汤姆.索亚历险记-第3节

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〃Stop　her；　sir！　Ting…a…ling…ling！〃　The　headway　ran　almost　out；　and　he　drew　up　slowly　toward　the　sidewalk。
〃Ship　up　to　back！　Ting…a…ling…ling！〃　His　arms　straightened　and　stiffened　down　his　sides。
〃Set　her　back　on　the　stabboard！　Ting…a…ling…ling！　Chow！　ch…chow…wow！　Chow！〃　His　right　hand；　meantime；　describing　stately　circles　　for　it　was　representing　a　forty…foot　wheel。
〃Let　her　go　back　on　the　labboard！　Ting…a…ling…ling！　Chow…ch…chow…chow！〃　The　left　hand　began　to　describe　circles。
〃Stop　the　stabboard！　Ting…a…ling…ling！　Stop　the　labboard！　Come　ahead　on　the　stabboard！　Stop　her！　Let　your　outside　turn　over　slow！　Ting…a…ling…ling！　Chow…ow…ow！　Get　out　that　head…line！　lively　now！　Come　　out　with　your　spring…line　　what're　you　about　there！　Take　a　turn　round　that　stump　with　the　bight　of　it！　Stand　by　that　stage；　now　　let　her　go！　Done　with　the　engines；　sir！　Ting…a…ling…ling！〃
〃Sh't！　s'h't！　sh't！〃　（trying　the　gauge…cocks）。
Tom　went　on　whitewashing　　paid　no　attention　to　the　steamboat。　Ben　stared　a　moment　and　then　said：　〃Hi…Yi！　you're　up　a　stump；　ain't　you！〃
No　answer。　Tom　surveyed　his　last　touch　with　the　eye　of　an　artist；　then　he　gave　his　brush　another　gentle　sweep　and　surveyed　the　result；　as　before。　Ben　ranged　up　alongside　of　him。　Tom's　mouth　watered　for　the　apple；　but　he　stuck　to　his　work。　Ben　said：
〃Hello；　old　chap；　you　got　to　work；　hey？〃
Tom　wheeled　suddenly　and　said：
〃Why；　it's　you；　Ben！　I　warn't　noticing。〃
〃Say　　I'm　going　in　a…swimming；　I　am。　Don't　you　wish　you　could？　But　of　course　you'd　druther　work　　wouldn't　you？　Course　you　would！〃
Tom　contemplated　the　boy　a　bit；　and　said：
〃What　do　you　call　work？〃
〃Why；　ain't　that　work？〃
Tom　resumed　his　whitewashing；　and　answered　carelessly：
〃Well；　maybe　it　is；　and　maybe　it　ain't。　All　I　know；　is；　it　suits　Tom　Sawyer。〃
〃Oh　come；　now；　you　don't　mean　to　let　on　that　you　like　it？〃
The　brush　continued　to　move。
〃Like　it？　Well；　I　don't　see　why　I　oughtn't　to　like　it。　Does　a　boy　get　a　chance　to　whitewash　a　fence　every　day？〃
That　put　the　thing　in　a　new　light。　Ben　stopped　nibbling　his　apple。　Tom　swept　his　brush　daintily　back　and　forth　　stepped　back　to　note　the　effect　　added　a　touch　here　and　there　　criticised　the　effect　again　　Ben　watching　every　move　and　getting　more　and　more　interested；　more　and　more　absorbed。　Presently　he　said：
〃Say；　Tom；　let　me　whitewash　a　little。〃
Tom　considered；　was　about　to　consent；　but　he　altered　his　mind：
〃No　　no　　I　reckon　it　wouldn't　hardly　do；　Ben。　You　see；　Aunt　Polly's　awful　particular　about　this　fence　　right　here　on　the　street；　you　know　　but　if　it　was　the　back　fence　I　wouldn't　mind　and　she　wouldn't。　Yes；　she's　awful　particular　about　this　fence；　it's　got　to　be　done　very　careful；　I　reckon　there　ain't　one　boy　in　a　thousand；　maybe　two　thousand；　that　can　do　it　the　way　it's　got　to　be　done。〃
〃No　　is　that　so？　Oh　come；　now　　lemme　just　try。　Only　just　a　little　　I'd　let　you；　if　you　was　me；　Tom。〃
〃Ben；　I'd　like　to；　honest　injun；　but　Aunt　Polly　　well；　Jim　wanted　to　do　it；　but　she　wouldn't　let　him；　Sid　wanted　to　do　it；　and　she　wouldn't　let　Sid。　Now　don't　you　see　how　I'm　fixed？　If　you　was　to　tackle　this　fence　and　anything　was　to　happen　to　it　〃
