汤姆.索亚历险记-第38节

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in　that　this　could　not　be；　for　their　candles　were　not　gone　yet。　A　long　time　after　this　　they　could　not　tell　how　long　　Tom　said　they　must　go　softly　and　listen　for　dripping　water　　they　must　find　a　spring。　They　found　one　presently；　and　Tom　said　it　was　time　to　rest　again。　Both　were　cruelly　tired；　yet　Becky　said　she　thought　she　could　go　a　little　farther。　She　was　surprised　to　hear　Tom　dissent。　She　could　not　understand　it。　They　sat　down；　and　Tom　fastened　his　candle　to　the　wall　in　front　of　them　with　some　clay。　Thought　was　soon　busy；　nothing　was　said　for　some　time。　Then　Becky　broke　the　silence：
〃Tom；　I　am　so　hungry！〃
Tom　took　something　out　of　his　pocket。
〃Do　you　remember　this？〃　said　he。
Becky　almost　smiled。
〃It's　our　wedding…cake；　Tom。〃
〃Yes　　I　wish　it　was　as　big　as　a　barrel；　for　it's　all　we've　got。〃
〃I　saved　it　from　the　picnic　for　us　to　dream　on；　Tom；　the　way　grown…up　people　do　with　wedding…cake　　but　it'll　be　our　〃
She　dropped　the　sentence　where　it　was。　Tom　divided　the　cake　and　Becky　ate　with　good　appetite；　while　Tom　nibbled　at　his　moiety。　There　was　abundance　of　cold　water　to　finish　the　feast　with。　By…and…by　Becky　suggested　that　they　move　on　again。　Tom　was　silent　a　moment。　Then　he　said：
〃Becky；　can　you　bear　it　if　I　tell　you　something？〃
Becky's　face　paled；　but　she　thought　she　could。
〃Well；　then；　Becky；　we　must　stay　here；　where　there's　water　to　drink。　That　little　piece　is　our　last　candle！〃
Becky　gave　loose　to　tears　and　wailings。　Tom　did　what　he　could　to　comfort　her；　but　with　little　effect。　At　length　Becky　said：
〃Tom！〃
〃Well；　Becky？〃
〃They'll　miss　us　and　hunt　for　us！〃
〃Yes；　they　will！　Certainly　they　will！〃
〃Maybe　they're　hunting　for　us　now；　Tom。〃
〃Why；　I　reckon　maybe　they　are。　I　hope　they　are。〃
〃When　would　they　miss　us；　Tom？〃
〃When　they　get　back　to　the　boat；　I　reckon。〃
〃Tom；　it　might　be　dark　then　　would　they　notice　we　hadn't　come？〃
〃I　don't　know。　But　anyway；　your　mother　would　miss　you　as　soon　as　they　got　home。〃
A　frightened　look　in　Becky's　face　brought　Tom　to　his　senses　and　he　saw　that　he　had　made　a　blunder。　Becky　was　not　to　have　gone　home　that　night！　The　children　became　silent　and　thoughtful。　In　a　moment　a　new　burst　of　grief　from　Becky　showed　Tom　that　the　thing　in　his　mind　had　struck　hers　also　　that　the　Sabbath　morning　might　be　half　spent　before　Mrs。　Thatcher　discovered　that　Becky　was　not　at　Mrs。　Harper's。
The　children　fastened　their　eyes　upon　their　bit　of　candle　and　watched　it　melt　slowly　and　pitilessly　away；　saw　the　half　inch　of　wick　stand　alone　at　last；　saw　the　feeble　flame　rise　and　fall；　climb　the　thin　column　of　smoke；　linger　at　its　top　a　moment；　and　then　　the　horror　of　utter　darkness　reigned！
How　long　afterward　it　was　that　Becky　came　to　a　slow　consciousness　that　she　was　crying　in　Tom's　arms；　neither　could　tell。　All　that　they　knew　was；　that　after　what　seemed　a　mighty　stretch　of　time；　both　awoke　out　of　a　dead　stupor　of　sleep　and　resumed　their　miseries　once　more。　Tom　said　it　might　be　Sunday；　now　　maybe　Monday。　He　tried　to　get　Becky　to　talk；　but　her　sorrows　were　too　oppressive；　all　her　hopes　were　gone。　Tom　said　that　they　must　have　been　missed　long　ago；　and　no　doubt　the　search　was　going　on。　He　would　shout　and　maybe　some　one　would　come。　He　tried　it；　but　in　the　darkness　the　distant　echoes　sounded　so　hideously　that　he　tried　it　no　more。
