A FEW minutes later Tom was in the shoal water of the bar, wading¹ toward the Illinois shore. Before the depth reached his middle he was half-way over; the current would permit no more wading, now, so he struck out confidently to swim the remaining hundred yards. He swam quartering upstream, but still was swept downward rather faster than he had expected. However, he reached the shore finally, and drifted along till he found a low place and drew himself out. He put his hand on his jacket pocket, found his piece of bark safe, and then struck through the woods, following the shore, with streaming garments. Shortly before ten o'clock he came out into an open place opposite the village, and saw the ferryboat lying in the shadow of the trees and the high bank. Everything was quiet under the blinking stars. He crept down the bank, watching with all his eyes, slipped into the water, swam three or four strokes and climbed into the skiff that did "yawl" duty at the boat's stern. He laid himself down under the thwarts² and waited, panting.

Presently the cracked bell tapped and a voice gave the order to "cast off." A minute or two later the skiff's head was standing³ high up, against the boat's swell⁴, and the voyage was begun. Tom felt happy in his success, for he knew it was the boat's last trip for the night. At the end of a long twelve or fifteen minutes the wheels stopped, and Tom slipped overboard and swam ashore⁵ in the dusk, landing fifty yards downstream, out of danger of possible stragglers.

He flew along unfrequented alleys⁶, and shortly found himself at his aunt's back fence. He climbed over, approached the "ell," and looked in at the sitting-room⁷ window, for a light was burning there. There sat Aunt Polly, Sid, Mary, and Joe Harper's mother, grouped together, talking. They were by the bed, and the bed was between them and the door. Tom went to the door and began to softly lift the latch⁸; then he pressed gently and the door yielded a crack; he continued pushing cautiously, and quaking every time it creaked, till he judged he might squeeze through on his knees; so he put his head through and began, warily⁹.

"What makes the candle blow so?" said Aunt Polly. Tom hurried up. "Why, that door's open, I believe. Why, of course it is. No end of strange things now. Go 'long and shut it, Sid."

Tom disappeared under the bed just in time. He lay and "breathed" himself for a time, and then crept to where he could almost touch his aunt's foot.

"But as I was saying," said Aunt Polly, "he warn't bad, so to say -- only mischeevous. Only just giddy, and harum-scarum, you know. He warn't any more responsible than a colt. HE never meant any harm, and he was the best-hearted boy that ever was" -- and she began to cry.

"It was just so with my Joe -- always full of his devilment, and up to every kind of mischief¹⁰, but he was just as unselfish and kind as he could be -- and laws bless me, to think I went and whipped him for taking that cream, never once recollecting¹¹ that I throwed it out myself because it was sour, and I never to see him again in this world, never, never, never, poor abused boy!" And Mrs. Harper sobbed¹² as if her heart would break.

"I hope Tom's better off where he is," said Sid, "but if he'd been better in some ways --"

"Sid!" Tom felt the glare of the old lady's eye, though he could not see it. "Not a word against my Tom, now that he's gone! God'll take care of him -- never you trouble yourself, sir! Oh, Mrs. Harper, I don't know how to give him up! I don't know how to give him up! He was such a comfort to me, although he tormented¹³ my old heart out of me, 'most."

"The Lord giveth and the Lord hath taken away -- Blessed be the name of the Lord! But it's so hard -- Oh, it's so hard! Only last Saturday my Joe busted¹⁴ a firecracker right under my nose and I knocked him sprawling¹⁵. Little did I know then, how soon -- Oh, if it was to do over again I'd hug him and bless him for it."

"Yes, yes, yes, I know just how you feel, Mrs. Harper, I know just exactly how you feel. No longer ago than yesterday noon, my Tom took and filled the cat full of Pain-killer, and I did think the cretur would tear the house down. And God forgive me, I cracked Tom's head with my thimble, poor boy, poor dead boy. But he's out of all his troubles now. And the last words I ever heard him say was to reproach --"

But this memory was too much for the old lady, and she broke entirely¹⁶ down. Tom was snuffling, now, himself -- and more in pity of himself than anybody else. He could hear Mary crying, and putting in a kindly¹⁷ word for him from time to time. He began to have a nobler opinion of himself than ever before. Still, he was sufficiently¹⁸ touched by his aunt's grief to long to rush out from under the bed and overwhelm her with joy -- and the theatrical¹⁹ gorgeousness of the thing appealed strongly to his nature, too, but he resisted and lay still.

