zhè běn xiǎo shuō lǐ de mào xiǎn gù shì què céng fā shēng guò。 qí zhōng， yòu yī liǎng jiàn shì wǒ zì jǐ de qīn shēn jīng lì， lìng wài yī xiē dōushì wǒ shàonián shí de tóng xué men de。 tānɡ mǔ hé hā kè · fèi 'ēn zhè liǎng gè rén wù xíng xiàng dū qǔ cái yú shēng huó， suǒ bù tóng de shì：
tānɡ mǔ shì wǒ rèn shí de sān gè hái zǐ de huà shēn， shì duō gè rén wù de hùn hé tǐ。
shū zhōng shù jí de yī xiē mí xìn， xī qí gǔ guài。 sān sì shí nián qián， zài xī bù de hái zǐ men hé nú lì men dāng zhōng， tā men shèn wéi liú xíng。
wǒ xiě zhè běn xiǎo shuō zhù yào shì wèile yú lè hái zǐ men， dàn wǒ yě xī wàng dà rén men bù yào yīn wéi zhè shì běn 'ér tóng dú de shū jiù jiāng tā shù zhī gāo gé。
cǐ wài， wǒ hái shì tú xiǎng ràng nà xiē chéng nián rén cóng shū zhōng xiǎng qǐ dāng nián de tā men， nà shí de qíng gǎn、 sī xiǎng、 yán tán yǐ jí yī xiē lìng rén bù kě sī yì de zuò fǎ。
shì wéi xù。
１ ８ ７ ６ nián zuò zhě yú hā tè fú dé
The odd superstitions touched upon were all prevalent among children and slaves in the West at the period of this story--that is to say, thirty or forty years ago.
Although my book is intended mainly for the entertainment of boys and girls, I hope it will not be shunned by men and women on that account, for part of my plan has been to try to pleasantly remind adults of what they once were themselves, and of how they felt and thought and talked, and what queer enterprises they sometimes engaged in.
THE AUTHOR.
HARTFORD, 1876.
tānɡ mǔ shì wǒ rèn shí de sān gè hái zǐ de huà shēn， shì duō gè rén wù de hùn hé tǐ。
shū zhōng shù jí de yī xiē mí xìn， xī qí gǔ guài。 sān sì shí nián qián， zài xī bù de hái zǐ men hé nú lì men dāng zhōng， tā men shèn wéi liú xíng。
wǒ xiě zhè běn xiǎo shuō zhù yào shì wèile yú lè hái zǐ men， dàn wǒ yě xī wàng dà rén men bù yào yīn wéi zhè shì běn 'ér tóng dú de shū jiù jiāng tā shù zhī gāo gé。
cǐ wài， wǒ hái shì tú xiǎng ràng nà xiē chéng nián rén cóng shū zhōng xiǎng qǐ dāng nián de tā men， nà shí de qíng gǎn、 sī xiǎng、 yán tán yǐ jí yī xiē lìng rén bù kě sī yì de zuò fǎ。
shì wéi xù。
１ ８ ７ ６ nián zuò zhě yú hā tè fú dé
The odd superstitions touched upon were all prevalent among children and slaves in the West at the period of this story--that is to say, thirty or forty years ago.
Although my book is intended mainly for the entertainment of boys and girls, I hope it will not be shunned by men and women on that account, for part of my plan has been to try to pleasantly remind adults of what they once were themselves, and of how they felt and thought and talked, and what queer enterprises they sometimes engaged in.
THE AUTHOR.
HARTFORD, 1876.
“ tānɡ mǔ！”
méi rén dāyìng。
“ tānɡ mǔ！”
yòu méi rén dāyìng。
“ zhè hái zǐ dào dǐ zěn me lā， wǒ zhēn gǎo bù dǒng？ nǐ zhè gè tānɡ mǔ！”
hái shì méi yòu rén dāyìng。
zhè lǎo tài tài lā dī yǎn jìng cóng jìng piàn shàng fāng cháo fáng jiān kàn liǎo kàn， rán hòu tā yòu tái gāo yǎn jìng cóng jìng piàn xià miàn kàn。 tā hěn shǎo huò zhě gān cuì shuō tā cóng lái méi dài zhèng yǎn jìng lái zhǎo xiàng yī gè xiǎo nán hái zhè yàng xiǎo de dōng xī。 zhè fù yǎn jìng shì hěn kǎo jiū de， yě shì tā de jiāo 'ào， tā pèi zhè fù yǎn jìng bù shì wèile shí yòng， ér shì wèile“ zhuāng shì”， wèile“ piào liàng”。 tā kàn dōng xī shí， jí shǐ dài shàng liǎng piàn lú zǐ gài yě zhào yàng kàn dé yī qīng 'èr chǔ。 tā máng rán bù zhī suǒ cuò dì lèng liǎo yī huì 'ér。 rán hòu suī rán bù shì xiōng shén 'èshà bān， dàn sǎng mén gāo dé ràng měi gè jiǎo luò dōunéng tīng dào， tā shuō：
“ hǎo， wǒ fā shì rú guǒ wǒ zhuā zhù nǐ， wǒ jiù héng héng”
tā huà méi yòu shuō wán， yīn wéi zhè shí tā zhèng wān yāo yòng sǎo bǎ wǎng chuáng xià měng dǎo， měi dǎo yī xià， tā xū yào tíng xià lái huàn kǒu qì。 jiēguǒ， zhǐ dǎo chū lái yī zhǐ māo。
“ wǒ hái cóng méi yòu jiàn guò zhè me lìng rén chī jīng de hái zǐ！”
tā zǒu dào chǎng kāi de mén kǒu， zhàn zài nà lǐ cháo mǎn yuán zǐ de xī hóng shì téng hé jí pǔ xùn cǎo cóng zhōng kàn， xiǎng zhǎo dào tānɡ mǔ， kě hái shì méi yòu。 yú shì tā liàng kāi sǎng zǐ cháo yuǎn chù， gāo shēng hǎn dào：
“ tānɡ mǔ yā， tānɡ mǔ！”
zhè shí zài tā shēn hòuzhuàn lái yī shēng qīng wēi de xiǎng shēng， tā zhuǎn shēn yī bǎ zhuā zhù liǎo yī gè xiǎo nán hái de duǎn wài tào de yī jiǎo， tā xiǎng páo dū páo bù diào liǎo。
“ hēi！ wǒ zǎo gāi xiǎng dào nà gè bì chú， nǐ duǒ zài nà lǐ gànshénme？”
“ méi gànshénme。”
“ méi gànshénme？！ qiáo nǐ nà shuāng shǒu， zài kàn nǐ nà zhāng zuǐ， hái yòu nà hún shēn shì shénme？”
“ wǒ bù zhī dào， yí mā。”
“ āi， wǒ zhī dào， nà shì mì jiàn héng héng duì， jiù shì。 wǒ yǐ gēn nǐ jiǎng guò yòu sì shí biàn liǎo， bù yào dòng wǒ de mì jiàn， fǒu zé wǒ jiù bā nǐ de pí。 bǎ biān zǐ dì gěi wǒ。”
biān zǐ zài kōng zhōng huàng yōu héng héng qíng kuàng wàn fēn jǐn jí。
“ bù dé liǎo！ qiáo nǐ shēn hòu shì shénme， yí mā！”
lǎo tài tài yǐ wéi yòu wēi xiǎn， jí máng liáo qǐ qún zǐ， zhuǎn guò shēn qù。 tānɡ mǔ bō tuǐ jiù táo， qǐng kè tā pá guò gāo gāo de mù shān lán， yī zhuǎn yǎn jiù xiāo shī dé wú yǐng wú zōng。
tā de bō lì yí mā zhàn zài nà 'ér xiān shì yī lèng， suí hòu tū rán qīng shēng xiào liǎo qǐ lái。
“ zhè gè gāi sǐ de， wǒ zěn me lǎo shì bù xī qǔ jiào xùn？ hé wǒ kāi zhè yàng de wán xiào， yě bù zhī kāi guò duō shǎo cì liǎo。 nán dào wǒ bù gāi yòu suǒ dīfáng má？ rén lǎo liǎo， hú tú cái shì zuì dà de hú tú dàn。 sú huà shuō dé hǎo， lǎo gǒu xué bù huì xīn bǎ xì。 kě shì tiān lā！ tā shuǎ de guǐ bǎ xì lǐ cóng lái méi yòu liǎng tiān yī yàng de， shuí néng cāi chū xià gè guǐ zhù yì shì shénme？ tā sì hū zhī dào， tā néng zhé mó wǒ duō cháng shí jiān， wǒ cái huì dòng gān huǒ， ér qiě tā yě zhī dào tā zhǐ yào xiǎng gè fǎ hōng hōng wǒ， rě wǒ dà xiào yīcháng， jiù huì wàn shì jiē xiū， wǒ yě bù huì zòu tā yī dùn。 wǒ duì tā shì gǎn nù bù néng zòu。 wǒ duì nà hái zǐ méi jìn dào zé rèn， shàng dì zhī dào nà shì zhēn de。《 shèng jīng》 lǐ shuō： ‘ hái zǐ bù dǎ bù chéng qì。 ’ wǒ tài nì 'ài nà hái zǐ， wǒ yě zhī dào zhè duì wǒ liǎ dōubù hǎo。 tā yī dù guǐ diǎn zǐ。 āi yā， dàn tā shì wǒ nà sǐ qù de qīn jiě jiě de 'ér zǐ， kě lián de hái zǐ， wǒ zěn me yě bù rěn xīn zòu tā。 měi yī cì ráo liǎo tā， wǒ liáng xīn dū shòu qiǎn zé； kě shì měi yī huí dǎ tā， wǒdōu yòu diǎn xīn tòng bù rěn。 āi， āi， jiù xiàng《 shèng jīng》 suǒ shuō de， rén wéi mǔ shēng， guāng yīn rěn rǎn， chōng mǎn kǔ nán。 wǒ kàn zhè huà shuō dé yī diǎn dōubù cuò。 jīn tiān xià wǔ tā yào shì táo xué， míng tiān wǒ jiù xiǎng fǎ ràng tā gān diǎn huó， chéng fá chéng fá tā。 xīng qī liù ràng tā gànhuó， kǒng pà kē kè liǎo diǎn， yīn wéi suǒ yòu de hái zǐ dū fàng liǎo jiǎ， tā yòu hèn tòu liǎo gànhuó， bǐ hèn shénme dū lì hài。 kě shì wǒ bù dé bù duì tā jìn dào wǒ de zé rèn， fǒu zé wǒ huì bǎ zhè gè hái zǐ gěi huǐ liǎo。”
