汤姆.索亚历险记-第35节

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Huck　felt　that　a　silence　was　going　to　ensue　　a　thing　still　more　awful　than　any　amount　of　murderous　talk；　so　he　held　his　breath　and　stepped　gingerly　back；　planted　his　foot　carefully　and　firmly；　after　balancing；　one…legged；　in　a　precarious　way　and　almost　toppling　over；　first　on　one　side　and　then　on　the　other。　He　took　another　step　back；　with　the　same　elaboration　and　the　same　risks；　then　another　and　another；　and　　a　twig　snapped　under　his　foot！　His　breath　stopped　and　he　listened。　There　was　no　sound　　the　stillness　was　perfect。　His　gratitude　was　measureless。　Now　he　turned　in　his　tracks；　between　the　walls　of　sumach　bushes　　turned　himself　as　carefully　as　if　he　were　a　ship　　and　then　stepped　quickly　but　cautiously　along。　When　he　emerged　at　the　quarry　he　felt　secure；　and　so　he　picked　up　his　nimble　heels　and　flew。　Down；　down　he　sped；　till　he　reached　the　Welshman's。　He　banged　at　the　door；　and　presently　the　heads　of　the　old　man　and　his　two　stalwart　sons　were　thrust　from　windows。
〃What's　the　row　there？　Who's　banging？　What　do　you　want？〃
〃Let　me　in　　quick！　I'll　tell　everything。〃
〃Why；　who　are　you？〃
〃Huckleberry　Finn　　quick；　let　me　in！〃
〃Huckleberry　Finn；　indeed！　It　ain't　a　name　to　open　many　doors；　I　judge！　But　let　him　in；　lads；　and　let's　see　what's　the　trouble。〃
〃Please　don't　ever　tell　I　told　you；〃　were　Huck's　first　words　when　he　got　in。　〃Please　don't　　I'd　be　killed；　sure　　but　the　widow's　been　good　friends　to　me　sometimes；　and　I　want　to　tell　　I　will　tell　if　you'll　promise　you　won't　ever　say　it　was　me。〃
〃By　George；　he　has　got　something　to　tell；　or　he　wouldn't　act　so！〃　exclaimed　the　old　man；　〃out　with　it　and　nobody　here'll　ever　tell；　lad。〃
Three　minutes　later　the　old　man　and　his　sons；　well　armed；　were　up　the　hill；　and　just　entering　the　sumach　path　on　tiptoe；　their　weapons　in　their　hands。　Huck　accompanied　them　no　further。　He　hid　behind　a　great　bowlder　and　fell　to　listening。　There　was　a　lagging；　anxious　silence；　and　then　all　of　a　sudden　there　was　an　explosion　of　firearms　and　a　cry。
Huck　waited　for　no　particulars。　He　sprang　away　and　sped　down　the　hill　as　fast　as　his　legs　could　carry　him。　
CHAPTER　XXX
AS　the　earliest　suspicion　of　dawn　appeared　on　Sunday　morning；　Huck　came　groping　up　the　hill　and　rapped　gently　at　the　old　Welshman's　door。　The　inmates　were　asleep；　but　it　was　a　sleep　that　was　set　on　a　hair…trigger；　on　account　of　the　exciting　episode　of　the　night。　A　call　came　from　a　window：
〃Who's　there！〃
Huck's　scared　voice　answered　in　a　low　tone：
〃Please　let　me　in！　It's　only　Huck　Finn！〃
〃It's　a　name　that　can　open　this　door　night　or　day；　lad！　　and　welcome！〃
These　were　strange　words　to　the　vagabond　boy's　ears；　and　the　pleasantest　he　had　ever　heard。　He　could　not　recollect　that　the　closing　word　had　ever　been　applied　in　his　case　before。　The　door　was　quickly　unlocked；　and　he　entered。　Huck　was　given　a　seat　and　the　old　man　and　his　brace　of　tall　sons　speedily　dressed　themselves。
〃Now；　my　boy；　I　hope　you're　good　and　hungry；　because　breakfast　will　be　ready　as　soon　as　the　sun's　up；　and　we'll　have　a　piping　hot　one；　too　　make　yourself　easy　about　that！　I　and　the　boys　hoped　you'd　turn　up　and　stop　here　last　night。〃
