Reading Help Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain Ch.I-XV
and that Play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do. And `
` this would help him to understand why constructing artificial flowers `
` or performing on a tread-mill is work, while rolling ten-pins or `
` climbing Mont Blanc is only amusement. There are wealthy gentlemen in `
` England who drive four-horse passenger-coaches twenty or thirty miles `
` on a daily line, in the summer, because the privilege costs them `
` considerable money; but if they were offered wages for the service, `
` that would turn it into work and then they would resign. `
` `
` The boy mused awhile over the substantial change which had taken place `
` in his worldly circumstances, and then wended toward headquarters to `
` report. `
` `
` `
` `
` CHAPTER III `
` `
` TOM presented himself before Aunt Polly, who was sitting by an open `
` window in a pleasant rearward apartment, which was bedroom, `
` breakfast-room, dining-room, and library, combined. The balmy summer `
` air, the restful quiet, the odor of the flowers, and the drowsing murmur `
` of the bees had had their effect, and she was nodding over her knitting `
` --for she had no company but the cat, and it was asleep in her lap. Her `
` spectacles were propped up on her gray head for safety. She had thought `
` that of course Tom had deserted long ago, and she wondered at seeing him `
` place himself in her power again in this intrepid way. He said: "Mayn't `
` I go and play now, aunt?" `
` `
` "What, a'ready? How much have you done?" `
` `
` "It's all done, aunt." `
` `
` "Tom, don't lie to me--I can't bear it." `
` `
` "I ain't, aunt; it IS all done." `
` `
` Aunt Polly placed small trust in such evidence. She went out to see `
` for herself; and she would have been content to find twenty per cent. `
` of Tom's statement true. When she found the entire fence whitewashed, `
` and not only whitewashed but elaborately coated and recoated, and even `
` a streak added to the ground, her astonishment was almost unspeakable. `
` She said: `
` `
` "Well, I never! There's no getting round it, you can work when you're `
` a mind to, Tom." And then she diluted the compliment by adding, "But `
` it's powerful seldom you're a mind to, I'm bound to say. Well, go 'long `
` and play; but mind you get back some time in a week, or I'll tan you." `
` `
` She was so overcome by the splendor of his achievement that she took `
` him into the closet and selected a choice apple and delivered it to `
` him, along with an improving lecture upon the added value and flavor a `
` treat took to itself when it came without sin through virtuous effort. `
` And while she closed with a happy Scriptural flourish, he "hooked" a `
` doughnut. `
` `
` Then he skipped out, and saw Sid just starting up the outside stairway `
` that led to the back rooms on the second floor. Clods were handy and `
` the air was full of them in a twinkling. They raged around Sid like a `
` hail-storm; and before Aunt Polly could collect her surprised faculties `
` and sally to the rescue, six or seven clods had taken personal effect, `
` and Tom was over the fence and gone. There was a gate, but as a general `
` thing he was too crowded for time to make use of it. His soul was at `
` peace, now that he had settled with Sid for calling attention to his `
` black thread and getting him into trouble. `
` `
` Tom skirted the block, and came round into a muddy alley that led by `
` the back of his aunt's cow-stable. He presently got safely beyond the `
` reach of capture and punishment, and hastened toward the public square `
` of the village, where two "military" companies of boys had met for `
` conflict, according to previous appointment. Tom was General of one of `
` these armies, Joe Harper (a bosom friend) General of the other. These `
` two great commanders did not condescend to fight in person--that being `
` better suited to the still smaller fry--but sat together on an eminence `
` and conducted the field operations by orders delivered through `
` aides-de-camp. Tom's army won a great victory, after a long and `
` hard-fought battle. Then the dead were counted, prisoners exchanged, `
` the terms of the next disagreement agreed upon, and the day for the `
` necessary battle appointed; after which the armies fell into line and `
` marched away, and Tom turned homeward alone. `
` `
` As he was passing by the house where Jeff Thatcher lived, he saw a new `
` girl in the garden--a lovely little blue-eyed creature with yellow hair `
` plaited into two long-tails, white summer frock and embroidered `
` pantalettes. The fresh-crowned hero fell without firing a shot. A `
` certain Amy Lawrence vanished out of his heart and left not even a `