tānɡ mǔ zhēn de méi qù shàng kè， ér qiě tòng tòng kuài kuài dì wán liǎo yīcháng。 tā huí jiā shí zhèng hǎo gǎn shàng bāng nà xiǎo hēi hái jí mǔ de máng， bāng tā zài wǎn fàn qián jù dì 'èr tiān yòng de mù tóu， pī yǐn huǒ yòng de chái héng héng zhì shǎo tā jí shí gǎn dào nà 'ér， bǎ tā suǒ gān de shì jiǎng gěi jí mǔ tīng， ér huó què shì jí mǔ gān liǎo sì fēn zhī sān。 tānɡ mǔ de dì dì（ què qiē dì shuō shì tóng mǔ yì fù de dì dì） xī dé yǐ gān wán liǎo tā nà fèn huó（ jiǎn suì mù kuài）， yīn wéi tā shì gè bù shēng bù xiǎng de hái zǐ， cóng bù gànshénme mào xiǎn de shì， yě bù rě shénme má fán。
tānɡ mǔ chī wǎn fàn de shí hòu， zǒng shì chǒu jī huì tōu táng chī， bō lì yí mā zhè shí kāi shǐ wèn tā， huà lǐ chōng mǎn liǎo guǐ jì， ér qiě fēi cháng qiǎo miào héng héng yīn wéi tā yào shè diǎn juàn tào， tào tā shuō chū shí huà lái。 gēn qí tā xǔ duō tóu nǎo jiǎn dān de rén yī yàng， tā hěn zì fù， bìng qiě xiāng xìn zì jǐ hěn yòu diǎn zǐ， huì shuǎ nòng guǐ mì jiǎo huá de shǒu wàn， bǎ zì jǐ jí yì bèi rén shí pò de guǐ jì dāng zuò zuì gāo míng de jì cè， tā shuō：
“ tānɡ mǔ， xué xiào lǐ tǐng rè de， duì bā？”
“ shì de， yí mā。”
“ rè de lì hài， duì bù duì？”
“ duì， yí mā。”
“ nǐ shì bù shì xiǎng qù yóu yǒng lái zhe， tānɡ mǔ。”
tānɡ mǔ hū rán gǎn dào yòu diǎn huāng zhāng héng héng yī sī bù 'ān hé yí huò lüè guò xīn tóu。 tā tōu yǎn chá kàn bō lì yí mā de liǎn sè， kě shí me yě méi yòu kàn chū lái。 yú shì tā shuō：
“ méi yòu 'ā， yí mā héng héng 'e， méi zěn me xiǎng qù。”
lǎo tài tài shēn chū shǒu mō mō tānɡ mǔ de chèn yī， shuō dào：
“ kě shì nǐ xiàn zài què bìng bù zěn me rè， shì bā！” tā yǐ fā xiàn chèn yī shì gān de， què méi yòu rén zhī dào tā nèi xīn de zhēn zhèng yòng yì， wèicǐ tā gǎn dào hěn dé yì。 ér tānɡ mǔ cāi tòu liǎo tā de xīn sī， suǒ yǐ tā wéi fáng lǎo tài tài de xià yī zhāo lái liǎo gè xiān fā zhì rén。
“ yòu de rén wǎng dà jiā tóu shàng dǎ shuǐ héng héng nǐ qiáo， wǒ de tóu fā hái shì shī de ní！”
bō lì yí mā hěn 'ào nǎo， tā jū rán méi zhù yì dào zhè gè míng bǎi zhe de shì shí， yǐ zhì cuò guò liǎo yī cì jī huì。 kě jiē zhe tā líng jī yī dòng， jì shàng xīn lái：
“ tānɡ mǔ， nǐ wǎng tóu shàng jiāo shuǐ de shí hòu， bù bì chāi diào wǒ gěi nǐ chèn shān shàng féng de lǐng zǐ bā？ bǎ shàng yī de niǔ kòu jiě kāi！”
tānɡ mǔ liǎn shàng de bù 'ān mǎ shàng jiù xiāo shī liǎo。 tā jiě kāi shàng yī， chèn yī de lǐng zǐ hái shì féng de hǎohǎo de。
“ zhēn shì guài shì。 dé， suàn liǎo bā！ wǒ kàn nǐ kuàng kè qù yóu yǒng liǎo！ wǒ rèn wéi nǐ jiù xiàng sú huà lǐ shuō de shāo jiāo máo de māo yī yàng héng héng bìng bù xiàng biǎo miàn kàn qǐ lái de nà yàng huài。 jiù zhè yī cì， xià bù wéi lì。”
tā yī miàn wéi zì jǐ de jì móu luò kōng 'ér nán guò， yī miàn yòu wéi tānɡ mǔ zhè yī cì jìng néng rú cǐ wēn shùn tīng huà 'ér gāo xīng。
kě shì xī dé què shuō：
“ hēng， wǒ jì dé nǐ hǎo xiàng gěi tā féng lǐng zǐ yòng de shì bái xiàn， kě xiàn zài què shì hēi xiàn。”
“ hēi， wǒ de què yòng bái xiàn féng de！ tānɡ mǔ！”
kě tānɡ mǔ méi děng tīng wán huà jiù zǒu liǎo。 tā zǒu chū mén kǒu de shí hòu shuō：
“ xī dé， wéi zhè wǒ kě yào hěn hěn zòu nǐ yī dùn。”
zài yī gè 'ān quán de dì fāng， tānɡ mǔ zǎi xì jiǎn chá liǎo bié zài shàng yī fān lǐng shàng de liǎng gēn dà zhēn， zhēn shàng hái chuānzhuó xiàn， yī gēn rào zhe bái xiàn， lìng yī gēn rào zhe hēi xiàn。
tā shuō：
“ rú guǒ bù shì xī dé， tā shì yǒng yuǎn bù huì zhù yì dào de。 zhēn tǎo yàn！ yòu shí tā yòng bái xiàn féng， yòu shí yòu yòng hēi xiàn。 wǒ zhēn xī wàng tā zǒng shì yòng yī zhǒng xiàn héng héng huàn lái huàn qù wǒ shí zài jì bù zhù。 bù guò， wǒ fā shì fēi zòu xī dé yī dùn bù kě， wǒ yào hǎohǎo jiào xùn jiào xùn tā。”
tānɡ mǔ bù shì cūn lǐ de mó fàn nán hái， dàn tā duì nà wèi mó fàn nán hái fēi cháng shú xī， bìng qiě hěn tǎo yàn tā。
bù dào liǎng fēn zhōng， shèn zhì gèng duǎn， tā yǐ jiāng quán bù fán nǎo gěi wàng jì liǎo。 jiù xiàng dà rén men de fán nǎo yě shì fán nǎo yī yàng， tā wàng jì fán nǎo bìng bù shì yīn wéi tā de fán nǎo duì tā bù zěn me chén zhòng hé nán shòu， ér shì yīn wéi yī zhǒng xīn de、 gèng qiáng liè de xīng qù zàn shí yā dǎo bìng qū sàn liǎo tā xīn zhōng de fán mèn héng héng jiù xiàng dà rén men zài xīn qí gǎn shòu de xīng fèn zhī shí， yě huì zàn shí wàng què zì jǐ de bù xìng yī yàng。 zhè zhǒng xīn chǎn shēng de xīng qù jiù shì yī zhǒng xīn de chuī kǒu shào fāng fǎ， tā hěn yòu jià zhí， shì gāng cóng yī gè hēi rén nà xué dào de， xiàn zài tā zhèng yào yī xīn liàn xí liàn xí yòu bù xiǎng bèi bié rén dǎ rǎo。 zhè shēng yīn hěn tè bié， xiàng xiǎo niǎo de jiào shēng， yī zhǒng liú chàng 'ér wěi wǎn de yīn diào。 zài chuī zhè gè diào zǐ de shí hòu， shé tóu duàn duàn xù xù dì dǐ zhù kǒu qiāng de shàng 'ě héng héng dú zhě ruò céng jīng yě shì hái zǐ de huà， yě xǔ hái jì dé gāi zěn yàng chuī zhè zhǒng kǒu shào。 tānɡ mǔ xué dé hěn qín fèn， liàn dé hěn zhuān xīn， hěn kuài jiù zhǎng wò liǎo qí zhōng yào lǐng。 yú shì tā yán jiē dà bù liú xīng dì zǒu zhe， kǒu zhōng chuī zhe kǒu shào， xīn lǐ lè zī zī de， nà gǔ lè jìn rú tóng tiān wén xué jiā fā xiàn liǎo xīn xíng xīng shí yī bān， jǐn jiù lè de chéng dù zhī shēn zhī qiáng liè 'ér yán， cǐ shí de tānɡ mǔ jué duì bǐ tiān wén xué jiā hái yào xīng fèn。
