汤姆.索亚历险记-第5部分

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him　to　rights〃　after　he　had　dressed　himself；　she　buttoned　his　neat　roundabout　up　to　his　chin；　turned　his　vast　shirt　collar　down　over　his　shoulders；　brushed　him　off　and　crowned　him　with　his　speckled　straw　hat。　He　now　looked　exceedingly　improved　and　uncomfortable。　He　was　fully　as　uncomfortable　as　he　looked；　for　there　was　a　restraint　about　whole　clothes　and　cleanliness　that　galled　him。　He　hoped　that　Mary　would　forget　his　shoes；　but　the　hope　was　blighted；　she　coated　them　thoroughly　with　tallow；　as　was　the　custom；　and　brought　them　out。　He　lost　his　temper　and　said　he　was　always　being　made　to　do　everything　he　didn't　want　to　do。　But　Mary　said；　persuasively：
〃Please；　Tom　　that's　a　good　boy。〃
So　he　got　into　the　shoes　snarling。　Mary　was　soon　ready；　and　the　three　children　set　out　for　Sunday…school　　a　place　that　Tom　hated　with　his　whole　heart；　but　Sid　and　Mary　were　fond　of　it。
Sabbath…school　hours　were　from　nine　to　half…past　ten；　and　then　church　service。　Two　of　the　children　always　remained　for　the　sermon　voluntarily；　and　the　other　always　remained　too　　for　stronger　reasons。　The　church's　high…backed；　uncushioned　pews　would　seat　about　three　hundred　persons；　the　edifice　was　but　a　small；　plain　affair；　with　a　sort　of　pine　board　tree…box　on　top　of　it　for　a　steeple。　At　the　door　Tom　dropped　back　a　step　and　accosted　a　Sunday…dressed　comrade：
〃Say；　Billy；　got　a　yaller　ticket？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃What'll　you　take　for　her？〃
〃What'll　you　give？〃
〃Piece　of　lickrish　and　a　fish…hook。〃
〃Less　see　'em。〃
Tom　exhibited。　They　were　satisfactory；　and　the　property　changed　hands。　Then　Tom　traded　a　couple　of　white　alleys　for　three　red　tickets；　and　some　small　trifle　or　other　for　a　couple　of　blue　ones。　He　waylaid　other　boys　as　they　came；　and　went　on　buying　tickets　of　various　colors　ten　or　fifteen　minutes　longer。　He　entered　the　church；　now；　with　a　swarm　of　clean　and　noisy　boys　and　girls；　proceeded　to　his　seat　and　started　a　quarrel　with　the　first　boy　that　came　handy。　The　teacher；　a　grave；　elderly　man；　interfered；　then　turned　his　back　a　moment　and　Tom　pulled　a　boy's　hair　in　the　next　bench；　and　was　absorbed　in　his　book　when　the　boy　turned　around；　stuck　a　pin　in　another　boy；　presently；　in　order　to　hear　him　say　〃Ouch！〃　and　got　a　new　reprimand　from　his　teacher。　Tom's　whole　class　were　of　a　pattern　　restless；　noisy；　and　troublesome。　When　they　came　to　recite　their　lessons；　not　one　of　them　knew　his　verses　perfectly；　but　had　to　be　prompted　all　along。　However；　they　worried　through；　and　each　got　his　reward　　in　small　blue　tickets；　each　with　a　passage　of　Scripture　on　it；　each　blue　ticket　was　pay　for　two　verses　of　the　recitation。　Ten　blue　tickets　equalled　a　red　one；　and　could　be　exchanged　for　it；　ten　red　tickets　equalled　a　yellow　one；　for　ten　yellow　tickets　the　superintendent　gave　a　very　plainly　bound　Bible　（worth　forty　cents　in　those　easy　times）　to　the　pupil。　How　many　of　my　readers　would　have　the　industry　and　application　to　memorize　two　thousand　verses；　even　for　a　Dore　Bible？　And　yet　Mary　had　acquired　two　Bibles　in　this　way　　it　was　the　patient　work　of　two　years　　and　a　boy　of　German　parentage　had　won　four　or　five。　He　once　recited　three　thousand　verses　without　stopping；　but　the　strain　upon　his　mental　faculties　was　too　great；　and　he　was　little　better　than　an　idiot　from　that　day　forth　　a　grievous　misfortune　for　the　school；　for　on　great　occasions；　before　company；　the　superintendent　（as　Tom　expressed　it）　had　always　made　this　boy　come　out　and　〃spread　himself。