IN the morning we went up to the village and bought a wire rat-trap and fetched it down, and unstopped the best rat-hole, and in about an hour we had fifteen of the bulliest kind of ones; and then we took it and put it in a safe place under Aunt Sally's bed. But while we was gone for spiders little Thomas Franklin Benjamin Jefferson Elexander Phelps found it there, and opened the door of it to see if the rats would come out, and they did; and Aunt Sally she come in, and when we got back she was a-standing on top of the bed raising Cain, and the rats was doing what they could to keep off the dull times for her. So she took and dusted us both with the hickry, and we was as much as two hours catching¹ another fifteen or sixteen, drat that meddlesome² cub³, and they warn't the likeliest, nuther, because the first haul was the pick of the flock. I never see a likelier lot of rats than what that first haul was.

We got a splendid stock of sorted spiders, and bugs⁴, and frogs, and caterpillars⁵, and one thing or another; and we like to got a hornet's nest, but we didn't. The family was at home. We didn't give it right up, but stayed with them as long as we could; because we allowed we'd tire them out or they'd got to tire us out, and they done it. Then we got allycumpain and rubbed on the places, and was pretty near all right again, but couldn't set down convenient. And so we went for the snakes, and grabbed a couple of dozen garters and house-snakes, and put them in a bag, and put it in our room, and by that time it was suppertime, and a rattling⁶ good honest day's work: and hungry? -- oh, no, I reckon not! And there warn't a blessed snake up there when we went back -- we didn't half tie the sack, and they worked out somehow, and left. But it didn't matter much, because they was still on the premises⁷ somewheres. So we judged we could get some of them again. No, there warn't no real scarcity⁸ of snakes about the house for a considerable spell. You'd see them dripping from the rafters and places every now and then; and they generly landed in your plate, or down the back of your neck, and most of the time where you didn't want them. Well, they was handsome and striped, and there warn't no harm in a million of them; but that never made no difference to Aunt Sally; she despised snakes, be the breed what they might, and she couldn't stand them no way you could fix it; and every time one of them flopped⁹ down on her, it didn't make no difference what she was doing, she would just lay that work down and light out. I never see such a woman. And you could hear her whoop¹⁰ to Jericho. You couldn't get her to take a-holt of one of them with the tongs¹¹. And if she turned over and found one in bed she would scramble¹² out and lift a howl that you would think the house was afire. She disturbed the old man so that he said he could most wish there hadn't ever been no snakes created. Why, after every last snake had been gone clear out of the house for as much as a week Aunt Sally warn't over it yet; she warn't near over it; when she was setting thinking about something you could touch her on the back of her neck with a feather and she would jump right out of her stockings. It was very curious. But Tom said all women was just so. He said they was made that way for some reason or other.

We got a licking every time one of our snakes come in her way, and she allowed these lickings warn't nothing to what she would do if we ever loaded up the place again with them. I didn't mind the lickings, because they didn't amount to nothing; but I minded the trouble we had to lay in another lot. But we got them laid in, and all the other things; and you never see a cabin as blithesome¹³ as Jim's was when they'd all swarm¹⁴ out for music and go for him. Jim didn't like the spiders, and the spiders didn't like Jim; and so they'd lay for him, and make it mighty¹⁵ warm for him. And he said that between the rats and the snakes and the grindstone there warn't no room in bed for him, skasely; and when there was, a body couldn't sleep, it was so lively, and it was always lively, he said, because THEY never all slept at one time, but took turn about, so when the snakes was asleep the rats was on deck, and when the rats turned in the snakes come on watch, so he always had one gang under him, in his way, and t'other gang having a circus over him, and if he got up to hunt a new place the spiders would take a chance at him as he crossed over. He said if he ever got out this time he wouldn't ever be a prisoner again, not for a salary.

Well, by the end of three weeks everything was in pretty good shape. The shirt was sent in early, in a pie, and every time a rat bit Jim he would get up and write a little in his journal whilst the ink was fresh; the pens was made, the inscriptions¹⁶ and so on was all carved on the grindstone; the bed-leg was sawed in two, and we had et up the sawdust, and it give us a most amazing stomach-ache. We reckoned we was all going to die, but didn't. It was the most undigestible sawdust I ever see; and Tom said the same. But as I was saying, we'd got all the work done now, at last; and we was all pretty much fagged out, too, but mainly Jim. The old man had wrote a couple of times to the plantation¹⁷ below Orleans to come and get their runaway¹⁸ nigger, but hadn't got no answer, because there warn't no such plantation; so he allowed he would advertise Jim in the St. Louis and New Orleans papers; and when he mentioned the St. Louis ones it give me the cold shivers, and I see we hadn't no time to lose. So Tom said, now for the nonnamous letters.

