English
AStheearliestsuspicionofdawnappearedonSundaymorning,HuckcamegropingupthehillandrappedgentlyattheoldWelshman'sdoor.
Theinmateswereasleep,butitwasasleepthatwassetonahair–trigger,onaccountoftheexcitingepisodeofthenight.Acallcamefromawindow:
"Who'sthere!"
Huck'sscaredvoiceansweredinalowtone:
"Pleaseletmein!It'sonlyHuckFinn!"
"It'sanamethatcanopenthisdoornightorday,lad!—andwelcome!"
Thesewerestrangewordstothevagabondboy'sears,andthepleasantesthehadeverheard.
Hecouldnotrecollectthattheclosingwordhadeverbeenappliedinhiscasebefore.
Thedoorwasquicklyunlocked,andheentered.
Huckwasgivenaseatandtheoldmanandhisbraceoftallsonsspeedilydressedthemselves.
"Now,myboy,Ihopeyou'regoodandhungry,becausebreakfastwillbereadyassoonasthesun'sup,andwe'llhaveapipinghotone,too—makeyourselfeasyaboutthat!
Iandtheboyshopedyou'dturnupandstopherelastnight."
"Iwasawfulscared,"saidHuck,"andIrun.
Itookoutwhenthepistolswentoff,andIdidn'tstopforthreemile.
I'vecomenowbecuzIwantedtoknowaboutit,youknow;andIcomebeforedaylightbecuzIdidn'twanttorunacrossthemdevils,eveniftheywasdead."
"Well,poorchap,youdolookasifyou'dhadahardnightofit—butthere'sabedhereforyouwhenyou'vehadyourbreakfast.
No,theyain'tdead,lad—wearesorryenoughforthat.
Youseeweknewrightwheretoputourhandsonthem,byyourdescription;sowecreptalongontiptoetillwegotwithinfifteenfeetofthem—darkasacellarthatsumachpathwas—andjustthenIfoundIwasgoingtosneeze.Itwasthemeanestkindofluck!
Itriedtokeepitback,butnouse—'twasboundtocome,anditdidcome!
Iwasintheleadwithmypistolraised,andwhenthesneezestartedthosescoundrelsa–rustlingtogetoutofthepath,Isungout,'Fireboys!'
andblazedawayattheplacewheretherustlingwas.Sodidtheboys.
Buttheywereoffinajiffy,thosevillains,andweafterthem,downthroughthewoods.Ijudgewenevertouchedthem.
Theyfiredashotapieceastheystarted,buttheirbulletswhizzedbyanddidn'tdousanyharm.
Assoonaswelostthesoundoftheirfeetwequitchasing,andwentdownandstirreduptheconstables.
Theygotapossetogether,andwentofftoguardtheriverbank,andassoonasitislightthesheriffandagangaregoingtobeatupthewoods.Myboyswillbewiththempresently.
Iwishwehadsomesortofdescriptionofthoserascals—'twouldhelpagooddeal.
Butyoucouldn'tseewhattheywerelike,inthedark,lad,Isuppose?"
"Ohyes;Isawthemdown–townandfolleredthem."
"Splendid!Describethem—describethem,myboy!"
"One'stheolddeafanddumbSpaniardthat'sbenaroundhereonceortwice,andt'other'samean–looking,ragged—"
"That'senough,lad,weknowthemen!Happenedontheminthewoodsbackofthewidow'soneday,andtheyslunkaway.Offwithyou,boys,andtellthesheriff—getyourbreakfastto–morrowmorning!"
TheWelshman'ssonsdepartedatonce.AstheywereleavingtheroomHucksprangupandexclaimed:
"Oh,pleasedon'ttellANYbodyitwasmethatblowedonthem!Oh,please!"
"Allrightifyousayit,Huck,butyououghttohavethecreditofwhatyoudid."
"Ohno,no!Pleasedon'ttell!"
Whentheyoungmenweregone,theoldWelshmansaid:
"Theywon'ttell—andIwon't.Butwhydon'tyouwantitknown?"
Huckwouldnotexplain,furtherthantosaythathealreadyknewtoomuchaboutoneofthosemenandwouldnothavethemanknowthatheknewanythingagainsthimforthewholeworld—hewouldbekilledforknowingit,sure.
Theoldmanpromisedsecrecyoncemore,andsaid:
"Howdidyoucometofollowthesefellows,lad?Weretheylookingsuspicious?"
Huckwassilentwhileheframedadulycautiousreply.Thenhesaid:
"Well,yousee,I'makindofahardlot,—leasteverybodysaysso,andIdon'tseenothingaginit—andsometimesIcan'tsleepmuch,onaccountofthinkingaboutitandsortoftryingtostrikeoutanewwayofdoing.Thatwasthewayofitlastnight.