xià tiān de xià wǔ hěn cháng， zhè shí tiān hái méi yòu hēi。 tānɡ mǔ de kǒu shào shēng hū rán tíng zhù liǎo， yīn wéi zài tā miàn qián chū xiàn liǎo yī gè mò shēng rén héng héng yī gè bǐ tā dà yī diǎn de nán hái。
zài shèng bǐ dé bǎo zhè gè pín qióng、 pò luò de xiǎo cūn zǐ lǐ， bù guǎn shì nán de hái shì nǚ de， lǎo de hái shì shǎo de， zhǐ yào shì xīn lái de， jiù néng yǐn qǐ rén men de hàoqí xīn。 ér qiě zhè gè nán hái chuān dé fēi cháng jiǎng jiū héng héng zài píng cháng gōng zuò rì jìng chuān dài rú cǐ zhěng qí， jǐn zhè jiù ràng tānɡ mǔ duì tā guā mù xiāng kàn。 tā de mào zǐ hěn jīng zhì， lán sè de shàng yī kòu dé jǐn jǐn de， yòu xīn yòu zhěng jié， tā de kù zǐ yě shì yī yàng。 tā jìng rán hái chuān zhe xié héng héng yào zhī dào， jīn tiān kě shì xīng qī wǔ！ tā shèn zhì hái dǎ liǎo tiáo lǐng dài， nà shì tiáo yán sè xiān liàng de sī zhì lǐng dài。 tā bǎi chū yī fù chéng lǐ rén de jià shì， tānɡ mǔ duì cǐ gǎn dào hěn bù zì zài。 tānɡ mǔ yǎn dīng zhe tā nà tào piào liàng de yī fú， bí zǐ qiáo dé gāo gāo de。 kě shì tā yuè kàn yuè shì jué dé zì jǐ shēn shàng de yī fú hěn hán suān pò jiù。 liǎng gè réndōu yī shēng bù kēng。 yī gè nuó dòng yī bù， lìng yī gè yě nuó yī bù héng héng kě dōushì xié zhe bù zǐ dōu juàn zǐ。 tā liǎ miàn duì miàn， yǎn duì yǎn zhè yàng xiāng chí liǎo hěn cháng shí jiān， zuì hòu hái shì tānɡ mǔ xiān kāi liǎo qiāng：
“ wǒ néng dǎ dé guò nǐ！”
“ wǒ dǎo xiǎng jiàn shí jiàn shí。”
“ nà hǎo， wǒ jiù dǎ gěi nǐ kàn。”
“ dé liǎo， nǐ bù xíng。”
“ wǒ xíng。”
“ nǐ jiù shì bù xíng。”
“ wǒ jiù shì xíng。”
“ bù xíng！”
“ xíng！”
“ bù xíng！”
liǎng gè réndōu bù zì zài dì tíng liǎo xià lái。 jiē zhe tānɡ mǔ wèn dào：
“ nǐ jiào shénme míng zì？”
“ zhè yě xǔ nǐ guǎn bù zhe！”
“ hēng， wǒ jiù guǎn dé zhe！”
“ hǎo， nà nǐ jiù guǎn guǎn kàn。”
“ yào shì nǐ zài luo suo， wǒ jiù guǎn gěi nǐ kàn。”
“ luo suo héng héng luo suo héng héng piān yào luo suo， kàn nǐ néng zěn me yàng？”
“ āi， nǐ rèn wéi nǐ zì jǐ hěn liǎo bù qǐ， shì bù shì？ rú guǒ wǒ xiǎng nǐ de huà， yī zhǐ shǒu bèi zài hòu miàn dōunéng dǎ guò nǐ。”
“ hǎo 'ā， nǐ shuō nǐ néng dǎ guò wǒ， nà nǐ wèishénme bù dòng shǒu 'ā？”
“ rú guǒ nǐ lǎo shì zuǐ yìng de huà， wǒ jiù dǎ gěi nǐ kàn。”
“ hēi héng héng nǐ zhè zhǒng rén wǒ jiàn dé duō liǎo， jìn chuī dà huà xià bù liǎo tái！”
“ hā！ nǐ zì yǐ wéi shì gè rén wù ní！ qiáo， nǐ nà mào zǐ！”
“ nǐ yào shì kàn bù shùn yǎn nǐ jiù bǎ tā zhāi xià lái yā， rú guǒ nǐ gǎn pèng， wǒ jiù zòu biǎn nǐ！”
“ nǐ chuī niú。”
“ nǐ yě shì chuī niú。”
“ nǐ guāng shì jiǎng dà huà， bù gǎn dòng shǒu。”
“ ō， gǔn nǐ de dàn bā！”
“ gào sù nǐ héng héng yào shì nǐ zài mà wǒ de huà， wǒ jiù yòng shí tóu zá suì nǐ de nǎo dài。”
“ nà hǎo， nǐ jiù lái zá 'ā！”
“ wǒ kěn dìng huì de。”
“ nà nǐ wèishénme bù lái shì shì？ nǐ lǎo shì chuī niú bù gǎn dòng shǒu， ò， wǒ zhī dào nǐ hài pà liǎo。”
“ wǒ cái bù pà ní！”
“ nǐ pà！”
“ wǒ bù pà！”
“ nǐ jiù shì pà！”
liǎng gè rén zàn tíng liǎo yī huì 'ér， jiē zhe yòu yǎn duì yǎn， shēn zǐ cè shēn zǐ dōu zhe juàn zǐ zǒu liǎo jǐ bù。 hū rán liǎng gè rén jiān dǐ zhe jiān。 tānɡ mǔ shuō：
“ nǐ cóng zhè gǔn bā！”
“ nǐ zì jǐ gǔn bā！”
“ wǒ bù gǔn。”
“ wǒ yě bù gǔn。”
yú shì tā liǎ zhàn zài nà 'ér， shuāng fāng dū xié zhe yī zhǐ jiǎo chēng zhuójìn， yòng jìn lì qì xiǎng bǎ duì shǒu wǎng hòu tuī， liǎng gè réndōu fèn hèn dì dèng zhe duì fāng。 kě shì shuídōu méi zhàn yōu shì。 tā men zhí dǒu dé hún shēn zào rè， mǎn liǎn tōng hóng， rán hòu liǎng rén shāo shāo fàng sōng， què dū xiǎo xīn jǐn shèn dì dīfáng zhe duì fāng。 zhè shí， tānɡ mǔ yòu shuō：“ nǐ shì gè dǎn xiǎo guǐ， shì gè gǒu zǎi zǐ。 wǒ yào xiàng wǒ dà gē gē gào nǐ de zhuàng， tā zhǐ yào dòng dòng xiǎo zhǐ tóu jiù néng bǎ nǐ niē suì， wǒ huì ràng tā zòu nǐ de。”
“ wǒ kě bù pà nǐ shénme dà gē gē， wǒ yòu yī gè bǐ nǐ dà gē hái dà de dà gē gē héng héng 'ér qiě wǒ dà gē gē néng bǎ nǐ de dà gē gē cóng nà dǔ lí bā wéi qiáng rēng guò qù。”
（ liǎng gè rén de suǒ wèi de dà gē gē dōushì xū gòu de。）
“ nǐ sǎ huǎng。”
“ nǐ jiǎng de yě bù shì zhēn de。”
tānɡ mǔ yòng dà jiǎo zhǐ tóu zài dì shàng de huī tǔ shàng huá liǎo yī dào xiàn， shuō：
“ nǐ ruò gǎn kuà guò zhè dào xiàn， wǒ jiù bǎ nǐ dǎ pā zài dì shàng， ràng nǐ zhàn bù qǐ lái。 shuí gǎn， shuí jiù dé chī bù liǎo dōu zhe zǒu。”
zhè gè xīn lái de nán hái háo bù yóu yù dì kuà guò nà dào xiàn， shuō：
“ nǐ shuō nǐ gǎn dǎ wǒ， xiàn zài lái kàn kàn nǐ zěn me dǎ fǎ。”
“ nǐ bù yào bī wǒ！ nǐ zuì hǎo hái shì dāng xīn diǎn。”
“ āi， nǐ bù shì shuō yào dǎ wǒ má？ héng héng nǐ wèishénme bù dòng shǒu 'ā？”
“ dé liǎo， nǐ yào shì kěn gěi wǒ liǎng gè fēn bì， wǒ jiù dòng shǒu。”
xīn lái de nán hái guǒ zhēn cóng yī fú kǒu dài lǐ tāo chū liǎng gè fēn bì， cháo nòng dì tān kāi shǒu zhǎng。 tānɡ mǔ yī bǎ jiāng qián dǎ fān zài dì。 lì kè liǎng gè rén xiàng liǎng zhǐ zhēng shí de māo yī yàng， zài dì shàng de chén tǔ lǐ gǔn dǎ， sī chě qǐ lái， jǐn jiē zhe yòu shì chě tóu fā， yòu shì jiū yī lǐng， pīn mìng dì chuí dǎ duì fāng de bí zǐ， zhuā duì fāng de liǎn。 liǎng gè réndōu nòng dé hún shēn shì tǔ， què yòu dū wēi fēng lǐn lǐn。 zuì hòu shuí shèng shuí bài zhú jiàn jiàn liǎo fēn xiǎo， tānɡ mǔ cóng chén tǔ zhōng pá qǐ lái， qí zài nà gè nán hái de shēn shàng， zuàn jǐn quán tóu shǐ jìn dì dǎ nà gè nán hái。
“ āi gòu liǎo má？ qiú ráo bā！” tā shuō。
nà gè nán hái zhǐ xiǎng zhèng tuō chū lái。 tā qì dé háo táo dà kū。
tānɡ mǔ hái zài bù tíng dì chuí dǎ， shuō：“ qiú ráo bā！”
nà nán hái zhǐ hǎo jǐ chū jǐ gè zì：“ ráo liǎo wǒ！”
tānɡ mǔ ràng tā zhàn qǐ lái， duì tā shuō：
“ xiàn zài nǐ zhī dào wǒ de lì hài liǎo bā！ yǐ hòu zuì hǎo gěi wǒ xiǎo xīn diǎn， kàn kàn zài gēn shuí zuǐ yìng。”
zhè wèi xīn lái de nán hái pāi pāi shēn shàng de chén tǔ， kū kū tí tí dì zǒu kāi liǎo。 tā bù shí dì huí guò tóu lái， yáo huàng zhe nǎo dài， xià hǔ tānɡ mǔ：
“ xià cì yào shì zhuā zhù nǐ， wǒ jiù， wǒ jiù ……”