"What's them?" I says.

"Warnings to the people that something is up. Sometimes it's done one way, sometimes another. But there's always somebody spying around that gives notice to the governor of the castle. When Louis XVI. was going to light out of the Tooleries a servantgirl done it. It's a very good way, and so is the nonnamous letters. We'll use them both. And it's usual for the prisoner's mother to change clothes with him, and she stays in, and he slides out in her clothes. We'll do that, too."

"But looky here, Tom, what do we want to WARN anybody for that something's up? Let them find it out for themselves -- it's their lookout¹⁹."

"Yes, I know; but you can't depend on them. It's the way they've acted from the very start -- left us to do EVERYTHING. They're so confiding²⁰ and mulletheaded they don't take notice of nothing at all. So if we don't GIVE them notice there won't be nobody nor nothing to interfere²¹ with us, and so after all our hard work and trouble this escape 'll go off perfectly²² flat; won't amount to nothing -- won't be nothing TO it."

"Well, as for me, Tom, that's the way I'd like."

"Shucks!" he says, and looked disgusted. So I says:

"But I ain't going to make no complaint. Any way that suits you suits me. What you going to do about the servant-girl?"

"You'll be her. You slide in, in the middle of the night, and hook that yaller girl's frock."

"Why, Tom, that 'll make trouble next morning; because, of course, she prob'bly hain't got any but that one."

"I know; but you don't want it but fifteen minutes, to carry the nonnamous letter and shove it under the front door."

"All right, then, I'll do it; but I could carry it just as handy in my own togs."

"You wouldn't look like a servant-girl THEN, would you?"

"No, but there won't be nobody to see what I look like, ANYWAY."

"That ain't got nothing to do with it. The thing for us to do is just to do our DUTY, and not worry about whether anybody SEES us do it or not. Hain't you got no principle at all?"

"All right, I ain't saying nothing; I'm the servantgirl. Who's Jim's mother?"

"I'm his mother. I'll hook a gown from Aunt Sally."

"Well, then, you'll have to stay in the cabin when me and Jim leaves."

"Not much. I'll stuff Jim's clothes full of straw and lay it on his bed to represent his mother in disguise, and Jim 'll take the nigger woman's gown off of me and wear it, and we'll all evade²³ together. When a prisoner of style escapes it's called an evasion²⁴. It's always called so when a king escapes, f'rinstance. And the same with a king's son; it don't make no difference whether he's a natural one or an unnatural²⁵ one."

So Tom he wrote the nonnamous letter, and I smouched the yaller wench's frock that night, and put it on, and shoved it under the front door, the way Tom told me to. It said:

Beware. Trouble is brewing²⁶. Keep a sharp lookout. UNKNOWN FRIEND.

Next night we stuck a picture, which Tom drawed in blood, of a skull²⁷ and crossbones on the front door; and next night another one of a coffin²⁸ on the back door. I never see a family in such a sweat. They couldn't a been worse scared if the place had a been full of ghosts laying for them behind everything and under the beds and shivering through the air. If a door banged, Aunt Sally she jumped and said "ouch!" if anything fell, she jumped and said "ouch!" if you happened to touch her, when she warn't noticing, she done the same; she couldn't face noway and be satisfied, because she allowed there was something behind her every time -- so she was always a-whirling around sudden, and saying "ouch," and before she'd got two-thirds around she'd whirl back again, and say it again; and she was afraid to go to bed, but she dasn't set up. So the thing was working very well, Tom said; he said he never see a thing work more satisfactory. He said it showed it was done right.

