PREFACE
Mostoftheadventuresrecordedin
este
thisbookreallyoccurred;one
o
ortwowereexperiencesofmyown,theresto
restthoseofboyswhowereschoolmatesofmías
mine.HuckFinnisdrawnfrom
vida
life;TomSawyeralso,butnotfromanindividual—heisacombinationofthecharacteristicsof
tres
threeboyswhomIknew,y
andthereforebelongstothecompositeorden
orderofarchitecture.Theoddsuperstitionstoucheduponwere
todas
allprevalentamongchildrenandslavesintheWestattheperiodofesta
thisstory—thatistosay,thirtyo
orfortyyearsago.Althoughmy
libro
bookisintendedmainlyforlos
theentertainmentofboysandgirls,Iespero
hopeitwillnotbeshunnedbymeny
andwomenonthataccount,forparte
partofmyplanhasbeentotratar
trytopleasantlyremindadultsofwhattheyuna vez
oncewerethemselves,andofcómo
howtheyfeltandthoughty
andtalked,andwhatqueerenterprisestheysometimesengagedin.El
THEAUTHOR.CHAPTERI
“Tom!”
No
Noanswer.“TOM!”
Noanswer.
“What’sgone
con
withthatboy,Iwonder?YouTOM!”
No
Noanswer.Theoldladypulledherspectaclesdown
y
andlookedoverthemaboutla
theroom;thensheputthem
arriba
upandlookedoutunderthem.Sheseldom
o
orneverlookedthroughthemforsosmallathingasaniño
boy;theywereherstatepair,
el
theprideofherheart,y
andwerebuiltfor“style,”notservice—shepodría
couldhaveseenthroughapairofstove-lidsjustasbien
well.Shelookedperplexedfor
un
amoment,andthensaid,notfiercely,pero
butstillloudenoughforlos
thefurnituretohear:.“Well,Ilay
si
ifIgetholdofyouI’ll—”.Shedidnotfinish,forbythis
momento
timeshewasbendingdowny
andpunchingunderthebedcon
withthebroom,andsoshenecesitaba
neededbreathtopunctuatethepunchescon
with.Sheresurrectednothingbut
el
thecat.“Ineverdid
vi
seethebeatofthatboy!”Shewenttotheopen
puerta
doorandstoodinity
andlookedoutamongthetomatovinesy
and“jimpson”weedsthatconstitutedthegarden.No
NoTom.Soshelifteduphervoiceat
un
ananglecalculatedfordistancey
andshouted:.“Y-o-u-uTOM!”
Therewas
un
aslightnoisebehindhery
andsheturnedjustintiempo
timetoseizeasmallniño
boybytheslackofhisroundabouty
andarresthisflight.“There!
I
podría
might’a’thoughtofthatcloset.Whatyoubeen
haciendo
doinginthere?”“Nothing.”
“Nothing!
Mira
Lookatyourhands.And
mira
lookatyourmouth.Whatis
ese
thattruck?”“Idon’tknow,aunt.”
“Well,I
sé
know.It’sjam—that’swhatit
es
is.FortytimesI’vesaid
si
ifyoudidn’tletthatjampaz
aloneI’dskinyou.Handme
ese
thatswitch.”Theswitchhoveredin
el
theair—theperilwasdesperate—.“My!
Mira
Lookbehindyou,aunt!”Theoldladywhirledround,
y
andsnatchedherskirtsoutofdanger.Theladfledontheinstant,scrambledupthe
alto
highboard-fence,anddisappearedoverit.HisauntPollystoodsurprisedamoment,
y
andthenbrokeintoagentlelaugh.“Hangtheboy,can’tInever
aprender
learnanything?Ain’theplayedmetricksenough
como
likethatformetobelookingoutforhimbyeste
thistime?Butoldfoolsis
los
thebiggestfoolsthereis.Can’tlearn
un
anolddognewtricks,asel
thesayingis.Butmygoodness,he
nunca
neverplaysthemalike,twodays,y
andhowisabodytosaber
knowwhat’scoming?He’pearstoknowjusthow
tiempo
longhecantormentmebeforeIgetmydanderup,y
andheknowsifhepuede
canmakeouttoputmede
offforaminuteormakemelaugh,it’stodo
alldownagainandIcan’thithimun
alick.Iain’tdoingmydutybythat
chico
boy,andthat’stheLord’struth,goodnesssabe
knows.Sparetherodandspilethe
niño
child,astheGoodBookdice
says.I’malayingupsin
y
andsufferingforusboth,Isé
know.He’sfullofthe
Viejo
OldScratch,butlaws-a-me!he’smy
tengo
owndeadsister’sboy,poorthing,y
andIain’tgotthecorazón
hearttolashhim,somehow.Cada
EverytimeIlethimoff,myconsciencedoesduele
hurtmeso,andeverytimeIgolpeo
hithimmyoldheartmostrompe
breaks.Well-a-well,manthatisbornof
mujer
womanisoffewdaysy
andfulloftrouble,astheScripturedice
says,andIreckonit’sso.He’llplayhookey
esta
thisevening,[*]andI’lljustbeobleegedtomakehimtrabajar
work,tomorrow,topunishhim.It’smighty
difícil
hardtomakehimworkSaturdays,cuando
whenalltheboysistengo
havingholiday,buthehatesworkmás
morethanhehatesanythingelse,y
andI’vegottodosomeofmydutybyhim,o
orI’llbetheruinationofthechild.”[*]Southwesternfor“afternoon”.