〃　Only　the　older　pupils　managed　to　keep　their　tickets　and　stick　to　their　tedious　work　long　enough　to　get　a　Bible；　and　so　the　delivery　of　one　of　these　prizes　was　a　rare　and　noteworthy　circumstance；　the　successful　pupil　was　so　great　and　conspicuous　for　that　day　that　on　the　spot　every　scholar's　heart　was　fired　with　a　fresh　ambition　that　often　lasted　a　couple　of　weeks。　It　is　possible　that　Tom's　mental　stomach　had　never　really　hungered　for　one　of　those　prizes；　but　unquestionably　his　entire　being　had　for　many　a　day　longed　for　the　glory　and　the　eclat　that　came　with　it。
In　due　course　the　superintendent　stood　up　in　front　of　the　pulpit；　with　a　closed　hymn…book　in　his　hand　and　his　forefinger　inserted　between　its　leaves；　and　commanded　attention。　When　a　Sunday…school　superintendent　makes　his　customary　little　speech；　a　hymn…book　in　the　hand　is　as　necessary　as　is　the　inevitable　sheet　of　music　in　the　hand　of　a　singer　who　stands　forward　on　the　platform　and　sings　a　solo　at　a　concert　　though　why；　is　a　mystery：　for　neither　the　hymn…book　nor　the　sheet　of　music　is　ever　referred　to　by　the　sufferer。　This　superintendent　was　a　slim　creature　of　thirty…five；　with　a　sandy　goatee　and　short　sandy　hair；　he　wore　a　stiff　standing…collar　whose　upper　edge　almost　reached　his　ears　and　whose　sharp　points　curved　forward　abreast　the　corners　of　his　mouth　　a　fence　that　compelled　a　straight　lookout　ahead；　and　a　turning　of　the　whole　body　when　a　side　view　was　required；　his　chin　was　propped　on　a　spreading　cravat　which　was　as　broad　and　as　long　as　a　bank…note；　and　had　fringed　ends；　his　boot　toes　were　turned　sharply　up；　in　the　fashion　of　the　day；　like　sleigh…runners　　an　effect　patiently　and　laboriously　produced　by　the　young　men　by　sitting　with　their　toes　pressed　against　a　wall　for　hours　together。　Mr。　Walters　was　very　earnest　of　mien；　and　very　sincere　and　honest　at　heart；　and　he　held　sacred　things　and　places　in　such　reverence；　and　so　separated　them　from　worldly　matters；　that　unconsciously　to　himself　his　Sunday…school　voice　had　acquired　a　peculiar　intonation　which　was　wholly　absent　on　week…days。　He　began　after　this　fashion：
〃Now；　children；　I　want　you　all　to　sit　up　just　as　straight　and　pretty　as　you　can　and　give　me　all　your　attention　for　a　minute　or　two。　There　　that　is　it。　That　is　the　way　good　little　boys　and　girls　should　do。　I　see　one　little　girl　who　is　looking　out　of　the　window　　I　am　afraid　she　thinks　I　am　out　there　somewhere　　perhaps　up　in　one　of　the　trees　making　a　speech　to　the　little　birds。　＇Applausive　titter。＇　I　want　to　tell　you　how　good　it　makes　me　feel　to　see　so　many　bright；　clean　little　faces　assembled　in　a　place　like　this；　learning　to　do　right　and　be　good。〃　And　so　forth　and　so　on。　It　is　not　necessary　to　set　down　the　rest　of　the　oration。　It　was　of　a　pattern　which　does　not　vary；　and　so　it　is　familiar　to　us　all。
The　latter　third　of　the　speech　was　marred　by　the　resumption　of　fights　and　other　recreations　among　certain　of　the　bad　boys；　and　by　fidgetings　and　whisperings　that　extended　far　and　wide；　washing　even　to　the　bases　of　isolated　and　incorruptible　rocks　like　Sid　and　Mary。　But　now　every　sound　ceased　suddenly；　with　the　subsidence　of　Mr。　Walters'　voice；　and　the　conclusion　of　the　speech　was　received　with　a　burst　of　silent　gratitude。