He went on listening, and gathered by odds²⁰ and ends that it was conjectured²¹ at first that the boys had got drowned while taking a swim; then the small raft had been missed; next, certain boys said the missing lads had promised that the village should "hear something" soon; the wise-heads had "put this and that together" and decided²² that the lads had gone off on that raft and would turn up at the next town below, presently; but toward noon the raft had been found, lodged²³ against the Missouri shore some five or six miles below the village -- and then hope perished; they must be drowned, else hunger would have driven them home by nightfall if not sooner. It was believed that the search for the bodies had been a fruitless effort merely because the drowning must have occurred in mid-channel, since the boys, being good swimmers, would otherwise have escaped to shore. This was Wednesday night. If the bodies continued missing until Sunday, all hope would be given over, and the funerals would be preached on that morning. Tom shuddered²⁴.

Mrs. Harper gave a sobbing²⁵ good-night and turned to go. Then with a mutual²⁶ impulse the two bereaved²⁷ women flung themselves into each other's arms and had a good, consoling cry, and then parted. Aunt Polly was tender far beyond her wont²⁸, in her good-night to Sid and Mary. Sid snuffled a bit and Mary went off crying with all her heart.

Aunt Polly knelt down and prayed for Tom so touchingly²⁹, so appealingly, and with such measureless love in her words and her old trembling voice, that he was weltering in tears again, long before she was through.

He had to keep still long after she went to bed, for she kept making broken-hearted ejaculations from time to time, tossing unrestfully, and turning over. But at last she was still, only moaning a little in her sleep. Now the boy stole out, rose gradually by the bedside, shaded the candle-light with his hand, and stood regarding her. His heart was full of pity for her. He took out his sycamore scroll³⁰ and placed it by the candle. But something occurred to him, and he lingered considering. His face lighted with a happy solution of his thought; he put the bark hastily in his pocket. Then he bent³¹ over and kissed the faded lips, and straightway made his stealthy exit, latching³² the door behind him.

He threaded his way back to the ferry landing, found nobody at large there, and walked boldly on board the boat, for he knew she was tenantless³³ except that there was a watchman, who always turned in and slept like a graven image. He untied³⁴ the skiff at the stern, slipped into it, and was soon rowing cautiously upstream. When he had pulled a mile above the village, he started quartering across and bent himself stoutly³⁵ to his work. He hit the landing on the other side neatly³⁶, for this was a familiar bit of work to him. He was moved to capture the skiff, arguing that it might be considered a ship and therefore legitimate³⁷ prey³⁸ for a pirate, but he knew a thorough search would be made for it and that might end in revelations. So he stepped ashore and entered the woods.

He sat down and took a long rest, torturing himself meanwhile to keep awake, and then started warily down the home-stretch. The night was far spent. It was broad daylight before he found himself fairly abreast³⁹ the island bar. He rested again until the sun was well up and gilding⁴⁰ the great river with its splendor⁴¹, and then he plunged⁴² into the stream. A little later he paused, dripping, upon the threshold of the camp, and heard Joe say:

"No, Tom's true-blue, Huck, and he'll come back. He won't desert. He knows that would be a disgrace to a pirate, and Tom's too proud for that sort of thing. He's up to something or other. Now I wonder what?"

"Well, the things is ours, anyway, ain't they?"

Pretty near, but not yet, Huck. The writing says they are if he ain't back here to breakfast."

"Which he is!" exclaimed Tom, with fine dramatic effect, stepping grandly into camp.

A sumptuous⁴³ breakfast of bacon and fish was shortly provided, and as the boys set to work upon it, Tom recounted (and adorned) his adventures. They were a vain and boastful company of heroes when the tale was done. Then Tom hid himself away in a shady nook to sleep till noon, and the other pirates got ready to fish and explore

