PREFACE
Mostoftheadventuresrecordedinthisbookreallyoccurred;
oneortwowereexperiencesofmyown,therestthoseofboyswhowereschoolmatesofmine.
HuckFinnisdrawnfromlife;
TomSawyeralso,butnotfromanindividual—heisacombinationofthecharacteristicsofthreeboyswhomIknew,andthereforebelongstothecompositeorderofarchitecture.
Theoddsuperstitionstoucheduponwereallprevalentamongchildrenandslavesinthe
Westen
Westattheperiodofthisstory—thatistosay,thirtyorfortyyearsago.Althoughmybookisintendedmainlyfortheentertainmentofboysandgirls,Ihopeitwillnotbeshunnedbymenandwomenonthataccount,forpartofmyplanhasbeentotrytopleasantlyremindadultsofwhattheyoncewerethemselves,andofhowtheyfeltandthoughtandtalked,andwhatqueerenterprisestheysometimesengagedin.
THEAUTHOR.
CHAPTERI
“Tom!”
Noanswer.
“TOM!”
Noanswer.
“What’sgonewiththatboy,Iwonder?
YouTOM!”
Noanswer.
Theoldlady
trok
pulledherspectaclesdownandlookedoverthemabouttheroom;thensheputthemupandlookedoutunderthem.
Sheseldomorneverlookedthroughthemforsosmallathingasaboy;
theywereherstatepair,theprideofherheart,andwere
gebouwd
builtfor“style,”notservice—shecouldhaveseenthroughapairofstove-lidsjustaswell.Shelookedperplexedforamoment,andthensaid,notfiercely,butstillloudenoughforthefurnituretohear:.
“Well,IlayifIgetholdofyouI’ll—”.
Shedidnotfinish,forbythistimeshewasbendingdownandpunchingunderthebedwiththebroom,andsosheneededbreathtopunctuatethepuncheswith.
Sheresurrectednothingbutthe
kat
cat.“Ineverdidseethebeatofthatboy!”
Shewenttotheopendoorandstoodinitandlookedoutamongthetomatovinesand“jimpson”weedsthatconstitutedthegarden.
NoTom.
Sosheliftedupher
stem
voiceatananglecalculatedfordistanceandshouted:.“Y-o-u-uTOM!”
Therewasaslightnoisebehindherandsheturnedjustintimetoseizeasmallboybytheslackofhisroundaboutand
arresteren
arresthisflight.“There!
Imight’a’thoughtofthatcloset.
Whatyoubeendoinginthere?”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing!
Lookatyourhands.
Andlookatyour
mond
mouth.Whatisthattruck?”
“Idon’tknow,aunt.”
“Well,Iknow.
It’sjam—that’swhatitis.
FortytimesI’vesaidifyoudidn’tletthatjamaloneI’dskinyou.
Handmethatswitch.”
Theswitchhoveredintheair—theperilwasdesperate—.
“My!
Lookbehindyou,aunt!”
Theoldladywhirled
rond
round,andsnatchedherskirtsoutofdanger.Theladfledontheinstant,scrambledupthehighboard-fence,anddisappearedoverit.
His
tante
auntPollystoodsurprisedamoment,andthenbrokeintoagentlelach
laugh.“Hangtheboy,can’tInever
leren
learnanything?Ain’theplayedmetricksenoughlikethatformetobelookingoutforhimbythistime?
Butoldfoolsisthebiggestfoolsthereis.
Can’t
leren
learnanolddognewtricks,asthesayingis.Butmygoodness,heneverplaysthemalike,twodays,andhowisabodytoknowwhat’scoming?
He’pearstoknowjusthowlonghecantormentmebeforeIgetmydanderup,andheknowsifhecanmakeouttoputmeoffforaminuteormakeme
lachen
laugh,it’salldownagainandIcan’thithimalick.Iain’tdoingmy
plicht
dutybythatboy,andthat’stheLord’struth,goodnessknows.Sparetherodandspilethechild,astheGoodBooksays.
I’malayingupsinandsufferingforusboth,Iknow.
He’sfulloftheOldScratch,butlaws-a-me!
he’smyowndeadsister’sboy,poorthing,andIain’tgotthehearttolashhim,somehow.
EverytimeIlethimoff,myconsciencedoeshurtmeso,andeverytimeIhithimmyoldheartmostbreaks.
Well-a-well,manthatis
geboren
bornofwomanisoffewdaysandfulloftrouble,astheScripturesays,andIreckonit’sso.He’llplayhookeythisevening,[*]andI’lljustbeobleegedtomakehimwork,tomorrow,topunishhim.
