English
THEharderTomtriedtofastenhismindonhisbook,themorehisideaswandered.
Soatlast,withasighandayawn,hegaveitup.
Itseemedtohimthatthenoonrecesswouldnevercome.Theairwasutterlydead.Therewasnotabreathstirring.Itwasthesleepiestofsleepydays.
Thedrowsingmurmurofthefiveandtwentystudyingscholarssoothedthesoullikethespellthatisinthemurmurofbees.
Awayoffintheflamingsunshine,CardiffHilllifteditssoftgreensidesthroughashimmeringveilofheat,tintedwiththepurpleofdistance;afewbirdsfloatedonlazywinghighintheair;nootherlivingthingwasvisiblebutsomecows,andtheywereasleep.
Tom'sheartachedtobefree,orelsetohavesomethingofinteresttodotopassthedrearytime.
Hishandwanderedintohispocketandhisfacelitupwithaglowofgratitudethatwasprayer,thoughhedidnotknowit.
Thenfurtivelythepercussion–capboxcameout.
Hereleasedthetickandputhimonthelongflatdesk.
Thecreatureprobablyglowedwithagratitudethatamountedtoprayer,too,atthismoment,butitwaspremature:forwhenhestartedthankfullytotraveloff,Tomturnedhimasidewithapinandmadehimtakeanewdirection.
Tom'sbosomfriendsatnexthim,sufferingjustasTomhadbeen,andnowhewasdeeplyandgratefullyinterestedinthisentertainmentinaninstant.ThisbosomfriendwasJoeHarper.
Thetwoboyswereswornfriendsalltheweek,andembattledenemiesonSaturdays.
Joetookapinoutofhislapelandbegantoassistinexercisingtheprisoner.Thesportgrewininterestmomently.
SoonTomsaidthattheywereinterferingwitheachother,andneithergettingthefullestbenefitofthetick.
SoheputJoe'sslateonthedeskanddrewalinedownthemiddleofitfromtoptobottom.
"Now,"saidhe,"aslongasheisonyoursideyoucanstirhimupandI'lllethimalone;butifyoulethimgetawayandgetonmyside,you'retoleavehimaloneaslongasIcankeephimfromcrossingover."
"Allright,goahead;starthimup."
ThetickescapedfromTom,presently,andcrossedtheequator.
Joeharassedhimawhile,andthenhegotawayandcrossedbackagain.Thischangeofbaseoccurredoften.
Whileoneboywasworryingthetickwithabsorbinginterest,theotherwouldlookonwithinterestasstrong,thetwoheadsbowedtogetherovertheslate,andthetwosoulsdeadtoallthingselse.
AtlastluckseemedtosettleandabidewithJoe.
Theticktriedthis,that,andtheothercourse,andgotasexcitedandasanxiousastheboysthemselves,buttimeandagainjustashewouldhavevictoryinhisverygrasp,sotospeak,andTom'sfingerswouldbetwitchingtobegin,Joe'spinwoulddeftlyheadhimoff,andkeeppossession.AtlastTomcouldstanditnolonger.Thetemptationwastoostrong.
Sohereachedoutandlentahandwithhispin.Joewasangryinamoment.Saidhe:
"Tom,youlethimalone."
"Ionlyjustwanttostirhimupalittle,Joe."
"No,sir,itain'tfair;youjustlethimalone."
"Blameit,Iain'tgoingtostirhimmuch."
"Lethimalone,Itellyou."
"Iwon't!"
"Youshall—he'sonmysideoftheline."
"Lookhere,JoeHarper,whoseisthattick?"
"Idon'tcarewhosetickheis—he'sonmysideoftheline,andyousha'n'ttouchhim."
"Well,I'lljustbetIwill,though.He'smytickandI'lldowhatIblamepleasewithhim,ordie!"
AtremendouswhackcamedownonTom'sshoulders,anditsduplicateonJoe's;andforthespaceoftwominutesthedustcontinuedtoflyfromthetwojacketsandthewholeschooltoenjoyit.
Theboyshadbeentooabsorbedtonoticethehushthathadstolenupontheschoolawhilebeforewhenthemastercametiptoeingdowntheroomandstoodoverthem.
Hehadcontemplatedagoodpartoftheperformancebeforehecontributedhisbitofvarietytoit.
Whenschoolbrokeupatnoon,TomflewtoBeckyThatcher,andwhisperedinherear:
"Putonyourbonnetandletonyou'regoinghome;andwhenyougettothecorner,givetherestof'emtheslip,andturndownthroughthelaneandcomeback.
I'llgotheotherwayandcomeitover'emthesameway."
Sotheonewentoffwithonegroupofscholars,andtheotherwithanother.
Inalittlewhilethetwometatthebottomofthelane,andwhentheyreachedtheschooltheyhaditalltothemselves.
Thentheysattogether,withaslatebeforethem,andTomgaveBeckythepencilandheldherhandinhis,guidingit,andsocreatedanothersurprisinghouse.
Whentheinterestinartbegantowane,thetwofelltotalking.Tomwasswimminginbliss.Hesaid:
"Doyouloverats?"
"No!Ihatethem!"
"Well,Ido,too—LIVEones.ButImeandeadones,toswingroundyourheadwithastring."
"No,Idon'tcareforratsmuch,anyway.WhatIlikeischewing–gum."
"Oh,Ishouldsayso!IwishIhadsomenow."
"Doyou?I'vegotsome.I'llletyouchewitawhile,butyoumustgiveitbacktome."
Thatwasagreeable,sotheycheweditturnabout,anddangledtheirlegsagainstthebenchinexcessofcontentment.
"Wasyoueveratacircus?"saidTom.