Icouldn'tsleep,andsoIcomealongup–street'boutmidnight,a–turningitallover,andwhenIgottothatoldshacklybrickstorebytheTemperanceTavern,Ibackedupaginthewalltohaveanotherthink.
Well,justthenalongcomesthesetwochapsslippingalongclosebyme,withsomethingundertheirarm,andIreckonedthey'dstoleit.
Onewasa–smoking,andt'otheronewantedalight;sotheystoppedrightbeforemeandthecigarslituptheirfacesandIseethatthebigonewasthedeafanddumbSpaniard,byhiswhitewhiskersandthepatchonhiseye,andt'otheronewasarusty,ragged–lookingdevil."
"Couldyouseetheragsbythelightofthecigars?"
ThisstaggeredHuckforamoment.Thenhesaid:
"Well,Idon'tknow—butsomehowitseemsasifIdid."
"Thentheywenton,andyou—"
"Follered'em—yes.Thatwasit.
Iwantedtoseewhatwasup—theysneakedalongso.
Idogged'emtothewidder'sstile,andstoodinthedarkandheardtheraggedonebegforthewidder,andtheSpaniardswearhe'dspileherlooksjustasItoldyouandyourtwo—"
"What!TheDEAFANDDUMBmansaidallthat!"
Huckhadmadeanotherterriblemistake!HewastryinghisbesttokeeptheoldmanfromgettingthefaintesthintofwhotheSpaniardmightbe,andyethistongueseemeddeterminedtogethimintotroubleinspiteofallhecoulddo.
Hemadeseveraleffortstocreepoutofhisscrape,buttheoldman'seyewasuponhimandhemadeblunderafterblunder.PresentlytheWelshmansaid:
"Myboy,don'tbeafraidofme.Iwouldn'thurtahairofyourheadforalltheworld.No—I'dprotectyou—I'dprotectyou.
ThisSpaniardisnotdeafanddumb;you'veletthatslipwithoutintendingit;youcan'tcoverthatupnow.
YouknowsomethingaboutthatSpaniardthatyouwanttokeepdark.
Nowtrustme—tellmewhatitis,andtrustme—Iwon'tbetrayyou."
Hucklookedintotheoldman'shonesteyesamoment,thenbentoverandwhisperedinhisear:
"'Tain'taSpaniard—it'sInjunJoe!"
TheWelshmanalmostjumpedoutofhischair.Inamomenthesaid:
"It'sallplainenough,now.WhenyoutalkedaboutnotchingearsandslittingnosesIjudgedthatthatwasyourownembellishment,becausewhitemendon'ttakethatsortofrevenge.ButanInjun!That'sadifferentmatteraltogether."
Duringbreakfastthetalkwenton,andinthecourseofittheoldmansaidthatthelastthingwhichheandhissonshaddone,beforegoingtobed,wastogetalanternandexaminethestileanditsvicinityformarksofblood.
Theyfoundnone,butcapturedabulkybundleof—
"OfWHAT?"
IfthewordshadbeenlightningtheycouldnothaveleapedwithamorestunningsuddennessfromHuck'sblanchedlips.
Hiseyeswerestaringwide,now,andhisbreathsuspended—waitingfortheanswer.
TheWelshmanstarted—staredinreturn—threeseconds—fiveseconds—ten—thenreplied:
"Ofburglar'stools.Why,what'stheMATTERwithyou?"
Hucksankback,pantinggently,butdeeply,unutterablygrateful.TheWelshmaneyedhimgravely,curiously—andpresentlysaid:
"Yes,burglar'stools.Thatappearstorelieveyouagooddeal.Butwhatdidgiveyouthatturn?WhatwereYOUexpectingwe'dfound?"
Huckwasinacloseplace—theinquiringeyewasuponhim—hewouldhavegivenanythingformaterialforaplausibleanswer—nothingsuggesteditself—theinquiringeyewasboringdeeperanddeeper—asenselessreplyoffered—therewasnotimetoweighit,soataventureheutteredit—feebly:
"Sunday–schoolbooks,maybe."
PoorHuckwastoodistressedtosmile,buttheoldmanlaughedloudandjoyously,shookupthedetailsofhisanatomyfromheadtofoot,andendedbysayingthatsuchalaughwasmoneyina–man'spocket,becauseitcutdownthedoctor'sbilllikeeverything.Thenheadded:
"Pooroldchap,you'rewhiteandjaded—youain'twellabit—nowonderyou'realittleflightyandoffyourbalance.Butyou'llcomeoutofit.Restandsleepwillfetchyououtallright,Ihope."
