PREFACE
Mostoftheadventuresrecordedin
denne
thisbookreallyoccurred;one
eller
ortwowereexperiencesofmyegne
own,therestthoseofboysder
whowereschoolmatesofmine.Huck
Finn
Finnisdrawnfromlife;TomSawyer
også
also,butnotfromanindividual—heisakombination
combinationofthecharacteristicsoftre
threeboyswhomIknew,og
andthereforebelongstothecompositeorden
orderofarchitecture.Theoddsuperstitionstoucheduponwere
alle
allprevalentamongchildrenandslavesintheVesten
Westattheperiodofdenne
thisstory—thatistosay,thirtyeller
orfortyyearsago.Althoughmy
bog
bookisintendedmainlyfortheunderholdning
entertainmentofboysandgirls,Ihåber
hopeitwillnotbeshunnedbymenog
andwomenonthataccount,fordel
partofmyplanhasbeentoforsøge
trytopleasantlyremindadultsofwhattheyoncewerethemselves,og
andofhowtheyfeltog
andthoughtandtalked,andwhatqueerenterprisestheysometimesengageret
engagedin.THEAUTHOR.
CHAPTERI
“Tom!”
Ikke
Noanswer.“TOM!”
Noanswer.
“What’sgone
med
withthatboy,Iwonder?YouTOM!”
Ikke
Noanswer.Theoldlady
trak
pulledherspectaclesdownandkiggede
lookedoverthemabouttheroom;thenshe
lagde
putthemupandlookedud
outunderthem.Sheseldom
eller
orneverlookedthroughthemforsolille
smallathingasadreng
boy;theywereherstate
par
pair,theprideofherheart,og
andwerebuiltfor“style,”notservice—shekunne
couldhaveseenthroughapar
pairofstove-lidsjustasgodt
well.Shelookedperplexedfor
et
amoment,andthensaid,notfiercely,men
butstillloudenoughforthefurnituretohøre
hear:.“Well,IlayifI
får
getholdofyouI’ll—”.Shedidnot
færdig
finish,forbythistimeshewasbøjede
bendingdownandpunchingunderthesengen
bedwiththebroom,andsosheneededbreathtopunctuatethepunchesmed
with.Sheresurrectednothingbutthe
katten
cat.“Ineverdidsee
den
thebeatofthatboy!”She
gik
wenttotheopendoorog
andstoodinitandkiggede
lookedoutamongthetomatovinesog
and“jimpson”weedsthatconstitutedthehaven
garden.NoTom.
Soshe
løftede
lifteduphervoiceaten
ananglecalculatedfordistanceog
andshouted:.“Y-o-u-uTOM!”
Therewas
en
aslightnoisebehindherog
andsheturnedjustintimetogribe
seizeasmallboybyden
theslackofhisroundaboutog
andarresthisflight.“There!
Imight’a’
tænkte
thoughtofthatcloset.Whatyoubeen
lavet
doinginthere?”“Nothing.”
“Nothing!
Se
Lookatyourhands.And
se
lookatyourmouth.Whatisthattruck?”
“Idon’t
ved
know,aunt.”“Well,Iknow.
It’sjam—that’swhatit
er
is.FortytimesI’vesaid
hvis
ifyoudidn’tletthatsyltetøj
jamaloneI’dskinyou.Handmethatswitch.”
Theswitchhoveredintheair—theperilwas
desperat
desperate—.“My!
Lookbehindyou,aunt!”