tānɡ mǔ duì cǐ bù xiè yī gù， zhǐ gāo qì yáng dì zǒu kāi liǎo。 tā de bèi gāng yī zhuǎn guò lái， nà nán hái zǐ jiù zhuā qǐ yī kuài shí tóu cháo tā zá guò lái， zhèng dǎ zài tānɡ mǔ de bèi shàng， jiē zhe jiù jiā zhe wěi bā， xiàng líng yáng shìde fēi kuài dì páo diào liǎo。 tānɡ mǔ qióng zhuī bùshě， zhí zhuī dào tā jiā。 tā jiù zhàn zài rén jiā dà mén kǒu， rǎng zhe jiào nà nán hái chū lái jiào liàng， kě shì nà gè duì shǒu zhǐ shì zài chuāng zǐ lǐ cháo tā jǐ bí zǐ nòng yǎn， jù bù yíng zhàn。 zuì hòu nà duì shǒu de mā mā chū lái liǎo， zhòu mà tānɡ mǔ shì gè xià liú、 méi yòu jiā jiào de huài hái zǐ， hèchì tā gǎn kuài gǔn kāi。 yú shì tānɡ mǔ jiù zǒu liǎo， bù guò， tā lín zǒu shí shuō hái yào xún jī zài jiào xùn jiào xùn nà hùn xiǎo zǐ yī dùn。
nà tiān wǎn shàng， tā huí dào jiā shí yǐ jīng hěn chí liǎo。 dāng tā xiǎo xīn yì yì dì cóng chuāng hù wǎng lǐ pá shí， měng rán jiān fā xiàn liǎo yòu rén mái fú， zǎi xì yī kàn， yuán lái shì tā de bō lì yí mā。 tā kàn dào tā yī fú bèi nòng chéng nà fù yàng zǐ， yuán lái jiù dǎ suàn ràng tānɡ mǔ zài xīng qī liù xiū xī rì gànhuó de jué xīn xiàn zài jiù gèng jiā jiān dìng liǎo。
No answer.
"TOM!"
No answer.
"What's gone with that boy, I wonder? You TOM!"
No answer.
The old lady pulled her spectacles down and looked over them about the room; then she put them up and looked out under them. She seldom or never looked THROUGH them for so small a thing as a boy; they were her state pair, the pride of her heart, and were built for "style," not service--she could have seen through a pair of stove-lids just as well. She looked perplexed for a moment, and then said, not fiercely, but still loud enough for the furniture to hear:
"Well, I lay if I get hold of you I'll--"
She did not finish, for by this time she was bending down and punching under the bed with the broom, and so she needed breath to punctuate the punches with. She resurrected nothing but the cat.
"I never did see the beat of that boy!"
She went to the open door and stood in it and looked out among the tomato vines and "jimpson" weeds that constituted the garden. No Tom. So she lifted up her voice at an angle calculated for distance and shouted:
"Y-o-u-u TOM!"
There was a slight noise behind her and she turned just in time to seize a small boy by the slack of his roundabout and arrest his flight.
"There! I might 'a' thought of that closet. What you been doing in there?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing! Look at your hands. And look at your mouth. What IS that truck?"
"I don't know, aunt."
"Well, I know. It's jam--that's what it is. Forty times I've said if you didn't let that jam alone I'd skin you. Hand me that switch."
The switch hovered in the air--the peril was desperate--
"My! Look behind you, aunt!"
The old lady whirled round, and snatched her skirts out of danger. The lad fled on the instant, scrambled up the high board-fence, and disappeared over it.
His aunt Polly stood surprised a moment, and then broke into a gentle laugh.
"Hang the boy, can't I never learn anything? Ain't he played me tricks enough like that for me to be looking out for him by this time? But old fools is the biggest fools there is. Can't learn an old dog new tricks, as the saying is. But my goodness, he never plays them alike, two days, and how is a body to know what's coming? He 'pears to know just how long he can torment me before I get my dander up, and he knows if he can make out to put me off for a minute or make me laugh, it's all down again and I can't hit him a lick. I ain't doing my duty by that boy, and that's the Lord's truth, goodness knows. Spare the rod and spile the child, as the Good Book says. I'm a laying up sin and suffering for us both, I know. He's full of the Old Scratch, but laws-a-me! he's my own dead sister's boy, poor thing, and I ain't got the heart to lash him, somehow. Every time I let him off, my conscience does hurt me so, and every time I hit him my old heart most breaks. Well-a-well, man that is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble, as the Scripture says, and I reckon it's so. He'll play hookey this evening, * and (* Southwestern for "afternoon") I'll just be obleeged to make him work, to-morrow, to punish him. It's mighty hard to make him work Saturdays, when all the boys is having holiday, but he hates work more than he hates anything else, and I've GOT to do some of my duty by him, or I'll be the ruination of the child."
Tom did play hookey, and he had a very good time. He got back home barely in season to help Jim, the small colored boy, saw next-day's wood and split the kindlings before supper--at least he was there in time to tell his adventures to Jim while Jim did three-fourths of the work. Tom's younger brother (or rather half-brother) Sid was already through with his part of the work (picking up chips), for he was a quiet boy, and had no adventurous, troublesome ways.
While Tom was eating his supper, and stealing sugar as opportunity offered, Aunt Polly asked him questions that were full of guile, and very deep--for she wanted to trap him into damaging revealments. Like many other simple-hearted souls, it was her pet vanity to believe she was endowed with a talent for dark and mysterious diplomacy, and she loved to contemplate her most transparent devices as marvels of low cunning. Said she:
"Tom, it was middling warm in school, warn't it?"
"Yes'm."
"Powerful warm, warn't it?"
"Yes'm."
"Didn't you want to go in a-swimming, Tom?"
A bit of a scare shot through Tom--a touch of uncomfortable suspicion. He searched Aunt Polly's face, but it told him nothing. So he said:
"No'm--well, not very much."
The old lady reached out her hand and felt Tom's shirt, and said:
"But you ain't too warm now, though." And it flattered her to reflect that she had discovered that the shirt was dry without anybody knowing that that was what she had in her mind. But in spite of her, Tom knew where the wind lay, now. So he forestalled what might be the next move:
"Some of us pumped on our heads--mine's damp yet. See?"
