登陆注册
5200800000078

第78章

"Don't talk about it, Tom.I've tried it, and it don't work; it don't work, Tom.It ain't for me; I ain't used to it.The widder's good to me, and friendly; but I can't stand them ways.She makes me get up just at the same time every morning; she makes me wash, they comb me all to thunder; she won't let me sleep in the woodshed; I got to wear them blamed clothes that just smothers me, Tom; they don't seem to any air git through 'em, somehow; and they're so rotten nice that I can't set down, nor lay down, nor roll around anywher's; I hain't slid on a cellar-door for -- well, it 'pears to be years; I got to go to church and sweat and sweat -- I hate them ornery sermons! I can't ketch a fly in there, I can't chaw.I got to wear shoes all Sunday.The widder eats by a bell; she goes to bed by a bell; she gits up by a bell -- everything's so awful reg'lar a body can't stand it.""Well, everybody does that way, Huck."

"Tom, it don't make no difference.I ain't everybody, and I can't stand it.It's awful to be tied up so.And grub comes too easy -- I don't take no interest in vittles, that way.I got to ask to go a-fishing; I got to ask to go in a-swimming -- dern'd if I hain't got to ask to do everything.Well, I'd got to talk so nice it wasn't no comfort -- I'd got to go up in the attic and rip out awhile, every day, to git a taste in my mouth, or I'd a died, Tom.The widder wouldn't let me smoke; she wouldn't let me yell, she wouldn't let me gape, nor stretch, nor scratch, before folks --" [Then with a spasm of special irritation and injury] -- "And dad fetch it, she prayed all the time! I never see such a woman! I HAD to shove, Tom -- I just had to.And besides, that school's going to open, and I'd a had to go to it -- well, I wouldn't stand THAT, Tom.Looky-here, Tom, being rich ain't what it's cracked up to be.It's just worry and worry, and sweat and sweat, and a-wishing you was dead all the time.Now these clothes suits me, and this bar'l suits me, and I ain't ever going to shake 'em any more.Tom, I wouldn't ever got into all this trouble if it hadn't 'a' ben for that money; now you just take my sheer of it along with your'n, and gimme a ten-center sometimes -- not many times, becuz I don't give a dern for a thing 'thout it's tollable hard to git -- and you go and beg off for me with the widder.""Oh, Huck, you know I can't do that.'Tain't fair; and besides if you'll try this thing just a while longer you'll come to like it.""Like it! Yes -- the way I'd like a hot stove if I was to set on it long enough.No, Tom, I won't be rich, and I won't live in them cussed smothery houses.I like the woods, and the river, and hogsheads, and I'll stick to 'em, too.Blame it all! just as we'd got guns, and a cave, and all just fixed to rob, here this dern foolishness has got to come up and spile it all!"Tom saw his opportunity --

"Lookyhere, Huck, being rich ain't going to keep me back from turning robber.""No! Oh, good-licks; are you in real dead-wood earnest, Tom?""Just as dead earnest as I'm sitting here.But Huck, we can't let you into the gang if you ain't respectable, you know."Huck's joy was quenched.

"Can't let me in, Tom? Didn't you let me go for a pirate?""Yes, but that's different.A robber is more high-toned than what a pirate is -- as a general thing.In most countries they're awful high up in the nobility -- dukes and such.""Now, Tom, hain't you always ben friendly to me? You wouldn't shet me out, would you, Tom? You wouldn't do that, now, would you, Tom?""Huck, I wouldn't want to, and I don't want to -- but what would people say? Why, they'd say, 'Mph! Tom Sawyer's Gang! pretty low characters in it!' They'd mean you, Huck.You wouldn't like that, and I wouldn't."Huck was silent for some time, engaged in a mental struggle.Finally he said:

"Well, I'll go back to the widder for a month and tackle it and see if I can come to stand it, if you'll let me b'long to the gang, Tom.""All right, Huck, it's a whiz! Come along, old chap, and I'll ask the widow to let up on you a little, Huck.""Will you, Tom -- now will you? That's good.If she'll let up on some of the roughest things, I'll smoke private and cuss private, and crowd through or bust.When you going to start the gang and turn robbers?""Oh, right off.We'll get the boys together and have the initiation to-night, maybe.""Have the which?"

"Have the initiation."

"What's that?"

"It's to swear to stand by one another, and never tell the gang's secrets, even if you're chopped all to flinders, and kill anybody and all his family that hurts one of the gang.""That's gay -- that's mighty gay, Tom, I tell you.""Well, I bet it is.And all that swearing's got to be done at midnight, in the lonesomest, awfulest place you can find -- a ha'nted house is the best, but they're all ripped up now.""Well, midnight's good, anyway, Tom."

"Yes, so it is.And you've got to swear on a coffin, and sign it with blood.""Now, that's something like! Why, it's a million times bullier than pirating.I'll stick to the widder till I rot, Tom; and if I git to be a reg'lar ripper of a robber, and everybody talking 'bout it, I reckon she'll be proud she snaked me in out of the wet."