` memory of herself behind. He had thought he loved her to distraction; `
` he had regarded his passion as adoration; and behold it was only a poor `
` little evanescent partiality. He had been months winning her; she had `
` confessed hardly a week ago; he had been the happiest and the proudest `
` boy in the world only seven short days, and here in one instant of time `
` she had gone out of his heart like a casual stranger whose visit is `
` done. `
` `
` He worshipped this new angel with furtive eye, till he saw that she `
` had discovered him; then he pretended he did not know she was present, `
` and began to "show off" in all sorts of absurd boyish ways, in order to `
` win her admiration. He kept up this grotesque foolishness for some `
` time; but by-and-by, while he was in the midst of some dangerous `
` gymnastic performances, he glanced aside and saw that the little girl `
` was wending her way toward the house. Tom came up to the fence and `
` leaned on it, grieving, and hoping she would tarry yet awhile longer. `
` She halted a moment on the steps and then moved toward the door. Tom `
` heaved a great sigh as she put her foot on the threshold. But his face `
` lit up, right away, for she tossed a pansy over the fence a moment `
` before she disappeared. `
` `
` The boy ran around and stopped within a foot or two of the flower, and `
` then shaded his eyes with his hand and began to look down street as if `
` he had discovered something of interest going on in that direction. `
` Presently he picked up a straw and began trying to balance it on his `
` nose, with his head tilted far back; and as he moved from side to side, `
` in his efforts, he edged nearer and nearer toward the pansy; finally `
` his bare foot rested upon it, his pliant toes closed upon it, and he `
` hopped away with the treasure and disappeared round the corner. But `
` only for a minute--only while he could button the flower inside his `
` jacket, next his heart--or next his stomach, possibly, for he was not `
` much posted in anatomy, and not hypercritical, anyway. `
` `
` He returned, now, and hung about the fence till nightfall, "showing `
` off," as before; but the girl never exhibited herself again, though Tom `
` comforted himself a little with the hope that she had been near some `
` window, meantime, and been aware of his attentions. Finally he strode `
` home reluctantly, with his poor head full of visions. `
` `
` All through supper his spirits were so high that his aunt wondered `
` "what had got into the child." He took a good scolding about clodding `
` Sid, and did not seem to mind it in the least. He tried to steal sugar `
` under his aunt's very nose, and got his knuckles rapped for it. He said: `
` `
` "Aunt, you don't whack Sid when he takes it." `
` `
` "Well, Sid don't torment a body the way you do. You'd be always into `
` that sugar if I warn't watching you." `
` `
` Presently she stepped into the kitchen, and Sid, happy in his `
` immunity, reached for the sugar-bowl--a sort of glorying over Tom which `
` was wellnigh unbearable. But Sid's fingers slipped and the bowl dropped `
` and broke. Tom was in ecstasies. In such ecstasies that he even `
` controlled his tongue and was silent. He said to himself that he would `
` not speak a word, even when his aunt came in, but would sit perfectly `
` still till she asked who did the mischief; and then he would tell, and `
` there would be nothing so good in the world as to see that pet model `
` "catch it." He was so brimful of exultation that he could hardly hold `
` himself when the old lady came back and stood above the wreck `
` discharging lightnings of wrath from over her spectacles. He said to `
` himself, "Now it's coming!" And the next instant he was sprawling on `
` the floor! The potent palm was uplifted to strike again when Tom cried `
` out: `
` `
` "Hold on, now, what 'er you belting ME for?--Sid broke it!" `
` `
` Aunt Polly paused, perplexed, and Tom looked for healing pity. But `
` when she got her tongue again, she only said: `
` `
` "Umf! Well, you didn't get a lick amiss, I reckon. You been into some `
` other audacious mischief when I wasn't around, like enough." `
` `
` Then her conscience reproached her, and she yearned to say something `
` kind and loving; but she judged that this would be construed into a `
` confession that she had been in the wrong, and discipline forbade that. `
` So she kept silence, and went about her affairs with a troubled heart. `
` Tom sulked in a corner and exalted his woes. He knew that in her heart `
` his aunt was on her knees to him, and he was morosely gratified by the `
` consciousness of it. He would hang out no signals, he would take notice `
` of none. He knew that a yearning glance fell upon him, now and then, `