So he said, now for the grand bulge²⁹! So the very next morning at the streak³⁰ of dawn we got another letter ready, and was wondering what we better do with it, because we heard them say at supper they was going to have a nigger on watch at both doors all night. Tom he went down the lightning-rod to spy around; and the nigger at the back door was asleep, and he stuck it in the back of his neck and come back. This letter said:

Don't betray me, I wish to be your friend. There is a desprate gang of cut-throats from over in the Indian Territory going to steal your runaway nigger to-night, and they have been trying to scare you so as you will stay in the house and not bother them. I am one of the gang, but have got religgion and wish to quit it and lead an honest life again, and will betray the helish design. They will sneak³¹ down from northards, along the fence, at midnight exact, with a false key, and go in the nigger's cabin to get him. I am to be off a piece and blow a tin horn if I see any danger; but stead of that I will BA like a sheep soon as they get in and not blow at all; then whilst they are getting his chains loose, you slip there and lock them in, and can kill them at your leasure. Don't do anything but just the way I am telling you; if you do they will suspicion something and raise whoop-jamboreehoo. I do not wish any reward but to know I have done the right thing. UNKNOWN FRIEND.

到早上，我们到林里买了一只铁丝编的耗子笼子，拿了回来，又把最好的一个耗子洞重
新挖开了。才只个把钟头，就捉到了十五只顶呱呱的大耗子。我们把笼子放到了萨莉阿姨床
底下一个最安全可靠的地方。可是啊，我们去捉蜘蛛的当儿，给小汤姆斯·佛兰克林·朋杰
明·杰佛逊·费尔贝斯①发现了。他打开了笼子，看看耗子会不会出来，而耗子果然出来
了。萨莉阿姨走了进来。当我们走回家时，只见她正站在床头大叫大喊，而耗子正在表现它
们的拿手好戏给她解解闷。所以她一见我们，便抄起木棍，揍了我们一顿。我们不得不重新
花了两个钟头才另外搞到了十五六只。那个爱淘气的小鬼就是这么跟我们捣乱。而且这回捉
到的又不象样。赶不上第一批那种精英之辈。象第一批那么棒的，我还没见过哩。   

