English
THEdoctorwasanoldman;averynice,kind-lookingoldmanwhenIgothimup.
ItoldhimmeandmybrotherwasoveronSpanishIslandhuntingyesterdayafternoon,andcampedonapieceofaraftwefound,andaboutmidnighthemustakickedhisguninhisdreams,foritwentoffandshothimintheleg,andwewantedhimtogooverthereandfixitandnotsaynothingaboutit,norletanybodyknow,becausewewantedtocomehomethiseveningandsurprisethefolks.
“Whoisyourfolks?”hesays.
“ThePhelpses,downyonder.”
“Oh,”hesays.Andafteraminute,hesays:
“How’dyousayhegotshot?”
“Hehadadream,”Isays,“anditshothim.”
“Singulardream,”hesays.
Sohelituphislantern,andgothissaddle-bags,andwestarted.
Butwhenheseesthecanoehedidn’tlikethelookofher–saidshewasbigenoughforone,butdidn’tlookprettysafefortwo.Isays:
“Oh,youneedn’tbeafeard,sir,shecarriedthethreeofuseasyenough.”
“Whatthree?”
“Why,meandSid,and–and–andTHEGUNS;that’swhatImean.”
“Oh,”hesays.
Butheputhisfootonthegunnelandrockedher,andshookhishead,andsaidhereckonedhe’dlookaroundforabiggerone.
Buttheywasalllockedandchained;sohetookmycanoe,andsaidformetowaittillhecomeback,orIcouldhuntaroundfurther,ormaybeIbettergodownhomeandgetthemreadyforthesurpriseifIwantedto.
ButIsaidIdidn’t;soItoldhimjusthowtofindtheraft,andthenhestarted.
Istruckanideaprettysoon.Isaystomyself,spos’nhecan’tfixthatlegjustinthreeshakesofasheep’stail,asthesayingis?spos’nittakeshimthreeorfourdays?Whatarewegoingtodo?
–layaroundtheretillheletsthecatoutofthebag?No,sir;IknowwhatI’LLdo.
I’llwait,andwhenhecomesbackifhesayshe’sgottogoanymoreI’llgetdownthere,too,ifIswim;andwe’lltakeandtiehim,andkeephim,andshoveoutdowntheriver;andwhenTom’sdonewithhimwe’llgivehimwhatit’sworth,orallwegot,andthenlethimgetashore.
SothenIcreptintoalumber-piletogetsomesleep;andnexttimeIwakedupthesunwasawayupovermyhead!
Ishotoutandwentforthedoctor’shouse,buttheytoldmehe’dgoneawayinthenightsometimeorother,andwarn’tbackyet.
Well,thinksI,thatlookspowerfulbadforTom,andI’lldigoutfortheislandrightoff.
SoawayIshoved,andturnedthecorner,andnearlyrammedmyheadintoUncleSilas’sstomach!Hesays:
“Why,TOM!Whereyoubeenallthistime,yourascal?”
“Ihain’tbeennowheres,”Isays,“onlyjusthuntingfortherunawaynigger–meandSid.”
“Why,whereeverdidyougo?”hesays.“Youraunt’sbeenmightyuneasy.”
“Sheneedn’t,”Isays,“becausewewasallright.
Wefollowedthemenandthedogs,buttheyoutrunus,andwelostthem;butwethoughtweheardthemonthewater,sowegotacanoeandtookoutafterthemandcrossedover,butcouldn’tfindnothingofthem;sowecruisedalongup-shoretillwegotkindoftiredandbeatout;andtiedupthecanoeandwenttosleep,andneverwakeduptillaboutanhourago;thenwepaddledoverheretohearthenews,andSid’satthepost-officetoseewhathecanhear,andI’ma-branchingouttogetsomethingtoeatforus,andthenwe’regoinghome.”