The　hours　wasted　away；　and　hunger　came　to　torment　the　captives　again。　A　portion　of　Tom's　half　of　the　cake　was　left；　they　divided　and　ate　it。　But　they　seemed　hungrier　than　before。　The　poor　morsel　of　food　only　whetted　desire。
By…and…by　Tom　said：
〃Sh！　Did　you　hear　that？〃
Both　held　their　breath　and　listened。　There　was　a　sound　like　the　faintest；　far…off　shout。　Instantly　Tom　answered　it；　and　leading　Becky　by　the　hand；　started　groping　down　the　corridor　in　its　direction。　Presently　he　listened　again；　again　the　sound　was　heard；　and　apparently　a　little　nearer。
〃It's　them！〃　said　Tom；　〃they're　coming！　Come　along；　Becky　　we're　all　right　now！〃
The　joy　of　the　prisoners　was　almost　overwhelming。　Their　speed　was　slow；　however；　because　pitfalls　were　somewhat　common；　and　had　to　be　guarded　against。　They　shortly　came　to　one　and　had　to　stop。　It　might　be　three　feet　deep；　it　might　be　a　hundred　　there　was　no　passing　it　at　any　rate。　Tom　got　down　on　his　breast　and　reached　as　far　down　as　he　could。　No　bottom。　They　must　stay　there　and　wait　until　the　searchers　came。　They　listened；　evidently　the　distant　shoutings　were　growing　more　distant！　a　moment　or　two　more　and　they　had　gone　altogether。　The　heart…sinking　misery　of　it！　Tom　whooped　until　he　was　hoarse；　but　it　was　of　no　use。　He　talked　hopefully　to　Becky；　but　an　age　of　anxious　waiting　passed　and　no　sounds　came　again。
The　children　groped　their　way　back　to　the　spring。　The　weary　time　dragged　on；　they　slept　again；　and　awoke　famished　and　woe…stricken。　Tom　believed　it　must　be　Tuesday　by　this　time。
Now　an　idea　struck　him。　There　were　some　side　passages　near　at　hand。　It　would　be　better　to　explore　some　of　these　than　bear　the　weight　of　the　heavy　time　in　idleness。　He　took　a　kite…line　from　his　pocket；　tied　it　to　a　projection；　and　he　and　Becky　started；　Tom　in　the　lead；　unwinding　the　line　as　he　groped　along。　At　the　end　of　twenty　steps　the　corridor　ended　in　a　〃jumping…off　place。〃　Tom　got　down　on　his　knees　and　felt　below；　and　then　as　far　around　the　corner　as　he　could　reach　with　his　hands　conveniently；　he　made　an　effort　to　stretch　yet　a　little　farther　to　the　right；　and　at　that　moment；　not　twenty　yards　away；　a　human　hand；　holding　a　candle；　appeared　from　behind　a　rock！　Tom　lifted　up　a　glorious　shout；　and　instantly　that　hand　was　followed　by　the　body　it　belonged　to　　Injun　Joe's！　Tom　was　paralyzed；　he　could　not　move。　He　was　vastly　gratified　the　next　moment；　to　see　the　〃Spaniard〃　take　to　his　heels　and　get　himself　out　of　sight。　Tom　wondered　that　Joe　had　not　recognized　his　voice　and　come　over　and　killed　him　for　testifying　in　court。　But　the　echoes　must　have　disguised　the　voice。　Without　doubt；　that　was　it；　he　reasoned。　Tom's　fright　weakened　every　muscle　in　his　body。　He　said　to　himself　that　if　he　had　strength　enough　to　get　back　to　the　spring　he　would　stay　there；　and　nothing　should　tempt　him　to　run　the　risk　of　meeting　Injun　Joe　again。　He　was　careful　to　keep　from　Becky　what　it　was　he　had　seen。　He　told　her　he　had　only　shouted　〃for　luck。〃
