PREFACE
Mostoftheadventuresrecordedinthisbookreallyoccurred;
oneortwowereexperiencesofmyown,therestthoseofboyswhowereschoolmatesofmine.
Huck
Finn
Finnisdrawnfromlife;TomSawyeralso,butnotfromanindividual—heisa
combinatie
combinationofthecharacteristicsofthreeboyswhomIknew,andthereforebelongstothecompositeorderofarchitectuur
architecture.TheoddsuperstitionstoucheduponwereallprevalentamongchildrenandslavesintheWestattheperiodofthisstory—thatistosay,thirtyorfortyyearsago.
Althoughmybookisintended
voornamelijk
mainlyfortheentertainmentofboysandgirls,Ihopeitwillnotbegemeden
shunnedbymenandwomenonthataccount,forpartofmyplanhasbeentotrytopleasantlyremindadultsofwhattheyoncewerethemselves,andofhowtheyfeltandthoughtandtalked,andwhatqueerenterprisestheysometimesengagedin.THE
Auteur
AUTHOR.CHAPTERI
“Tom!”
Noanswer.
“TOM!”
Noanswer.
“What’sgonewiththatboy,Iwonder?
YouTOM!”
Noanswer.
Theoldladypulledherspectaclesdownandlookedoverthemabouttheroom;
thensheputthemupandlookedoutunderthem.
She
zelden
seldomorneverlookedthroughthemforsosmallathingasaboy;theywereherstatepair,theprideofherheart,andwerebuiltfor“style,”notservice—shecouldhaveseenthroughapairofstove-lidsjustaswell.
Shelookedperplexedforamoment,andthensaid,notfiercely,butstillloudenoughforthe
meubilair
furnituretohear:.“Well,IlayifIgetholdofyouI’ll—”.
Shedidnotfinish,forbythistimeshewasbendingdownandpunchingunderthebedwiththe
bezem
broom,andsosheneededbreathtopunctuatethepuncheswith.Sheresurrectednothingbutthecat.
“Ineverdidseethebeatofthatboy!”
Shewenttotheopendoorandstoodinitandlookedoutamongthe
tomaten
tomatovinesand“jimpson”weedsthatconstitutedthegarden.NoTom.
Soshelifteduphervoiceatan
hoek
anglecalculatedfordistanceandshouted:.“Y-o-u-uTOM!”
Therewasaslightnoisebehindherandsheturnedjustintimeto
grijpen
seizeasmallboybytheslappe
slackofhisroundaboutandarresthisflight.“There!
Imight’a’thoughtofthatcloset.
Whatyoubeendoinginthere?”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing!
Lookatyourhands.
Andlookatyourmouth.
Whatisthattruck?”
“Idon’tknow,aunt.”
“Well,Iknow.
It’sjam—that’swhatitis.
FortytimesI’vesaidifyoudidn’tletthat
jam
jamaloneI’dskinyou.Handmethatswitch.”
Theswitch
zweefde
hoveredintheair—theperilwasdesperate—.“My!
Lookbehindyou,aunt!”
Theoldladywhirledround,andsnatchedherskirtsoutofdanger.
The
jongen
ladfledontheinstant,scrambledupthehighboard-fence,anddisappearedoverit.HisauntPollystoodsurprisedamoment,andthenbrokeintoa
zachte
gentlelaugh.“Hangtheboy,can’tIneverlearnanything?
Ain’theplayedmetricksenoughlikethatformetobelookingoutforhimbythistime?
Butoldfoolsisthebiggestfoolsthereis.
Can’tlearnanolddognewtricks,asthesayingis.
Butmygoodness,heneverplaysthemalike,twodays,andhowisabodytoknowwhat’scoming?
He’pearstoknowjusthowlonghecantormentmebeforeIgetmydanderup,andheknowsifhecanmakeouttoputmeoffforaminuteormakemelaugh,it’salldownagainandIcan’thithimalick.
Iain’tdoingmydutybythatboy,andthat’stheLord’struth,goodnessknows.
Sparetherodandspilethechild,astheGoodBooksays.
I’malayingupsinandsufferingforusboth,Iknow.
He’sfulloftheOldScratch,butlaws-a-me!
he’smyowndeadsister’sboy,poorthing,andIain’tgotthehearttolashhim,somehow.
