PREFACE
Mostoftheadventuresrecordedinthis
buch
bookreallyoccurred;oneor
zwei
twowereexperiencesofmyown,die
therestthoseofboyswhowereschoolmatesofmine.HuckFinnisdrawnfrom
leben
life;TomSawyeralso,butnotfromanindividual—heisacombinationofthecharacteristicsof
drei
threeboyswhomIknew,und
andthereforebelongstothecompositeordnung
orderofarchitecture.Theoddsuperstitionstoucheduponwere
alle
allprevalentamongchildrenandslavesintheWestattheperiodofdieser
thisstory—thatistosay,thirtyorfortyyearsvor
ago.Althoughmybookisintendedmainlyfor
die
theentertainmentofboysandgirls,Ihoffe
hopeitwillnotbeshunnedbymenund
andwomenonthataccount,forteil
partofmyplanhasbeentoversuchen
trytopleasantlyremindadultsofwhattheyeinst
oncewerethemselves,andofhowtheyfühlten
feltandthoughtandtalked,und
andwhatqueerenterprisestheymanchmal
sometimesengagedin.THEAUTHOR.
CHAPTERI
“Tom!”
No
antwort
answer.“TOM!”
Noanswer.
“What’sgonewiththatboy,Iwonder?
YouTOM!”
No
antwort
answer.Theoldladypulledherspectaclesdown
und
andlookedoverthemabouttheraum
room;thensheputthem
hoch
upandlookedoutunderthem.Sheseldomor
nie
neverlookedthroughthemforsosmallasache
thingasaboy;theywereherstatepair,theprideofherheart,
und
andwerebuiltfor“style,”notservice—shekönnen
couldhaveseenthroughapairofstove-lidsjustasgut
well.Shelookedperplexedfora
moment
moment,andthensaid,notfiercely,aber
butstillloudenoughfordie
thefurnituretohear:.“Well,Ilay
wenn
ifIgetholdofyouI’ll—”.Shedidnotfinish,forby
dieser
thistimeshewasbendingdownund
andpunchingunderthebedwithdie
thebroom,andsoshebrauchte
neededbreathtopunctuatethepuncheswith.Sheresurrected
nichts
nothingbutthecat.“I
nie
neverdidseethebeatofthatboy!”She
ging
wenttotheopendoorund
andstoodinitandlookedaus
outamongthetomatovinesund
and“jimpson”weedsthatconstitutedthegarden.Nein
NoTom.Soshelifteduphervoiceatananglecalculatedfordistance
und
andshouted:.“Y-o-u-uTOM!”
Therewas
ein
aslightnoisebehindherund
andsheturnedjustintimetoseizeein
asmallboybytheslackofhisroundaboutund
andarresthisflight.“There!
I
könnte
might’a’thoughtofthatcloset.Whatyoubeen
gemacht
doinginthere?”“Nothing.”
“Nothing!
Lookatyourhands.
Und
Andlookatyourmouth.Whatisthattruck?”
“Idon’tknow,aunt.”
“Well,Iknow.
It’sjam—that’swhatitis.
FortytimesI’vesaid
wenn
ifyoudidn’tletthatjamaloneI’dskinyou.Handmethatswitch.”
Theswitchhoveredintheair—theperilwasdesperate—.
“My!
Lookbehindyou,aunt!”
Theold
dame
ladywhirledround,andsnatchedherskirtsaus
outofdanger.Theladfledontheinstant,scrambledupthehighboard-fence,
und
anddisappearedoverit.HisauntPollystoodsurprised
ein
amoment,andthenbrokeintoein
agentlelaugh.“Hangtheboy,can’tI
nie
neverlearnanything?Ain’theplayedmetricks
genug
enoughlikethatformetobelookingoutforhimbythistime?Aber
Butoldfoolsisthebiggestfoolsthereis.Can’tlearnanold
hund
dognewtricks,asthesayingis.Aber
Butmygoodness,heneverplaysthemalike,zwei
twodays,andhowisein
abodytoknowwhat’scoming?He’pearsto
wissen
knowjusthowlonghekann
cantormentmebeforeIbringen
getmydanderup,andheknowswenn
ifhecanmakeouttoputmeoffforeine
aminuteormakemelaugh,it’sallunten
downagainandIcan’tschlagen
hithimalick.Iain’tdoingmydutybythatboy,
und
andthat’stheLord’struth,goodnessknows.Sparetherod
und
andspilethechild,astheGoodBooksays.I’malayingupsin
und
andsufferingforusboth,Iknow.He’sfulloftheOldScratch,
aber
butlaws-a-me!he’smyowndeadsister’sboy,poorthing,
und
andIain’tgottheherz
hearttolashhim,somehow.EverytimeIlethimoff,myconsciencedoes
verletzt
hurtmeso,andeverytimeIschlage
hithimmyoldheartmeisten
mostbreaks.Well-a-well,manthatisbornof
frau
womanisoffewdaysund
andfulloftrouble,astheScripturesays,und
andIreckonit’sso.He’llplayhookeythisevening,[*]
und
andI’lljustbeobleegedtomakehimarbeit
work,tomorrow,topunishhim.It’smighty
schwer
hardtomakehimworkSaturdays,whenalle
alltheboysishavingholiday,aber
buthehatesworkmorethanhehasst
hatesanythingelse,andI’vegottodosomeofmydutybyihn
him,orI’llbetheruinationofder
thechild.”[*]Southwesternfor“afternoon”.