But　hunger　and　wretchedness　rise　superior　to　fears　in　the　long　run。　Another　tedious　wait　at　the　spring　and　another　long　sleep　brought　changes。　The　children　awoke　tortured　with　a　raging　hunger。　Tom　believed　that　it　must　be　Wednesday　or　Thursday　or　even　Friday　or　Saturday；　now；　and　that　the　search　had　been　given　over。　He　proposed　to　explore　another　passage。　He　felt　willing　to　risk　Injun　Joe　and　all　other　terrors。　But　Becky　was　very　weak。　She　had　sunk　into　a　dreary　apathy　and　would　not　be　roused。　She　said　she　would　wait；　now；　where　she　was；　and　die　　it　would　not　be　long。　She　told　Tom　to　go　with　the　kite…line　and　explore　if　he　chose；　but　she　implored　him　to　come　back　every　little　while　and　speak　to　her；　and　she　made　him　promise　that　when　the　awful　time　came；　he　would　stay　by　her　and　hold　her　hand　until　all　was　over。
Tom　kissed　her；　with　a　choking　sensation　in　his　throat；　and　made　a　show　of　being　confident　of　finding　the　searchers　or　an　escape　from　the　cave；　then　he　took　the　kite…line　in　his　hand　and　went　groping　down　one　of　the　passages　on　his　hands　and　knees；　distressed　with　hunger　and　sick　with　bodings　of　coming　doom。　
CHAPTER　XXXII
TUESDAY　afternoon　came；　and　waned　to　the　twilight。　The　village　of　St。　Petersburg　still　mourned。　The　lost　children　had　not　been　found。　Public　prayers　had　been　offered　up　for　them；　and　many　and　many　a　private　prayer　that　had　the　petitioner's　whole　heart　in　it；　but　still　no　good　news　came　from　the　cave。　The　majority　of　the　searchers　had　given　up　the　quest　and　gone　back　to　their　daily　avocations；　saying　that　it　was　plain　the　children　could　never　be　found。　Mrs。　Thatcher　was　very　ill；　and　a　great　part　of　the　time　delirious。　People　said　it　was　heartbreaking　to　hear　her　call　her　child；　and　raise　her　head　and　listen　a　whole　minute　at　a　time；　then　lay　it　wearily　down　again　with　a　moan。　Aunt　Polly　had　drooped　into　a　settled　melancholy；　and　her　gray　hair　had　grown　almost　white。　The　village　went　to　its　rest　on　Tuesday　night；　sad　and　forlorn。
Away　in　the　middle　of　the　night　a　wild　peal　burst　from　the　village　bells；　and　in　a　moment　the　streets　were　swarming　with　frantic　half…clad　people；　who　shouted；　〃Turn　out！　turn　out！　they're　found！　they're　found！〃　Tin　pans　and　horns　were　added　to　the　din；　the　population　massed　itself　and　moved　toward　the　river；　met　the　children　coming　in　an　open　carriage　drawn　by　shouting　citizens；　thronged　around　it；　joined　its　homeward　march；　and　swept　magnificently　up　the　main　street　roaring　huzzah　after　huzzah！
The　village　was　illuminated；　nobody　went　to　bed　again；　it　was　the　greatest　night　the　little　town　had　ever　seen。　During　the　first　half…hour　a　procession　of　villagers　filed　through　Judge　Thatcher's　house；　seized　the　saved　ones　and　kissed　them；　squeezed　Mrs。　Thatcher's　hand；　tried　to　speak　but　couldn't　　and　drifted　out　raining　tears　all　over　the　place。
Aunt　Polly's　happiness　was　complete；　and　Mrs。　Thatcher's　nearly　so。　It　would　be　complete；　however；　as　soon　as　the　messenger　dispatched　with　the　great　news　to　the　cave　should