this　town。　And　I　don't　forget　it；　I　don't。　Often　I　says　to　myself；　says　I；　'I　used　to　mend　all　the　boys'　kites　and　things；　and　show　'em　where　the　good　fishin'　places　was；　and　befriend　'em　what　I　could；　and　now　they've　all　forgot　old　Muff　when　he's　in　trouble；　but　Tom　don't；　and　Huck　don't　　they　don't　forget　him；　says　I；　'and　I　don't　forget　them。'　Well；　boys；　I　done　an　awful　thing　　drunk　and　crazy　at　the　time　　that's　the　only　way　I　account　for　it　　and　now　I　got　to　swing　for　it；　and　it's　right。　Right；　and　best；　too；　I　reckon　　hope　so；　anyway。　Well；　we　won't　talk　about　that。　I　don't　want　to　make　you　feel　bad；　you've　befriended　me。　But　what　I　want　to　say；　is；　don't　you　ever　get　drunk　　then　you　won't　ever　get　here。　Stand　a　litter　furder　west　　so　　that's　it；　it's　a　prime　comfort　to　see　faces　that's　friendly　when　a　body's　in　such　a　muck　of　trouble；　and　there　don't　none　come　here　but　yourn。　Good　friendly　faces　　good　friendly　faces。　Git　up　on　one　another's　backs　and　let　me　touch　'em。　That's　it。　Shake　hands　　yourn'll　come　through　the　bars；　but　mine's　too　big。　Little　hands；　and　weak　　but　they've　helped　Muff　Potter　a　power；　and　they'd　help　him　more　if　they　could。〃
Tom　went　home　miserable；　and　his　dreams　that　night　were　full　of　horrors。　The　next　day　and　the　day　after；　he　hung　about　the　court…room；　drawn　by　an　almost　irresistible　impulse　to　go　in；　but　forcing　himself　to　stay　out。　Huck　was　having　the　same　experience。　They　studiously　avoided　each　other。　Each　wandered　away；　from　time　to　time；　but　the　same　dismal　fascination　always　brought　them　back　presently。　Tom　kept　his　ears　open　when　idlers　sauntered　out　of　the　courtroom；　but　invariably　heard　distressing　news　　the　toils　were　closing　more　and　more　relentlessly　around　poor　Potter。　At　the　end　of　the　second　day　the　village　talk　was　to　the　effect　that　Injun　Joe's　evidence　stood　firm　and　unshaken；　and　that　there　was　not　the　slightest　question　as　to　what　the　jury's　verdict　would　be。
Tom　was　out　late；　that　night；　and　came　to　bed　through　the　window。　He　was　in　a　tremendous　state　of　excitement。　It　was　hours　before　he　got　to　sleep。　All　the　village　flocked　to　the　court…house　the　next　morning；　for　this　was　to　be　the　great　day。　Both　sexes　were　about　equally　represented　in　the　packed　audience。　After　a　long　wait　the　jury　filed　in　and　took　their　places；　shortly　afterward；　Potter；　pale　and　haggard；　timid　and　hopeless；　was　brought　in；　with　chains　upon　him；　and　seated　where　all　the　curious　eyes　could　stare　at　him；　no　less　conspicuous　was　Injun　Joe；　stolid　as　ever。　There　was　another　pause；　and　then　the　judge　arrived　and　the　sheriff　proclaimed　the　opening　of　the　court。　The　usual　whisperings　among　the　lawyers　and　gathering　together　of　papers　followed。　These　details　and　accompanying　delays　worked　up　an　atmosphere　of　preparation　that　was　as　impressive　as　it　was　fascinating。
Now　a　witness　was　called　who　testified　that　he　found　Muff　Potter　washing　in　the　brook；　at　an　early　hour　of　the　morning　that　the　murder　was　discovered；　and　that　he　immediately　sneaked　away。　After　some　further　questioning；　counsel　for　the　prosecution　said：
〃Take　the　witness。〃
The　prisoner　raised　his　eyes　for　a　moment；　but　dropp