Huckwasirritatedtothinkhehadbeensuchagooseandbetrayedsuchasuspiciousexcitement,forhehaddroppedtheideathattheparcelbroughtfromthetavernwasthetreasure,assoonashehadheardthetalkatthewidow'sstile.
Hehadonlythoughtitwasnotthetreasure,however—hehadnotknownthatitwasn't—andsothesuggestionofacapturedbundlewastoomuchforhisself–possession.
Butonthewholehefeltgladthelittleepisodehadhappened,fornowheknewbeyondallquestionthatthatbundlewasnotTHEbundle,andsohismindwasatrestandexceedinglycomfortable.
Infact,everythingseemedtobedriftingjustintherightdirection,now;thetreasuremustbestillinNo.2,themenwouldbecapturedandjailedthatday,andheandTomcouldseizethegoldthatnightwithoutanytroubleoranyfearofinterruption.
Justasbreakfastwascompletedtherewasaknockatthedoor.
Huckjumpedforahiding–place,forhehadnomindtobeconnectedevenremotelywiththelateevent.
TheWelshmanadmittedseveralladiesandgentlemen,amongthemtheWidowDouglas,andnoticedthatgroupsofcitizenswereclimbingupthehill—tostareatthestile.Sothenewshadspread.
TheWelshmanhadtotellthestoryofthenighttothevisitors.
Thewidow'sgratitudeforherpreservationwasoutspoken.
"Don'tsayawordaboutit,madam.There'sanotherthatyou'remorebeholdentothanyouaretomeandmyboys,maybe,buthedon'tallowmetotellhisname.Wewouldn'thavebeentherebutforhim."
Ofcoursethisexcitedacuriositysovastthatitalmostbelittledthemainmatter—buttheWelshmanallowedittoeatintothevitalsofhisvisitors,andthroughthembetransmittedtothewholetown,forherefusedtopartwithhissecret.
Whenallelsehadbeenlearned,thewidowsaid:
"Iwenttosleepreadinginbedandsleptstraightthroughallthatnoise.Whydidn'tyoucomeandwakeme?"
"Wejudgeditwarn'tworthwhile.Thosefellowswarn'tlikelytocomeagain—theyhadn'tanytoolslefttoworkwith,andwhatwastheuseofwakingyouupandscaringyoutodeath?
Mythreenegromenstoodguardatyourhousealltherestofthenight.They'vejustcomeback."
Morevisitorscame,andthestoryhadtobetoldandretoldforacoupleofhoursmore.
TherewasnoSabbath–schoolduringday–schoolvacation,buteverybodywasearlyatchurch.Thestirringeventwaswellcanvassed.
Newscamethatnotasignofthetwovillainshadbeenyetdiscovered.
Whenthesermonwasfinished,JudgeThatcher'swifedroppedalongsideofMrs.Harperasshemoveddowntheaislewiththecrowdandsaid:
"IsmyBeckygoingtosleepallday?Ijustexpectedshewouldbetiredtodeath."
"YourBecky?"
"Yes,"withastartledlook—"didn'tshestaywithyoulastnight?"
"Why,no."
Mrs.Thatcherturnedpale,andsankintoapew,justasAuntPolly,talkingbrisklywithafriend,passedby.AuntPollysaid:
"Good–morning,Mrs.Thatcher.Good–morning,Mrs.Harper.
I'vegotaboythat'sturnedupmissing.
IreckonmyTomstayedatyourhouselastnight—oneofyou.Andnowhe'safraidtocometochurch.I'vegottosettlewithhim."
Mrs.Thatchershookherheadfeeblyandturnedpalerthanever.
"Hedidn'tstaywithus,"saidMrs.Harper,beginningtolookuneasy.AmarkedanxietycameintoAuntPolly'sface.
"JoeHarper,haveyouseenmyTomthismorning?"
"No'm."
"Whendidyouseehimlast?"
Joetriedtoremember,butwasnotsurehecouldsay.
Thepeoplehadstoppedmovingoutofchurch.
Whisperspassedalong,andabodinguneasinesstookpossessionofeverycountenance.
Childrenwereanxiouslyquestioned,andyoungteachers.
TheyallsaidtheyhadnotnoticedwhetherTomandBeckywereonboardtheferryboatonthehomewardtrip;itwasdark;noonethoughtofinquiringifanyonewasmissing.
Oneyoungmanfinallyblurtedouthisfearthattheywerestillinthecave!Mrs.Thatcherswoonedaway.
AuntPollyfelltocryingandwringingherhands.
Thealarmsweptfromliptolip,fromgrouptogroup,fromstreettostreet,andwithinfiveminutesthebellswerewildlyclangingandthewholetownwasup!