EverytimeIlethimoff,my
geweten
consciencedoeshurtmeso,andeverytimeIhithimmyoldheartmostbreaks.Well-a-well,manthatisbornofwomanisoffewdaysandfulloftrouble,asthe
Schrift
Scripturesays,andIreckonit’sso.He’llplayhookeythisevening,[*]andI’lljustbeobleegedtomakehimwork,tomorrow,to
straffen
punishhim.It’smightyhardtomakehimworkSaturdays,whenalltheboysishavingholiday,buthehatesworkmorethanhehatesanythingelse,andI’vegottodosomeofmydutybyhim,orI’llbetheruinationofthechild.”
[*]Southwesternfor“afternoon”.
Tomdidplayhookey,andhehadaverygoodtime.
HegotbackhomebarelyinseasontohelpJim,thesmallcoloredboy,sawnext-day’swoodandsplitthekindlingsbeforesupper—atleasthewasthereintimetotellhisadventurestoJimwhileJimdidthree-fourthsofthework.
Tom’syoungerbrother(orratherhalf-brother)Sidwasalreadythroughwithhispartofthework(pickingupchips),forhewasaquietboy,andhadno
avontuurlijke
adventurous,trouble-someways.WhileTomwaseatinghis
avondeten
supper,andstealingsugarasopportunityoffered,AuntPollyaskedhimquestionsthatwerefullofguile,andverydeep—forshewantedtotraphimintodamagingrevealments.Likemanyothersimple-heartedsouls,itwasherpet
ijdelheid
vanitytobelieveshewasendowedwithatalentfordarkandmysterieuze
mysteriousdiplomacy,andshelovedtocontemplatehermosttransparentdevicesasmarvelsoflowcunning.Saidshe:.
“Tom,itwasmiddlingwarminschool,warn’tit?”
“Yes’m.”
“Powerfulwarm,warn’tit?”
“Yes’m.”
“Didn’tyouwanttogoina-swimming,Tom?”
AbitofascareshotthroughTom—atouchofuncomfortable
verdenking
suspicion.HesearchedAuntPolly’sface,butittoldhimnothing.
Sohesaid:.
“No’m—well,notverymuch.”
TheoldladyreachedoutherhandandfeltTom’sshirt,andsaid:.
“Butyouain’ttoowarmnow,though.”
Andit
vleide
flatteredhertoreflectthatshehadontdekt
discoveredthattheshirtwasdrywithoutanybodyknowingthatthatwaswhatshehadinhermind.Butin
ondanks
spiteofher,Tomknewwherethewindlay,now.Soheforestalledwhatmightbethenextmove:.
“Someofus
pompen
pumpedonourheads—mine’sdampyet.See?”
AuntPollywasvexedtothinkshehadoverlookedthatbitof
indirect
circumstantialevidence,andmissedatrick.Thenshehadanew
inspiratie
inspiration:.“Tom,youdidn’thavetoundoyourshirtcollarwhereI
genaaid
sewedit,topumponyourhead,didyou?Unbuttonyourjacket!”
Thetrouble
verdwenen
vanishedoutofTom’sface.Heopenedhisjacket.
Hisshirtcollarwassecurely
genaaid
sewed.“Bother!
Well,go’longwithyou.
I’dmadesureyou’dplayedhookeyandbeena-swimming.
ButIforgiveye,Tom.
I
denk dat
reckonyou’reakindofasingedcat,asthesayingis—better’nyoulook.Thistime.”
Shewashalfsorryhersagacityhadmiscarried,andhalfgladthatTomhad
gestruikeld
stumbledintoobedientconductforonce.ButSidneysaid:.
“Well,now,ifIdidn’tthinkyou
genaaid
sewedhiscollarwithwhitedraad
thread,butit’sblack.”“Why,Idid
genaaid
sewitwithwhite!Tom!”
ButTomdidnotwaitfortherest.
Ashewentoutatthedoorhesaid:.
“Siddy,I’ll
likken
lickyouforthat.”InasafeplaceTom
onderzocht
examinedtwolargeneedleswhichwerethrustintothelapelsofhisjacket,andhaddraad
threadboundaboutthem—oneneedlecarriedwhitedraad
threadandtheotherblack.Hesaid:.
“She’dnevernoticedifithadn’tbeenforSid.