〃Oh；　shucks；　I'll　be　just　as　careful。　Now　lemme　try。　Say　　I'll　give　you　the　core　of　my　apple。〃
〃Well；　here　　No；　Ben；　now　don't。　I'm　afeard　〃
〃I'll　give　you　all　of　it！〃
Tom　gave　up　the　brush　with　reluctance　in　his　face；　but　alacrity　in　his　heart。　And　while　the　late　steamer　Big　Missouri　worked　and　sweated　in　the　sun；　the　retired　artist　sat　on　a　barrel　in　the　shade　close　by；　dangled　his　legs；　munched　his　apple；　and　planned　the　slaughter　of　more　innocents。　There　was　no　lack　of　material；　boys　happened　along　every　little　while；　they　came　to　jeer；　but　remained　to　whitewash。　By　the　time　Ben　was　fagged　out；　Tom　had　traded　the　next　chance　to　Billy　Fisher　for　a　kite；　in　good　repair；　and　when　he　played　out；　Johnny　Miller　bought　in　for　a　dead　rat　and　a　string　to　swing　it　with　　and　so　on；　and　so　on；　hour　after　hour。　And　when　the　middle　of　the　afternoon　came；　from　being　a　poor　poverty…stricken　boy　in　the　morning；　Tom　was　literally　rolling　in　wealth。　He　had　besides　the　things　before　mentioned；　twelve　marbles；　part　of　a　jews…harp；　a　piece　of　blue　bottle…glass　to　look　through；　a　spool　cannon；　a　key　that　wouldn't　unlock　anything；　a　fragment　of　chalk；　a　glass　stopper　of　a　decanter；　a　tin　soldier；　a　couple　of　tadpoles；　six　fire…crackers；　a　kitten　with　only　one　eye；　a　brass　doorknob；　a　dog…collar　　but　no　dog　　the　handle　of　a　knife；　four　pieces　of　orange…peel；　and　a　dilapidated　old　window　sash。
He　had　had　a　nice；　good；　idle　time　all　the　while　　plenty　of　company　　and　the　fence　had　three　coats　of　whitewash　on　it！　If　he　hadn't　run　out　of　whitewash　he　would　have　bankrupted　every　boy　in　the　village。
Tom　said　to　himself　that　it　was　not　such　a　hollow　world；　after　all。　He　had　discovered　a　great　law　of　human　action；　without　knowing　it　　namely；　that　in　order　to　make　a　man　or　a　boy　covet　a　thing；　it　is　only　necessary　to　make　the　thing　difficult　to　attain。　If　he　had　been　a　great　and　wise　philosopher；　like　the　writer　of　this　book；　he　would　now　have　comprehended　that　Work　consists　of　whatever　a　body　is　obliged　to　do；　and　that　Play　consists　of　whatever　a　body　is　not　obliged　to　do。　And　this　would　help　him　to　understand　why　constructing　artificial　flowers　or　performing　on　a　tread…mill　is　work；　while　rolling　ten…pins　or　climbing　Mont　Blanc　is　only　amusement。　There　are　wealthy　gentlemen　in　England　who　drive　four…horse　passenger…coaches　twenty　or　thirty　miles　on　a　daily　line；　in　the　summer；　because　the　privilege　costs　them　considerable　money；　but　if　they　were　offered　wages　for　the　service；　that　would　turn　it　into　work　and　then　they　would　resign。
The　boy　mused　awhile　over　the　substantial　change　which　had　taken　place　in　his　worldly　circumstances；　and　then　wended　toward　headquarters　to　report。　
CHAPTER　III