Sothenwewenttothepost-officetoget“Sid”;butjustasIsuspicioned,hewarn’tthere;sotheoldmanhegotaletteroutoftheoffice,andwewaitedawhilelonger,butSiddidn’tcome;sotheoldmansaid,comealong,letSidfootithome,orcanoeit,whenhegotdonefoolingaround–butwewouldride.
Icouldn’tgethimtoletmestayandwaitforSid;andhesaidtherewarn’tnouseinit,andImustcomealong,andletAuntSallyseewewasallright.
WhenwegothomeAuntSallywasthatgladtoseemeshelaughedandcriedboth,andhuggedme,andgivemeoneofthemlickingsofhernthatdon’tamounttoshucks,andsaidshe’dserveSidthesamewhenhecome.
Andtheplacewasplumfulloffarmersandfarmers’wives,todinner;andsuchanotherclackabodyneverheard.OldMrs.Hotchkisswastheworst;hertonguewasa-goingallthetime.Shesays:
“Well,SisterPhelps,I’veransackedthat-aircabinover,an’Ib’lievetheniggerwascrazy.
IsaystoSisterDamrell–didn’tI,SisterDamrell?
–s’I,he’scrazy,s’I–them’stheverywordsIsaid.
Youallhearnme:he’scrazy,s’I;everythingshowsit,s’I.Lookatthat-airgrindstone,s’I;wanttotellME’tanycretur‘t’sinhisrightmind’sagoin’toscrabbleallthemcrazythingsontoagrindstone,s’I?
Heresich‘n’sichapersonbustedhisheart;‘n’hereso‘n’sopeggedalongforthirty-sevenyear,‘n’allthat–natcherlsono’Louissomebody,‘n’sicheverlast’nrubbage.
He’splumbcrazy,s’I;it’swhatIsaysinthefustplace,it’swhatIsaysinthemiddle,‘n’it’swhatIsayslast‘n’allthetime–thenigger’scrazy–crazy’sNebokoodneezer,s’I.”
“An’lookatthat-airladdermadeout’nrags,SisterHotchkiss,”saysoldMrs.Damrell;“whatinthenameo’goodnessCOULDheeverwantof–”
“TheverywordsIwasa-sayin’nolongeragoth’nthisminutetoSisterUtterback,‘n’she’lltellyousoherself.
Sh-she,lookatthat-airragladder,sh-she;‘n’s’I,yes,LOOKatit,s’I–whatCOULDhea-wantedofit,s’I.Sh-she,SisterHotchkiss,sh-she–”
“Buthowinthenation’dtheyeverGITthatgrindstoneINthere,ANYWAY?‘n’whodugthat-airHOLE?‘n’who–”
“MyveryWORDS,BrerPenrod!Iwasa-sayin’–passthat-airsassero’m’lasses,won’tye?
–Iwasa-sayin’toSisterDunlap,jistthisminute,howDIDtheygitthatgrindstoneinthere,s’I.WithoutHELP,mindyou–‘thoutHELP!THAT’Swher‘tis.
Don’ttellME,s’I;thereWUZhelp,s’I;‘n’ther’wuzaPLENTYhelp,too,s’I;ther’sbenaDOZENa-helpin’thatnigger,‘n’IlayI’dskineverylastniggeronthisplacebutI’Dfindoutwhodoneit,s’I;‘n’moreover,s’I–”
“ADOZENsaysyou!–FORTYcouldn’tadoneeverythingthat’sbeendone.
Lookatthemcase-knifesawsandthings,howtediousthey’vebeenmade;lookatthatbed-legsawedoffwith‘m,aweek’sworkforsixmen;lookatthatniggermadeout’nstrawonthebed;andlookat–”
“YoumayWELLsayit,BrerHightower!It’sjistasIwasa-sayin’toBrerPhelps,hisownself.
S’e,whatdoYOUthinkofit,SisterHotchkiss,s’e?Thinko’what,BrerPhelps,s’I?
Thinko’thatbed-legsawedoffthataway,s’e?THINKofit,s’I?