几分钟之后，汤姆便到了沙洲的浅水滩上，向伊利诺斯州趟过去。趟到河中间时，水还
不到腰部；后来流水转急趟水过河是不行了，他就很自信地决定游过剩下的一百码。他向上
游游去，可是河水老是要把他往下游冲，流速比他想象的要快得多。最后他还是游到了岸
边，又顺水漂了一段距离，在一处较低的河堤边爬上了岸。他伸手按了按上衣口袋，发觉树
皮还在，就钻进河边的树林，身上的水一路淋淋漓漓。将近十点钟的时候，他从树林里走出
来，来到镇子对面的一块开阔地，看到渡船正泊在高高的河堤旁下面的树荫里。天空中星辰
闪烁，大地上万籁俱寂。他悄悄溜下河堤，睁大眼睛四处张望，然后潜入水中，游了三四
下，就爬到船尾那只“突突”待命的小艇上了，躺在坐板下面，气喘吁吁地等着开船。
    不久，船上的破钟敲响了，有人发出了“开船”的命令。一两分钟以后，小艇的船头被
渡船裹挟的排浪冲得直竖起来，船启航了。汤姆庆幸自己赶上了这班船，他知道这可是当晚
的最后一次摆渡了。好不容易熬过了这漫长的十二到十五分种，渡船终于停了下来，汤姆从
小艇上溜下水，在暮色中向岸边游去，为了不让人遇见，他在下游五十码的地方安全地上了
岸。他飞快地穿过冷冷清清的小巷，转眼间就到了姨妈家的后围墙下。他翻过围墙，走近厢
房，见客厅的窗户里有光亮他就朝里张望，屋里坐着波莉姨妈、希德、玛丽，还有乔·哈帕
的妈妈，大家正在聚谈。他们坐在床边，床摆在他们和门之间。汤姆走到门边，轻轻地拨开
门闩，随后慢慢地推了一下，门狭开了一条缝。他又小心翼翼地推门。每次门响一声，他都
吓得发抖，后来他估计可以趴着挤进去时，就把头先伸进去，心惊胆战地开始往里爬。
    “烛光怎么摇得这么害？”波利姨妈问。汤姆急忙往里爬。“唉，我想门一定是开着
的。唉，门果然开着，现在怪事真多，
    没完没了。希德，去把门关上。”
    汤姆这时刚好藏到了床底下。他躺在那里，等“缓过气来”之后，又爬过去，几乎能摸
到姨妈的脚。
    “但是，就像我刚才说的，”波莉姨妈说，“他不坏，可以这么说——他不过是淘气罢
了，有点浮躁冒冒失失的。他只不过还是个毛头孩子。他可没有一点坏心眼，我从来还没见
过像他那么心地善良的孩子。嘿……”她开始哭了起来。
    “我的乔也正是这样——调皮捣蛋，凡是淘气的事，他都占上。可他不自私，心眼好。
天哪！想起揍他的事，我就难过。我以为他偷吃了奶酪，不分青红皂白地拿鞭子抽了他一
顿，压根没想到是奶酪酸了，我亲手倒掉的。好了，这下子，我别想活着见到他了，永远、
永远、永远也见不着了。这个可怜的、受尽虐待的孩子啊！”接着哈帕太太似乎伤心至极，
哽咽着，泣不成声。
    “我希望汤姆现在活得很快活，”希德说，“不过他以前有些事干得不怎么样……”
    “希德！”汤姆尽管看不清，但却感觉到老太太是瞪着眼睛在跟希德讲话。“汤姆已经
走了，不许你再说他一句坏话！有老天爷照顾他——用不着您来操心，我的先生！哦，哈帕
太太，我简直不知道怎样才能忘掉他！我简直不知道怎样才能忘掉他！虽然他从前常折磨我
这颗衰老的心，但他毕竟也给了我极大的安慰啊。”“上帝把他们赐给我们，又把他们收回
去了，——感谢上帝！可这太残酷了——啊，实在让人受不了！就在上星期六，我的乔在我
面前放了个炮竹，我就把他打趴在地上。谁知道这么快他就……啊，要是一切能从头再来一
次，我一定会搂着他，夸他干得好。”
    “是啊，是啊，是啊，我理解你的心情，哈帕太太，我完全理解。就在昨天中午，我的
汤姆逮住猫给它灌了很多止痛药，当时我认为这下子它会把家给毁掉。真是对不起老天爷，
我拿顶针敲了汤姆的头，可怜的孩子，我那可怜的短命的孩子啊。不过，现在他总算从万般
烦恼中解脱出来。我最后听见他说的话就是责备我……”
    老太太说着说着，伤心得实在说不下去了，她一下子放声哭起来。此时的汤姆鼻子也发
起酸来——这倒不是他在同情别人，而是在可怜自己。他听见玛丽也在哭，还时不时为他说