A　good　part　of　the　whispering　had　been　occasioned　by　an　event　which　was　more　or　less　rare　　the　entrance　of　visitors：　lawyer　Thatcher；　accompanied　by　a　very　feeble　and　aged　man；　a　fine；　portly；　middle…aged　gentleman　with　iron…gray　hair；　and　a　dignified　lady　who　was　doubtless　the　latter's　wife。　The　lady　was　leading　a　child。　Tom　had　been　restless　and　full　of　chafings　and　repinings；　conscience…smitten；　too　　he　could　not　meet　Amy　Lawrence's　eye；　he　could　not　brook　her　loving　gaze。　But　when　he　saw　this　small　new…comer　his　soul　was　all　ablaze　with　bliss　in　a　moment。　The　next　moment　he　was　〃showing　off〃　with　all　his　might　　cuffing　boys；　pulling　hair；　making　faces　　in　a　word；　using　every　art　that　seemed　likely　to　fascinate　a　girl　and　win　her　applause。　His　exaltation　had　but　one　alloy　　the　memory　of　his　humiliation　in　this　angel's　garden　　and　that　record　in　sand　was　fast　washing　out；　under　the　waves　of　happiness　that　were　sweeping　over　it　now。
The　visitors　were　given　the　highest　seat　of　honor；　and　as　soon　as　Mr。　Walters'　speech　was　finished；　he　introduced　them　to　the　school。　The　middle…aged　man　turned　out　to　be　a　prodigious　personage　　no　less　a　one　than　the　county　judge　　altogether　the　most　august　creation　these　children　had　ever　looked　upon　　and　they　wondered　what　kind　of　material　he　was　made　of　　and　they　half　wanted　to　hear　him　roar；　and　were　half　afraid　he　might；　too。　He　was　from　Constantinople；　twelve　miles　away　　so　he　had　travelled；　and　seen　the　world　　these　very　eyes　had　looked　upon　the　county　court…house　　which　was　said　to　have　a　tin　roof。　The　awe　which　these　reflections　inspired　was　attested　by　the　impressive　silence　and　the　ranks　of　staring　eyes。　This　was　the　great　Judge　Thatcher；　brother　of　their　own　lawyer。　Jeff　Thatcher　immediately　went　forward；　to　be　familiar　with　the　great　man　and　be　envied　by　the　school。　It　would　have　been　music　to　his　soul　to　hear　the　whisperings：
〃Look　at　him；　Jim！　He's　a　going　up　there。　Say　　look！　he's　a　going　to　shake　hands　with　him　　he　is　shaking　hands　with　him！　By　jings；　don't　you　wish　you　was　Jeff？〃
Mr。　Walters　fell　to　〃showing　off；〃　with　all　sorts　of　official　bustlings　and　activities；　giving　orders；　delivering　judgments；　discharging　directions　here；　there；　everywhere　that　he　could　find　a　target。　The　librarian　〃showed　off〃　　running　hither　and　thither　with　his　arms　full　of　books　and　making　a　deal　of　the　splutter　and　fuss　that　insect　authority　delights　in。　The　young　lady　teachers　〃showed　off〃　　bending　sweetly　over　pupils　that　were　lately　being　boxed；　lifting　pretty　warning　fingers　at　bad　little　boys　and　patting　good　ones　lovingly。　The　young　gentlemen　teachers　〃showed　off〃　with　small　scoldings　and　other　little　displays　of　authority　and　fine　attention　to　discipline　　and　most　of　the　teachers；　of　both　sexes；　found　business　up　at　the　library；　by　the　pulpit；　and　it　was　business　that　frequently　had　to　be　done　over　again　two　or　three　times　（with　much　seeming　vexation）。　The　little　girls　〃showed　off〃　in　various　ways；　and　the　little　boys　〃showed　off〃　with　such　diligence　that　the　air　was　thick　with　paper　wads　and　the　murmur　of　scufflings。　And　above　it　all　the　great　man　sat　and　beamed　a　majestic　judicial　smile　upon　all　the　house；　and　warmed　himself　in　the　sun　of　his　own　grandeur　　for　he　was　〃showing　off；〃　too。
There　was　only　one　thing　wanting　to　make　Mr。　Walters'　ecstasy　complete；　and　that　was　a　chance　to　deliver　a　Bible…prize　and　exhibit　a　prodigy。　Several　pupils　had　a　few　yellow　tickets；　but　none　had　enough　　he　had　been　around　among　the　star　pupils　inquiring。　He　would　have　given　worlds；　now；　to　have　that　German　lad　back　again　with　a　sound　mind。
And　n