〃I　was　awful　scared；〃　said　Huck；　〃and　I　run。　I　took　out　when　the　pistols　went　off；　and　I　didn't　stop　for　three　mile。　I've　come　now　becuz　I　wanted　to　know　about　it；　you　know；　and　I　come　before　daylight　becuz　I　didn't　want　to　run　across　them　devils；　even　if　they　was　dead。〃
〃Well；　poor　chap；　you　do　look　as　if　you'd　had　a　hard　night　of　it　　but　there's　a　bed　here　for　you　when　you've　had　your　breakfast。　No；　they　ain't　dead；　lad　　we　are　sorry　enough　for　that。　You　see　we　knew　right　where　to　put　our　hands　on　them；　by　your　description；　so　we　crept　along　on　tiptoe　till　we　got　within　fifteen　feet　of　them　　dark　as　a　cellar　that　sumach　path　was　　and　just　then　I　found　I　was　going　to　sneeze。　It　was　the　meanest　kind　of　luck！　I　tried　to　keep　it　back；　but　no　use　　'twas　bound　to　come；　and　it　did　come！　I　was　in　the　lead　with　my　pistol　raised；　and　when　the　sneeze　started　those　scoundrels　a…rustling　to　get　out　of　the　path；　I　sung　out；　'Fire　boys！'　and　blazed　away　at　the　place　where　the　rustling　was。　So　did　the　boys。　But　they　were　off　in　a　jiffy；　those　villains；　and　we　after　them；　down　through　the　woods。　I　judge　we　never　touched　them。　They　fired　a　shot　apiece　as　they　started；　but　their　bullets　whizzed　by　and　didn't　do　us　any　harm。　As　soon　as　we　lost　the　sound　of　their　feet　we　quit　chasing；　and　went　down　and　stirred　up　the　constables。　They　got　a　posse　together；　and　went　off　to　guard　the　river　bank；　and　as　soon　as　it　is　light　the　sheriff　and　a　gang　are　going　to　beat　up　the　woods。　My　boys　will　be　with　them　presently。　I　wish　we　had　some　sort　of　description　of　those　rascals　　'twould　help　a　good　deal。　But　you　couldn't　see　what　they　were　like；　in　the　dark；　lad；　I　suppose？〃
〃Oh　yes；　I　saw　them　down…town　and　follered　them。〃
〃Splendid！　Describe　them　　describe　them；　my　boy！〃
〃One's　the　old　deaf　and　dumb　Spaniard　that's　ben　around　here　once　or　twice；　and　t'other's　a　mean…looking；　ragged　〃
〃That's　enough；　lad；　we　know　the　men！　Happened　on　them　in　the　woods　back　of　the　widow's　one　day；　and　they　slunk　away。　Off　with　you；　boys；　and　tell　the　sheriff　　get　your　breakfast　to…morrow　morning！〃
The　Welshman's　sons　departed　at　once。　As　they　were　leaving　the　room　Huck　sprang　up　and　exclaimed：
〃Oh；　please　don't　tell　ANYbody　it　was　me　that　blowed　on　them！　Oh；　please！〃
〃All　right　if　you　say　it；　Huck；　but　you　ought　to　have　the　credit　of　what　you　did。〃
〃Oh　no；　no！　Please　don't　tell！〃
When　the　young　men　were　gone；　the　old　Welshman　said：
〃They　won't　tell　　and　I　won't。　But　why　don't　you　want　it　known？〃
Huck　would　not　explain；　further　than　to　say　that　he　already　knew　too　much　about　one　of　those　men　and　would　not　have　the　man　know　that　he　knew　anything　against　him　for　the　whole　world　　he　would　be　killed　for　knowing　it；　sure。
The　old　man　promised　secrecy　once　more；　and　said：
〃How　did　you　come　to　follow　these　fellows；　lad？　Were　they　looking　suspicious？〃
Huck　was　silent　while　he　framed　a　duly　cautious　reply。　Then　he　said：
