English
ONEofthereasonswhyTom'smindhaddriftedawayfromitssecrettroubleswas,thatithadfoundanewandweightymattertointerestitselfabout.
BeckyThatcherhadstoppedcomingtoschool.
Tomhadstruggledwithhisprideafewdays,andtriedto"whistleherdownthewind,"butfailed.
Hebegantofindhimselfhangingaroundherfather'shouse,nights,andfeelingverymiserable.Shewasill.Whatifsheshoulddie!Therewasdistractioninthethought.
Henolongertookaninterestinwar,noreveninpiracy.
Thecharmoflifewasgone;therewasnothingbutdrearinessleft.
Heputhishoopaway,andhisbat;therewasnojoyinthemanymore.Hisauntwasconcerned.
Shebegantotryallmannerofremediesonhim.
Shewasoneofthosepeoplewhoareinfatuatedwithpatentmedicinesandallnew–fangledmethodsofproducinghealthormendingit.
Shewasaninveterateexperimenterinthesethings.
Whensomethingfreshinthislinecameoutshewasinafever,rightaway,totryit;notonherself,forshewasneverailing,butonanybodyelsethatcamehandy.
Shewasasubscriberforallthe"Health"periodicalsandphrenologicalfrauds;andthesolemnignorancetheywereinflatedwithwasbreathtohernostrils.
Allthe"rot"theycontainedaboutventilation,andhowtogotobed,andhowtogetup,andwhattoeat,andwhattodrink,andhowmuchexercisetotake,andwhatframeofmindtokeepone'sselfin,andwhatsortofclothingtowear,wasallgospeltoher,andsheneverobservedthatherhealth–journalsofthecurrentmonthcustomarilyupseteverythingtheyhadrecommendedthemonthbefore.
Shewasassimple–heartedandhonestasthedaywaslong,andsoshewasaneasyvictim.
Shegatheredtogetherherquackperiodicalsandherquackmedicines,andthusarmedwithdeath,wentaboutonherpalehorse,metaphoricallyspeaking,with"hellfollowingafter."
ButsheneversuspectedthatshewasnotanangelofhealingandthebalmofGileadindisguise,tothesufferingneighbors.
Thewatertreatmentwasnew,now,andTom'slowconditionwasawindfalltoher.
Shehadhimoutatdaylighteverymorning,stoodhimupinthewoodshedanddrownedhimwithadelugeofcoldwater;thenshescrubbedhimdownwithatowellikeafile,andsobroughthimto;thensherolledhimupinawetsheetandputhimawayunderblanketstillshesweatedhissoulcleanand"theyellowstainsofitcamethroughhispores"—asTomsaid.
Yetnotwithstandingallthis,theboygrewmoreandmoremelancholyandpaleanddejected.
Sheaddedhotbaths,sitzbaths,showerbaths,andplunges.Theboyremainedasdismalasahearse.
Shebegantoassistthewaterwithaslimoatmealdietandblister–plasters.
Shecalculatedhiscapacityasshewouldajug's,andfilledhimupeverydaywithquackcure–alls.
Tomhadbecomeindifferenttopersecutionbythistime.
Thisphasefilledtheoldlady'sheartwithconsternation.
Thisindifferencemustbebrokenupatanycost.
NowsheheardofPain–killerforthefirsttime.Sheorderedalotatonce.
Shetasteditandwasfilledwithgratitude.Itwassimplyfireinaliquidform.
Shedroppedthewatertreatmentandeverythingelse,andpinnedherfaithtoPain–killer.
ShegaveTomateaspoonfulandwatchedwiththedeepestanxietyfortheresult.
Hertroubleswereinstantlyatrest,hersoulatpeaceagain;forthe"indifference"wasbrokenup.
Theboycouldnothaveshownawilder,heartierinterest,ifshehadbuiltafireunderhim.
Tomfeltthatitwastimetowakeup;thissortoflifemightberomanticenough,inhisblightedcondition,butitwasgettingtohavetoolittlesentimentandtoomuchdistractingvarietyaboutit.
Sohethoughtovervariousplansforrelief,andfinallyhitponthatofprofessingtobefondofPain–killer.
Heaskedforitsooftenthathebecameanuisance,andhisauntendedbytellinghimtohelphimselfandquitbotheringher.
IfithadbeenSid,shewouldhavehadnomisgivingstoalloyherdelight;butsinceitwasTom,shewatchedthebottleclandestinely.
Shefoundthatthemedicinedidreallydiminish,butitdidnotoccurtoherthattheboywasmendingthehealthofacrackinthesitting–roomfloorwithit.
OnedayTomwasintheactofdosingthecrackwhenhisaunt'syellowcatcamealong,purring,eyingtheteaspoonavariciously,andbeggingforataste.Tomsaid:
"Don'taskforitunlessyouwantit,Peter."
ButPetersignifiedthathedidwantit.
"Youbettermakesure."
Peterwassure.
"Nowyou'veaskedforit,andI'llgiveittoyou,becausethereain'tanythingmeanaboutme;butifyoufindyoudon'tlikeit,youmustn'tblameanybodybutyourownself."