` through a film of tears, but he refused recognition of it. He pictured `
` himself lying sick unto death and his aunt bending over him beseeching `
` one little forgiving word, but he would turn his face to the wall, and `
` die with that word unsaid. Ah, how would she feel then? And he pictured `
` himself brought home from the river, dead, with his curls all wet, and `
` his sore heart at rest. How she would throw herself upon him, and how `
` her tears would fall like rain, and her lips pray God to give her back `
` her boy and she would never, never abuse him any more! But he would lie `
` there cold and white and make no sign--a poor little sufferer, whose `
` griefs were at an end. He so worked upon his feelings with the pathos `
` of these dreams, that he had to keep swallowing, he was so like to `
` choke; and his eyes swam in a blur of water, which overflowed when he `
` winked, and ran down and trickled from the end of his nose. And such a `
` luxury to him was this petting of his sorrows, that he could not bear `
` to have any worldly cheeriness or any grating delight intrude upon it; `
` it was too sacred for such contact; and so, presently, when his cousin `
` Mary danced in, all alive with the joy of seeing home again after an `
` age-long visit of one week to the country, he got up and moved in `
` clouds and darkness out at one door as she brought song and sunshine in `
` at the other. `
` `
` He wandered far from the accustomed haunts of boys, and sought `
` desolate places that were in harmony with his spirit. A log raft in the `
` river invited him, and he seated himself on its outer edge and `
` contemplated the dreary vastness of the stream, wishing, the while, `
` that he could only be drowned, all at once and unconsciously, without `
` undergoing the uncomfortable routine devised by nature. Then he thought `
` of his flower. He got it out, rumpled and wilted, and it mightily `
` increased his dismal felicity. He wondered if she would pity him if she `
` knew? Would she cry, and wish that she had a right to put her arms `
` around his neck and comfort him? Or would she turn coldly away like all `
` the hollow world? This picture brought such an agony of pleasurable `
` suffering that he worked it over and over again in his mind and set it `
` up in new and varied lights, till he wore it threadbare. At last he `
` rose up sighing and departed in the darkness. `
` `
`
` this would help him to understand why constructing artificial flowers `
` or performing on a tread-mill is work, while rolling ten-pins or `
` climbing Mont Blanc is only amusement. There are wealthy gentlemen in `
` England who drive four-horse passenger-coaches twenty or thirty miles `
` on a daily line, in the summer, because the privilege costs them `
` considerable money; but if they were offered wages for the service, `
` that would turn it into work and then they would resign. `
` `
` The boy mused awhile over the substantial change which had taken place `
` in his worldly circumstances, and then wended toward headquarters to `
` report. `
` `
` `
` `
` CHAPTER III `
` `
` TOM presented himself before Aunt Polly, who was sitting by an open `
` window in a pleasant rearward apartment, which was bedroom, `
` breakfast-room, dining-room, and library, combined. The balmy summer `
` air, the restful quiet, the odor of the flowers, and the drowsing murmur `
` of the bees had had their effect, and she was nodding over her knitting `
` --for she had no company but the cat, and it was asleep in her lap. Her `
` spectacles were propped up on her gray head for safety. She had thought `
` that of course Tom had deserted long ago, and she wondered at seeing him `
` place himself in her power again in this intrepid way. He said: "Mayn't `
` I go and play now, aunt?" `
` `
` "What, a'ready? How much have you done?" `
` `
` "It's all done, aunt." `
` `
` "Tom, don't lie to me--I can't bear it." `
` `
` "I ain't, aunt; it IS all done." `
` `
` Aunt Polly placed small trust in such evidence. She went out to see `
` for herself; and she would have been content to find twenty per cent. `
` of Tom's statement true. When she found the entire fence whitewashed, `
` and not only whitewashed but elaborately coated and recoated, and even `
` a streak added to the ground, her astonishment was almost unspeakable. `
` She said: `
` `
` "Well, I never! There's no getting round it, you can work when you're `
` a mind to, Tom." And then she diluted the compliment by adding, "But `
` it's powerful seldom you're a mind to, I'm bound to say. Well, go 'long `
` and play; but mind you get back some time in a week, or I'll tan you." `
` `
` She was so overcome by the splendor of his achievement that she took `