"Yes,andmypa'sgoingtotakemeagainsometime,ifI'mgood."
"Ibeentothecircusthreeorfourtimes—lotsoftimes.Churchain'tshuckstoacircus.There'sthingsgoingonatacircusallthetime.I'mgoingtobeaclowninacircuswhenIgrowup."
"Oh,areyou!Thatwillbenice.They'resolovely,allspottedup."
"Yes,that'sso.Andtheygetslathersofmoney—mostadollaraday,BenRogerssays.Say,Becky,wasyoueverengaged?"
"What'sthat?"
"Why,engagedtobemarried."
"No."
"Wouldyouliketo?"
"Ireckonso.Idon'tknow.Whatisitlike?"
"Like?Whyitain'tlikeanything.Youonlyjusttellaboyyouwon'teverhaveanybodybuthim,evereverever,andthenyoukissandthat'sall.Anybodycandoit."
"Kiss?Whatdoyoukissfor?"
"Why,that,youknow,isto—well,theyalwaysdothat."
"Everybody?"
"Why,yes,everybodythat'sinlovewitheachother.DoyourememberwhatIwroteontheslate?"
"Ye—yes."
"Whatwasit?"
"Isha'n'ttellyou."
"ShallItellYOU?"
"Ye—yes—butsomeothertime."
"No,now."
"No,notnow—to–morrow."
"Oh,no,NOW.Please,Becky—I'llwhisperit,I'llwhisperiteversoeasy."
Beckyhesitating,Tomtooksilenceforconsent,andpassedhisarmaboutherwaistandwhisperedthetaleeversosoftly,withhismouthclosetoherear.Andthenheadded:
"Nowyouwhisperittome—justthesame."
Sheresisted,forawhile,andthensaid:
"Youturnyourfaceawaysoyoucan'tsee,andthenIwill.Butyoumustn'tevertellanybody—WILLyou,Tom?Nowyouwon't,WILLyou?"
"No,indeed,indeedIwon't.Now,Becky."
Heturnedhisfaceaway.Shebenttimidlyaroundtillherbreathstirredhiscurlsandwhispered,"I—love—you!"
Thenshesprangawayandranaroundandaroundthedesksandbenches,withTomafterher,andtookrefugeinacorneratlast,withherlittlewhiteaprontoherface.
Tomclaspedheraboutherneckandpleaded:
"Now,Becky,it'salldone—alloverbutthekiss.Don'tyoubeafraidofthat—itain'tanythingatall.Please,Becky."Andhetuggedatherapronandthehands.
Byandbyshegaveup,andletherhandsdrop;herface,allglowingwiththestruggle,cameupandsubmitted.Tomkissedtheredlipsandsaid:
"Nowit'salldone,Becky.Andalwaysafterthis,youknow,youain'tevertoloveanybodybutme,andyouain'tevertomarryanybodybutme,everneverandforever.Willyou?"
"No,I'llneverloveanybodybutyou,Tom,andI'llnevermarryanybodybutyou—andyouain'ttoevermarryanybodybutme,either."
"Certainly.Ofcourse.That'sPARTofit.
Andalwayscomingtoschoolorwhenwe'regoinghome,you'retowalkwithme,whenthereain'tanybodylooking—andyouchoosemeandIchooseyouatparties,becausethat'sthewayyoudowhenyou'reengaged."
"It'ssonice.Ineverheardofitbefore."
"Oh,it'seversogay!Why,meandAmyLawrence—"
ThebigeyestoldTomhisblunderandhestopped,confused.
"Oh,Tom!ThenIain'tthefirstyou'veeverbeenengagedto!"
Thechildbegantocry.Tomsaid:
"Oh,don'tcry,Becky,Idon'tcareforheranymore."
"Yes,youdo,Tom—youknowyoudo."
Tomtriedtoputhisarmaboutherneck,butshepushedhimawayandturnedherfacetothewall,andwentoncrying.
Tomtriedagain,withsoothingwordsinhismouth,andwasrepulsedagain.
Thenhispridewasup,andhestrodeawayandwentoutside.
Hestoodabout,restlessanduneasy,forawhile,glancingatthedoor,everynowandthen,hopingshewouldrepentandcometofindhim.Butshedidnot.
Thenhebegantofeelbadlyandfearthathewasinthewrong.
Itwasahardstrugglewithhimtomakenewadvances,now,buthenervedhimselftoitandentered.
Shewasstillstandingbackthereinthecorner,sobbing,withherfacetothewall.Tom'sheartsmotehim.
Hewenttoherandstoodamoment,notknowingexactlyhowtoproceed.Thenhesaidhesitatingly:
"Becky,I—Idon'tcareforanybodybutyou."
Noreply—butsobs.
"Becky"—pleadingly."Becky,won'tyousaysomething?"
Moresobs.
Tomgotouthischiefestjewel,abrassknobfromthetopofanandiron,andpasseditaroundhersothatshecouldseeit,andsaid:
"Please,Becky,won'tyoutakeit?"
Shestruckittothefloor.ThenTommarchedoutofthehouseandoverthehillsandfaraway,toreturntoschoolnomorethatday.PresentlyBeckybegantosuspect.
Sherantothedoor;hewasnotinsight;sheflewaroundtotheplay–yard;hewasnotthere.Thenshecalled:
"Tom!Comeback,Tom!"
Shelistenedintently,buttherewasnoanswer.
Shehadnocompanionsbutsilenceandloneliness.
Soshesatdowntocryagainandupbraidherself;andbythistimethescholarsbegantogatheragain,andshehadtohidehergriefsandstillherbrokenheartandtakeupthecrossofalong,dreary,achingafternoon,withnoneamongthestrangersabouthertoexchangesorrowswith.
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