Reading Help Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain Ch.I-XV
"Look, Hucky, look! He's got his BACK to us!" `
` `
` Hucky looked, with joy in his heart. `
` `
` "Well, he has, by jingoes! Did he before?" `
` `
` "Yes, he did. But I, like a fool, never thought. Oh, this is bully, `
` you know. NOW who can he mean?" `
` `
` The howling stopped. Tom pricked up his ears. `
` `
` "Sh! What's that?" he whispered. `
` `
` "Sounds like--like hogs grunting. No--it's somebody snoring, Tom." `
` `
` "That IS it! Where 'bouts is it, Huck?" `
` `
` "I bleeve it's down at 'tother end. Sounds so, anyway. Pap used to `
` sleep there, sometimes, 'long with the hogs, but laws bless you, he `
` just lifts things when HE snores. Besides, I reckon he ain't ever `
` coming back to this town any more." `
` `
` The spirit of adventure rose in the boys' souls once more. `
` `
` "Hucky, do you das't to go if I lead?" `
` `
` "I don't like to, much. Tom, s'pose it's Injun Joe!" `
` `
` Tom quailed. But presently the temptation rose up strong again and the `
` boys agreed to try, with the understanding that they would take to `
` their heels if the snoring stopped. So they went tiptoeing stealthily `
` down, the one behind the other. When they had got to within five steps `
` of the snorer, Tom stepped on a stick, and it broke with a sharp snap. `
` The man moaned, writhed a little, and his face came into the moonlight. `
` It was Muff Potter. The boys' hearts had stood still, and their hopes `
` too, when the man moved, but their fears passed away now. They tiptoed `
` out, through the broken weather-boarding, and stopped at a little `
` distance to exchange a parting word. That long, lugubrious howl rose on `
` the night air again! They turned and saw the strange dog standing `
` within a few feet of where Potter was lying, and FACING Potter, with `
` his nose pointing heavenward. `
` `
` "Oh, geeminy, it's HIM!" exclaimed both boys, in a breath. `
` `
` "Say, Tom--they say a stray dog come howling around Johnny Miller's `
` house, 'bout midnight, as much as two weeks ago; and a whippoorwill `
` come in and lit on the banisters and sung, the very same evening; and `
` there ain't anybody dead there yet." `
` `
` "Well, I know that. And suppose there ain't. Didn't Gracie Miller fall `
` in the kitchen fire and burn herself terrible the very next Saturday?" `
` `
` "Yes, but she ain't DEAD. And what's more, she's getting better, too." `
` `
` "All right, you wait and see. She's a goner, just as dead sure as Muff `
` Potter's a goner. That's what the niggers say, and they know all about `
` these kind of things, Huck." `
` `
` Then they separated, cogitating. When Tom crept in at his bedroom `
` window the night was almost spent. He undressed with excessive caution, `
` and fell asleep congratulating himself that nobody knew of his `
` escapade. He was not aware that the gently-snoring Sid was awake, and `
` had been so for an hour. `
` `
` When Tom awoke, Sid was dressed and gone. There was a late look in the `
` light, a late sense in the atmosphere. He was startled. Why had he not `
` been called--persecuted till he was up, as usual? The thought filled `
` him with bodings. Within five minutes he was dressed and down-stairs, `
` feeling sore and drowsy. The family were still at table, but they had `
` finished breakfast. There was no voice of rebuke; but there were `
` averted eyes; there was a silence and an air of solemnity that struck a `
` chill to the culprit's heart. He sat down and tried to seem gay, but it `
` was up-hill work; it roused no smile, no response, and he lapsed into `
` silence and let his heart sink down to the depths. `
` `
` After breakfast his aunt took him aside, and Tom almost brightened in `
` the hope that he was going to be flogged; but it was not so. His aunt `
` wept over him and asked him how he could go and break her old heart so; `
` and finally told him to go on, and ruin himself and bring her gray `
` hairs with sorrow to the grave, for it was no use for her to try any `