` him into the closet and selected a choice apple and delivered it to `
` him, along with an improving lecture upon the added value and flavor a `
` treat took to itself when it came without sin through virtuous effort. `
` And while she closed with a happy Scriptural flourish, he "hooked" a `
` doughnut. `
` `
` Then he skipped out, and saw Sid just starting up the outside stairway `
` that led to the back rooms on the second floor. Clods were handy and `
` the air was full of them in a twinkling. They raged around Sid like a `
` hail-storm; and before Aunt Polly could collect her surprised faculties `
` and sally to the rescue, six or seven clods had taken personal effect, `
` and Tom was over the fence and gone. There was a gate, but as a general `
` thing he was too crowded for time to make use of it. His soul was at `
` peace, now that he had settled with Sid for calling attention to his `
` black thread and getting him into trouble. `
` `
` Tom skirted the block, and came round into a muddy alley that led by `
` the back of his aunt's cow-stable. He presently got safely beyond the `
` reach of capture and punishment, and hastened toward the public square `
` of the village, where two "military" companies of boys had met for `
` conflict, according to previous appointment. Tom was General of one of `
` these armies, Joe Harper (a bosom friend) General of the other. These `
` two great commanders did not condescend to fight in person--that being `
` better suited to the still smaller fry--but sat together on an eminence `
` and conducted the field operations by orders delivered through `
` aides-de-camp. Tom's army won a great victory, after a long and `
` hard-fought battle. Then the dead were counted, prisoners exchanged, `
` the terms of the next disagreement agreed upon, and the day for the `
` necessary battle appointed; after which the armies fell into line and `
` marched away, and Tom turned homeward alone. `
` `
` As he was passing by the house where Jeff Thatcher lived, he saw a new `
` girl in the garden--a lovely little blue-eyed creature with yellow hair `
` plaited into two long-tails, white summer frock and embroidered `
` pantalettes. The fresh-crowned hero fell without firing a shot. A `
` certain Amy Lawrence vanished out of his heart and left not even a `
` memory of herself behind. He had thought he loved her to distraction; `
` he had regarded his passion as adoration; and behold it was only a poor `
` little evanescent partiality. He had been months winning her; she had `
` confessed hardly a week ago; he had been the happiest and the proudest `
` boy in the world only seven short days, and here in one instant of time `
` she had gone out of his heart like a casual stranger whose visit is `
` done. `
` `
` He worshipped this new angel with furtive eye, till he saw that she `
` had discovered him; then he pretended he did not know she was present, `
` and began to "show off" in all sorts of absurd boyish ways, in order to `
` win her admiration. He kept up this grotesque foolishness for some `
` time; but by-and-by, while he was in the midst of some dangerous `
` gymnastic performances, he glanced aside and saw that the little girl `
` was wending her way toward the house. Tom came up to the fence and `
` leaned on it, grieving, and hoping she would tarry yet awhile longer. `
` She halted a moment on the steps and then moved toward the door. Tom `
` heaved a great sigh as she put her foot on the threshold. But his face `
` lit up, right away, for she tossed a pansy over the fence a moment `
` before she disappeared. `
` `
` The boy ran around and stopped within a foot or two of the flower, and `
` then shaded his eyes with his hand and began to look down street as if `
` he had discovered something of interest going on in that direction. `
` Presently he picked up a straw and began trying to balance it on his `
` nose, with his head tilted far back; and as he moved from side to side, `
` in his efforts, he edged nearer and nearer toward the pansy; finally `
` his bare foot rested upon it, his pliant toes closed upon it, and he `
` hopped away with the treasure and disappeared round the corner. But `
` only for a minute--only while he could button the flower inside his `
` jacket, next his heart--or next his stomach, possibly, for he was not `
` much posted in anatomy, and not hypercritical, anyway. `
` `
` He returned, now, and hung about the fence till nightfall, "showing `
` off," as before; but the girl never exhibited herself again, though Tom `
` comforted himself a little with the hope that she had been near some `
` window, meantime, and been aware of his attentions. Finally he strode `
` home reluctantly, with his poor head full of visions. `
` `