TheCardiffHillepisodesankintoinstantinsignificance,theburglarswereforgotten,horsesweresaddled,skiffsweremanned,theferryboatorderedout,andbeforethehorrorwashalfanhourold,twohundredmenwerepouringdownhighroadandrivertowardthecave.
Allthelongafternoonthevillageseemedemptyanddead.
ManywomenvisitedAuntPollyandMrs.Thatcherandtriedtocomfortthem.
Theycriedwiththem,too,andthatwasstillbetterthanwords.
Allthetediousnightthetownwaitedfornews;butwhenthemorningdawnedatlast,allthewordthatcamewas,"Sendmorecandles—andsendfood."
Mrs.Thatcherwasalmostcrazed;andAuntPolly,also.
JudgeThatchersentmessagesofhopeandencouragementfromthecave,buttheyconveyednorealcheer.
TheoldWelshmancamehometowarddaylight,spatteredwithcandle–grease,smearedwithclay,andalmostwornout.
HefoundHuckstillinthebedthathadbeenprovidedforhim,anddeliriouswithfever.
Thephysicianswereallatthecave,sotheWidowDouglascameandtookchargeofthepatient.
Shesaidshewoulddoherbestbyhim,because,whetherhewasgood,bad,orindifferent,hewastheLord's,andnothingthatwastheLord'swasathingtobeneglected.
TheWelshmansaidHuckhadgoodspotsinhim,andthewidowsaid:
"Youcandependonit.That'stheLord'smark.Hedon'tleaveitoff.Heneverdoes.Putsitsomewhereoneverycreaturethatcomesfromhishands."
Earlyintheforenoonpartiesofjadedmenbegantostraggleintothevillage,butthestrongestofthecitizenscontinuedsearching.
Allthenewsthatcouldbegainedwasthatremotenessesofthecavernwerebeingransackedthathadneverbeenvisitedbefore;thateverycornerandcrevicewasgoingtobethoroughlysearched;thatwhereveronewanderedthroughthemazeofpassages,lightsweretobeseenflittinghitherandthitherinthedistance,andshoutingsandpistol–shotssenttheirhollowreverberationstotheeardownthesombreaisles.
Inoneplace,farfromthesectionusuallytraversedbytourists,thenames"BECKY&TOM"hadbeenfoundtracedupontherockywallwithcandle–smoke,andnearathandagrease–soiledbitofribbon.
Mrs.Thatcherrecognizedtheribbonandcriedoverit.
Shesaiditwasthelastrelicsheshouldeverhaveofherchild;andthatnoothermemorialofhercouldeverbesoprecious,becausethisonepartedlatestfromthelivingbodybeforetheawfuldeathcame.
Somesaidthatnowandthen,inthecave,afar–awayspeckoflightwouldglimmer,andthenagloriousshoutwouldburstforthandascoreofmengotroopingdowntheechoingaisle—andthenasickeningdisappointmentalwaysfollowed;thechildrenwerenotthere;itwasonlyasearcher'slight.
Threedreadfuldaysandnightsdraggedtheirtedioushoursalong,andthevillagesankintoahopelessstupor.Noonehadheartforanything.
Theaccidentaldiscovery,justmade,thattheproprietoroftheTemperanceTavernkeptliquoronhispremises,scarcelyflutteredthepublicpulse,tremendousasthefactwas.
Inalucidinterval,Huckfeeblyleduptothesubjectoftaverns,andfinallyasked—dimlydreadingtheworst—ifanythinghadbeendiscoveredattheTemperanceTavernsincehehadbeenill.
"Yes,"saidthewidow.
Huckstartedupinbed,wild–eyed:
"What?Whatwasit?"
"Liquor!—andtheplacehasbeenshutup.Liedown,child—whataturnyoudidgiveme!"
"Onlytellmejustonething—onlyjustone—please!WasitTomSawyerthatfoundit?"
Thewidowburstintotears."Hush,hush,child,hush!I'vetoldyoubefore,youmustNOTtalk.Youarevery,verysick!"
Thennothingbutliquorhadbeenfound;therewouldhavebeenagreatpowwowifithadbeenthegold.
Sothetreasurewasgoneforever—goneforever!Butwhatcouldshebecryingabout?Curiousthatsheshouldcry.
ThesethoughtsworkedtheirdimwaythroughHuck'smind,andunderthewearinesstheygavehimhefellasleep.Thewidowsaidtoherself:
"There—he'sasleep,poorwreck.TomSawyerfindit!PitybutsomebodycouldfindTomSawyer!Ah,thereain'tmanyleft,now,that'sgothopeenough,orstrengthenough,either,togoonsearching."
Share this article to
FINISH