Peterwasagreeable.SoTompriedhismouthopenandpoureddownthePain–killer.
Petersprangacoupleofyardsintheair,andthendeliveredawar–whoopandsetoffroundandroundtheroom,bangingagainstfurniture,upsettingflower–pots,andmakinggeneralhavoc.
Nextheroseonhishindfeetandprancedaround,inafrenzyofenjoyment,withhisheadoverhisshoulderandhisvoiceproclaiminghisunappeasablehappiness.
Thenhewenttearingaroundthehouseagainspreadingchaosanddestructioninhispath.
AuntPollyenteredintimetoseehimthrowafewdoublesummersets,deliverafinalmightyhurrah,andsailthroughtheopenwindow,carryingtherestoftheflower–potswithhim.
Theoldladystoodpetrifiedwithastonishment,peeringoverherglasses;Tomlayonthefloorexpiringwithlaughter.
"Tom,whatonearthailsthatcat?"
"Idon'tknow,aunt,"gaspedtheboy.
"Why,Ineverseeanythinglikeit.Whatdidmakehimactso?"
"DeedIdon'tknow,AuntPolly;catsalwaysactsowhenthey'rehavingagoodtime."
"Theydo,dothey?"TherewassomethinginthetonethatmadeTomapprehensive.
"Yes'm.Thatis,Ibelievetheydo."
"YouDO?"
"Yes'm."
Theoldladywasbendingdown,Tomwatching,withinterestemphasizedbyanxiety.Toolatehedivinedher"drift."
Thehandleofthetelltaleteaspoonwasvisibleunderthebed–valance.AuntPollytookit,helditup.Tomwinced,anddroppedhiseyes.
AuntPollyraisedhimbytheusualhandle—hisear—andcrackedhisheadsoundlywithherthimble.
"Now,sir,whatdidyouwanttotreatthatpoordumbbeastso,for?"
"Idoneitoutofpityforhim—becausehehadn'tanyaunt."
"Hadn'tanyaunt!—younumskull.Whathasthatgottodowithit?"
"Heaps.Becauseifhe'dhadoneshe'daburnthimoutherself!She'daroastedhisbowelsoutofhim'thoutanymorefeelingthanifhewasahuman!"
AuntPollyfeltasuddenpangofremorse.
Thiswasputtingthethinginanewlight;whatwascrueltytoacatMIGHTbecrueltytoaboy,too.Shebegantosoften;shefeltsorry.
Hereyeswateredalittle,andsheputherhandonTom'sheadandsaidgently:
"Iwasmeaningforthebest,Tom.And,Tom,itDIDdoyougood."
Tomlookedupinherfacewithjustaperceptibletwinklepeepingthroughhisgravity.
"Iknowyouwasmeaningforthebest,aunty,andsowasIwithPeter.ItdoneHIMgood,too.Ineverseehimgetaroundsosince—"
"Oh,go'longwithyou,Tom,beforeyouaggravatemeagain.Andyoutryandseeifyoucan'tbeagoodboy,foronce,andyouneedn'ttakeanymoremedicine."
Tomreachedschoolaheadoftime.Itwasnoticedthatthisstrangethinghadbeenoccurringeverydaylatterly.
Andnow,asusualoflate,hehungaboutthegateoftheschoolyardinsteadofplayingwithhiscomrades.Hewassick,hesaid,andhelookedit.
Hetriedtoseemtobelookingeverywherebutwhitherhereallywaslooking—downtheroad.
PresentlyJeffThatcherhoveinsight,andTom'sfacelighted;hegazedamoment,andthenturnedsorrowfullyaway.
WhenJeffarrived,Tomaccostedhim;and"ledup"warilytoopportunitiesforremarkaboutBecky,butthegiddyladnevercouldseethebait.
Tomwatchedandwatched,hopingwheneverafriskingfrockcameinsight,andhatingtheownerofitassoonashesawshewasnottherightone.
Atlastfrocksceasedtoappear,andhedroppedhopelesslyintothedumps;heenteredtheemptyschoolhouseandsatdowntosuffer.
Thenonemorefrockpassedinatthegate,andTom'sheartgaveagreatbound.
Thenextinstanthewasout,and"goingon"likeanIndian;yelling,laughing,chasingboys,jumpingoverthefenceatriskoflifeandlimb,throwinghandsprings,standingonhishead—doingalltheheroicthingshecouldconceiveof,andkeepingafurtiveeyeout,allthewhile,toseeifBeckyThatcherwasnoticing.
Butsheseemedtobeunconsciousofitall;sheneverlooked.
Coulditbepossiblethatshewasnotawarethathewasthere?
Hecarriedhisexploitstoherimmediatevicinity;camewar–whoopingaround,snatchedaboy'scap,hurledittotheroofoftheschoolhouse,brokethroughagroupofboys,tumblingthemineverydirection,andfellsprawling,himself,underBecky'snose,almostupsettingher—andsheturned,withhernoseintheair,andheheardhersay:"Mf!
somepeoplethinkthey'remightysmart—alwaysshowingoff!"
Tom'scheeksburned.Hegatheredhimselfupandsneakedoff,crushedandcrestfallen.
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