PREFACE
Mostoftheadventuresrecordedinthisbookreallyoccurred;
yksi
oneortwowereexperiencesofmyown,theloput
restthoseofboyswhowereschoolmatesofmine.HuckFinnisdrawnfromlife;
TomSawyeralso,
mutta
butnotfromanindividual—heisacombinationofthecharacteristicsofthreeboyswhomIknew,andthereforebelongstothecompositeorderofarchitecture.Theoddsuperstitionstoucheduponwere
kaikki
allprevalentamongchildrenandslavesintheWestattheperiodoftämän
thisstory—thatistosay,thirtytai
orfortyyearsago.Althoughmybookisintendedmainlyfortheentertainmentofboysandgirls,I
toivon
hopeitwillnotbeshunnedbymenandwomenonthataccount,forosa
partofmyplanhasbeentoyrittää
trytopleasantlyremindadultsofwhattheykerran
oncewerethemselves,andofmiten
howtheyfeltandthoughtandpuhuivat
talked,andwhatqueerenterprisestheytoisinaan
sometimesengagedin.THEAUTHOR.
CHAPTERI
“Tom!”
Ei
Noanswer.“TOM!”
Noanswer.
“What’sgonewiththatboy,Iwonder?
YouTOM!”
Ei
Noanswer.Theoldladypulledherspectacles
alas
downandlookedoverthemabouttheroom;thensheputthem
ylös
upandlookedoutunderne
them.Sheseldomornever
katsonut
lookedthroughthemforsopieni
smallathingasapoika
boy;theywereherstatepair,theprideofherheart,andwerebuiltfor“style,”notservice—shecouldhave
nähdä
seenthroughapairofstove-lidsjustashyvin
well.Shelookedperplexedforamoment,
ja
andthensaid,notfiercely,mutta
butstillloudenoughforthefurnituretokuulla
hear:.“Well,IlayifI
saan
getholdofyouI’ll—”.Shedidnotfinish,forbythistimeshewasbending
alas
downandpunchingunderthebedwiththebroom,ja
andsosheneededbreathtopunctuatethepuncheswith.Sheresurrectednothingbutthecat.
“I
koskaan
neverdidseethebeatofthatboy!”She
meni
wenttotheopendoorja
andstoodinitandkatsoi
lookedoutamongthetomatovinesja
and“jimpson”weedsthatconstitutedthegarden.Ei
NoTom.Soshelifteduphervoiceatananglecalculatedfordistance
ja
andshouted:.“Y-o-u-uTOM!”
Therewasaslightnoisebehindherandsheturned
juuri
justintimetoseizeasmallboybytheslackofhisroundaboutandarresthisflight.“There!
Imight’a’
ajattelin
thoughtofthatcloset.Whatyoubeendoinginthere?”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing!
Katso
Lookatyourhands.And
katso
lookatyourmouth.Whatisthattruck?”
“Idon’t
tiedä
know,aunt.”“Well,Iknow.
It’sjam—that’swhatit
on
is.FortytimesI’vesaidifyoudidn’t
olen
letthatjamaloneI’dskinyou.Handmethatswitch.”
Theswitchhoveredintheair—theperilwasdesperate—.
“My!
Katso
Lookbehindyou,aunt!”The
vanha
oldladywhirledround,andsnatchedherskirtspois
outofdanger.Theladfledontheinstant,scrambled
ylös
upthehighboard-fence,anddisappearedyli
overit.HisauntPolly
seisoi
stoodsurprisedamoment,andthenbrokeintoagentlelaugh.“Hangtheboy,can’tI
koskaan
neverlearnanything?Ain’the
pelannut
playedmetricksenoughlikethatformetobelookingoutforhimbythistime?Mutta
Butoldfoolsisthebiggestfoolsthereis.Can’tlearnanolddognewtricks,asthe
sanoo
sayingis.Butmygoodness,he
koskaan
neverplaysthemalike,twodays,ja
andhowisabodytotietää
knowwhat’scoming?He’pearsto
tietää
knowjusthowlonghevoi
cantormentmebeforeIsaa
getmydanderup,andhetietää
knowsifhecanmakeouttoputmeoffforaminutetai
ormakemelaugh,it’skaikki
alldownagainandIcan’thithimalick.Iain’t
tee
doingmydutybythatpojan
boy,andthat’stheLord’stotuus
truth,goodnessknows.Sparetherod
ja
andspilethechild,astheHyvä
GoodBooksays.I’malayingupsin
ja
andsufferingforusboth,Itiedän
know.He’sfulloftheOldScratch,
mutta
butlaws-a-me!he’smyowndeadsister’s
poika
boy,poorthing,andIain’tgotthehearttolashhäntä
him,somehow.EverytimeI
päästän
lethimoff,myconsciencedoessatuttaa
hurtmeso,andeverytimeIhithimmyvanha
oldheartmostbreaks.Well-a-well,
mies
manthatisbornofwomanisoffewdaysandtäynnä
fulloftrouble,astheScripturesanoo
says,andIreckonit’sso.He’ll
leikkii
playhookeythisevening,[*]andI’lljustbeobleegedtomakehimtyöskentelemään
work,tomorrow,topunishhim.It’smighty
vaikea
hardtomakehimworkSaturdays,kun
whenalltheboysishavingholiday,mutta
buthehatesworkmorekuin
thanhehatesanythingelse,andI’vegottodosomeofmydutybyhim,tai
orI’llbetheruinationofthechild.”[*]Southwesternfor“afternoon”.