Den
Theoldladywhirledround,og
andsnatchedherskirtsoutofdanger.Thelad
flygtede
fledontheinstant,scrambledop
upthehighboard-fence,andforsvandt
disappearedoverit.HisauntPolly
stod
stoodsurprisedamoment,andthenbrød
brokeintoagentlelaugh.“Hangtheboy,can’tI
aldrig
neverlearnanything?Ain’the
spillet
playedmetricksenoughlikethatformetobelookingoutforhimbydette
thistime?Butoldfoolsis
de
thebiggestfoolsthereis.Can’t
lære
learnanolddognewtricks,asthesiger
sayingis.Butmygoodness,he
aldrig
neverplaysthemalike,twodays,og
andhowisabodytovide
knowwhat’scoming?He’pearsto
ved
knowjusthowlonghekan
cantormentmebeforeIgetmydanderup,og
andheknowsifhekan
canmakeouttoputmeoffforet
aminuteormakemegrine
laugh,it’salldownagainog
andIcan’thithimet
alick.Iain’tdoingmy
pligt
dutybythatboy,andthat’stheLord’ssandhed
truth,goodnessknows.Sparetherod
og
andspilethechild,asden
theGoodBooksays.I’m
en
alayingupsinandsufferingforusbegge
both,Iknow.He’sfullof
den
theOldScratch,butlaws-a-me!he’smy
egen
owndeadsister’sboy,poorting
thing,andIain’tgotthehjertet
hearttolashhim,somehow.Hver
EverytimeIlethimoff,mysamvittighed
consciencedoeshurtmeso,og
andeverytimeIhithimmygamle
oldheartmostbreaks.Well-a-well,
manden
manthatisbornofkvinde
womanisoffewdaysog
andfulloftrouble,asdet
theScripturesays,andIreckonit’sso.He’ll
spille
playhookeythisevening,[*]andI’llbare
justbeobleegedtomakehimarbejde
work,tomorrow,topunishhim.It’smighty
svært
hardtomakehimworkSaturdays,når
whenalltheboysishavingferie
holiday,buthehatesworkmere
morethanhehatesanythingelse,og
andI’vegottodosomeofmypligt
dutybyhim,orI’llbedet
theruinationofthechild.”[*]Southwesternfor“afternoon”.
Tom
gjorde
didplayhookey,andhehavde
hadaverygoodtime.He
kom
gotbackhomebarelyinseasontohjælpe
helpJim,thesmallcoloreddreng
boy,sawnext-day’swoodandsplittede
splitthekindlingsbeforesupper—atleasthewasder
thereintimetotellhisadventurestoJimmens
whileJimdidthree-fourthsofthearbejdet
work.Tom’syoungerbrother(or
snarere
ratherhalf-brother)Sidwasalreadythroughmed
withhispartofthearbejdet
work(pickingupchips),forhewasen
aquietboy,andhadingen
noadventurous,trouble-someways.WhileTomwas
spiste
eatinghissupper,andstealingsukker
sugarasopportunityoffered,AuntPollystillede
askedhimquestionsthatwerefuld
fullofguile,andverydeep—forsheønskede
wantedtotraphimintodamagingrevealments.Likemany
andre
othersimple-heartedsouls,itwasherkæledyr
petvanitytobelieveshewasendowedmed
withatalentfordarkog
andmysteriousdiplomacy,andsheelskede
lovedtocontemplatehermosttransparentdevicesasmarvelsoflav
lowcunning.Saidshe:.
“Tom,itwasmiddling
varmt
warminschool,warn’tit?”“Yes’m.”
“Powerful
varm
warm,warn’tit?”“Yes’m.”
“Didn’tyou
ville
wanttogoina-swimming,Tom?”En
Abitofascareskud
shotthroughTom—atouchofuncomfortablemistanke
suspicion.HesearchedAuntPolly’s
ansigt
face,butittoldhimintet
nothing.Sohesaid:.
“No’m—well,notverymuch.”
Den
Theoldladyreachedoutherhånden
handandfeltTom’sshirt,og
andsaid:.“Butyouain’ttoo
varm
warmnow,though.”Andit
smigrede
flatteredhertoreflectthatshehavde
haddiscoveredthattheshirtwastør
drywithoutanybodyknowingthatthatwaswhatshehavde
hadinhermind.Butin
trods
spiteofher,Tomknewhvor
wherethewindlay,now.Soheforestalledwhat
kunne
mightbethenextmove:.“Someofus
pumpet
pumpedonourheads—mine’sdampendnu
yet.See?”