IlayitneversawedITSELFoff,s’I–somebodySAWEDit,s’I;that’smyopinion,takeitorleaveit,itmayn’tbeno‘count,s’I,butsichas‘tis,it’smyopinion,s’I,‘n’ifanybodyk’nstartabetterone,s’I,lethimDOit,s’I,that’sall.IsaystoSisterDunlap,s’I–”
“Why,dogmycats,theymustabenahouse-fullo’niggersinthereeverynightforfourweekstoadoneallthatwork,SisterPhelps.
Lookatthatshirt–everylastinchofitkiveredoverwithsecretAfricanwrit’ndonewithblood!
Mustabenaraftuv‘matitrightalong,allthetime,amost.
Why,I’dgivetwodollarstohaveitreadtome;‘n’asfortheniggersthatwroteit,I‘lowI’dtake‘n’lash‘mt’ll–”
“PeopletoHELPhim,BrotherMarples!Well,Ireckonyou’dTHINKsoifyou’dabeeninthishouseforawhileback.
Why,they’vestoleeverythingtheycouldlaytheirhandson–andwea-watchingallthetime,mindyou.
Theystolethatshirtrightoffo’theline!
andasforthatsheettheymadetheragladderoutof,ther’ain’tnotellinghowmanytimestheyDIDN’Tstealthat;andflour,andcandles,andcandlesticks,andspoons,andtheoldwarming-pan,andmostathousandthingsthatIdisremembernow,andmynewcalicodress;andmeandSilasandmySidandTomontheconstantwatchdayANDnight,asIwasa-tellingyou,andnotaoneofuscouldcatchhidenorhairnorsightnorsoundofthem;andhereatthelastminute,loandbeholdyou,theyslidesrightinunderournosesandfoolsus,andnotonlyfoolsUSbuttheInjunTerritoryrobberstoo,andactulygetsAWAYwiththatniggersafeandsound,andthatwithsixteenmenandtwentytwodogsrightontheirveryheelsatthatverytime!
Itellyou,itjustbangsanythingIeverHEARDof.
Why,SPERITScouldn’tadonebetterandbeennosmarter.
AndIreckontheymustaBEENsperits–because,YOUknowourdogs,andther’ain’tnobetter;well,themdogsneverevengotontheTRACKof‘monce!YouexplainTHATtomeifyoucan!–ANYofyou!”
“Well,itdoesbeat–”
“Lawsalive,Inever–”
“Sohelpme,Iwouldn’tabe–”
“HOUSE-thievesaswellas–”
“Goodnessgracioussakes,I’dabenafeardtoliveinsicha–”
”’FraidtoLIVE!–why,IwasthatscaredIdasn’thardlygotobed,orgetup,orlaydown,orSETdown,SisterRidgeway.
Why,they’dstealthevery–why,goodnesssakes,youcanguesswhatkindofaflusterIwasinbythetimemidnightcomelastnight.
IhopetograciousifIwarn’tafraidthey’dstealsomeo’thefamily!
IwasjusttothatpassIdidn’thavenoreasoningfacultiesnomore.
ItlooksfoolishenoughNOW,inthedaytime;butIsaystomyself,there’smytwopoorboysasleep,‘wayupstairsinthatlonesomeroom,andIdeclaretogoodnessIwasthatuneasy‘tIcrep’upthereandlocked‘emin!IDID.Andanybodywould.
Because,youknow,whenyougetscaredthatway,anditkeepsrunningon,andgettingworseandworseallthetime,andyourwitsgetstoaddling,andyougettodoingallsortso’wildthings,andbyandbyyouthinktoyourself,spos’nIwasaboy,andwasawayupthere,andthedoorain’tlocked,andyou–”Shestopped,lookingkindofwondering,andthensheturnedherheadaroundslow,andwhenhereyelitonme–Igotupandtookawalk.