Aunt Polly was vexed to think she had overlooked that bit of circumstantial evidence, and missed a trick. Then she had a new inspiration:
"Tom, you didn't have to undo your shirt collar where I sewed it, to pump on your head, did you? Unbutton your jacket!"
The trouble vanished out of Tom's face. He opened his jacket. His shirt collar was securely sewed.
"Bother! Well, go 'long with you. I'd made sure you'd played hookey and been a-swimming. But I forgive ye, Tom. I reckon you're a kind of a singed cat, as the saying is--better'n you look. THIS time."
She was half sorry her sagacity had miscarried, and half glad that Tom had stumbled into obedient conduct for once.
But Sidney said:
"Well, now, if I didn't think you sewed his collar with white thread, but it's black."
"Why, I did sew it with white! Tom!"
But Tom did not wait for the rest. As he went out at the door he said:
"Siddy, I'll lick you for that."
In a safe place Tom examined two large needles which were thrust into the lapels of his jacket, and had thread bound about them--one needle carried white thread and the other black. He said:
"She'd never noticed if it hadn't been for Sid. Confound it! sometimes she sews it with white, and sometimes she sews it with black. I wish to geeminy she'd stick to one or t'other--I can't keep the run of 'em. But I bet you I'll lam Sid for that. I'll learn him!"
He was not the Model Boy of the village. He knew the model boy very well though--and loathed him.
Within two minutes, or even less, he had forgotten all his troubles. Not because his troubles were one whit less heavy and bitter to him than a man's are to a man, but because a new and powerful interest bore them down and drove them out of his mind for the time--just as men's misfortunes are forgotten in the excitement of new enterprises. This new interest was a valued novelty in whistling, which he had just acquired from a negro, and he was suffering to practise it undisturbed. It consisted in a peculiar bird-like turn, a sort of liquid warble, produced by touching the tongue to the roof of the mouth at short intervals in the midst of the music--the reader probably remembers how to do it, if he has ever been a boy. Diligence and attention soon gave him the knack of it, and he strode down the street with his mouth full of harmony and his soul full of gratitude. He felt much as an astronomer feels who has discovered a new planet--no doubt, as far as strong, deep, unalloyed pleasure is concerned, the advantage was with the boy, not the astronomer.
The summer evenings were long. It was not dark, yet. Presently Tom checked his whistle. A stranger was before him--a boy a shade larger than himself. A new-comer of any age or either sex was an impressive curiosity in the poor little shabby village of St. Petersburg. This boy was well dressed, too--well dressed on a week-day. This was simply astounding. His cap was a dainty thing, his close-buttoned blue cloth roundabout was new and natty, and so were his pantaloons. He had shoes on--and it was only Friday. He even wore a necktie, a bright bit of ribbon. He had a citified air about him that ate into Tom's vitals. The more Tom stared at the splendid marvel, the higher he turned up his nose at his finery and the shabbier and shabbier his own outfit seemed to him to grow. Neither boy spoke. If one moved, the other moved--but only sidewise, in a circle; they kept face to face and eye to eye all the time. Finally Tom said:
"I can lick you!"
"I'd like to see you try it."
"Well, I can do it."
"No you can't, either."
"Yes I can."
"No you can't."
"I can."
"You can't."
"Can!"
"Can't!"
An uncomfortable pause. Then Tom said:
"What's your name?"
"'Tisn't any of your business, maybe."
"Well I 'low I'll MAKE it my business."
"Well why don't you?"
"If you say much, I will."
"Much--much--MUCH. There now."
"Oh, you think you're mighty smart, DON'T you? I could lick you with one hand tied behind me, if I wanted to."
"Well why don't you DO it? You SAY you can do it."
"Well I WILL, if you fool with me."
"Oh yes--I've seen whole families in the same fix."
"Smarty! You think you're SOME, now, DON'T you? Oh, what a hat!"
"You can lump that hat if you don't like it. I dare you to knock it off--and anybody that'll take a dare will suck eggs."
"You're a liar!"
"You're another."
"You're a fighting liar and dasn't take it up."
"Aw--take a walk!"
"Say--if you give me much more of your sass I'll take and bounce a rock off'n your head."
"Oh, of COURSE you will."
"Well I WILL."
"Well why don't you DO it then? What do you keep SAYING you will for? Why don't you DO it? It's because you're afraid."
"I AIN'T afraid."
"You are."
"I ain't."
"You are."
Another pause, and more eying and sidling around each other. Presently they were shoulder to shoulder. Tom said:
"Get away from here!"
"Go away yourself!"
"I won't."
"I won't either."
So they stood, each with a foot placed at an angle as a brace, and both shoving with might and main, and glowering at each other with hate. But neither could get an advantage. After struggling till both were hot and flushed, each relaxed his strain with watchful caution, and Tom said:
"You're a coward and a pup. I'll tell my big brother on you, and he can thrash you with his little finger, and I'll make him do it, too."
"What do I care for your big brother? I've got a brother that's bigger than he is--and what's more, he can throw him over that fence, too." (Both brothers were imaginary.)
"That's a lie."
"YOUR saying so don't make it so."
Tom drew a line in the dust with his big toe, and said:
"I dare you to step over that, and I'll lick you till you can't stand up. Anybody that'll take a dare will steal sheep."
The new boy stepped over promptly, and said:
"Now you said you'd do it, now let's see you do it."
"Don't you crowd me now; you better look out."
"Well, you SAID you'd do it--why don't you do it?"
"By jingo! for two cents I WILL do it."
The new boy took two broad coppers out of his pocket and held them out with derision. Tom struck them to the ground. In an instant both boys were rolling and tumbling in the dirt, gripped together like cats; and for the space of a minute they tugged and tore at each other's hair and clothes, punched and scratched each other's nose, and covered themselves with dust and glory. Presently the confusion took form, and through the fog of battle Tom appeared, seated astride the new boy, and pounding him with his fists. "Holler 'nuff!" said he.
The boy only struggled to free himself. He was crying--mainly from rage.
"Holler 'nuff!"--and the pounding went on.
At last the stranger got out a smothered "'Nuff!" and Tom let him up and said:
"Now that'll learn you. Better look out who you're fooling with next time."
The new boy went off brushing the dust from his clothes, sobbing, snuffling, and occasionally looking back and shaking his head and threatening what he would do to Tom the "next time he caught him out." To which Tom responded with jeers, and started off in high feather, and as soon as his back was turned the new boy snatched up a stone, threw it and hit him between the shoulders and then turned tail and ran like an antelope. Tom chased the traitor home, and thus found out where he lived. He then held a position at the gate for some time, daring the enemy to come outside, but the enemy only made faces at him through the window and declined. At last the enemy's mother appeared, and called Tom a bad, vicious, vulgar child, and ordered him away. So he went away; but he said he "'lowed" to "lay" for that boy.
He got home pretty late that night, and when he climbed cautiously in at the window, he uncovered an ambuscade, in the person of his aunt; and when she saw the state his clothes were in her resolution to turn his Saturday holiday into captivity at hard labor became adamantine in its firmness.