` All through supper his spirits were so high that his aunt wondered `
` "what had got into the child." He took a good scolding about clodding `
` Sid, and did not seem to mind it in the least. He tried to steal sugar `
` under his aunt's very nose, and got his knuckles rapped for it. He said: `
` `
` "Aunt, you don't whack Sid when he takes it." `
` `
` "Well, Sid don't torment a body the way you do. You'd be always into `
` that sugar if I warn't watching you." `
` `
` Presently she stepped into the kitchen, and Sid, happy in his `
` immunity, reached for the sugar-bowl--a sort of glorying over Tom which `
` was wellnigh unbearable. But Sid's fingers slipped and the bowl dropped `
` and broke. Tom was in ecstasies. In such ecstasies that he even `
` controlled his tongue and was silent. He said to himself that he would `
` not speak a word, even when his aunt came in, but would sit perfectly `
` still till she asked who did the mischief; and then he would tell, and `
` there would be nothing so good in the world as to see that pet model `
` "catch it." He was so brimful of exultation that he could hardly hold `
` himself when the old lady came back and stood above the wreck `
` discharging lightnings of wrath from over her spectacles. He said to `
` himself, "Now it's coming!" And the next instant he was sprawling on `
` the floor! The potent palm was uplifted to strike again when Tom cried `
` out: `
` `
` "Hold on, now, what 'er you belting ME for?--Sid broke it!" `
` `
` Aunt Polly paused, perplexed, and Tom looked for healing pity. But `
` when she got her tongue again, she only said: `
` `
` "Umf! Well, you didn't get a lick amiss, I reckon. You been into some `
` other audacious mischief when I wasn't around, like enough." `
` `
` Then her conscience reproached her, and she yearned to say something `
` kind and loving; but she judged that this would be construed into a `
` confession that she had been in the wrong, and discipline forbade that. `
` So she kept silence, and went about her affairs with a troubled heart. `
` Tom sulked in a corner and exalted his woes. He knew that in her heart `
` his aunt was on her knees to him, and he was morosely gratified by the `
` consciousness of it. He would hang out no signals, he would take notice `
` of none. He knew that a yearning glance fell upon him, now and then, `
` through a film of tears, but he refused recognition of it. He pictured `
` himself lying sick unto death and his aunt bending over him beseeching `
` one little forgiving word, but he would turn his face to the wall, and `
` die with that word unsaid. Ah, how would she feel then? And he pictured `
` himself brought home from the river, dead, with his curls all wet, and `
` his sore heart at rest. How she would throw herself upon him, and how `
` her tears would fall like rain, and her lips pray God to give her back `
` her boy and she would never, never abuse him any more! But he would lie `
` there cold and white and make no sign--a poor little sufferer, whose `
` griefs were at an end. He so worked upon his feelings with the pathos `
` of these dreams, that he had to keep swallowing, he was so like to `
` choke; and his eyes swam in a blur of water, which overflowed when he `
` winked, and ran down and trickled from the end of his nose. And such a `
` luxury to him was this petting of his sorrows, that he could not bear `
` to have any worldly cheeriness or any grating delight intrude upon it; `
` it was too sacred for such contact; and so, presently, when his cousin `
` Mary danced in, all alive with the joy of seeing home again after an `
` age-long visit of one week to the country, he got up and moved in `
` clouds and darkness out at one door as she brought song and sunshine in `
` at the other. `
` `
` He wandered far from the accustomed haunts of boys, and sought `
` desolate places that were in harmony with his spirit. A log raft in the `
` river invited him, and he seated himself on its outer edge and `
` contemplated the dreary vastness of the stream, wishing, the while, `
` that he could only be drowned, all at once and unconsciously, without `
` undergoing the uncomfortable routine devised by nature. Then he thought `
` of his flower. He got it out, rumpled and wilted, and it mightily `
` increased his dismal felicity. He wondered if she would pity him if she `
` knew? Would she cry, and wish that she had a right to put her arms `
` around his neck and comfort him? Or would she turn coldly away like all `
` the hollow world? This picture brought such an agony of pleasurable `
` suffering that he worked it over and over again in his mind and set it `
` up in new and varied lights, till he wore it threadbare. At last he `
` rose up sighing and departed in the darkness. `
` `
`