Tomdidplayhookey,
ja
andhehadaverygoodtime.Hegotback
kotiin
homebarelyinseasontoauttamaan
helpJim,thesmallcoloredboy,sawnext-day’swoodandsplitthekindlingsennen
beforesupper—atleasthewassiellä
thereintimetotellhisadventurestoJimkun
whileJimdidthree-fourthsofthework.Tom’syounger
veli
brother(orratherhalf-brother)Sidwasjo
alreadythroughwithhispartofthework(pickingupchips),forhewasahiljainen
quietboy,andhadnoadventurous,trouble-someways.Kun
WhileTomwaseatinghissupper,andstealingsugarasopportunityoffered,AuntPollykysyi
askedhimquestionsthatweretäynnä
fullofguile,andverydeep—forshehalusi
wantedtotraphimintodamagingrevealments.Like
monet
manyothersimple-heartedsouls,itwasherpetvanitytouskoi
believeshewasendowedwithatalentfordarkandmysteriousdiplomacy,andsherakasti
lovedtocontemplatehermosttransparentdevicesasmarvelsoflowcunning.Sanoi
Saidshe:.“Tom,itwasmiddlingwarminschool,warn’tit?”
“Yes’m.”
“Powerfulwarm,warn’tit?”
“Yes’m.”
“Didn’tyou
halunnut
wanttogoina-swimming,Tom?”Abitofascare
ampui
shotthroughTom—atouchofuncomfortablesuspicion.HesearchedAuntPolly’sface,
mutta
butittoldhimnothing.Sohe
sanoi
said:.“No’m—well,notverymuch.”
The
vanha
oldladyreachedoutherhandja
andfeltTom’sshirt,andsanoi
said:.“Butyouain’ttoowarmnow,though.”
Ja
Anditflatteredhertoreflectettä
thatshehaddiscoveredthattheshirtwasdrywithoutkukaan
anybodyknowingthatthatwaswhatsheoli
hadinhermind.Butinspiteofher,Tom
tiesi
knewwherethewindlay,nyt
now.Soheforestalledwhat
voisi
mightbethenextmove:.“Someofuspumpedonourheads—mine’sdampyet.
See?”
AuntPollywasvexedtothinkshe
oli
hadoverlookedthatbitofcircumstantialevidence,andmissedatrick.Thenshe
oli
hadanewinspiration:.“Tom,youdidn’thavetoundoyourshirtcollar
jossa
whereIsewedit,topumponyourhead,didyou?Unbuttonyourjacket!”
ThetroublevanishedoutofTom’sface.
He
avasi
openedhisjacket.Hisshirtcollarwassecurelysewed.
“Bother!
No
Well,go’longwithyou.I’dmadesureyou’dplayedhookey
ja
andbeena-swimming.ButIforgiveye,Tom.
Ireckonyou’reakindofasingedcat,asthe
sanoo
sayingis—better’nyoulook.Thistime.”
Shewashalfsorryhersagacity
oli
hadmiscarried,andhalfgladettä
thatTomhadstumbledintoobedientconductforonce.Mutta
ButSidneysaid:.“Well,now,
jos
ifIdidn’tthinkyousewedhiscollarwithwhitethread,mutta
butit’sblack.”“Why,Ididsewitwithwhite!
Tom!”
Mutta
ButTomdidnotwaitfortheloput
rest.Ashewentoutatthedoorhe
sanoi
said:.“Siddy,I’lllickyouforthat.”
InasafeplaceTomexaminedtwolargeneedles
jotka
whichwerethrustintothelapelsofhisjacket,andoli
hadthreadboundaboutthem—oneneedlecarriedvalkoinen
whitethreadandtheothermusta
black.Hesaid:.
“She’dnevernoticedifithadn’tbeenforSid.
Confoundit!
joskus
sometimesshesewsitwithwhite,ja
andsometimesshesewsitwithblack.Iwishtogee-minyshe’dsticktoone
tai
ort’other—Ican’tkeeptherunof’em.Mutta
ButIbetyouI’lllamSidforettä
that.I’lllearnhim!”
HewasnottheModelBoyofthevillage.