méi rén dāyìng。
“ tānɡ mǔ！”
yòu méi rén dāyìng。
“ zhè hái zǐ dào dǐ zěn me lā， wǒ zhēn gǎo bù dǒng？ nǐ zhè gè tānɡ mǔ！”
hái shì méi yòu rén dāyìng。
zhè lǎo tài tài lā dī yǎn jìng cóng jìng piàn shàng fāng cháo fáng jiān kàn liǎo kàn， rán hòu tā yòu tái gāo yǎn jìng cóng jìng piàn xià miàn kàn。 tā hěn shǎo huò zhě gān cuì shuō tā cóng lái méi dài zhèng yǎn jìng lái zhǎo xiàng yī gè xiǎo nán hái zhè yàng xiǎo de dōng xī。 zhè fù yǎn jìng shì hěn kǎo jiū de， yě shì tā de jiāo 'ào， tā pèi zhè fù yǎn jìng bù shì wèile shí yòng， ér shì wèile“ zhuāng shì”， wèile“ piào liàng”。 tā kàn dōng xī shí， jí shǐ dài shàng liǎng piàn lú zǐ gài yě zhào yàng kàn dé yī qīng 'èr chǔ。 tā máng rán bù zhī suǒ cuò dì lèng liǎo yī huì 'ér。 rán hòu suī rán bù shì xiōng shén 'èshà bān， dàn sǎng mén gāo dé ràng měi gè jiǎo luò dōunéng tīng dào， tā shuō：
“ hǎo， wǒ fā shì rú guǒ wǒ zhuā zhù nǐ， wǒ jiù héng héng”
tā huà méi yòu shuō wán， yīn wéi zhè shí tā zhèng wān yāo yòng sǎo bǎ wǎng chuáng xià měng dǎo， měi dǎo yī xià， tā xū yào tíng xià lái huàn kǒu qì。 jiēguǒ， zhǐ dǎo chū lái yī zhǐ māo。
“ wǒ hái cóng méi yòu jiàn guò zhè me lìng rén chī jīng de hái zǐ！”
tā zǒu dào chǎng kāi de mén kǒu， zhàn zài nà lǐ cháo mǎn yuán zǐ de xī hóng shì téng hé jí pǔ xùn cǎo cóng zhōng kàn， xiǎng zhǎo dào tānɡ mǔ， kě hái shì méi yòu。 yú shì tā liàng kāi sǎng zǐ cháo yuǎn chù， gāo shēng hǎn dào：
“ tānɡ mǔ yā， tānɡ mǔ！”
zhè shí zài tā shēn hòuzhuàn lái yī shēng qīng wēi de xiǎng shēng， tā zhuǎn shēn yī bǎ zhuā zhù liǎo yī gè xiǎo nán hái de duǎn wài tào de yī jiǎo， tā xiǎng páo dū páo bù diào liǎo。
“ hēi！ wǒ zǎo gāi xiǎng dào nà gè bì chú， nǐ duǒ zài nà lǐ gànshénme？”
“ méi gànshénme。”
“ méi gànshénme？！ qiáo nǐ nà shuāng shǒu， zài kàn nǐ nà zhāng zuǐ， hái yòu nà hún shēn shì shénme？”
“ wǒ bù zhī dào， yí mā。”
“ āi， wǒ zhī dào， nà shì mì jiàn héng héng duì， jiù shì。 wǒ yǐ gēn nǐ jiǎng guò yòu sì shí biàn liǎo， bù yào dòng wǒ de mì jiàn， fǒu zé wǒ jiù bā nǐ de pí。 bǎ biān zǐ dì gěi wǒ。”
biān zǐ zài kōng zhōng huàng yōu héng héng qíng kuàng wàn fēn jǐn jí。
“ bù dé liǎo！ qiáo nǐ shēn hòu shì shénme， yí mā！”
lǎo tài tài yǐ wéi yòu wēi xiǎn， jí máng liáo qǐ qún zǐ， zhuǎn guò shēn qù。 tānɡ mǔ bō tuǐ jiù táo， qǐng kè tā pá guò gāo gāo de mù shān lán， yī zhuǎn yǎn jiù xiāo shī dé wú yǐng wú zōng。
tā de bō lì yí mā zhàn zài nà 'ér xiān shì yī lèng， suí hòu tū rán qīng shēng xiào liǎo qǐ lái。
“ zhè gè gāi sǐ de， wǒ zěn me lǎo shì bù xī qǔ jiào xùn？ hé wǒ kāi zhè yàng de wán xiào， yě bù zhī kāi guò duō shǎo cì liǎo。 nán dào wǒ bù gāi yòu suǒ dīfáng má？ rén lǎo liǎo， hú tú cái shì zuì dà de hú tú dàn。 sú huà shuō dé hǎo， lǎo gǒu xué bù huì xīn bǎ xì。 kě shì tiān lā！ tā shuǎ de guǐ bǎ xì lǐ cóng lái méi yòu liǎng tiān yī yàng de， shuí néng cāi chū xià gè guǐ zhù yì shì shénme？ tā sì hū zhī dào， tā néng zhé mó wǒ duō cháng shí jiān， wǒ cái huì dòng gān huǒ， ér qiě tā yě zhī dào tā zhǐ yào xiǎng gè fǎ hōng hōng wǒ， rě wǒ dà xiào yīcháng， jiù huì wàn shì jiē xiū， wǒ yě bù huì zòu tā yī dùn。 wǒ duì tā shì gǎn nù bù néng zòu。 wǒ duì nà hái zǐ méi jìn dào zé rèn， shàng dì zhī dào nà shì zhēn de。《 shèng jīng》 lǐ shuō： ‘ hái zǐ bù dǎ bù chéng qì。 ’ wǒ tài nì 'ài nà hái zǐ， wǒ yě zhī dào zhè duì wǒ liǎ dōubù hǎo。 tā yī dù guǐ diǎn zǐ。 āi yā， dàn tā shì wǒ nà sǐ qù de qīn jiě jiě de 'ér zǐ， kě lián de hái zǐ， wǒ zěn me yě bù rěn xīn zòu tā。 měi yī cì ráo liǎo tā， wǒ liáng xīn dū shòu qiǎn zé； kě shì měi yī huí dǎ tā， wǒdōu yòu diǎn xīn tòng bù rěn。 āi， āi， jiù xiàng《 shèng jīng》 suǒ shuō de， rén wéi mǔ shēng， guāng yīn rěn rǎn， chōng mǎn kǔ nán。 wǒ kàn zhè huà shuō dé yī diǎn dōubù cuò。 jīn tiān xià wǔ tā yào shì táo xué， míng tiān wǒ jiù xiǎng fǎ ràng tā gān diǎn huó， chéng fá chéng fá tā。 xīng qī liù ràng tā gànhuó， kǒng pà kē kè liǎo diǎn， yīn wéi suǒ yòu de hái zǐ dū fàng liǎo jiǎ， tā yòu hèn tòu liǎo gànhuó， bǐ hèn shénme dū lì hài。 kě shì wǒ bù dé bù duì tā jìn dào wǒ de zé rèn， fǒu zé wǒ huì bǎ zhè gè hái zǐ gěi huǐ liǎo。”
tānɡ mǔ zhēn de méi qù shàng kè， ér qiě tòng tòng kuài kuài dì wán liǎo yīcháng。 tā huí jiā shí zhèng hǎo gǎn shàng bāng nà xiǎo hēi hái jí mǔ de máng， bāng tā zài wǎn fàn qián jù dì 'èr tiān yòng de mù tóu， pī yǐn huǒ yòng de chái héng héng zhì shǎo tā jí shí gǎn dào nà 'ér， bǎ tā suǒ gān de shì jiǎng gěi jí mǔ tīng， ér huó què shì jí mǔ gān liǎo sì fēn zhī sān。 tānɡ mǔ de dì dì（ què qiē dì shuō shì tóng mǔ yì fù de dì dì） xī dé yǐ gān wán liǎo tā nà fèn huó（ jiǎn suì mù kuài）， yīn wéi tā shì gè bù shēng bù xiǎng de hái zǐ， cóng bù gànshénme mào xiǎn de shì， yě bù rě shénme má fán。
tānɡ mǔ chī wǎn fàn de shí hòu， zǒng shì chǒu jī huì tōu táng chī， bō lì yí mā zhè shí kāi shǐ wèn tā， huà lǐ chōng mǎn liǎo guǐ jì， ér qiě fēi cháng qiǎo miào héng héng yīn wéi tā yào shè diǎn juàn tào， tào tā shuō chū shí huà lái。 gēn qí tā xǔ duō tóu nǎo jiǎn dān de rén yī yàng， tā hěn zì fù， bìng qiě xiāng xìn zì jǐ hěn yòu diǎn zǐ， huì shuǎ nòng guǐ mì jiǎo huá de shǒu wàn， bǎ zì jǐ jí yì bèi rén shí pò de guǐ jì dāng zuò zuì gāo míng de jì cè， tā shuō：
“ tānɡ mǔ， xué xiào lǐ tǐng rè de， duì bā？”
“ shì de， yí mā。”
“ rè de lì hài， duì bù duì？”
“ duì， yí mā。”
“ nǐ shì bù shì xiǎng qù yóu yǒng lái zhe， tānɡ mǔ。”
tānɡ mǔ hū rán gǎn dào yòu diǎn huāng zhāng héng héng yī sī bù 'ān hé yí huò lüè guò xīn tóu。 tā tōu yǎn chá kàn bō lì yí mā de liǎn sè， kě shí me yě méi yòu kàn chū lái。 yú shì tā shuō：
“ méi yòu 'ā， yí mā héng héng 'e， méi zěn me xiǎng qù。”
lǎo tài tài shēn chū shǒu mō mō tānɡ mǔ de chèn yī， shuō dào：
