汤姆.索亚历险记-第25部分

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CHAPTER　XXII
TOM　joined　the　new　order　of　Cadets　of　Temperance；　being　attracted　by　the　showy　character　of　their　〃regalia。〃　He　promised　to　abstain　from　smoking；　chewing；　and　profanity　as　long　as　he　remained　a　member。　Now　he　found　out　a　new　thing　　namely；　that　to　promise　not　to　do　a　thing　is　the　surest　way　in　the　world　to　make　a　body　want　to　go　and　do　that　very　thing。　Tom　soon　found　himself　tormented　with　a　desire　to　drink　and　swear；　the　desire　grew　to　be　so　intense　that　nothing　but　the　hope　of　a　chance　to　display　himself　in　his　red　sash　kept　him　from　withdrawing　from　the　order。　Fourth　of　July　was　coming；　but　he　soon　gave　that　up　　gave　it　up　before　he　had　worn　his　shackles　over　forty…eight　hours　　and　fixed　his　hopes　upon　old　Judge　Frazer；　justice　of　the　peace；　who　was　apparently　on　his　deathbed　and　would　have　a　big　public　funeral；　since　he　was　so　high　an　official。　During　three　days　Tom　was　deeply　concerned　about　the　Judge's　condition　and　hungry　for　news　of　it。　Sometimes　his　hopes　ran　high　　so　high　that　he　would　venture　to　get　out　his　regalia　and　practise　before　the　lookingglass。　But　the　Judge　had　a　most　discouraging　way　of　fluctuating。　At　last　he　was　pronounced　upon　the　mend　　and　then　convalescent。　Tom　was　disgusted；　and　felt　a　sense　of　injury；　too。　He　handed　in　his　resignation　at　once　　and　that　night　the　Judge　suffered　a　relapse　and　died。　Tom　resolved　that　he　would　never　trust　a　man　like　that　again。
The　funeral　was　a　fine　thing。　The　Cadets　paraded　in　a　style　calculated　to　kill　the　late　member　with　envy。　Tom　was　a　free　boy　again；　however　　there　was　something　in　that。　He　could　drink　and　swear；　now　　but　found　to　his　surprise　that　he　did　not　want　to。　The　simple　fact　that　he　could；　took　the　desire　away；　and　the　charm　of　it。
Tom　presently　wondered　to　find　that　his　coveted　vacation　was　beginning　to　hang　a　little　heavily　on　his　hands。
He　attempted　a　diary　　but　nothing　happened　during　three　days；　and　so　he　abandoned　it。
The　first　of　all　the　negro　minstrel　shows　came　to　town；　and　made　a　sensation。　Tom　and　Joe　Harper　got　up　a　band　of　performers　and　were　happy　for　two　days。
Even　the　Glorious　Fourth　was　in　some　sense　a　failure；　for　it　rained　hard；　there　was　no　procession　in　consequence；　and　the　greatest　man　in　the　world　（as　Tom　supposed）；　Mr。　Benton；　an　actual　United　States　Senator；　proved　an　overwhelming　disappointment　　for　he　was　not　twenty…five　feet　high；　nor　even　anywhere　in　the　neighborhood　of　it。
A　circus　came。　The　boys　played　circus　for　three　days　afterward　in　tents　made　of　rag　carpeting　　admission；　three　pins　for　boys；　two　for　girls　　and　then　circusing　was　abandoned。
A　phrenologist　and　a　mesmerizer　came　　and　went　again　and　left　the　village　duller　and　drearier　than　ever。
There　were　some　boys…and…girls'　parties；　but　they　were　so　few　and　so　delightful　that　they　only　made　the　aching　voids　between　ache　the　harder。
Becky　Thatcher　was　gone　to　her　Constantinople　home　to　stay　with　her　parents　during　vacation　　so　there　was　no　bright　side　to　life　anywhere。
The　dreadful　secret　of　the　murder　was　a　chronic　misery。　It　was　a　very　cancer　for　permanency　and　pain。
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　w