Confoundit!
sometimesshe
naait
sewsitwithwhite,andsometimesshenaait
sewsitwithblack.Iwishtogee-minyshe’dsticktooneort’other—Ican’tkeeptherunof’em.
ButIbetyouI’lllamSidforthat.
I’lllearnhim!”
HewasnottheModelBoyofthevillage.
Heknewthemodelboyverywellthough—andloathedhim.
Withintwominutes,orevenless,hehadforgottenallhistroubles.
Notbecausehistroubleswereonewhitlessheavyand
bitter
bittertohimthanaman’saretoaman,butbecauseanewandpowerfulinterestborethemdownanddrovethemoutofhismindforthetime—justasmen’smisfortunesareforgottenintheopwinding
excitementofnewenterprises.Thisnewinterestwasavalued
nieuwigheid
noveltyinwhistling,whichhehadjustverworven
acquiredfromanegro,andhewassufferingtobeoefenen
practiseitundisturbed.Itconsistedina
eigenaardige
peculiarbird-liketurn,asortofvloeibare
liquidwarble,producedbytouchingthetonguetotheroofofthemouthatshortintervalsinthemidstofthemusic—thelezer
readerprobablyremembershowtodoit,ifhehaseverbeenaboy.Diligenceandattentionsoongavehimtheknackofit,andhestrodedownthestreetwithhismouthfullof
harmonie
harmonyandhissoulfullofdankbaarheid
gratitude.Hefeltmuchasanastronomerfeelswhohas
ontdekt
discoveredanewplanet—nodoubt,asfarasstrong,deep,unalloyedpleasureisconcerned,theadvantagewaswiththeboy,nottheastronomer.Thesummereveningswerelong.
Itwasnotdark,yet.
Momenteel
PresentlyTomcheckedhiswhistle.Astrangerwasbeforehim—aboya
schaduw
shadelargerthanhimself.A
nieuwkomer
new-comerofanyageoreithersexwasanimpressivenieuwsgierigheid
curiosityinthepoorlittleshabbyvillageofSt.Petersburg.Thisboywaswelldressed,too—welldressedonaweek-day.
Thiswassimplyastounding.
Hiscapwasadaintything,hisclose-buttonedblue
doek
clothroundaboutwasnewandnatty,andsowerehispantaloons.Hehadshoeson—anditwasonlyFriday.
Heevenworeanecktie,abrightbitof
lint
ribbon.HehadacitifiedairabouthimthatateintoTom’svitals.
ThemoreTom
staarde
staredatthesplendidmarvel,thehigherheturneduphisnoseathisfineryandtheshabbierandshabbierhisownoutfit
outfitseemedtohimtogrow.Neitherboyspoke.
Ifonemoved,theothermoved—butonlysidewise,inacircle;
theykeptfacetofaceandeyetoeyeallthetime.
FinallyTomsaid:.
“Ican
likken
lickyou!”“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’remightysmart,don’tyou?
Icould
likken
lickyouwithonehandtiedbehindme,ifIwantedto.”“Wellwhydon’tyoudoit?
Yousayyoucandoit.”
“WellIwill,ifyoufoolwithme.”
“Ohyes—I’veseenwholefamiliesinthesamefix.”
“Smarty!
Youthinkyou’resome,now,don’tyou?
Oh,whatahat!”
“Youcanlumpthathatifyoudon’tlikeit.
Idareyoutoknockitoff—andanybodythat’lltakeadarewillsuckeggs.”
“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.
Momenteel
Presentlytheywereshouldertoshoulder.Tomsaid:.
“Getawayfromhere!”
“Goawayyourself!”
“Iwon’t.”
“Iwon’teither.”
Sotheystood,eachwithafootplacedatan
hoek
angleasabrace,andbothduwen
shovingwithmightandmain,andgloweringateachotherwithhate.Butneithercouldgetanadvantage.
Afterstrugglingtillbothwerehotandflushed,eachrelaxedhis
spanning
strainwithwatchfulcaution,andTomsaid:.“You’reacowardandapup.
I’lltellmybigbrotheronyou,andhecanthrashyouwithhislittlefinger,andI’llmakehimdoit,too.”
“WhatdoIcareforyourbigbrother?
I’vegotabrotherthat’sbiggerthanheis—andwhat’smore,hecanthrowhimoverthatfence,too.
“That’salie.”