He
tunsi
knewthemodelboyverywellthough—andloathedhäntä
him.Withintwominutes,or
jopa
evenless,hehadforgottenkaikki
allhistroubles.Notbecausehistroubleswereonewhitlessheavyandbittertohimthanaman’saretoaman,butbecausea
uusi
newandpowerfulinterestborethemalas
downanddrovethemoutofhismindforthetime—justasmen’smisfortunesareforgottenintheexcitementofuusi
newenterprises.Thisnewinterestwasavaluednoveltyinwhistling,whichhe
oli
hadjustacquiredfromanegro,ja
andhewassufferingtopractiseitundisturbed.Itconsistedinapeculiarbird-liketurn,asortofliquidwarble,producedbytouchingthetonguetotheroofofthemouthatshortintervalsinthemidstofthemusic—thereader
luultavasti
probablyremembershowtodose
it,ifhehaseverbeenapoika
boy.Diligenceandattentionsoon
antoivat
gavehimtheknackofit,andhestrodedownthekadulla
streetwithhismouthfullofharmonyandhissoultäynnä
fullofgratitude.Hefeltmuchasanastronomerfeels
joka
whohasdiscoveredanewplanet—nodoubt,asfarasstrong,deep,unalloyedpleasureisconcerned,theadvantagewaswiththepoika
boy,nottheastronomer.Thesummereveningswerelong.
Itwasnotdark,yet.
PresentlyTom
tarkisti
checkedhiswhistle.Astrangerwasbeforehim—a
poika
boyashadelargerthanhimself.Anew-comerof
tahansa
anyageoreithersexwasanimpressivecuriosityinthepoorlittleshabbyvillageofSt.Petersburg.Tämä
Thisboywaswelldressed,too—welldressedonaweek-day.Tämä
Thiswassimplyastounding.Hiscapwasadainty
asia
thing,hisclose-buttonedblueclothroundaboutwasuusi
newandnatty,andsowerehispantaloons.He
oli
hadshoeson—anditwasonlyFriday.He
jopa
evenworeanecktie,abrightbitofribbon.He
oli
hadacitifiedairabouthimthatsöi
ateintoTom’svitals.The
enemmän
moreTomstaredatthesplendidmarvel,sitä
thehigherheturneduphisnoseathisfineryja
andtheshabbierandshabbierhisownoutfitseemedtohimtogrow.Neither
poika
boyspoke.Ifonemoved,theothermoved—but
vain
onlysidewise,inacircle;theykeptfacetoface
ja
andeyetoeyealltheajan
time.FinallyTomsaid:.
“Icanlickyou!”
“I’dliketo
nähdä
seeyoutryit.”“Well,Icandoit.”
“Noyoucan’t,either.”
“YesIcan.”
“Noyoucan’t.”
“Ican.”
“Youcan’t.”
“Can!”
“Can’t!”
Anuncomfortablepause.
ThenTom
sanoi
said:.“What’syourname?”
“’Tisn’tanyofyourbusiness,maybe.”
“WellI’lowI’ll
teen
makeitmybusiness.”“Wellwhydon’tyou?”
“Ifyou
sanot
saymuch,Iwill.”“Much—much—much.
Therenow.”
“Oh,youthinkyou’remightysmart,don’tyou?
I
voisin
couldlickyouwithonekädellä
handtiedbehindme,ifIhaluaisin
wantedto.”“Wellwhydon’tyou
tee
doit?Yousayyoucandoit.”
“WellIwill,
jos
ifyoufoolwithme.”“Ohyes—I’veseenwholefamiliesinthe
samassa
samefix.”“Smarty!
Youthinkyou’resome,now,don’tyou?
Oh,whatahat!”
“You
voit
canlumpthathatifyoudon’tpidä
likeit.Idareyoutoknockitoff—and
kuka tahansa
anybodythat’lltakeadarewillsuckeggs.”“You’realiar!”
“You’reanother.”
“You’rea
taisteleva
fightingliaranddasn’ttakeitup.”“Aw—takeawalk!”
“Say—ifyou
annat
givememuchmoreofyoursassI’llotan
takeandbouncearockoff’nyourhead.”“Oh,ofcourseyouwill.”
“WellIwill.”
“Wellwhydon’tyou
tee
doitthen?Whatdoyoukeep
sanot
sayingyouwillfor?Whydon’tyou
tee
doit?It’sbecauseyou’reafraid.”
“Iain’tafraid.”
“Youare.”
“Iain’t.”
“Youare.”
Anotherpause,
ja
andmoreeyingandsidlingaroundeachother.Presentlytheywereshouldertoshoulder.
Tom
sanoi
said:.“Getawayfromhere!”
“Go
pois
awayyourself!”“Iwon’t.”
“Iwon’teither.”
Sothey
seisoivat
stood,eachwithafootplacedatanangleasabrace,ja
andbothshovingwithmightja
andmain,andgloweringatkukin
eachotherwithhate.Butneithercould
saanut
getanadvantage.Afterstrugglingtill
molemmat
bothwerehotandflushed,eachrelaxedhisstrainwithwatchfulcaution,ja
andTomsaid:.“You’reacoward
ja
andapup.I’lltellmybigbrotheronyou,
ja
andhecanthrashyouwithhispikku
littlefinger,andI’llmakehimtekemään
doit,too.”“WhatdoIcareforyourbigbrother?
I’vegota
veli
brotherthat’sbiggerthanheis—andwhat’smore,hevoi
canthrowhimoverthatfence,too.“That’salie.”