` more. This was worse than a thousand whippings, and Tom's heart was `
` sorer now than his body. He cried, he pleaded for forgiveness, promised `
` to reform over and over again, and then received his dismissal, feeling `
` that he had won but an imperfect forgiveness and established but a `
` feeble confidence. `
` `
` He left the presence too miserable to even feel revengeful toward Sid; `
` and so the latter's prompt retreat through the back gate was `
` unnecessary. He moped to school gloomy and sad, and took his flogging, `
` along with Joe Harper, for playing hookey the day before, with the air `
` of one whose heart was busy with heavier woes and wholly dead to `
` trifles. Then he betook himself to his seat, rested his elbows on his `
` desk and his jaws in his hands, and stared at the wall with the stony `
` stare of suffering that has reached the limit and can no further go. `
` His elbow was pressing against some hard substance. After a long time `
` he slowly and sadly changed his position, and took up this object with `
` a sigh. It was in a paper. He unrolled it. A long, lingering, colossal `
` sigh followed, and his heart broke. It was his brass andiron knob! `
` `
` This final feather broke the camel's back. `
` `
` `
` `
` CHAPTER XI `
` `
` CLOSE upon the hour of noon the whole village was suddenly electrified `
` with the ghastly news. No need of the as yet undreamed-of telegraph; `
` the tale flew from man to man, from group to group, from house to `
` house, with little less than telegraphic speed. Of course the `
` schoolmaster gave holiday for that afternoon; the town would have `
` thought strangely of him if he had not. `
` `
` A gory knife had been found close to the murdered man, and it had been `
` recognized by somebody as belonging to Muff Potter--so the story ran. `
` And it was said that a belated citizen had come upon Potter washing `
` himself in the "branch" about one or two o'clock in the morning, and `
` that Potter had at once sneaked off--suspicious circumstances, `
` especially the washing which was not a habit with Potter. It was also `
` said that the town had been ransacked for this "murderer" (the public `
` are not slow in the matter of sifting evidence and arriving at a `
` verdict), but that he could not be found. Horsemen had departed down `
` all the roads in every direction, and the Sheriff "was confident" that `
` he would be captured before night. `
` `
` All the town was drifting toward the graveyard. Tom's heartbreak `
` vanished and he joined the procession, not because he would not a `
` thousand times rather go anywhere else, but because an awful, `
` unaccountable fascination drew him on. Arrived at the dreadful place, `
` he wormed his small body through the crowd and saw the dismal `
` spectacle. It seemed to him an age since he was there before. Somebody `
` pinched his arm. He turned, and his eyes met Huckleberry's. Then both `
` looked elsewhere at once, and wondered if anybody had noticed anything `
` in their mutual glance. But everybody was talking, and intent upon the `
` grisly spectacle before them. `
` `
` "Poor fellow!" "Poor young fellow!" "This ought to be a lesson to `
` grave robbers!" "Muff Potter'll hang for this if they catch him!" This `
` was the drift of remark; and the minister said, "It was a judgment; His `
` hand is here." `
` `
` Now Tom shivered from head to heel; for his eye fell upon the stolid `
` face of Injun Joe. At this moment the crowd began to sway and struggle, `
` and voices shouted, "It's him! it's him! he's coming himself!" `
` `
` "Who? Who?" from twenty voices. `
` `
` "Muff Potter!" `
` `
` "Hallo, he's stopped!--Look out, he's turning! Don't let him get away!" `
` `
` People in the branches of the trees over Tom's head said he wasn't `
` trying to get away--he only looked doubtful and perplexed. `
` `
` "Infernal impudence!" said a bystander; "wanted to come and take a `
` quiet look at his work, I reckon--didn't expect any company." `
` `
` The crowd fell apart, now, and the Sheriff came through, `