It’smightyhardtomakehimworkSaturdays,whenalltheboysishavingholiday,buthehatesworkmorethanhehatesanythingelse,andI’vegottodosomeofmy
plicht
dutybyhim,orI’llbetheruinationofthechild.”[*]Southwesternfor“afternoon”.
Tomdidplayhookey,andhehadaverygoodtime.
HegotbackhomebarelyinseasontohelpJim,thesmallcoloredboy,sawnext-day’swoodandsplitthekindlingsbeforesupper—atleasthewasthereintimetotellhisadventurestoJimwhileJimdidthree-fourthsofthework.
Tom’syoungerbrother(orratherhalf-brother)Sidwasalreadythroughwithhispartofthework(pickingupchips),forhewasaquietboy,andhadnoadventurous,trouble-someways.
WhileTomwaseatinghissupper,and
stal
stealingsugarasopportunityoffered,Tante
AuntPollyaskedhimquestionsthatwerefullofguile,andverydeep—forshewantedtotraphimintodamagingrevealments.Likemanyothersimple-heartedsouls,itwasherpetvanitytobelieveshewasendowedwithatalentfordarkandmysteriousdiplomacy,andshelovedtocontemplatehermosttransparentdevicesasmarvelsof
lage
lowcunning.Saidshe:.
“Tom,itwasmiddling
warm
warminschool,warn’tit?”“Yes’m.”
“Powerful
warm
warm,warn’tit?”“Yes’m.”
“Didn’tyouwanttogoina-swimming,Tom?”
AbitofascareshotthroughTom—atouchofuncomfortablesuspicion.
He
zocht
searchedAuntPolly’sface,butittoldhimnothing.Sohesaid:.
“No’m—well,notverymuch.”
TheoldladyreachedoutherhandandfeltTom’s
shirt
shirt,andsaid:.“Butyouain’ttoo
warm
warmnow,though.”Anditflatteredhertoreflectthatshehaddiscoveredthatthe
shirt
shirtwasdrywithoutanybodyknowingthatthatwaswhatshehadinhermind.Butinspiteofher,Tomknewwherethe
wind
windlay,now.Soheforestalledwhatmightbethenextmove:.
“Someofuspumpedonourheads—mine’sdampyet.
See?”
Tante
AuntPollywasvexedtothinkshehadoverlookedthatbitofcircumstantialbewijs
evidence,andmissedatrick.Thenshehadanewinspiration:.
“Tom,youdidn’thavetoundoyourshirtcollarwhereIsewedit,topumponyourhead,didyou?
Unbuttonyourjacket!”
ThetroublevanishedoutofTom’sface.
Heopenedhisjacket.
Hisshirtcollarwassecurelysewed.
“Bother!
Well,go’longwithyou.
I’dmadesureyou’dplayedhookeyandbeena-swimming.
ButI
vergeef
forgiveye,Tom.Ireckonyou’reakindofasinged
kat
cat,asthesayingis—better’nyoulook.Thistime.”
Shewashalfsorryhersagacityhadmiscarried,andhalf
blij
gladthatTomhadstumbledintoobedientconductforonce.ButSidneysaid:.
“Well,now,ifIdidn’tthinkyousewedhiscollarwithwhitethread,butit’sblack.”
“Why,Ididsewitwithwhite!
Tom!”
ButTomdidnotwaitfortherest.
Ashewentoutatthedoorhesaid:.
“Siddy,I’lllickyouforthat.”
InasafeplaceTomexaminedtwo
grote
largeneedleswhichwerethrustintothelapelsofhisjacket,andhadthreadboundaboutthem—oneneedledroeg
carriedwhitethreadandtheotherblack.Hesaid:.
“She’dnever
gemerkt
noticedifithadn’tbeenforSid.Confoundit!
sometimesshesewsitwithwhite,andsometimesshesewsitwithblack.
Iwishtogee-minyshe’dsticktooneort’other—Ican’tkeeptherunof’em.
ButI
wedden
betyouI’lllamSidforthat.I’ll
leren
learnhim!”HewasnottheModelBoyofthe
dorp
village.Heknewthemodelboyverywellthough—andloathedhim.