TOM　presented　himself　before　Aunt　Polly；　who　was　sitting　by　an　open　window　in　a　pleasant　rearward　apartment；　which　was　bedroom；　breakfast…room；　dining…room；　and　library；　combined。　The　balmy　summer　air；　the　restful　quiet；　the　odor　of　the　flowers；　and　the　drowsing　murmur　of　the　bees　had　had　their　effect；　and　she　was　nodding　over　her　knitting　　for　she　had　no　company　but　the　cat；　and　it　was　asleep　in　her　lap。　Her　spectacles　were　propped　up　on　her　gray　head　for　safety。　She　had　thought　that　of　course　Tom　had　deserted　long　ago；　and　she　wondered　at　seeing　him　place　himself　in　her　power　again　in　this　intrepid　way。　He　said：　〃Mayn't　I　go　and　play　now；　aunt？〃
〃What；　a'ready？　How　much　have　you　done？〃
〃It's　all　done；　aunt。〃
〃Tom；　don't　lie　to　me　　I　can't　bear　it。〃
〃I　ain't；　aunt；　it　is　all　done。〃
Aunt　Polly　placed　small　trust　in　such　evidence。　She　went　out　to　see　for　herself；　and　she　would　have　been　content　to　find　twenty　per　cent。　of　Tom's　statement　true。　When　she　found　the　entire　fence　whitewashed；　and　not　only　whitewashed　but　elaborately　coated　and　recoated；　and　even　a　streak　added　to　the　ground；　her　astonishment　was　almost　unspeakable。　She　said：
〃Well；　I　never！　There's　no　getting　round　it；　you　can　work　when　you're　a　mind　to；　Tom。〃　And　then　she　diluted　the　compliment　by　adding；　〃But　it's　powerful　seldom　you're　a　mind　to；　I'm　bound　to　say。　Well；　go　'long　and　play；　but　mind　you　get　back　some　time　in　a　week；　or　I'll　tan　you。〃
She　was　so　overcome　by　the　splendor　of　his　achievement　that　she　took　him　into　the　closet　and　selected　a　choice　apple　and　delivered　it　to　him；　along　with　an　improving　lecture　upon　the　added　value　and　flavor　a　treat　took　to　itself　when　it　came　without　sin　through　virtuous　effort。　And　while　she　closed　with　a　happy　Scriptural　flourish；　he　〃hooked〃　a　doughnut。
Then　he　skipped　out；　and　saw　Sid　just　starting　up　the　outside　stairway　that　led　to　the　back　rooms　on　the　second　floor。　Clods　were　handy　and　the　air　was　full　of　them　in　a　twinkling。　They　raged　around　Sid　like　a　hail…storm；　and　before　Aunt　Polly　could　collect　her　surprised　faculties　and　sally　to　the　rescue；　six　or　seven　clods　had　taken　personal　effect；　and　Tom　was　over　the　fence　and　gone。　There　was　a　gate；　but　as　a　general　thing　he　was　too　crowded　for　time　to　make　use　of　it。　His　soul　was　at　peace；　now　that　he　had　settled　with　Sid　for　calling　attention　to　his　black　thread　and　getting　him　into　trouble。
Tom　skirted　the　block；　and　came　round　into　a　muddy　alley　that　led　by　the　back　of　his　aunt's　cow…stable。　He　presently　got　safely　beyond　the　reach　of　capture　and　punishment；　and　hastened　toward　the　public　square　of　the　village；　where　two　〃military〃　companies　of　boys　had　met　for　conflict；　according　to　previous　appointment。　Tom　was　General　of　one　of　these　armies；　Joe　Harper　（a　bosom　friend）　General　of　the　other。　These　two　great　commanders　did　not　condescend　to　fight　in　person　　that　being　better　suited　to　the　still　smaller　fry　　but　sat　together　on　an　eminence　and　conducted　the　field　operations　by　orders　delivered　through　aides…de…camp。　Tom's　army　won　a　great　victory；　after　a　long　and　hard…fought　battle。　Then　the　dead　were　counted；　prisoners　exchanged；　the　terms　of　the　next　disagreement　agreed　upon；　and　the　day　for　the　necessary　battle　appointed；　after　which　the　armies　fell　into　line　and　marched　away；　and　Tom　turned　homeward　alone。
As　he　was　passing　by　the　house　where　Jeff　Thatcher　lived；　he　saw　a　new　girl　in　the　garden　　a　lovely