上一两句好话。他从没有像现在这样感到自己是个不平凡的人。还有，姨妈伤心的样子深深
地打动汤姆，他真想从床下面冲出来，让她惊喜欲狂——再说汤姆也十分喜欢制造些富于戏
剧性的场景，但这一次他却沉住气，没有动弹。
    他继续听着，从零零星星的谈话中得知，开头人们以为几个孩子在游泳中淹死了；其后
他们又发现那只小木筏不见了；接着又有些孩子说这几个失踪的孩子曾暗示过镇上人不久将
“听到重大新闻”；那些有头脑的聪明人根据东拼西凑的消息断定几个小家伙一定是撑着小
木筏出去了，不久就会在下游的村镇里出现；但是时近中午，人们发现木筏停在镇子下游五
六英里的密西西比河岸边——可孩子们不在上边，于是希望成了泡影，破灭了；他们准是淹
死了，否则的话，不要到天黑，他们就会饿得往家来。大家认为打捞尸体是徒劳无获的，因
为几个孩子一定是在河当中淹死的，要不然，凭他们那么好的水性，早就凫到岸上来了。今
天是星期三晚上。要是到星期天还找不着尸体的话，那什么希望都没有了，星期天早上就举
行丧礼。汤姆听到这里，浑身一阵簌簌乱抖。
    哈帕太太带着哭腔道了声晚安就要走。这两个失去亲人的女人忽然一阵激动，抱在一起
痛痛快快地哭了一场后，这才分手。波莉姨妈在与希德和玛丽道别时，一反惯例，显得万分
温柔。希德有点抽鼻子，玛丽却是大哭着走的。
    波莉姨妈跪下来，为汤姆祈祷。她祈祷得如怨如泣，令人感动。汤姆见她老人家声音颤
抖，话里充满无限爱意，还没有等她说完他已是以泪洗面了。
    波莉姨妈上床以后很久，因为她很伤心，不时地发出长吁短叹，睡思不宁，辗转反侧，
久不成眠。但到后来，她还是安静地睡了，只不过偶尔还能听到一两声的呻吟声。于是汤姆
便从床底下钻出来，慢慢地站起，用手挡住烛光，立在床边端详着她。心里对她充满了怜
悯。他从口袋里捣出梧桐树皮，放在蜡烛旁边。可是他忽然想起了什么事，犹豫了一下。他
作出了一个愉快的决定，脸上露出了喜色；他赶忙把树皮放到口袋里。接着他弯下腰来，吻
了吻那憔悴的嘴唇，就悄悄地径直向门口走去，走时还把门给闩好了。
    他转弯抹角，回到了渡船码头，发现那里没人走动，就大胆地上了船。他知道船上只有
一个守船的人，没别的人，而他总是睡觉，睡起觉来像个雕像一样。他解开船尾的小艇，悄
悄跳上去，很快就小心翼翼地向上游划去。他划离了村子有一英哩时，调转船头，全力以
赴，冲着对岸径直划过去。他很娴熟地就靠上了岸，这对他来说只是雕虫小技而已。他很想
把这只小船据为己有，理由是完全可以把它当作一艘大船，因此而被海盗掳获，正在情理之
中。但他转念一想，丢了这只艇，人家一定会四处搜寻，这样反而会将事情败露，所以他就
弃舟登岸，钻进了树林。
    他坐下来，歇了好一阵子，同时拼命克制住睡意，然后又小心谨慎地向露营地所在的河
湾走去。此时一夜将尽。当他走到岛上的沙滩时，天已大亮。他又歇了一歇，直到日上三
竿，光芒四射，宽阔的河面上金波雀跃，他又往河里纵身一跳。一小会儿之后，他浑身水淋
淋地站在宿营地的门口，听见乔说：
    “不会的，汤姆是最守信用的，哈克，他会回来。他不会抛弃我们。他知道这样做对一
个海盗来说是不体面的，像汤姆这样爱面子的人，是不会干出这种事情的。他一定是有事出
去了。不过，他究竟干什么去了呢？”
    “哎，不管怎么说，这些玩意儿归我们了，对不对？”
    “差不多吧，不过还不能肯定，哈克。他条子上说，如果吃早饭时，他还没回到这儿
来，这些东西就归我们了。”
    “说曹操，曹操到！”汤姆喊了一声，像演戏一样，神气十足地大步流星走了进来。
    不久，一顿丰盛的咸肉加鲜鱼的早餐便端了上来，孩子们围坐着，一边大口大口吃早
饭，汤姆一边讲述了他回家的经历，还不忘添油加醋。汤姆讲罢，他们成了一群虚荣心强、
自命不凡的英雄。然后汤姆就躲到一个阴凉幽静的地方去睡觉，一直睡到中午。其余两个海
盗，忙着为钓鱼和探险做准备