AuntPollywasvexedto
tro
thinkshehadoverlookedthatbitofindicier
circumstantialevidence,andmissedatrick
trick.Thenshehada
ny
newinspiration:.“Tom,youdidn’thavetoundoyour
skjorte
shirtcollarwhereIseweddet
it,topumponyourhoved
head,didyou?Unbuttonyourjacket!”
Thetrouble
forsvandt
vanishedoutofTom’sface.He
åbnede
openedhisjacket.Hisshirtcollarwassecurely
syet
sewed.“Bother!
Well,go’long
med
withyou.I’dmadesureyou’dplayedhookey
og
andbeena-swimming.ButI
tilgiver
forgiveye,Tom.Ireckonyou’re
en
akindofasingedkat
cat,asthesayingis—better’nyouser
look.Thistime.”
Shewashalf
ked
sorryhersagacityhadmiscarried,og
andhalfgladthatTomhavde
hadstumbledintoobedientconductforonce.Men
ButSidneysaid:.“Well,now,
hvis
ifIdidn’tthinkyousewedhiskrave
collarwithwhitethread,butit’sblack.”“Why,Idid
syede
sewitwithwhite!Tom!”
Men
ButTomdidnotwaitfortheresten
rest.Ashewentoutatthe
døren
doorhesaid:.“Siddy,I’ll
slikke
lickyouforthat.”Inasafe
sted
placeTomexaminedtwolargeneedlesder
whichwerethrustintothelapelsofhisjakke
jacket,andhadthreadboundom
aboutthem—oneneedlecarriedwhitetråd
threadandtheotherblack.He
sagde
said:.“She’dnevernoticedifithadn’tbeenforSid.
Confound
den
it!sometimesshesewsit
med
withwhite,andsometimesshesewsitmed
withblack.Iwishtogee-minyshe’dstickto
ene
oneort’other—Ican’tkeepden
therunof’em.ButI
vil vædde
betyouI’lllamSidforat
that.I’lllearnhim!”
HewasnottheModelBoyofthevillage.
He
kendte
knewthemodelboyverygodt
wellthough—andloathedhim.Within
to
twominutes,orevenless,hehavde
hadforgottenallhistroubles.Not
fordi
becausehistroubleswereonewhitmindre
lessheavyandbittertohimend
thanaman’saretoamand
man,butbecauseanewog
andpowerfulinterestborethemned
downanddrovethemoutofhissind
mindforthetime—justasmen’smisfortunesareglemt
forgottenintheexcitementofnewenterprises.Denne
Thisnewinterestwasavaluednyhed
noveltyinwhistling,whichhehavde
hadjustacquiredfromanegro,og
andhewassufferingtopraktisere
practiseitundisturbed.Itconsistedin
en
apeculiarbird-liketurn,aslags
sortofliquidwarble,producedbyrøre
touchingthetonguetothetaget
roofofthemouthatkorte
shortintervalsinthemidstofthemusic—thereadersandsynligvis
probablyremembershowtodoit,hvis
ifhehaseverbeenen
aboy.Diligenceandattention
snart
soongavehimtheknackofit,og
andhestrodedownthegaden
streetwithhismouthfullofharmoni
harmonyandhissoulfulloftaknemmelighed
gratitude.Hefeltmuchasanastronomer
følte
feelswhohasdiscoveredany
newplanet—nodoubt,asfarasstærk
strong,deep,unalloyedpleasureisconcerned,theadvantagewasmed
withtheboy,nottheastronomer.Thesummereveningswerelong.