Tomdidplayhookey,
und
andhehadaverygoodzeit
time.Hegotbackhomebarelyinseasonto
helfen
helpJim,thesmallcoloredboy,sawnext-day’swoodund
andsplitthekindlingsbeforesupper—atleasthewasda
thereintimetotellhisadventurestoJimwährend
whileJimdidthree-fourthsofthearbeit
work.Tom’syoungerbrother(orratherhalf-brother)Sidwas
bereits
alreadythroughwithhispartofder
thework(pickingupchips),forhewasein
aquietboy,andhadnoadventurous,trouble-someways.Während
WhileTomwaseatinghissupper,und
andstealingsugarasopportunityoffered,AuntPollyaskedhimquestionsthatwerefullofguile,und
andverydeep—forshewantedtotraphimintodamagingrevealments.Like
viele
manyothersimple-heartedsouls,itwasherpetvanitytoglauben
believeshewasendowedwithatalentfordarkund
andmysteriousdiplomacy,andshelovedtocontemplatehermosttransparentdevicesasmarvelsoflowcunning.Saidshe:.
“Tom,itwasmiddlingwarmin
schule
school,warn’tit?”“Yes’m.”
“Powerfulwarm,warn’tit?”
“Yes’m.”
“Didn’tyouwantto
gehen
goina-swimming,Tom?”Abitof
ein
ascareshotthroughTom—atouchofuncomfortablesuspicion.HesearchedAuntPolly’s
gesicht
face,butittoldhimnichts
nothing.Sohesaid:.
“No’m—well,notverymuch.”
Die
Theoldladyreachedoutherhand
handandfeltTom’sshirt,und
andsaid:.“Butyouain’ttoowarm
jetzt
now,though.”Anditflatteredhertoreflect
dass
thatshehaddiscoveredthatdas
theshirtwasdrywithoutjemand
anybodyknowingthatthatwaswhatshehadinhermind.Aber
Butinspiteofher,Tomknewwo
wherethewindlay,now.Soheforestalledwhat
könnte
mightbethenextmove:.“Someofuspumpedonourheads—mine’sdampyet.
See?”
AuntPollywasvexedto
dachte
thinkshehadoverlookedthatbitofcircumstantialevidence,und
andmissedatrick.Thenshehad
eine
anewinspiration:.“Tom,youdidn’thavetoundoyourshirtcollar
wo
whereIsewedit,topumponyourkopf
head,didyou?Unbuttonyourjacket!”
Der
ThetroublevanishedoutofTom’sgesicht
face.Heopenedhisjacket.
Hisshirtcollarwassecurelysewed.
“Bother!
Nun
Well,go’longwithyou.I’dmadesureyou’dplayedhookey
und
andbeena-swimming.ButIforgiveye,Tom.
Ireckonyou’re
eine
akindofasingedcat,asthesayingis—better’nyoulook.Dieses
Thistime.”Shewashalf
traurig
sorryhersagacityhadmiscarried,und
andhalfgladthatTomhadstumbledintoobedientconductforeinmal
once.ButSidneysaid:.
“Well,now,
wenn
ifIdidn’tthinkyousewedhiscollarwithwhitethread,aber
butit’sblack.”“Why,Ididsewitwith
weiß
white!Tom!”
ButTomdidnot
gewartet
waitfortherest.Ashewentoutat
der
thedoorhesaid:.“Siddy,I’lllickyouforthat.”
In
eine
asafeplaceTomexaminedzwei
twolargeneedleswhichwerethrustintodie
thelapelsofhisjacket,und
andhadthreadboundaboutthem—oneneedlecarriedwhitethreadund
andtheotherblack.Hesaid:.
“She’d
nie
nevernoticedifithadn’tbeenforSid.Confoundit!
manchmal
sometimesshesewsitwithweiß
white,andsometimesshesewsitwithschwarz
black.Iwishtogee-minyshe’dstickto
eine
oneort’other—Ican’tkeepdas
therunof’em.ButIbetyouI’lllamSidforthat.
I’lllearnhim!”
