汤姆.索亚历险记-第6部分

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iring。　He　would　have　given　worlds；　now；　to　have　that　German　lad　back　again　with　a　sound　mind。
And　now　at　this　moment；　when　hope　was　dead；　Tom　Sawyer　came　forward　with　nine　yellow　tickets；　nine　red　tickets；　and　ten　blue　ones；　and　demanded　a　Bible。　This　was　a　thunderbolt　out　of　a　clear　sky。　Walters　was　not　expecting　an　application　from　this　source　for　the　next　ten　years。　But　there　was　no　getting　around　it　　here　were　the　certified　checks；　and　they　were　good　for　their　face。　Tom　was　therefore　elevated　to　a　place　with　the　Judge　and　the　other　elect；　and　the　great　news　was　announced　from　headquarters。　It　was　the　most　stunning　surprise　of　the　decade；　and　so　profound　was　the　sensation　that　it　lifted　the　new　hero　up　to　the　judicial　one's　altitude；　and　the　school　had　two　marvels　to　gaze　upon　in　place　of　one。　The　boys　were　all　eaten　up　with　envy　　but　those　that　suffered　the　bitterest　pangs　were　those　who　perceived　too　late　that　they　themselves　had　contributed　to　this　hated　splendor　by　trading　tickets　to　Tom　for　the　wealth　he　had　amassed　in　selling　whitewashing　privileges。　These　despised　themselves；　as　being　the　dupes　of　a　wily　fraud；　a　guileful　snake　in　the　grass。
The　prize　was　delivered　to　Tom　with　as　much　effusion　as　the　superintendent　could　pump　up　under　the　circumstances；　but　it　lacked　somewhat　of　the　true　gush；　for　the　poor　fellow's　instinct　taught　him　that　there　was　a　mystery　here　that　could　not　well　bear　the　light；　perhaps；　it　was　simply　preposterous　that　this　boy　had　warehoused　two　thousand　sheaves　of　Scriptural　wisdom　on　his　premises　　a　dozen　would　strain　his　capacity；　without　a　doubt。
Amy　Lawrence　was　proud　and　glad；　and　she　tried　to　make　Tom　see　it　in　her　face　　but　he　wouldn't　look。　She　wondered；　then　she　was　just　a　grain　troubled；　next　a　dim　suspicion　came　and　went　　came　again；　she　watched；　a　furtive　glance　told　her　worlds　　and　then　her　heart　broke；　and　she　was　jealous；　and　angry；　and　the　tears　came　and　she　hated　everybody。　Tom　most　of　all　（she　thought）。
Tom　was　introduced　to　the　Judge；　but　his　tongue　was　tied；　his　breath　would　hardly　come；　his　heart　quaked　　partly　because　of　the　awful　greatness　of　the　man；　but　mainly　because　he　was　her　parent。　He　would　have　liked　to　fall　down　and　worship　him；　if　it　were　in　the　dark。　The　Judge　put　his　hand　on　Tom's　head　and　called　him　a　fine　little　man；　and　asked　him　what　his　name　was。　The　boy　stammered；　gasped；　and　got　it　out：
〃Tom。〃
〃Oh；　no；　not　Tom　　it　is　〃
〃Thomas。〃
〃Ah；　that's　it。　I　thought　there　was　more　to　it；　maybe。　That's　very　well。　But　you've　another　one　I　daresay；　and　you'll　tell　it　to　me；　won't　you？〃
〃Tell　the　gentleman　your　other　name；　Thomas；〃　said　Walters；　〃and　say　sir。　You　mustn't　forget　your　manners。〃
〃Thomas　Sawyer　　sir。〃
〃That's　it！　That's　a　good　boy。　Fine　boy。　Fine；　manly　little　fellow。　Two　thousand　verses　is　a　great　many　　very；　very　great　many。　And　you　never　can　be　sorry　for　the　trouble　you　took　to　learn　them；　for　knowledge　is　worth　more　than　anything　there　is　in　the　world；　it's　what　makes　great　men　and　good　men；　you'll　be　a　great　man　and　a　good　man　yourself；　some　day；　Thomas；　and　then　you'll　look　back　and　say；　It's　all　owing　to　the　precious　Sunday…school　privileges　of　my　boyhood　　it's　all　owing　to　my　dear　teachers　that　taught　me　to　learn　　it's　all　owing　to　the　good　superintendent；　who　encouraged　me；　and　watched　over　me；　and　gave　me　a　beautiful　Bible　　a　splendid　elegant　Bible　　to　keep　and　have　it　all　for　my　own；　always　　it's　all　owing　to　right　bringing　up！　That　is　what　you　will　say；　Thomas　　and　you　wouldn't　take　any　money　for　those　two　thousand　verses　　no　indeed　you　wouldn't。　And　now　you　wouldn't　mind　telling　me　and　this　lady　some　of　the　things　you've　learned　　no；　I　know　you　wouldn't　　for　we　are　proud　of　little　boys　that　learn。　Now；　no　doubt　you　know　the　names　of　all　the　twelve　disciples。　Won't　you　tell　us　the　names　of　the　first　two　that　were　appointed？〃