　　①当时普通人家给儿子取名，经常取历史上大人物的姓作为名字，几乎每家都有叫
华盛顿的，还有从拜伦或司各特作品中人物取名字的。

　　①诺顿版注：指当年的俄克拉荷马，当时为印第安人领地，不法之徒不少。

    我们又弄到了挺棒的一大批各式各样的蜘蛛、屎壳郎、毛毛虫、癞蛤蟆，还有许多别的
东西。我们本想弄到一个马蜂窝，后来没有弄成。那一家子正在窝里呢。我们并没有就此罢
休，而是跟它们比一比耐性的劲儿，因为我们知道，在耗时间上不是它们把我们轰跑，就是
我们把它们轰跑，结果是它们胜了。我们找了点草药，在给蜂子蜇过的地方擦了擦，就好得
差不多了，不过坐下来的时候还不怎么灵便。于是我们去捉蛇，捉到了二三十来条花蛇和家
蛇，放进了一只袋子里，随后放到了我们的房间里。这时正是吃晚饭的时间，忙忙碌碌干了
一整天，肚子饿不饿呢？——哦，不，我看是不饿！等到我们回来，一看，一条蛇都不见了
——我们没有把袋口扎紧，蛇就溜跑了。不过问题还不大，因为它们总还在这房子里嘛。因
此我们认为，总能把一部分捉回来吧。不，有好一阵子，这间屋里可真是闹起了蛇的天下。
时不时的，你能看见房椽子上等处地方突然掉下一条蛇来，往往掉到了你的菜盘子里，或是
掉到了你的背上，你的脖子上，而且多半总是在你不愿见到它的时间里掉下来。说起来，这
些蛇还长得挺漂亮，身上一条条花纹。这些蛇，即便是一百万条吧，也害不了人。可是在萨
莉阿姨眼里，蛇就没有什么好歹之分。她讨厌蛇，不管它是哪一种、哪一类。不管你怎么
说，只要是蛇，她就受不了。每逢有一条蛇跌到她身上，不论她正在干着什么，她就一概丢
下活儿往外跑。这样的女人我真没见过。而且你能听到她大声叫喊。你就是告诉她用火钳就
能把蛇给夹住，她也不干。要是她睡时一翻身，看见了床上盘着一条蛇，那她就马上滚下床
来，拼命嚎叫，仿佛房子着了火。她还把那位老人吵得六神无主，弄得他只好说，他但愿上
帝创造万物时能没有创造蛇才好。啊，即便最后一条蛇在屋里消失了已经有一个星期了，对
萨莉阿姨来说，这事还未了结，还谈不到快了结这样的话。只要她坐着想些什么，你用一根
羽毛在她颈背后轻轻一拂，她会立时立刻跳将起来，吓得魂不附体。这也真怪。不过据汤姆
说，女人一概如此。他说，她们这是生来便是如此，不知道是什么原因。
每次有蛇惊了她，我们就得挨一回揍。还说，要是下次还是搞得满屋是蛇，她会揍得叫
我们觉得这一回的挨揍简直就算不上什么。我并不在乎挨揍，因为那实在算不上什么，我怕
的是再去捉一批蛇，那可是麻烦事。不过我们还是去捉了蛇，还捉了其它别的东西。每逢这
些东西在杰姆的小间里挤在一起听着杰姆的音乐，围着杰姆打转，那个热闹啊，可是从来没
有见过的。杰姆呢，他不喜欢蜘蛛；蜘蛛呢，也不喜欢杰姆。所以它们和杰姆打起交道时，
弄得杰姆真是够受的。他还说，他这样在在耗子、蛇和磨刀石的中间，在他那张床上，他简
直没有容身之地了。他说，即便是可以容身的时候吧，他也睡不成觉，因为在那个时候，这
儿可闹得欢呢。而且这里老是这么闹得欢，因为这些东西从来不是在同一个时候入睡的，而
是轮流着睡的。蛇睡的时候，耗子出来上班。耗子睡了，蛇就出来上班。因此，这么一来，
他身子下面总有一群东西，而这时另一群则在他身上开演其马戏。要是他起身寻觅一处新的
地方，蜘蛛就会在他跨过去的时候，找个机会蜇他一下。他说，要是这一回他能出得去，他
再也不愿当一个囚犯了，即便发给他薪水，他也不干了。
这样，一直到第三个星期的末了，一切进行得非常有条有理。衬衫早就放在馅饼里送了
进来。每一回耗子咬他一口，杰姆便起身，趁血水未干，在日记上写点儿什么。笔也磨好
了，题词等等已经刻在磨刀石上了。床腿已经一锯为二。锯下的木屑，我们已经吃了，结果
肚子痛得要命。我们原以为这下子要送命了，可是倒并没有。这种木屑之难于消化，是我见
所未见的了。汤姆也是这么个说法。不过，正如我说的，这些活儿如今都终于完成了。我们
都吃尽了苦头，最苦的还是杰姆。那位老人写了好几封信到奥尔良下面的那家农场，要他们
来把逃跑的黑奴领回去。不过信去后没有收到回信。因为根本没有那么一个农场。所以他表
示，要在圣路易和新奥尔良两地的报纸上为招领杰姆登广告。这个消息，我听后全身冰凉得
直发抖。我看，我们再也耽误不得啦。汤姆因此说，写匿名信的时机如今到啦。
“匿名信是什么呀？”我说。
“是警告人家，谨防发生什么意外的。警告的方式有时是用这样一种方式，有时是用另
外一种方式。不过总会有人暗中察访，知照城堡的长官。当年路易十六准备逃出都勒里宫
时，一个女仆就去报了信。这个办法很好，写匿名信也是个好办法。我们不妨两种方法并
用。通常是囚徒的母亲换穿他的服饰，改扮成他，她留下，而他改穿上她的衣服溜之大吉。
我们不妨照着做。”
“不过你听我说，汤姆，我们为什么要警告什么人，说什么要有意外发生呢？让他们自
己发现不好么，——这原本是他们的事嘛。”
“是啊，这我知道。不过光靠他们是靠不住的。事情从一开始起，他们就是这么一回事
——什么事都得由我们来干。这些人啊，就是喜欢轻信人家的话，死脑筋，根本不注意发生
了什么事。所以嘛，要不是我们给他们提个醒，那就不会有谁来干涉我们。这样一来，尽管
我们吃了千辛万苦，这场越狱，会变得平淡无奇，落得一场空——什么都谈不上。”
“那好啊，拿我来说，汤姆，这是我求之不得的嘛。”
“去你的。”他说，仿佛不胜厌恶的样子。我就说：
“不过我不想埋怨什么。只要你认为合适，我都行。那个女仆的事，你有什么打算呢？”
“你就是她，你半夜里溜进去，把那个黄脸丫头的袍子偷出来。”
“怎么啦，汤姆，那样一来，第二天早上便麻烦了。因为那可以断得定，她很可能只有
这么一件嘛。”
“这我知道。不过嘛，你送那封匿名信，把信塞到大门底下，最多十五分钟嘛。”
“那好，我来干。不过我穿自己的上衣，也一样可以送嘛。”
“那样的话，你就不象女仆了，不是么？”
“是不象。不过反正不会有人看见我是个什么模样嘛。”
“问题不在这里。我们该干的是：尽到我们的责任，而不是担心有没有别人看到我们。
难道你丝毫没有原则观念么？”
“好吧，我不说了。我是女仆。那么谁是杰姆的妈妈呢？”
“我是他的妈妈。我要偷萨莉阿姨的一件袍子穿上。”
“那好吧，我和杰姆走了以后，那你就得留在小屋里啰。”
“也留不了多久。我要在杰姆的衣服里塞满稻草，搁在床上，算是他那乔装改扮了的母
亲。杰姆要穿上从我身上脱下来的萨莉阿姨的袍子，我们就一起逃亡。一个有身份的囚徒逃
跑，就称做逃亡①。举例说，一个国王逃走的时候，就称作逃亡。国王的儿子也如此，不论
是否是私生子，一概如此。”    

