English
TOM'Smindwasmadeupnow.Hewasgloomyanddesperate.
Hewasaforsaken,friendlessboy,hesaid;nobodylovedhim;whentheyfoundoutwhattheyhaddrivenhimto,perhapstheywouldbesorry;hehadtriedtodorightandgetalong,buttheywouldnotlethim;sincenothingwoulddothembuttoberidofhim,letitbeso;andletthemblameHIMfortheconsequences—whyshouldn'tthey?
Whatrighthadthefriendlesstocomplain?
Yes,theyhadforcedhimtoitatlast:hewouldleadalifeofcrime.Therewasnochoice.
BythistimehewasfardownMeadowLane,andthebellforschoolto"takeup"tinkledfaintlyuponhisear.
Hesobbed,now,tothinkheshouldnever,neverhearthatoldfamiliarsoundanymore—itwasveryhard,butitwasforcedonhim;sincehewasdrivenoutintothecoldworld,hemustsubmit—butheforgavethem.Thenthesobscamethickandfast.
Justatthispointhemethissoul'ssworncomrade,JoeHarper—hard–eyed,andwithevidentlyagreatanddismalpurposeinhisheart.
Plainlyherewere"twosoulswithbutasinglethought."
Tom,wipinghiseyeswithhissleeve,begantoblubberoutsomethingaboutaresolutiontoescapefromhardusageandlackofsympathyathomebyroamingabroadintothegreatworldnevertoreturn;andendedbyhopingthatJoewouldnotforgethim.
ButittranspiredthatthiswasarequestwhichJoehadjustbeengoingtomakeofTom,andhadcometohunthimupforthatpurpose.
Hismotherhadwhippedhimfordrinkingsomecreamwhichhehadnevertastedandknewnothingabout;itwasplainthatshewastiredofhimandwishedhimtogo;ifshefeltthatway,therewasnothingforhimtodobutsuccumb;hehopedshewouldbehappy,andneverregrethavingdrivenherpoorboyoutintotheunfeelingworldtosufferanddie.
Asthetwoboyswalkedsorrowingalong,theymadeanewcompacttostandbyeachotherandbebrothersandneverseparatetilldeathrelievedthemoftheirtroubles.Thentheybegantolaytheirplans.
Joewasforbeingahermit,andlivingoncrustsinaremotecave,anddying,sometime,ofcoldandwantandgrief;butafterlisteningtoTom,heconcededthatthereweresomeconspicuousadvantagesaboutalifeofcrime,andsoheconsentedtobeapirate.
ThreemilesbelowSt.Petersburg,atapointwheretheMississippiRiverwasatrifleoveramilewide,therewasalong,narrow,woodedisland,withashallowbarattheheadofit,andthisofferedwellasarendezvous.
Itwasnotinhabited;itlayfarovertowardthefurthershore,abreastadenseandalmostwhollyunpeopledforest.SoJackson'sIslandwaschosen.
Whoweretobethesubjectsoftheirpiracieswasamatterthatdidnotoccurtothem.
ThentheyhuntedupHuckleberryFinn,andhejoinedthempromptly,forallcareerswereonetohim;hewasindifferent.
Theypresentlyseparatedtomeetatalonelyspotontheriver–banktwomilesabovethevillageatthefavoritehour—whichwasmidnight.
Therewasasmalllografttherewhichtheymeanttocapture.
Eachwouldbringhooksandlines,andsuchprovisionashecouldstealinthemostdarkandmysteriousway—asbecameoutlaws.
Andbeforetheafternoonwasdone,theyhadallmanagedtoenjoythesweetgloryofspreadingthefactthatprettysoonthetownwould"hearsomething."
Allwhogotthisvaguehintwerecautionedto"bemumandwait."
AboutmidnightTomarrivedwithaboiledhamandafewtrifles,andstoppedinadenseundergrowthonasmallbluffoverlookingthemeeting–place.Itwasstarlight,andverystill.
Themightyriverlaylikeanoceanatrest.
Tomlistenedamoment,butnosounddisturbedthequiet.Thenhegavealow,distinctwhistle.Itwasansweredfromunderthebluff.
Tomwhistledtwicemore;thesesignalswereansweredinthesameway.Thenaguardedvoicesaid:
"Whogoesthere?"
"TomSawyer,theBlackAvengeroftheSpanishMain.Nameyournames."
"HuckFinntheRed–Handed,andJoeHarpertheTerroroftheSeas."Tomhadfurnishedthesetitles,fromhisfavoriteliterature.
"'Tiswell.Givethecountersign."
Twohoarsewhispersdeliveredthesameawfulwordsimultaneouslytothebroodingnight:
"BLOOD!"
ThenTomtumbledhishamoverthebluffandlethimselfdownafterit,tearingbothskinandclothestosomeextentintheeffort.
Therewasaneasy,comfortablepathalongtheshoreunderthebluff,butitlackedtheadvantagesofdifficultyanddangersovaluedbyapirate.
TheTerroroftheSeashadbroughtasideofbacon,andhadaboutwornhimselfoutwithgettingitthere.