Tom　was　tugging　at　a　button…hole　and　looking　sheepish。　He　blushed；　now；　and　his　eyes　fell。　Mr。　Walters'　heart　sank　within　him。　He　said　to　himself；　it　is　not　possible　that　the　boy　can　answer　the　simplest　question　　why　did　the　Judge　ask　him？　Yet　he　felt　obliged　to　speak　up　and　say：
〃Answer　the　gentleman；　Thomas　　don't　be　afraid。〃
Tom　still　hung　fire。
〃Now　I　know　you'll　tell　me；〃　said　the　lady。　〃The　names　of　the　first　two　disciples　were　〃
〃DAVID　AND　GOLIAH！〃
Let　us　draw　the　curtain　of　charity　over　the　rest　of　the　scene。　
CHAPTER　V
ABOUT　half…past　ten　the　cracked　bell　of　the　small　church　began　to　ring；　and　presently　the　people　began　to　gather　for　the　morning　sermon。　The　Sunday…school　children　distributed　themselves　about　the　house　and　occupied　pews　with　their　parents；　so　as　to　be　under　supervision。　Aunt　Polly　came；　and　Tom　and　Sid　and　Mary　sat　with　her　　Tom　being　placed　next　the　aisle；　in　order　that　he　might　be　as　far　away　from　the　open　window　and　the　seductive　outside　summer　scenes　as　possible。　The　crowd　filed　up　the　aisles：　the　aged　and　needy　postmaster；　who　had　seen　better　days；　the　mayor　and　his　wife　　for　they　had　a　mayor　there；　among　other　unnecessaries；　the　justice　of　the　peace；　the　widow　Douglass；　fair；　smart；　and　forty；　a　generous；　good…hearted　soul　and　well…to…do；　her　hill　mansion　the　only　palace　in　the　town；　and　the　most　hospitable　and　much　the　most　lavish　in　the　matter　of　festivities　that　St。　Petersburg　could　boast；　the　bent　and　venerable　Major　and　Mrs。　Ward；　lawyer　Riverson；　the　new　notable　from　a　distance；　next　the　belle　of　the　village；　followed　by　a　troop　of　lawn…clad　and　ribbon…decked　young　heart…breakers；　then　all　the　young　clerks　in　town　in　a　body　　for　they　had　stood　in　the　vestibule　sucking　their　cane…heads；　a　circling　wall　of　oiled　and　simpering　admirers；　till　the　last　girl　had　run　their　gantlet；　and　last　of　all　came　the　Model　Boy；　Willie　Mufferson；　taking　as　heedful　care　of　his　mother　as　if　she　were　cut　glass。　He　always　brought　his　mother　to　church；　and　was　the　pride　of　all　the　matrons。　The　boys　all　hated　him；　he　was　so　good。　And　besides；　he　had　been　〃thrown　up　to　them〃　so　much。　His　white　handkerchief　was　hanging　out　of　his　pocket　behind；　as　usual　on　Sundays　　accidentally。　Tom　had　no　handkerchief；　and　he　looked　upon　boys　who　had　as　snobs。
The　congregation　being　fully　assembled；　now；　the　bell　rang　once　more；　to　warn　laggards　and　stragglers；　and　then　a　solemn　hush　fell　upon　the　church　which　was　only　broken　by　the　tittering　and　whispering　of　the　choir　in　the　gallery。　The　choir　always　tittered　and　whispered　all　through　service。　There　was　once　a　church　choir　that　was　not　ill…bred；　but　I　have　forgotten　where　it　was；　now。　It　was　a　great　many　years　ago；　and　I　can　scarcely　remember　anything　about　it；　but　I　think　it　was　in　some　foreign　country。
The　minister　gave　out　the　hymn；　and　read　it　through　with　a　relish；　in　a　peculiar　style　which　was　much　admired　in　that　part　of　the　country。　His　voice　began　on　a　medium　key　and　climbed　steadily　up　till　it　reached　a　certain　point；　where　it　bore　with　strong　emphasis　upon　the　topmost　word　and　then　plunged　down　as　if　from　a　spring…board：