　　①原文为evasion，意为“躲避”。

    汤姆就写下了那封匿名信。我呢，按照汤姆的吩咐，在那天晚上，偷了那黄脸皮丫头的
衫子穿上，把那封信塞到了大门下面。信上说：
当心。灾祸快临头。严防为妙。
一位不相识的朋友
第二天晚上，我们把汤姆蘸血画的骷髅底下交叉着白骨的一幅画贴在大门上。再下一个
晚上，把画了一付棺材的画贴在后门口。一家人这么恐慌，我可是第一回见到。他们吓得魂
飞魄散，仿佛他们家到处是鬼，在每一样东西的后面，在床底下，在空气里，隐隐绰绰的，
都是鬼。门砰的一声，萨莉阿姨就跳将起来，喊一声“啊唷！”什么东西掉了下来，她就跳
将起来，喊一声“啊唷！”她没有留意的时候，你偶然碰了她一下，她也会这样子。不论她
的脸朝那个方向，她总是不放心，因为她认为在她身子背后，每一回都有什么妖怪之类——
所以她不停地突然转身，一边说“啊唷”。还没有转到三分之二，就又转回来，又说一声
“啊唷”。她又怕上床，可又不敢坐着熬夜。汤姆说，可见我们那套办法很灵验。他说，搞
得这么灵验，他过去还没有过。他说，这表明，事情是做得对的。
于是他说，压轴戏如今该上场啦！所以第二天，天蒙蒙亮，我们把另一封信准备好了，
并且正在考虑最好的办法是什么，因为我们在吃晚饭时听到，他们说，他们要通宵在前门后
门都派黑奴看守。汤姆呢，他顺着避雷针滑了下去，在四下里侦察了一番。后门口的黑奴睡
着了，他就把信贴在他颈子背后，随后就回来了。这封信是这样写的：
你们别泄露我的秘密，我是有心做你们的朋友的。现下有一帮杀人犯，是从那边印第安
领地来的①，要在今晚盗走你家的黑奴。他们一直在试图吓唬你们，好叫你们待在屋里，不
敢出来阻拦他们。我是这一帮团伙中的一分子，可是由于受到宗教的感化，有心脱离这个团
伙，重新做人，因此愿意揭露这个罪恶阴谋。他们定在半夜整沿着栅栏，从北边偷偷摸进
来，带着私造的钥匙，打开黑奴的小屋，将他盗走。他们要我在稍远处放风，一有危险，便
吹起白铁皮号筒。不过我现在决定不照他们的办，根本不吹白铁皮号筒，而准备他们一进
来，我便学羊的声音，喝喝地叫唤，望你们趁他们在给他打开脚镣时，溜到小屋外，把他们
反锁在里面。一有工夫，就可把他们杀掉。千万要按我的话办，如果不照办，他们就会起疑
心，惹出一场滔天大祸。我不想获得什么报酬，只愿知道自己是做了一桩好事。
一位不相识的朋友