Itwasnot
mørkt
dark,yet.PresentlyTomcheckedhis
fløjte
whistle.Astrangerwasbeforehim—a
dreng
boyashadelargerthanhimself.Anew-comerofany
alder
ageoreithersexwasanimponerende
impressivecuriosityinthepoorlille
littleshabbyvillageofSt.Petersburg.Denne
Thisboywaswelldressed,too—wellklædt
dressedonaweek-day.Thiswas
simpelthen
simplyastounding.Hiscapwas
en
adaintything,hisclose-buttonedblå
blueclothroundaboutwasnewog
andnatty,andsowerehispantaloons.He
havde
hadshoeson—anditwasonlyFredag
Friday.Heevenworeanecktie,abright
smule
bitofribbon.Hehad
en
acitifiedairabouthimder
thatateintoTom’svitals.Det
ThemoreTomstaredatdet
thesplendidmarvel,thehigherheturnedop
uphisnoseathisfineryog
andtheshabbierandshabbierhiseget
ownoutfitseemedtohimtovokse
grow.Neitherboyspoke.
Ifone
bevægede
moved,theothermoved—butonlysidewise,inacirkel
circle;theykeptfaceto
ansigt
faceandeyetoeyeallthetiden
time.FinallyTomsaid:.
“I
kan
canlickyou!”“I’dliketo
se
seeyoutryit.”“Well,I
kan
candoit.”“Noyoucan’t,either.”
“YesIcan.”
“Noyoucan’t.”
“Ican.”
“Youcan’t.”
“Can!”
“Can’t!”
En
Anuncomfortablepause.ThenTom
sagde
said:.“What’syourname?”
“’Tisn’tanyofyourbusiness,maybe.”
“WellI’lowI’ll
gøre
makeitmybusiness.”“Wellwhydon’tyou?”
“Ifyou
siger
saymuch,Iwill.”“Much—much—much.
Der
Therenow.”“Oh,youthinkyou’remightysmart,don’tyou?
I
kunne
couldlickyouwithonehånd
handtiedbehindme,ifIville
wantedto.”“Wellwhydon’tyou
gør
doit?Yousayyou
kan
candoit.”“WellIwill,
hvis
ifyoufoolwithme.”“Ohyes—I’veseen
hele
wholefamiliesinthesamefix.”“Smarty!
You
tror
thinkyou’resome,now,don’tyou?Oh,what
en
ahat!”“Youcanlumpthat
hat
hatifyoudon’tlikeden
it.Idareyoutoknockitoff—andanybodythat’ll
tage
takeadarewillsuckeggs.”“You’re
en
aliar!”“You’reanother.”
“You’re
en
afightingliaranddasn’ttage
takeitup.”“Aw—takeawalk!”
“Say—ifyou
giver
givememuchmoreofyoursassI’lltage
takeandbouncearockoff’nyourhead.”“Oh,of
selvfølgelig
courseyouwill.”“WellIwill.”
“Well
hvorfor
whydon’tyoudoitthen?Whatdoyoukeep
siger
sayingyouwillfor?Whydon’tyou
gør
doit?It’sbecauseyou’reafraid.”
“Iain’tafraid.”
“Youare.”
“Iain’t.”
“Youare.”
Anotherpause,
og
andmoreeyingandsidlingomkring
aroundeachother.Presentlytheywere
skulder
shouldertoshoulder.Tomsaid:.
“Get
væk
awayfromhere!”“Goawayyourself!”
“Iwon’t.”
“Iwon’teither.”
Sothey
stod
stood,eachwithafootplaceret
placedatanangleasabrace,og
andbothshovingwithmightog
andmain,andgloweringathver
eachotherwithhate.Butneither
kunne
couldgetanadvantage.After
kæmpet
strugglingtillbothwerehotog
andflushed,eachrelaxedhisbelastning
strainwithwatchfulcaution,andTomsagde
said:.“You’reacowardand
en
apup.I’lltellmybigbrotheronyou,
og
andhecanthrashyoumed
withhislittlefinger,andI’llmakehimdodet
it,too.”“WhatdoIcareforyourbigbrother?
I’vegot
en
abrotherthat’sbiggerthanheis—andwhat’smore,hekan
canthrowhimoverthathegnet
fence,too.“That’salie.”