CONCLUSION

SO endeth this chronicle.It being strictly a history of a boy, it must stop here; the story could not go much further without becoming the history of a man.When one writes a novel about grown people, he knows exactly where to stop -- that is, with a marriage; but when he writes of juveniles, he must stop where he best can.

Most of the characters that perform in this book still live, and are prosperous and happy.Some day it may seem worth while to take up the story of the younger ones again and see what sort of men and women they turned out to be; therefore it will be wisest not to reveal any of that part of their lives at present.

THE END

同类推荐
  • 太上洞玄灵宝国王行道经

    太上洞玄灵宝国王行道经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 游杭州诸胜记

    游杭州诸胜记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 前闻记

    前闻记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 太玄经

    太玄经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 乐论

    乐论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 冷酷阎王废柴女

    冷酷阎王废柴女

    谁说穿越不能睥睨天下?谁说没有法力就是最下贱的人?她阚桑榆就算穿越,也要穿出个名堂来!本以为自己已经一生不会动情,谁料那个男人一次次出现帮助他,一次次夺走她心中仅存的爱。爱了便爱了吧,可为何他要在她的心交与他的时候,选择抽身,不带走一片云彩。为什么,你要负我?。。。。喜欢的宝宝们就戳进来阅读吧爱你们
  • 吴斌:中国最美司机

    吴斌:中国最美司机

    浙江省杭州长运公司快客司机吴斌同志在驾驶大客车从无锡返回杭州途中,一块铁块从空中飞落砸中吴斌腹部和手臂,导致其三根肋骨被撞断,肝脏被击碎。危急关头,吴斌强忍剧痛,完成了换挡、刹车等一系列安全操作,确保了车上25名乘客的生命安全,而自己却因伤势过重献出了宝贵生命。吴斌的先进事迹引起了全社会广泛关注,被誉为全国人民心中的“平民英雄”、“最美司机”。长篇报告文学《吴斌:中国最美司机》是一部学习宣传吴斌英雄事迹,弘扬社会主义道德观的良好教材。《吴斌:中国最美司机》作者孙侃以深入的采访,翔实的材料,生动的笔触,深刻的思想,再现了吴斌的成长历程和壮举瞬间,描述了英雄产生的生活背景和时代意义。
  • 这些事30岁以前一定要学会

    这些事30岁以前一定要学会

    对梦想成功的每一个青年来说,只要及早规划人生,找准方向,经过五年、十年、十五年的努力,相信你一定可以取得成功,成为一个成功者。本书旨在端正人们对生活、感情、事业、财富的理解,以开放的眼光立足于当今社会,它包括:设定人生目标、建立必胜的信心、开创自己的事业、与人相处的技巧、提高办事的能力等。三十岁以前,可以决定你的一生,我们编写本书的目的也就在于此。如果你很迷惘,或者你目标很明确,想要激励自己,这本书都是不错的选择。
  • 石林诗话

    石林诗话

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 天路争锋

    天路争锋

    一剑寒光刺骨,九州覆雨翻天!他,一身青衣,目如百尺深渊,剑气冲霄千里,逆行天路尽头!敢问!仙穹之下,谁与争锋?
  • 关于世界的一己之见

    关于世界的一己之见

    太阳花田中撑伞回眸的风见幽香,月下举杯邀月的蓬莱山辉夜,手持长刀的黄泉、套着围裙的的宠妃……这些都是我闺女啊喂!想要泡她们就从我的尸体上踏过去啊!某金发萝太如此咆哮着……本文充斥大量无节操搞笑,无节操娘化,无节操穿越等内容……请不要过度期待日常轻小说向的综漫穿越文,不喜误入新书已发,《请问您要来杯咖啡吗》在点娘求支持
  • 说疑

    说疑

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 林徽因文集:你是人间四月天

    林徽因文集:你是人间四月天

    本书收录了林徽因最为经典的诗歌、散文、小说、书信以及建筑等方面的作品。这些文章,或写亲友交往、家庭琐事,或写真实的见闻和感受,或是发表真实的议论,思想内涵极为丰富,文化底蕴深厚。诗文玲珑剔透、感情细腻、风格婉丽,颇富美感;建筑相关作品深入浅出、审美独特,古典韵味十足。具有较高的艺术性、可读性和收藏价值。
  • 剑来

    剑来

    大千世界,无奇不有。我陈平安,唯有一剑,可搬山,倒海,降妖,镇魔,敕神,摘星,断江,摧城,开天!
  • 附骨之疽

    附骨之疽

    “他是研究室的负责人,这一次开发新产品香水就是他提出来的,所以,他最为看重这项工作。“那天,或者说,那段时间他很疲劳。就像我刚才跟你说的,他的身体不好,再加上过度劳累,他出错了,不知道把什么古怪的东西混入试剂里,造成了一种有毒气体。他昏倒了,心脏病突发,还没送到医院人就不行了。“我希望你能理解我,我不相信他会在研究室里出错。他做这一行已经快五十年了,从来没出过错。所以,我怀疑,他的死并不像其他人告诉我的那样。”委托人忽然登门拜访,语无伦次地说了快两个小时,时骏才确定这人想要的是什么。