Tom
hizo
didplayhookey,andhehadamuy
verygoodtime.Hegotback
casa
homebarelyinseasontoayudar
helpJim,thesmallcoloredniño
boy,sawnext-day’swoodandsplitthekindlingsbeforesupper—atmenos
leasthewasthereintiempo
timetotellhisadventurestoJimmientras
whileJimdidthree-fourthsofthetrabajo
work.Tom’syoungerbrother(orratherhalf-brother)Sidwasalreadythrough
con
withhispartofthetrabajo
work(pickingupchips),forhewasun
aquietboy,andhadno
noadventurous,trouble-someways.WhileTomwas
comiendo
eatinghissupper,andstealingsugarasopportunityoffered,AuntPollypreguntas
askedhimquestionsthatwerefullofguile,y
andverydeep—forshewantedtotraphimintodamagingrevealments.Likemanyothersimple-heartedsouls,itwasherpetvanityto
creer
believeshewasendowedwithun
atalentfordarkandmysteriousdiplomacy,y
andshelovedtocontemplatehermás
mosttransparentdevicesasmarvelsoflowcunning.Dijo
Saidshe:.“Tom,itwasmiddlingwarmin
escuela
school,warn’tit?”“Yes’m.”
“Powerfulwarm,warn’tit?”
“Yes’m.”
“Didn’tyou
querías
wanttogoina-swimming,Tom?”Un
Abitofascaredisparo
shotthroughTom—atouchofuncomfortablesuspicion.HesearchedAuntPolly’s
rostro
face,butittoldhimnada
nothing.Sohesaid:.
“No’m—well,notverymuch.”
La
Theoldladyreachedouthermano
handandfeltTom’sshirt,y
andsaid:.“Butyouain’ttoowarm
ahora
now,though.”Anditflatteredhertoreflect
eso
thatshehaddiscoveredthatla
theshirtwasdrywithoutnadie
anybodyknowingthatthatwaswhatshehadinhermente
mind.Butinspiteof
ella
her,Tomknewwherethewindlay,ahora
now.Soheforestalledwhat
podría
mightbethenextmove:.“Someofuspumpedonourheads—mine’sdampyet.
See?”
AuntPollywasvexedto
pensar
thinkshehadoverlookedthatpoco
bitofcircumstantialevidence,andperdió
missedatrick.Thenshe
tuvo
hadanewinspiration:.“Tom,youdidn’t
tenías
havetoundoyourshirtcollardonde
whereIsewedit,topumponyourcabeza
head,didyou?Unbuttonyourjacket!”
The
problema
troublevanishedoutofTom’scara
face.Heopenedhisjacket.
Hisshirtcollarwassecurelysewed.
“Bother!
Well,
vete
go’longwithyou.I’dmadesureyou’dplayedhookey
y
andbeena-swimming.ButIforgiveye,Tom.
Ireckonyou’re
una
akindofasingedcat,asel
thesayingis—better’nyoulook.Esta
Thistime.”Shewashalfsorryhersagacity
hubiera
hadmiscarried,andhalfgladthatTomhubiera
hadstumbledintoobedientconductforuna vez
once.ButSidneysaid:.
“Well,
ahora
now,ifIdidn’tthinkyousewedhiscollarcon
withwhitethread,butit’sblack.”“Why,Ididsewit
con
withwhite!Tom!”
ButTomdidnot
esperó
waitfortherest.Ashewentoutat
la
thedoorhesaid:.“Siddy,I’lllickyouforthat.”
Ina
seguro
safeplaceTomexaminedtwolargeneedleswhichwerethrustintothelapelsofhisjacket,y
andhadthreadboundaboutthem—oneneedlecarriedblanco
whitethreadandtheothernegro
black.Hesaid:.
“She’dnevernoticed
si
ifithadn’tbeenforSid.Confoundit!
sometimesshesewsit
con
withwhite,andsometimesshesewsitcon
withblack.Iwishtogee-minyshe’dstickto
uno
oneort’other—Ican’tkeepla
therunof’em.ButIbetyouI’lllamSidfor
eso
that.I’lllearnhim!”