FinntheRed–Handedhadstolenaskilletandaquantityofhalf–curedleaftobacco,andhadalsobroughtafewcorn–cobstomakepipeswith.
Butnoneofthepiratessmokedor"chewed"buthimself.
TheBlackAvengeroftheSpanishMainsaiditwouldneverdotostartwithoutsomefire.
Thatwasawisethought;matcheswerehardlyknownthereinthatday.
Theysawafiresmoulderinguponagreatraftahundredyardsabove,andtheywentstealthilythitherandhelpedthemselvestoachunk.
Theymadeanimposingadventureofit,saying,"Hist!"
everynowandthen,andsuddenlyhaltingwithfingeronlip;movingwithhandsonimaginarydagger–hilts;andgivingordersindismalwhispersthatif"thefoe"stirred,to"lethimhaveittothehilt,"because"deadmentellnotales."
Theyknewwellenoughthattheraftsmenwerealldownatthevillagelayinginstoresorhavingaspree,butstillthatwasnoexcusefortheirconductingthisthinginanunpiraticalway.
Theyshovedoff,presently,Tomincommand,HuckattheafteroarandJoeattheforward.Tomstoodamidships,gloomy–browed,andwithfoldedarms,andgavehisordersinalow,sternwhisper:
"Luff,andbringhertothewind!"
"Aye–aye,sir!"
"Steady,steady–y–y–y!"
"Steadyitis,sir!"
"Lethergooffapoint!"
"Pointitis,sir!"
Astheboyssteadilyandmonotonouslydrovetherafttowardmid–streamitwasnodoubtunderstoodthattheseordersweregivenonlyfor"style,"andwerenotintendedtomeananythinginparticular.
"Whatsail'sshecarrying?"
"Courses,tops'ls,andflying–jib,sir."
"Sendther'yalsup!Layoutaloft,there,halfadozenofye—foretopmaststuns'l!Lively,now!"
"Aye–aye,sir!"
"Shakeoutthatmaintogalans'l!Sheetsandbraces!NOWmyhearties!"
"Aye–aye,sir!"
"Hellum–a–lee—hardaport!Standbytomeetherwhenshecomes!Port,port!NOW,men!Withawill!Stead–y–y–y!"
"Steadyitis,sir!"
Theraftdrewbeyondthemiddleoftheriver;theboyspointedherheadright,andthenlayontheiroars.
Theriverwasnothigh,sotherewasnotmorethanatwoorthreemilecurrent.
Hardlyawordwassaidduringthenextthree–quartersofanhour.
Nowtheraftwaspassingbeforethedistanttown.
Twoorthreeglimmeringlightsshowedwhereitlay,peacefullysleeping,beyondthevaguevastsweepofstar–gemmedwater,unconsciousofthetremendouseventthatwashappening.
TheBlackAvengerstoodstillwithfoldedarms,"lookinghislast"uponthesceneofhisformerjoysandhislatersufferings,andwishing"she"couldseehimnow,abroadonthewildsea,facingperilanddeathwithdauntlessheart,goingtohisdoomwithagrimsmileonhislips.
ItwasbutasmallstrainonhisimaginationtoremoveJackson'sIslandbeyondeyeshotofthevillage,andsohe"lookedhislast"withabrokenandsatisfiedheart.
Theotherpirateswerelookingtheirlast,too;andtheyalllookedsolongthattheycamenearlettingthecurrentdriftthemoutoftherangeoftheisland.
Buttheydiscoveredthedangerintime,andmadeshifttoavertit.
Abouttwoo'clockinthemorningtheraftgroundedonthebartwohundredyardsabovetheheadoftheisland,andtheywadedbackandforthuntiltheyhadlandedtheirfreight.
Partofthelittleraft'sbelongingsconsistedofanoldsail,andthistheyspreadoveranookinthebushesforatenttosheltertheirprovisions;buttheythemselveswouldsleepintheopenairingoodweather,asbecameoutlaws.
Theybuiltafireagainstthesideofagreatlogtwentyorthirtystepswithinthesombredepthsoftheforest,andthencookedsomebaconinthefrying–panforsupper,anduseduphalfofthecorn"pone"stocktheyhadbrought.
Itseemedglorioussporttobefeastinginthatwild,freewayinthevirginforestofanunexploredanduninhabitedisland,farfromthehauntsofmen,andtheysaidtheyneverwouldreturntocivilization.
Theclimbingfirelituptheirfacesandthrewitsruddyglareuponthepillaredtree–trunksoftheirforesttemple,anduponthevarnishedfoliageandfestooningvines.
Whenthelastcrispsliceofbaconwasgone,andthelastallowanceofcornponedevoured,theboysstretchedthemselvesoutonthegrass,filledwithcontentment.
Theycouldhavefoundacoolerplace,buttheywouldnotdenythemselvessucharomanticfeatureastheroastingcamp–fire.
"AIN'Titgay?"saidJoe.
"It'sNUTS!"saidTom."Whatwouldtheboyssayiftheycouldseeus?"