Hewasnot
der
theModelBoyofthevillage.Heknew
den
themodelboyverywellthough—andloathedihn
him.Withintwominutes,or
sogar
evenless,hehadforgottenalle
allhistroubles.Notbecausehistroubleswereonewhitlessheavy
und
andbittertohimthanein
aman’saretoamann
man,butbecauseanewund
andpowerfulinterestborethemdownund
anddrovethemoutofhisverstand
mindforthetime—justasmen’smisfortunesareforgottenintheexcitementofnewenterprises.Dieses
Thisnewinterestwasavaluednoveltyinwhistling,whichhehadgerade
justacquiredfromanegro,und
andhewassufferingtopractiseitundisturbed.Itconsistedin
ein
apeculiarbird-liketurn,aart
sortofliquidwarble,producedbytouchingthetonguetotheroofofthemouthatshortintervalsinthemidstofthemusic—thereaderwahrscheinlich
probablyremembershowtodoes
it,ifhehaseverbeenein
aboy.Diligenceandattention
bald
soongavehimtheknackofit,und
andhestrodedownthestraße
streetwithhismouthfullofharmonyund
andhissoulfullofgratitude.He
fühlte
feltmuchasanastronomerfühlte
feelswhohasdiscoveredanewplanet—nodoubt,asfarasstrong,deep,unalloyedpleasureisconcerned,theadvantagewaswiththeboy,nottheastronomer.Die
Thesummereveningswerelong.Itwasnotdark,yet.
PresentlyTomcheckedhiswhistle.
Ein
Astrangerwasbeforehim—ajunge
boyashadelargerthanhimself.Anew-comerofanyageoreithersexwasanimpressivecuriosityinthepoorlittleshabbyvillageofSt.Petersburg.
Dieser
Thisboywaswelldressed,too—welldressedonaweek-day.Thiswassimplyastounding.
Hiscapwas
ein
adaintything,hisclose-buttonedblueclothroundaboutwasneu
newandnatty,andsowerehispantaloons.Hehadshoeson—anditwasonlyFriday.
He
sogar
evenworeanecktie,abrightbitofribbon.Hehad
eine
acitifiedairabouthimthatateintoTom’svitals.Das
ThemoreTomstaredatdas
thesplendidmarvel,thehigherhewandte
turneduphisnoseathisfineryund
andtheshabbierandshabbierhisownoutfitseemedtohimtogrow.Neitherboyspoke.
Wenn
Ifonemoved,theothermoved—butnur
onlysidewise,inacircle;theykeptfacetoface
und
andeyetoeyealldie
thetime.FinallyTomsaid:.
“I
kann
canlickyou!”“I’dliketo
sehen
seeyoutryit.”“Well,I
kann
candoit.”“Noyoucan’t,either.”
“YesIcan.”
“Noyoucan’t.”
“Ican.”
“Youcan’t.”
“Can!”
“Can’t!”
Eine
Anuncomfortablepause.ThenTomsaid:.
“What’syourname?”
“’Tisn’tanyofyourbusiness,maybe.”
“WellI’lowI’llmakeitmybusiness.”
“Well
warum
whydon’tyou?”“Ifyousay
viel
much,Iwill.”“Much—much—much.
Therenow.”
“Oh,youthinkyou’remightysmart,don’tyou?
I
könnte
couldlickyouwithonehand
handtiedbehindme,ifIwantedto.”“Well
warum
whydon’tyoudoit?Yousayyou
kannst
candoit.”“WellI
werde
will,ifyoufoolwithme.”“Ohyes—I’ve
gesehen
seenwholefamiliesinthesamefix.”“Smarty!
You
denkst
thinkyou’resome,now,don’tyou?Oh,what
ein
ahat!”“Youcanlumpthathat
wenn
ifyoudon’tlikeit.Idareyoutoknockitoff—andanybodythat’lltakeadare
wird
willsuckeggs.”“You’realiar!”
“You’reanother.”
“You’re
ein
afightingliaranddasn’ttakeitup.”“Aw—takeawalk!”
“Say—ifyougivememuchmoreofyoursassI’lltake
und
andbouncearockoff’nyourhead.”“Oh,ofcourseyouwill.”
“WellIwill.”
“Well
warum
whydon’tyoudoitthen?What
tun
doyoukeepsayingyouwirst
willfor?Whydon’tyou
tust
doit?It’sbecauseyou’reafraid.”
“Iain’tafraid.”
“Youare.”
“Iain’t.”
“Youare.”
Anotherpause,
und
andmoreeyingandsidlingaroundeachother.Presentlytheywereshouldertoshoulder.
Tomsaid:.
“Getawayfromhere!”
“Go
weg
awayyourself!”“Iwon’t.”
“Iwon’teither.”
Sotheystood,
jeder
eachwithafootplacedatanangleasabrace,und
andbothshovingwithmightund
andmain,andgloweringatjeder
eachotherwithhate.Butneither
konnte
couldgetanadvantage.Afterstrugglingtill
beide
bothwerehotandflushed,jeder
eachrelaxedhisstrainwithwatchfulcaution,und
andTomsaid:.“You’reacoward
und
andapup.I’lltellmybig
bruder
brotheronyou,andhekann
canthrashyouwithhislittlefinger,und
andI’llmakehimdoes
it,too.”“WhatdoIcareforyourbig
bruder
brother?I’vegotabrotherthat’sbigger
als
thanheis—andwhat’smore,hekann
canthrowhimoverthatfence,auch
too.“That’salie.”