Hewasnot
el
theModelBoyofthevillage.He
conocía
knewthemodelboyverybien
wellthough—andloathedhim.Within
dos
twominutes,orevenless,hehabía
hadforgottenallhistroubles.Not
porque
becausehistroubleswereonewhitlessheavyy
andbittertohimthanaman’saretoahombre
man,butbecauseanewy
andpowerfulinterestborethemdowny
anddrovethemoutofhismente
mindforthetime—justasmen’smisfortunesareolvidan
forgottenintheexcitementofnuevo
newenterprises.Thisnewinterestwasavaluednoveltyinwhistling,whichhehadjustacquiredfromanegro,
y
andhewassufferingtopractiseitundisturbed.Itconsistedinapeculiarbird-like
giro
turn,asortofliquidwarble,producedbytocar
touchingthetonguetotheroofofthemouthatshortintervalsinthemidstofthemusic—thereaderprobablemente
probablyremembershowtodoit,si
ifhehaseverbeenaniño
boy.Diligenceandattentionsoon
dieron
gavehimtheknackofit,y
andhestrodedownthecalle
streetwithhismouthfullofharmonyy
andhissoulfullofgratitude.He
sentía
feltmuchasanastronomersentía
feelswhohasdiscoveredanuevo
newplanet—nodoubt,asfarasstrong,deep,unalloyedpleasureisconcerned,theadvantagewascon
withtheboy,nottheastronomer.Las
Thesummereveningswerelong.Itwasnotdark,
todavía
yet.PresentlyTomcheckedhiswhistle.
Astrangerwasbeforehim—a
niño
boyashadelargerthanhimself.Anew-comerof
cualquier
anyageoreithersexwasanimpressivecuriosityinel
thepoorlittleshabbyvillageofSt.Petersburg.Este
Thisboywaswelldressed,too—welldressedonun
aweek-day.Thiswassimplyastounding.
Hiscapwas
una
adaintything,hisclose-buttonedblueclothroundaboutwasnewy
andnatty,andsowerehispantaloons.He
tenía
hadshoeson—anditwassólo
onlyFriday.Heevenworeanecktie,abrightbitofribbon.
He
tenía
hadacitifiedairabouthimthatcomía
ateintoTom’svitals.The
más
moreTomstaredatthesplendidmarvel,la
thehigherheturneduphisnoseathisfineryy
andtheshabbierandshabbierhispropio
ownoutfitseemedtohimtogrow.Neitherboy
habló
spoke.Ifonemoved,the
otro
othermoved—butonlysidewise,inacircle;they
mantuvieron
keptfacetofaceandeyetoeyetodo
allthetime.FinallyTom
dijo
said:.“Icanlickyou!”
“I’d
gustaría
liketoseeyoutryit.”“Well,I
puedo
candoit.”“Noyoucan’t,either.”
“YesIcan.”
“Noyoucan’t.”
“Ican.”
“Youcan’t.”
“Can!”
“Can’t!”
Una
Anuncomfortablepause.ThenTom
dijo
said:.“What’syourname?”
“’Tisn’tanyofyourbusiness,maybe.”
“WellI’lowI’ll
haré
makeitmybusiness.”“Well
por qué
whydon’tyou?”“Ifyou
dices
saymuch,Iwill.”“Much—much—much.
Therenow.”
“Oh,you
crees
thinkyou’remightysmart,don’tyou?I
podría
couldlickyouwithonemano
handtiedbehindme,ifIquisiera
wantedto.”“Wellwhydon’tyou
haces
doit?Yousayyou
puedes
candoit.”“WellIwill,
si
ifyoufoolwithme.”“Ohyes—I’ve
visto
seenwholefamiliesinthesamefix.”“Smarty!
You
crees
thinkyou’resome,now,don’tyou?Oh,whatahat!”
“You
puedes
canlumpthathatifyoudon’tgusta
likeit.Idareyoutoknockitoff—and
cualquiera
anybodythat’lltakeadarewillsuckeggs.”“You’re
un
aliar!”“You’reanother.”
“You’re
un
afightingliaranddasn’ttakeitup.”“Aw—take
un
awalk!”“Say—ifyougivememuch
más
moreofyoursassI’lltomaré
takeandbouncearockoff’nyourhead.”“Oh,of
supuesto
courseyouwill.”“WellIwill.”
“Well
por qué
whydon’tyoudoitthen?What
harás
doyoukeepsayingyouwillpor
for?Whydon’tyoudoit?
It’s
porque
becauseyou’reafraid.”“Iain’tafraid.”
“Youare.”
“Iain’t.”
“Youare.”
Anotherpause,
y
andmoreeyingandsidlingalrededor
aroundeachother.Presentlytheywereshouldertoshoulder.
Tom
dijo
said:.“Getawayfromhere!”
“Goawayyourself!”
“Iwon’t.”
“Iwon’teither.”
Sothey
soporte
stood,eachwithafootcolocado
placedatanangleasabrace,y
andbothshovingwithmighty
andmain,andgloweringateachotro
otherwithhate.Butneither
podía
couldgetanadvantage.Afterstrugglingtill
ambos
bothwerehotandflushed,eachrelaxedhisstraincon
withwatchfulcaution,andTomdijo
said:.“You’reacowardand
un
apup.I’lltellmybig
hermano
brotheronyou,andhepuede
canthrashyouwithhislittlefinger,y
andI’llmakehimdoit,too.”“WhatdoI
importa
careforyourbigbrother?I’vegot
un
abrotherthat’sbiggerthanheis—andwhat’smás
more,hecanthrowhimoveresa
thatfence,too.“That’salie.”