〃Well；　you　see；　I'm　a　kind　of　a　hard　lot；　　least　everybody　says　so；　and　I　don't　see　nothing　agin　it　　and　sometimes　I　can't　sleep　much；　on　account　of　thinking　about　it　and　sort　of　trying　to　strike　out　a　new　way　of　doing。　That　was　the　way　of　it　last　night。　I　couldn't　sleep；　and　so　I　come　along　up…street　'bout　midnight；　a…turning　it　all　over；　and　when　I　got　to　that　old　shackly　brick　store　by　the　Temperance　Tavern；　I　backed　up　agin　the　wall　to　have　another　think。　Well；　just　then　along　comes　these　two　chaps　slipping　along　close　by　me；　with　something　under　their　arm；　and　I　reckoned　they'd　stole　it。　One　was　a…smoking；　and　t'other　one　wanted　a　light；　so　they　stopped　right　before　me　and　the　cigars　lit　up　their　faces　and　I　see　that　the　big　one　was　the　deaf　and　dumb　Spaniard；　by　his　white　whiskers　and　the　patch　on　his　eye；　and　t'other　one　was　a　rusty；　ragged…looking　devil。〃
〃Could　you　see　the　rags　by　the　light　of　the　cigars？〃
This　staggered　Huck　for　a　moment。　Then　he　said：
〃Well；　I　don't　know　　but　somehow　it　seems　as　if　I　did。〃
〃Then　they　went　on；　and　you　〃
〃Follered　'em　　yes。　That　was　it。　I　wanted　to　see　what　was　up　　they　sneaked　along　so。　I　dogged　'em　to　the　widder's　stile；　and　stood　in　the　dark　and　heard　the　ragged　one　beg　for　the　widder；　and　the　Spaniard　swear　he'd　spile　her　looks　just　as　I　told　you　and　your　two　〃
〃What！　The　DEAF　AND　DUMB　man　said　all　that！〃
Huck　had　made　another　terrible　mistake！　He　was　trying　his　best　to　keep　the　old　man　from　getting　the　faintest　hint　of　who　the　Spaniard　might　be；　and　yet　his　tongue　seemed　determined　to　get　him　into　trouble　in　spite　of　all　he　could　do。　He　made　several　efforts　to　creep　out　of　his　scrape；　but　the　old　man's　eye　was　upon　him　and　he　made　blunder　after　blunder。　Presently　the　Welshman　said：
〃My　boy；　don't　be　afraid　of　me。　I　wouldn't　hurt　a　hair　of　your　head　for　all　the　world。　No　　I'd　protect　you　　I'd　protect　you。　This　Spaniard　is　not　deaf　and　dumb；　you've　let　that　slip　without　intending　it；　you　can't　cover　that　up　now。　You　know　something　about　that　Spaniard　that　you　want　to　keep　dark。　Now　trust　me　　tell　me　what　it　is；　and　trust　me　　I　won't　betray　you。〃
Huck　looked　into　the　old　man's　honest　eyes　a　moment；　then　bent　over　and　whispered　in　his　ear：
〃'Tain't　a　Spaniard　　it's　Injun　Joe！〃
The　Welshman　almost　jumped　out　of　his　chair。　In　a　moment　he　said：
〃It's　all　plain　enough；　now。　When　you　talked　about　notching　ears　and　slitting　noses　I　judged　that　that　was　your　own　embellishment；　because　white　men　don't　take　that　sort　of　revenge。　But　an　Injun！　That's　a　different　matter　altogether。〃
During　breakfast　the　talk　went　on；　and　in　the　course　of　it　the　old　man　said　that　the　last　thing　which　he　and　his　sons　had　done；　before　going　to　bed；　was　to　get　a　lantern　and　examine　the　stile　and　its　vicinity　for　marks　of　blood。　They　found　none；　but　captured　a　bulky　bundle　of　
〃Of　WHAT？〃
If　the　words　had　been　lightning　they　could　not　have　leaped　with　a　more　stunning　suddenness　from　Huck's　blanched　lips。　His　eyes　were　staring　wide；　now；　and　his　breath　suspended　　waiting　for　the　answer。　The　Welshman　started　　stared　in　return　　three　seconds　　five　seconds　　ten　　then　replied：
〃Of　burglar's　tools。　Why；　what's　the　MATTER　with　you？〃
Huck　sank　back；　panting　gent