` ostentatiously leading Potter by the arm. The poor fellow's face was `
` haggard, and his eyes showed the fear that was upon him. When he stood `
` before the murdered man, he shook as with a palsy, and he put his face `
` in his hands and burst into tears. `
` `
` "I didn't do it, friends," he sobbed; "'pon my word and honor I never `
` done it." `
` `
` "Who's accused you?" shouted a voice. `
` `
` This shot seemed to carry home. Potter lifted his face and looked `
` around him with a pathetic hopelessness in his eyes. He saw Injun Joe, `
` and exclaimed: `
` `
` "Oh, Injun Joe, you promised me you'd never--" `
` `
` "Is that your knife?" and it was thrust before him by the Sheriff. `
` `
` Potter would have fallen if they had not caught him and eased him to `
` the ground. Then he said: `
` `
` "Something told me 't if I didn't come back and get--" He shuddered; `
` then waved his nerveless hand with a vanquished gesture and said, "Tell `
` 'em, Joe, tell 'em--it ain't any use any more." `
` `
` Then Huckleberry and Tom stood dumb and staring, and heard the `
` stony-hearted liar reel off his serene statement, they expecting every `
` moment that the clear sky would deliver God's lightnings upon his head, `
` and wondering to see how long the stroke was delayed. And when he had `
` finished and still stood alive and whole, their wavering impulse to `
` break their oath and save the poor betrayed prisoner's life faded and `
` vanished away, for plainly this miscreant had sold himself to Satan and `
` it would be fatal to meddle with the property of such a power as that. `
` `
` "Why didn't you leave? What did you want to come here for?" somebody `
` said. `
` `
` "I couldn't help it--I couldn't help it," Potter moaned. "I wanted to `
` run away, but I couldn't seem to come anywhere but here." And he fell `
` to sobbing again. `
` `
` Injun Joe repeated his statement, just as calmly, a few minutes `
` afterward on the inquest, under oath; and the boys, seeing that the `
` lightnings were still withheld, were confirmed in their belief that Joe `
`
` `
` Hucky looked, with joy in his heart. `
` `
` "Well, he has, by jingoes! Did he before?" `
` `
` "Yes, he did. But I, like a fool, never thought. Oh, this is bully, `
` you know. NOW who can he mean?" `
` `
` The howling stopped. Tom pricked up his ears. `
` `
` "Sh! What's that?" he whispered. `
` `
` "Sounds like--like hogs grunting. No--it's somebody snoring, Tom." `
` `
` "That IS it! Where 'bouts is it, Huck?" `
` `
` "I bleeve it's down at 'tother end. Sounds so, anyway. Pap used to `
` sleep there, sometimes, 'long with the hogs, but laws bless you, he `
` just lifts things when HE snores. Besides, I reckon he ain't ever `
` coming back to this town any more." `
` `
` The spirit of adventure rose in the boys' souls once more. `
` `
` "Hucky, do you das't to go if I lead?" `
` `
` "I don't like to, much. Tom, s'pose it's Injun Joe!" `
` `
` Tom quailed. But presently the temptation rose up strong again and the `
` boys agreed to try, with the understanding that they would take to `
` their heels if the snoring stopped. So they went tiptoeing stealthily `
` down, the one behind the other. When they had got to within five steps `
` of the snorer, Tom stepped on a stick, and it broke with a sharp snap. `
` The man moaned, writhed a little, and his face came into the moonlight. `
` It was Muff Potter. The boys' hearts had stood still, and their hopes `
` too, when the man moved, but their fears passed away now. They tiptoed `
` out, through the broken weather-boarding, and stopped at a little `
` distance to exchange a parting word. That long, lugubrious howl rose on `
` the night air again! They turned and saw the strange dog standing `
` within a few feet of where Potter was lying, and FACING Potter, with `
` his nose pointing heavenward. `
` `
` "Oh, geeminy, it's HIM!" exclaimed both boys, in a breath. `
` `
` "Say, Tom--they say a stray dog come howling around Johnny Miller's `
` house, 'bout midnight, as much as two weeks ago; and a whippoorwill `