SaysItomyself,IcanexplainbetterhowwecometonotbeinthatroomthismorningifIgoouttoonesideandstudyoveritalittle.SoIdoneit.
ButIdasn’tgofur,orshe’dasentforme.
Andwhenitwaslateinthedaythepeopleallwent,andthenIcomeinandtoldherthenoiseandshootingwakedupmeand“Sid,”andthedoorwaslocked,andwewantedtoseethefun,sowewentdownthelightningrod,andbothofusgothurtalittle,andwedidn’tneverwanttotryTHATnomore.
AndthenIwentonandtoldherallwhatItoldUncleSilasbefore;andthenshesaidshe’dforgiveus,andmaybeitwasallrightenoughanyway,andaboutwhatabodymightexpectofboys,forallboyswasaprettyharum-scarumlotasfurasshecouldsee;andso,aslongasnoharmhadn’tcomeofit,shejudgedshebetterputinhertimebeinggratefulwewasaliveandwellandshehadusstill,steadoffrettingoverwhatwaspastanddone.
Sothenshekissedme,andpattedmeonthehead,anddroppedintoakindofabrownstudy;andprettysoonjumpsup,andsays:
“Why,lawsamercy,it’smostnight,andSidnotcomeyet!WhatHASbecomeofthatboy?”
Iseemychance;soIskipsupandsays:
“I’llrunrightuptotownandgethim,”Isays.
“Noyouwon’t,”shesays.“You’llstayrightwher’youare;ONE’Senoughtobelostatatime.Ifheain’theretosupper,youruncle‘llgo.”
Well,hewarn’ttheretosupper;sorightaftersupperunclewent.
Hecomebackabouttenalittlebituneasy;hadn’trunacrossTom’strack.
AuntSallywasagoodDEALuneasy;butUncleSilashesaidtherewarn’tnooccasiontobe–boyswillbeboys,hesaid,andyou’llseethisoneturnupinthemorningallsoundandright.Soshehadtobesatisfied.
Butshesaidshe’dsetupforhimawhileanyway,andkeepalightburningsohecouldseeit.
AndthenwhenIwentuptobedshecomeupwithmeandfetchedhercandle,andtuckedmein,andmotheredmesogoodIfeltmean,andlikeIcouldn’tlookherintheface;andshesetdownonthebedandtalkedwithmealongtime,andsaidwhatasplendidboySidwas,anddidn’tseemtowanttoeverstoptalkingabouthim;andkeptaskingmeeverynowandthenifIreckonedhecouldagotlost,orhurt,ormaybedrownded,andmightbelayingatthisminutesomewheressufferingordead,andshenotbyhimtohelphim,andsothetearswoulddripdownsilent,andIwouldtellherthatSidwasallright,andwouldbehomeinthemorning,sure;andshewouldsqueezemyhand,ormaybekissme,andtellmetosayitagain,andkeeponsayingit,becauseitdonehergood,andshewasinsomuchtrouble.
Andwhenshewasgoingawayshelookeddowninmyeyessosteadyandgentle,andsays:
“Thedoorain’tgoingtobelocked,Tom,andthere’sthewindowandtherod;butyou’llbegood,WON’Tyou?Andyouwon’tgo?ForMYsake.”
LawsknowsIWANTEDtogobadenoughtoseeaboutTom,andwasallintendingtogo;butafterthatIwouldn’tawent,notforkingdoms.
ButshewasonmymindandTomwasonmymind,soIsleptveryrestless.
AndtwiceIwentdowntherodawayinthenight,andslippedaroundfront,andseehersettingtherebyhercandleinthewindowwithhereyestowardstheroadandthetearsinthem;andIwishedIcoulddosomethingforher,butIcouldn’t,onlytoswearthatIwouldn’tneverdonothingtogrieveheranymore.
AndthethirdtimeIwakedupatdawn,andsliddown,andshewasthereyet,andhercandlewasmostout,andheroldgrayheadwasrestingonherhand,andshewasasleep.
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