Shall　I　be　car…ri…ed　toe　the　skies；　on　flow'ry　beds
of　ease；
Whilst　others　fight　to　win　the　prize；　and　sail　thro'　blood…
y　seas？
He　was　regarded　as　a　wonderful　reader。　At　church　〃sociables〃　he　was　always　called　upon　to　read　poetry；　and　when　he　was　through；　the　ladies　would　lift　up　their　hands　and　let　them　fall　helplessly　in　their　laps；　and　〃wall〃　their　eyes；　and　shake　their　heads；　as　much　as　to　say；　〃Words　cannot　express　it；　it　is　too　beautiful；　too　beautiful　for　this　mortal　earth。〃
After　the　hymn　had　been　sung；　the　Rev。　Mr。　Sprague　turned　himself　into　a　bulletin…board；　and　read　off　〃notices〃　of　meetings　and　societies　and　things　till　it　seemed　that　the　list　would　stretch　out　to　the　crack　of　doom　　a　queer　custom　which　is　still　kept　up　in　America；　even　in　cities；　away　here　in　this　age　of　abundant　newspapers。　Often；　the　less　there　is　to　justify　a　traditional　custom；　the　harder　it　is　to　get　rid　of　it。
And　now　the　minister　prayed。　A　good；　generous　prayer　it　was；　and　went　into　details：　it　pleaded　for　the　church；　and　the　little　children　of　the　church；　for　the　other　churches　of　the　village；　for　the　village　itself；　for　the　county；　for　the　State；　for　the　State　officers；　for　the　United　States；　for　the　churches　of　the　United　States；　for　Congress；　for　the　President；　for　the　officers　of　the　Government；　for　poor　sailors；　tossed　by　stormy　seas；　for　the　oppressed　millions　groaning　under　the　heel　of　European　monarchies　and　Oriental　despotisms；　for　such　as　have　the　light　and　the　good　tidings；　and　yet　have　not　eyes　to　see　nor　ears　to　hear　withal；　for　the　heathen　in　the　far　islands　of　the　sea；　and　closed　with　a　supplication　that　the　words　he　was　about　to　speak　might　find　grace　and　favor；　and　be　as　seed　sown　in　fertile　ground；　yielding　in　time　a　grateful　harvest　of　good。　Amen。
There　was　a　rustling　of　dresses；　and　the　standing　congregation　sat　down。　The　boy　whose　history　this　book　relates　did　not　enjoy　the　prayer；　he　only　endured　it　　if　he　even　did　that　much。　He　was　restive　all　through　it；　he　kept　tally　of　the　details　of　the　prayer；　unconsciously　　for　he　was　not　listening；　but　he　knew　the　ground　of　old；　and　the　clergyman's　regular　route　over　it　　and　when　a　little　trifle　of　new　matter　was　interlarded；　his　ear　detected　it　and　his　whole　nature　resented　it；　he　considered　additions　unfair；　and　scoundrelly。　In　the　midst　of　the　prayer　a　fly　had　lit　on　the　back　of　the　pew　in　front　of　him　and　tortured　his　spirit　by　calmly　rubbing　its　hands　together；　embracing　its　head　with　its　arms；　and　polishing　it　so　vigorously　that　it　seemed　to　almost　part　company　with　the　body；　and　the　slender　thread　of　a　neck　was　exposed　to　view；　scraping　its　wings　with　its　hind　legs　and　smoothing　them　to　its　body　as　if　they　had　been　coat…tails；　going　through　its　whole　toilet　as　tranquilly　as　if　it　knew　it　was　perfectly　safe。　As　indeed　it　was；　for　as　sorely　as　Tom's　hands　itched　to　grab　for　it　they　did　not　dare　　he　believed　his　soul　would　be　instantly　destroyed　if　he　did　such　a　thing　while　the　prayer　was　going　on。　But　with　the　closing　sentence　his　hand　began　to　curve　and　steal　forward；　and　the　instant　the　〃Amen〃　was　out　the　fly　was　a　prisoner　of　war。　His　aunt　detected　the　act　and　made　him　let　it　go。
The　minister　gave　out　his　text　and　droned　along　monotonously　through　an　argument　that　was　so　prosy