` come in and lit on the banisters and sung, the very same evening; and `
` there ain't anybody dead there yet." `
` `
` "Well, I know that. And suppose there ain't. Didn't Gracie Miller fall `
` in the kitchen fire and burn herself terrible the very next Saturday?" `
` `
` "Yes, but she ain't DEAD. And what's more, she's getting better, too." `
` `
` "All right, you wait and see. She's a goner, just as dead sure as Muff `
` Potter's a goner. That's what the niggers say, and they know all about `
` these kind of things, Huck." `
` `
` Then they separated, cogitating. When Tom crept in at his bedroom `
` window the night was almost spent. He undressed with excessive caution, `
` and fell asleep congratulating himself that nobody knew of his `
` escapade. He was not aware that the gently-snoring Sid was awake, and `
` had been so for an hour. `
` `
` When Tom awoke, Sid was dressed and gone. There was a late look in the `
` light, a late sense in the atmosphere. He was startled. Why had he not `
` been called--persecuted till he was up, as usual? The thought filled `
` him with bodings. Within five minutes he was dressed and down-stairs, `
` feeling sore and drowsy. The family were still at table, but they had `
` finished breakfast. There was no voice of rebuke; but there were `
` averted eyes; there was a silence and an air of solemnity that struck a `
` chill to the culprit's heart. He sat down and tried to seem gay, but it `
` was up-hill work; it roused no smile, no response, and he lapsed into `
` silence and let his heart sink down to the depths. `
` `
` After breakfast his aunt took him aside, and Tom almost brightened in `
` the hope that he was going to be flogged; but it was not so. His aunt `
` wept over him and asked him how he could go and break her old heart so; `
` and finally told him to go on, and ruin himself and bring her gray `
` hairs with sorrow to the grave, for it was no use for her to try any `
` more. This was worse than a thousand whippings, and Tom's heart was `
` sorer now than his body. He cried, he pleaded for forgiveness, promised `
` to reform over and over again, and then received his dismissal, feeling `
` that he had won but an imperfect forgiveness and established but a `
` feeble confidence. `
` `
` He left the presence too miserable to even feel revengeful toward Sid; `
` and so the latter's prompt retreat through the back gate was `
` unnecessary. He moped to school gloomy and sad, and took his flogging, `
` along with Joe Harper, for playing hookey the day before, with the air `
` of one whose heart was busy with heavier woes and wholly dead to `
` trifles. Then he betook himself to his seat, rested his elbows on his `
` desk and his jaws in his hands, and stared at the wall with the stony `
` stare of suffering that has reached the limit and can no further go. `
` His elbow was pressing against some hard substance. After a long time `
` he slowly and sadly changed his position, and took up this object with `
` a sigh. It was in a paper. He unrolled it. A long, lingering, colossal `
` sigh followed, and his heart broke. It was his brass andiron knob! `
` `
` This final feather broke the camel's back. `
` `
` `
` `
` CHAPTER XI `
` `
` CLOSE upon the hour of noon the whole village was suddenly electrified `
` with the ghastly news. No need of the as yet undreamed-of telegraph; `
` the tale flew from man to man, from group to group, from house to `
` house, with little less than telegraphic speed. Of course the `
` schoolmaster gave holiday for that afternoon; the town would have `
` thought strangely of him if he had not. `
` `
` A gory knife had been found close to the murdered man, and it had been `
` recognized by somebody as belonging to Muff Potter--so the story ran. `
` And it was said that a belated citizen had come upon Potter washing `
` himself in the "branch" about one or two o'clock in the morning, and `
` that Potter had at once sneaked off--suspicious circumstances, `
` especially the washing which was not a habit with Potter. It was also `