“ kě shì nǐ xiàn zài què bìng bù zěn me rè， shì bā！” tā yǐ fā xiàn chèn yī shì gān de， què méi yòu rén zhī dào tā nèi xīn de zhēn zhèng yòng yì， wèicǐ tā gǎn dào hěn dé yì。 ér tānɡ mǔ cāi tòu liǎo tā de xīn sī， suǒ yǐ tā wéi fáng lǎo tài tài de xià yī zhāo lái liǎo gè xiān fā zhì rén。
“ yòu de rén wǎng dà jiā tóu shàng dǎ shuǐ héng héng nǐ qiáo， wǒ de tóu fā hái shì shī de ní！”
bō lì yí mā hěn 'ào nǎo， tā jū rán méi zhù yì dào zhè gè míng bǎi zhe de shì shí， yǐ zhì cuò guò liǎo yī cì jī huì。 kě jiē zhe tā líng jī yī dòng， jì shàng xīn lái：
“ tānɡ mǔ， nǐ wǎng tóu shàng jiāo shuǐ de shí hòu， bù bì chāi diào wǒ gěi nǐ chèn shān shàng féng de lǐng zǐ bā？ bǎ shàng yī de niǔ kòu jiě kāi！”
tānɡ mǔ liǎn shàng de bù 'ān mǎ shàng jiù xiāo shī liǎo。 tā jiě kāi shàng yī， chèn yī de lǐng zǐ hái shì féng de hǎohǎo de。
“ zhēn shì guài shì。 dé， suàn liǎo bā！ wǒ kàn nǐ kuàng kè qù yóu yǒng liǎo！ wǒ rèn wéi nǐ jiù xiàng sú huà lǐ shuō de shāo jiāo máo de māo yī yàng héng héng bìng bù xiàng biǎo miàn kàn qǐ lái de nà yàng huài。 jiù zhè yī cì， xià bù wéi lì。”
tā yī miàn wéi zì jǐ de jì móu luò kōng 'ér nán guò， yī miàn yòu wéi tānɡ mǔ zhè yī cì jìng néng rú cǐ wēn shùn tīng huà 'ér gāo xīng。
kě shì xī dé què shuō：
“ hēng， wǒ jì dé nǐ hǎo xiàng gěi tā féng lǐng zǐ yòng de shì bái xiàn， kě xiàn zài què shì hēi xiàn。”
“ hēi， wǒ de què yòng bái xiàn féng de！ tānɡ mǔ！”
kě tānɡ mǔ méi děng tīng wán huà jiù zǒu liǎo。 tā zǒu chū mén kǒu de shí hòu shuō：
“ xī dé， wéi zhè wǒ kě yào hěn hěn zòu nǐ yī dùn。”
zài yī gè 'ān quán de dì fāng， tānɡ mǔ zǎi xì jiǎn chá liǎo bié zài shàng yī fān lǐng shàng de liǎng gēn dà zhēn， zhēn shàng hái chuānzhuó xiàn， yī gēn rào zhe bái xiàn， lìng yī gēn rào zhe hēi xiàn。
tā shuō：
“ rú guǒ bù shì xī dé， tā shì yǒng yuǎn bù huì zhù yì dào de。 zhēn tǎo yàn！ yòu shí tā yòng bái xiàn féng， yòu shí yòu yòng hēi xiàn。 wǒ zhēn xī wàng tā zǒng shì yòng yī zhǒng xiàn héng héng huàn lái huàn qù wǒ shí zài jì bù zhù。 bù guò， wǒ fā shì fēi zòu xī dé yī dùn bù kě， wǒ yào hǎohǎo jiào xùn jiào xùn tā。”
tānɡ mǔ bù shì cūn lǐ de mó fàn nán hái， dàn tā duì nà wèi mó fàn nán hái fēi cháng shú xī， bìng qiě hěn tǎo yàn tā。
bù dào liǎng fēn zhōng， shèn zhì gèng duǎn， tā yǐ jiāng quán bù fán nǎo gěi wàng jì liǎo。 jiù xiàng dà rén men de fán nǎo yě shì fán nǎo yī yàng， tā wàng jì fán nǎo bìng bù shì yīn wéi tā de fán nǎo duì tā bù zěn me chén zhòng hé nán shòu， ér shì yīn wéi yī zhǒng xīn de、 gèng qiáng liè de xīng qù zàn shí yā dǎo bìng qū sàn liǎo tā xīn zhōng de fán mèn héng héng jiù xiàng dà rén men zài xīn qí gǎn shòu de xīng fèn zhī shí， yě huì zàn shí wàng què zì jǐ de bù xìng yī yàng。 zhè zhǒng xīn chǎn shēng de xīng qù jiù shì yī zhǒng xīn de chuī kǒu shào fāng fǎ， tā hěn yòu jià zhí， shì gāng cóng yī gè hēi rén nà xué dào de， xiàn zài tā zhèng yào yī xīn liàn xí liàn xí yòu bù xiǎng bèi bié rén dǎ rǎo。 zhè shēng yīn hěn tè bié， xiàng xiǎo niǎo de jiào shēng， yī zhǒng liú chàng 'ér wěi wǎn de yīn diào。 zài chuī zhè gè diào zǐ de shí hòu， shé tóu duàn duàn xù xù dì dǐ zhù kǒu qiāng de shàng 'ě héng héng dú zhě ruò céng jīng yě shì hái zǐ de huà， yě xǔ hái jì dé gāi zěn yàng chuī zhè zhǒng kǒu shào。 tānɡ mǔ xué dé hěn qín fèn， liàn dé hěn zhuān xīn， hěn kuài jiù zhǎng wò liǎo qí zhōng yào lǐng。 yú shì tā yán jiē dà bù liú xīng dì zǒu zhe， kǒu zhōng chuī zhe kǒu shào， xīn lǐ lè zī zī de， nà gǔ lè jìn rú tóng tiān wén xué jiā fā xiàn liǎo xīn xíng xīng shí yī bān， jǐn jiù lè de chéng dù zhī shēn zhī qiáng liè 'ér yán， cǐ shí de tānɡ mǔ jué duì bǐ tiān wén xué jiā hái yào xīng fèn。
xià tiān de xià wǔ hěn cháng， zhè shí tiān hái méi yòu hēi。 tānɡ mǔ de kǒu shào shēng hū rán tíng zhù liǎo， yīn wéi zài tā miàn qián chū xiàn liǎo yī gè mò shēng rén héng héng yī gè bǐ tā dà yī diǎn de nán hái。
zài shèng bǐ dé bǎo zhè gè pín qióng、 pò luò de xiǎo cūn zǐ lǐ， bù guǎn shì nán de hái shì nǚ de， lǎo de hái shì shǎo de， zhǐ yào shì xīn lái de， jiù néng yǐn qǐ rén men de hàoqí xīn。 ér qiě zhè gè nán hái chuān dé fēi cháng jiǎng jiū héng héng zài píng cháng gōng zuò rì jìng chuān dài rú cǐ zhěng qí， jǐn zhè jiù ràng tānɡ mǔ duì tā guā mù xiāng kàn。 tā de mào zǐ hěn jīng zhì， lán sè de shàng yī kòu dé jǐn jǐn de， yòu xīn yòu zhěng jié， tā de kù zǐ yě shì yī yàng。 tā jìng rán hái chuān zhe xié héng héng yào zhī dào， jīn tiān kě shì xīng qī wǔ！ tā shèn zhì hái dǎ liǎo tiáo lǐng dài， nà shì tiáo yán sè xiān liàng de sī zhì lǐng dài。 tā bǎi chū yī fù chéng lǐ rén de jià shì， tānɡ mǔ duì cǐ gǎn dào hěn bù zì zài。 tānɡ mǔ yǎn dīng zhe tā nà tào piào liàng de yī fú， bí zǐ qiáo dé gāo gāo de。 kě shì tā yuè kàn yuè shì jué dé zì jǐ shēn shàng de yī fú hěn hán suān pò jiù。 liǎng gè réndōu yī shēng bù kēng。 yī gè nuó dòng yī bù， lìng yī gè yě nuó yī bù héng héng kě dōushì xié zhe bù zǐ dōu juàn zǐ。 tā liǎ miàn duì miàn， yǎn duì yǎn zhè yàng xiāng chí liǎo hěn cháng shí jiān， zuì hòu hái shì tānɡ mǔ xiān kāi liǎo qiāng：
“ wǒ néng dǎ dé guò nǐ！”
“ wǒ dǎo xiǎng jiàn shí jiàn shí。”
“ nà hǎo， wǒ jiù dǎ gěi nǐ kàn。”
“ dé liǎo， nǐ bù xíng。”
“ wǒ xíng。”
“ nǐ jiù shì bù xíng。”
“ wǒ jiù shì xíng。”
“ bù xíng！”
“ xíng！”
“ bù xíng！”
liǎng gè réndōu bù zì zài dì tíng liǎo xià lái。 jiē zhe tānɡ mǔ wèn dào：
“ nǐ jiào shénme míng zì？”
“ zhè yě xǔ nǐ guǎn bù zhe！”
“ hēng， wǒ jiù guǎn dé zhe！”
“ hǎo， nà nǐ jiù guǎn guǎn kàn。”
“ yào shì nǐ zài luo suo， wǒ jiù guǎn gěi nǐ kàn。”
“ luo suo héng héng luo suo héng héng piān yào luo suo， kàn nǐ néng zěn me yàng？”