"Say?Well,they'djustdietobehere—hey,Hucky!"
"Ireckonso,"saidHuckleberry;"anyways,I'msuited.Idon'twantnothingbetter'nthis.Idon'tevergetenoughtoeat,gen'ally—andheretheycan'tcomeandpickatafellerandbullyraghimso."
"It'sjustthelifeforme,"saidTom."Youdon'thavetogetup,mornings,andyoudon'thavetogotoschool,andwash,andallthatblamefoolishness.
Youseeapiratedon'thavetodoANYTHING,Joe,whenhe'sashore,butahermitHEhastobeprayingconsiderable,andthenhedon'thaveanyfun,anyway,allbyhimselfthatway."
"Ohyes,that'sso,"saidJoe,"butIhadn'tthoughtmuchaboutit,youknow.I'dagooddealratherbeapirate,nowthatI'vetriedit."
"Yousee,"saidTom,"peopledon'tgomuchonhermits,nowadays,liketheyusedtoinoldtimes,butapirate'salwaysrespected.
Andahermit'sgottosleeponthehardestplacehecanfind,andputsackclothandashesonhishead,andstandoutintherain,and—"
"Whatdoesheputsackclothandashesonhisheadfor?"inquiredHuck.
"Idono.Butthey'veGOTtodoit.Hermitsalwaysdo.You'dhavetodothatifyouwasahermit."
"Dern'difIwould,"saidHuck.
"Well,whatwouldyoudo?"
"Idono.ButIwouldn'tdothat."
"Why,Huck,you'dHAVEto.How'dyougetaroundit?"
"Why,Ijustwouldn'tstandit.I'drunaway."
"Runaway!Well,youWOULDbeaniceoldslouchofahermit.You'dbeadisgrace."
TheRed–Handedmadenoresponse,beingbetteremployed.
Hehadfinishedgougingoutacob,andnowhefittedaweedstemtoit,loadeditwithtobacco,andwaspressingacoaltothechargeandblowingacloudoffragrantsmoke—hewasinthefullbloomofluxuriouscontentment.
Theotherpiratesenviedhimthismajesticvice,andsecretlyresolvedtoacquireitshortly.PresentlyHucksaid:
"Whatdoespirateshavetodo?"
Tomsaid:
"Oh,theyhavejustabullytime—takeshipsandburnthem,andgetthemoneyandburyitinawfulplacesintheirislandwherethere'sghostsandthingstowatchit,andkilleverybodyintheships—make'emwalkaplank."
"Andtheycarrythewomentotheisland,"saidJoe;"theydon'tkillthewomen."
"No,"assentedTom,"theydon'tkillthewomen—they'retoonoble.Andthewomen'salwaysbeautiful,too.
"Anddon'ttheywearthebulliestclothes!Ohno!Allgoldandsilveranddi'monds,"saidJoe,withenthusiasm.
"Who?"saidHuck.
"Why,thepirates."
Huckscannedhisownclothingforlornly.
"IreckonIain'tdressedfittenforapirate,"saidhe,witharegretfulpathosinhisvoice;"butIain'tgotnonebutthese."
Buttheotherboystoldhimthefineclotheswouldcomefastenough,aftertheyshouldhavebeguntheiradventures.
Theymadehimunderstandthathispoorragswoulddotobeginwith,thoughitwascustomaryforwealthypiratestostartwithaproperwardrobe.
Graduallytheirtalkdiedoutanddrowsinessbegantostealupontheeyelidsofthelittlewaifs.
ThepipedroppedfromthefingersoftheRed–Handed,andhesleptthesleepoftheconscience–freeandtheweary.
TheTerroroftheSeasandtheBlackAvengeroftheSpanishMainhadmoredifficultyingettingtosleep.
Theysaidtheirprayersinwardly,andlyingdown,sincetherewasnobodytherewithauthoritytomakethemkneelandrecitealoud;intruth,theyhadamindnottosaythematall,buttheywereafraidtoproceedtosuchlengthsasthat,lesttheymightcalldownasuddenandspecialthunderboltfromheaven.
Thenatoncetheyreachedandhoveredupontheimminentvergeofsleep—butanintrudercame,now,thatwouldnot"down."Itwasconscience.
Theybegantofeelavaguefearthattheyhadbeendoingwrongtorunaway;andnexttheythoughtofthestolenmeat,andthentherealtorturecame.
Theytriedtoargueitawaybyremindingconsciencethattheyhadpurloinedsweetmeatsandapplesscoresoftimes;butconsciencewasnottobeappeasedbysuchthinplausibilities;itseemedtothem,intheend,thattherewasnogettingaroundthestubbornfactthattakingsweetmeatswasonly"hooking,"whiletakingbaconandhamsandsuchvaluableswasplainsimplestealing—andtherewasacommandagainstthatintheBible.
Sotheyinwardlyresolvedthatsolongastheyremainedinthebusiness,theirpiraciesshouldnotagainbesulliedwiththecrimeofstealing.
Thenconsciencegrantedatruce,andthesecuriouslyinconsistentpiratesfellpeacefullytosleep.
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