` said that the town had been ransacked for this "murderer" (the public `
` are not slow in the matter of sifting evidence and arriving at a `
` verdict), but that he could not be found. Horsemen had departed down `
` all the roads in every direction, and the Sheriff "was confident" that `
` he would be captured before night. `
` `
` All the town was drifting toward the graveyard. Tom's heartbreak `
` vanished and he joined the procession, not because he would not a `
` thousand times rather go anywhere else, but because an awful, `
` unaccountable fascination drew him on. Arrived at the dreadful place, `
` he wormed his small body through the crowd and saw the dismal `
` spectacle. It seemed to him an age since he was there before. Somebody `
` pinched his arm. He turned, and his eyes met Huckleberry's. Then both `
` looked elsewhere at once, and wondered if anybody had noticed anything `
` in their mutual glance. But everybody was talking, and intent upon the `
` grisly spectacle before them. `
` `
` "Poor fellow!" "Poor young fellow!" "This ought to be a lesson to `
` grave robbers!" "Muff Potter'll hang for this if they catch him!" This `
` was the drift of remark; and the minister said, "It was a judgment; His `
` hand is here." `
` `
` Now Tom shivered from head to heel; for his eye fell upon the stolid `
` face of Injun Joe. At this moment the crowd began to sway and struggle, `
` and voices shouted, "It's him! it's him! he's coming himself!" `
` `
` "Who? Who?" from twenty voices. `
` `
` "Muff Potter!" `
` `
` "Hallo, he's stopped!--Look out, he's turning! Don't let him get away!" `
` `
` People in the branches of the trees over Tom's head said he wasn't `
` trying to get away--he only looked doubtful and perplexed. `
` `
` "Infernal impudence!" said a bystander; "wanted to come and take a `
` quiet look at his work, I reckon--didn't expect any company." `
` `
` The crowd fell apart, now, and the Sheriff came through, `
` ostentatiously leading Potter by the arm. The poor fellow's face was `
` haggard, and his eyes showed the fear that was upon him. When he stood `
` before the murdered man, he shook as with a palsy, and he put his face `
` in his hands and burst into tears. `
` `
` "I didn't do it, friends," he sobbed; "'pon my word and honor I never `
` done it." `
` `
` "Who's accused you?" shouted a voice. `
` `
` This shot seemed to carry home. Potter lifted his face and looked `
` around him with a pathetic hopelessness in his eyes. He saw Injun Joe, `
` and exclaimed: `
` `
` "Oh, Injun Joe, you promised me you'd never--" `
` `
` "Is that your knife?" and it was thrust before him by the Sheriff. `
` `
` Potter would have fallen if they had not caught him and eased him to `
` the ground. Then he said: `
` `
` "Something told me 't if I didn't come back and get--" He shuddered; `
` then waved his nerveless hand with a vanquished gesture and said, "Tell `
` 'em, Joe, tell 'em--it ain't any use any more." `
` `
` Then Huckleberry and Tom stood dumb and staring, and heard the `
` stony-hearted liar reel off his serene statement, they expecting every `
` moment that the clear sky would deliver God's lightnings upon his head, `
` and wondering to see how long the stroke was delayed. And when he had `
` finished and still stood alive and whole, their wavering impulse to `
` break their oath and save the poor betrayed prisoner's life faded and `
` vanished away, for plainly this miscreant had sold himself to Satan and `
` it would be fatal to meddle with the property of such a power as that. `
` `
` "Why didn't you leave? What did you want to come here for?" somebody `
` said. `
` `
` "I couldn't help it--I couldn't help it," Potter moaned. "I wanted to `
` run away, but I couldn't seem to come anywhere but here." And he fell `
` to sobbing again. `
` `
` Injun Joe repeated his statement, just as calmly, a few minutes `
` afterward on the inquest, under oath; and the boys, seeing that the `
` lightnings were still withheld, were confirmed in their belief that Joe `
`