Withintwominutes,oreven
minder
less,hehadforgottenallhistroubles.Notbecausehistroubleswereonewhit
minder
lessheavyandbittertohimthanaman’saretoaman,butbecauseanewandpowerfulinteresse
interestborethemdownanddrovethemoutofhismindforthetime—justasmen’smisfortunesareforgottenintheexcitementofnewenterprises.Thisnew
interesse
interestwasavaluednoveltyinwhistling,whichhehadjustacquiredfromanegro,andhewassufferingtopractiseitundisturbed.Itconsistedinapeculiarbird-liketurn,asortofliquidwarble,producedbytouchingthetonguetotheroofofthe
mond
mouthatshortintervalsinthemidstofthemusic—thereaderprobablyremembershowtodoit,ifhehaseverbeenaboy.Diligenceand
aandacht
attentionsoongavehimtheknackofit,andhestrodedownthestreetwithhismond
mouthfullofharmonyandhisziel
soulfullofgratitude.Hefeltmuchasanastronomerfeelswhohasdiscoveredanewplanet—nodoubt,asfaras
sterk
strong,deep,unalloyedpleasureisconcerned,theadvantagewaswiththeboy,nottheastronomer.Thesummereveningswerelong.
Itwasnot
donker
dark,yet.PresentlyTomcheckedhiswhistle.
Astrangerwasbeforehim—aboyashadelargerthanhimself.
Anew-comerofany
leeftijd
ageoreithersexwasanimpressivecuriosityinthepoorlittleshabbyvillageofSt.Petersburg.Thisboywaswell
gekleed
dressed,too—welldressedonaweek-day.Thiswas
gewoon
simplyastounding.Hiscapwasadaintything,hisclose-buttoned
blauwe
blueclothroundaboutwasnewandnatty,andsowerehispantaloons.Hehad
schoenen
shoeson—anditwasonlyFriday.Heeven
droeg
woreanecktie,abrightbitofribbon.HehadacitifiedairabouthimthatateintoTom’svitals.
ThemoreTomstaredatthesplendidmarvel,thehigherheturneduphis
neus
noseathisfineryandtheshabbierandshabbierhisownoutfitleek
seemedtohimtogrow.Geen
Neitherboyspoke.Ifonemoved,theothermoved—butonlysidewise,inacircle;
theykeptfacetofaceand
oog
eyetoeyeallthetime.FinallyTomsaid:.
“Icanlickyou!”
“I’dliketoseeyoutryit.”
“Well,Icandoit.”
“Noyoucan’t,either.”
“YesIcan.”
“Noyoucan’t.”
“Ican.”
“Youcan’t.”
“Can!”
“Can’t!”
Anuncomfortablepause.
ThenTomsaid:.
“What’syourname?”
“’Tisn’tanyofyourbusiness,maybe.”
“WellI’lowI’llmakeitmybusiness.”
“Wellwhydon’tyou?”
“Ifyousaymuch,Iwill.”
“Much—much—much.
Therenow.”
“Oh,youthinkyou’remighty
slim
smart,don’tyou?Icouldlickyouwithonehandtiedbehindme,ifIwantedto.”
“Wellwhydon’tyoudoit?
Yousayyoucandoit.”
“WellIwill,ifyoufoolwithme.”
“Ohyes—I’veseenwholefamiliesinthesamefix.”
“Smarty!
Youthinkyou’resome,now,don’tyou?
Oh,whatahat!”
“Youcanlumpthathatifyoudon’tlikeit.
I
durft
dareyoutoknockitoff—andanybodythat’lltakeadurft
darewillsuckeggs.”“You’realiar!”
“You’reanother.”
“You’reafightingliaranddasn’ttakeitup.”
“Aw—takeawalk!”
“Say—ifyougivememuchmoreofyoursassI’lltakeandbouncearockoff’nyourhead.”
“Oh,ofcourseyouwill.”
“WellIwill.”
“Wellwhydon’tyoudoitthen?
Whatdoyoukeepsayingyouwillfor?
Whydon’tyoudoit?
It’sbecauseyou’reafraid.”
“Iain’tafraid.”
“Youare.”
“Iain’t.”
“Youare.”
Anotherpause,andmoreeyingandsidlingaroundeachother.
Presentlytheywereshouldertoshoulder.
Tomsaid:.
“Getawayfromhere!”
“Goawayyourself!”
“Iwon’t.”
“Iwon’teither.”
Sotheystood,eachwitha
voet
footplacedatanangleasabrace,andbothshovingwithmightandmain,andgloweringateachotherwithhate.But
geen
neithercouldgetanadvantage.Afterstrugglingtillbothwerehotandflushed,each
ontspannen
relaxedhisstrainwithwatchfulcaution,andTomsaid:.“You’reacowardandapup.
I’lltellmybigbrotheronyou,andhecanthrashyouwithhislittlefinger,andI’llmakehimdoit,too.”
“WhatdoIcareforyourbigbrother?
I’vegotabrotherthat’s
groter
biggerthanheis—andwhat’smore,hecangooien
throwhimoverthatfence,too.“That’salie.”