“ āi， nǐ rèn wéi nǐ zì jǐ hěn liǎo bù qǐ， shì bù shì？ rú guǒ wǒ xiǎng nǐ de huà， yī zhǐ shǒu bèi zài hòu miàn dōunéng dǎ guò nǐ。”
“ hǎo 'ā， nǐ shuō nǐ néng dǎ guò wǒ， nà nǐ wèishénme bù dòng shǒu 'ā？”
“ rú guǒ nǐ lǎo shì zuǐ yìng de huà， wǒ jiù dǎ gěi nǐ kàn。”
“ hēi héng héng nǐ zhè zhǒng rén wǒ jiàn dé duō liǎo， jìn chuī dà huà xià bù liǎo tái！”
“ hā！ nǐ zì yǐ wéi shì gè rén wù ní！ qiáo， nǐ nà mào zǐ！”
“ nǐ yào shì kàn bù shùn yǎn nǐ jiù bǎ tā zhāi xià lái yā， rú guǒ nǐ gǎn pèng， wǒ jiù zòu biǎn nǐ！”
“ nǐ chuī niú。”
“ nǐ yě shì chuī niú。”
“ nǐ guāng shì jiǎng dà huà， bù gǎn dòng shǒu。”
“ ō， gǔn nǐ de dàn bā！”
“ gào sù nǐ héng héng yào shì nǐ zài mà wǒ de huà， wǒ jiù yòng shí tóu zá suì nǐ de nǎo dài。”
“ nà hǎo， nǐ jiù lái zá 'ā！”
“ wǒ kěn dìng huì de。”
“ nà nǐ wèishénme bù lái shì shì？ nǐ lǎo shì chuī niú bù gǎn dòng shǒu， ò， wǒ zhī dào nǐ hài pà liǎo。”
“ wǒ cái bù pà ní！”
“ nǐ pà！”
“ wǒ bù pà！”
“ nǐ jiù shì pà！”
liǎng gè rén zàn tíng liǎo yī huì 'ér， jiē zhe yòu yǎn duì yǎn， shēn zǐ cè shēn zǐ dōu zhe juàn zǐ zǒu liǎo jǐ bù。 hū rán liǎng gè rén jiān dǐ zhe jiān。 tānɡ mǔ shuō：
“ nǐ cóng zhè gǔn bā！”
“ nǐ zì jǐ gǔn bā！”
“ wǒ bù gǔn。”
“ wǒ yě bù gǔn。”
yú shì tā liǎ zhàn zài nà 'ér， shuāng fāng dū xié zhe yī zhǐ jiǎo chēng zhuójìn， yòng jìn lì qì xiǎng bǎ duì shǒu wǎng hòu tuī， liǎng gè réndōu fèn hèn dì dèng zhe duì fāng。 kě shì shuídōu méi zhàn yōu shì。 tā men zhí dǒu dé hún shēn zào rè， mǎn liǎn tōng hóng， rán hòu liǎng rén shāo shāo fàng sōng， què dū xiǎo xīn jǐn shèn dì dīfáng zhe duì fāng。 zhè shí， tānɡ mǔ yòu shuō：“ nǐ shì gè dǎn xiǎo guǐ， shì gè gǒu zǎi zǐ。 wǒ yào xiàng wǒ dà gē gē gào nǐ de zhuàng， tā zhǐ yào dòng dòng xiǎo zhǐ tóu jiù néng bǎ nǐ niē suì， wǒ huì ràng tā zòu nǐ de。”
“ wǒ kě bù pà nǐ shénme dà gē gē， wǒ yòu yī gè bǐ nǐ dà gē hái dà de dà gē gē héng héng 'ér qiě wǒ dà gē gē néng bǎ nǐ de dà gē gē cóng nà dǔ lí bā wéi qiáng rēng guò qù。”
（ liǎng gè rén de suǒ wèi de dà gē gē dōushì xū gòu de。）
“ nǐ sǎ huǎng。”
“ nǐ jiǎng de yě bù shì zhēn de。”
tānɡ mǔ yòng dà jiǎo zhǐ tóu zài dì shàng de huī tǔ shàng huá liǎo yī dào xiàn， shuō：
“ nǐ ruò gǎn kuà guò zhè dào xiàn， wǒ jiù bǎ nǐ dǎ pā zài dì shàng， ràng nǐ zhàn bù qǐ lái。 shuí gǎn， shuí jiù dé chī bù liǎo dōu zhe zǒu。”
zhè gè xīn lái de nán hái háo bù yóu yù dì kuà guò nà dào xiàn， shuō：
“ nǐ shuō nǐ gǎn dǎ wǒ， xiàn zài lái kàn kàn nǐ zěn me dǎ fǎ。”
“ nǐ bù yào bī wǒ！ nǐ zuì hǎo hái shì dāng xīn diǎn。”
“ āi， nǐ bù shì shuō yào dǎ wǒ má？ héng héng nǐ wèishénme bù dòng shǒu 'ā？”
“ dé liǎo， nǐ yào shì kěn gěi wǒ liǎng gè fēn bì， wǒ jiù dòng shǒu。”
xīn lái de nán hái guǒ zhēn cóng yī fú kǒu dài lǐ tāo chū liǎng gè fēn bì， cháo nòng dì tān kāi shǒu zhǎng。 tānɡ mǔ yī bǎ jiāng qián dǎ fān zài dì。 lì kè liǎng gè rén xiàng liǎng zhǐ zhēng shí de māo yī yàng， zài dì shàng de chén tǔ lǐ gǔn dǎ， sī chě qǐ lái， jǐn jiē zhe yòu shì chě tóu fā， yòu shì jiū yī lǐng， pīn mìng dì chuí dǎ duì fāng de bí zǐ， zhuā duì fāng de liǎn。 liǎng gè réndōu nòng dé hún shēn shì tǔ， què yòu dū wēi fēng lǐn lǐn。 zuì hòu shuí shèng shuí bài zhú jiàn jiàn liǎo fēn xiǎo， tānɡ mǔ cóng chén tǔ zhōng pá qǐ lái， qí zài nà gè nán hái de shēn shàng， zuàn jǐn quán tóu shǐ jìn dì dǎ nà gè nán hái。
“ āi gòu liǎo má？ qiú ráo bā！” tā shuō。
nà gè nán hái zhǐ xiǎng zhèng tuō chū lái。 tā qì dé háo táo dà kū。
tānɡ mǔ hái zài bù tíng dì chuí dǎ， shuō：“ qiú ráo bā！”
nà nán hái zhǐ hǎo jǐ chū jǐ gè zì：“ ráo liǎo wǒ！”
tānɡ mǔ ràng tā zhàn qǐ lái， duì tā shuō：
“ xiàn zài nǐ zhī dào wǒ de lì hài liǎo bā！ yǐ hòu zuì hǎo gěi wǒ xiǎo xīn diǎn， kàn kàn zài gēn shuí zuǐ yìng。”
zhè wèi xīn lái de nán hái pāi pāi shēn shàng de chén tǔ， kū kū tí tí dì zǒu kāi liǎo。 tā bù shí dì huí guò tóu lái， yáo huàng zhe nǎo dài， xià hǔ tānɡ mǔ：
“ xià cì yào shì zhuā zhù nǐ， wǒ jiù， wǒ jiù ……”
tānɡ mǔ duì cǐ bù xiè yī gù， zhǐ gāo qì yáng dì zǒu kāi liǎo。 tā de bèi gāng yī zhuǎn guò lái， nà nán hái zǐ jiù zhuā qǐ yī kuài shí tóu cháo tā zá guò lái， zhèng dǎ zài tānɡ mǔ de bèi shàng， jiē zhe jiù jiā zhe wěi bā， xiàng líng yáng shìde fēi kuài dì páo diào liǎo。 tānɡ mǔ qióng zhuī bùshě， zhí zhuī dào tā jiā。 tā jiù zhàn zài rén jiā dà mén kǒu， rǎng zhe jiào nà nán hái chū lái jiào liàng， kě shì nà gè duì shǒu zhǐ shì zài chuāng zǐ lǐ cháo tā jǐ bí zǐ nòng yǎn， jù bù yíng zhàn。 zuì hòu nà duì shǒu de mā mā chū lái liǎo， zhòu mà tānɡ mǔ shì gè xià liú、 méi yòu jiā jiào de huài hái zǐ， hèchì tā gǎn kuài gǔn kāi。 yú shì tānɡ mǔ jiù zǒu liǎo， bù guò， tā lín zǒu shí shuō hái yào xún jī zài jiào xùn jiào xùn nà hùn xiǎo zǐ yī dùn。
nà tiān wǎn shàng， tā huí dào jiā shí yǐ jīng hěn chí liǎo。 dāng tā xiǎo xīn yì yì dì cóng chuāng hù wǎng lǐ pá shí， měng rán jiān fā xiàn liǎo yòu rén mái fú， zǎi xì yī kàn， yuán lái shì tā de bō lì yí mā。 tā kàn dào tā yī fú bèi nòng chéng nà fù yàng zǐ， yuán lái jiù dǎ suàn ràng tānɡ mǔ zài xīng qī liù xiū xī rì gànhuó de jué xīn xiàn zài jiù gèng jiā jiān dìng liǎo。
No answer.
"TOM!"
No answer.
"What's gone with that boy, I wonder? You TOM!"
No answer.
The old lady pulled her spectacles down and looked over them about the room; then she put them up and looked out under them. She seldom or never looked THROUGH them for so small a thing as a boy; they were her state pair, the pride of her heart, and were built for "style," not service--she could have seen through a pair of stove-lids just as well. She looked perplexed for a moment, and then said, not fiercely, but still loud enough for the furniture to hear:
"Well, I lay if I get hold of you I'll--"
She did not finish, for by this time she was bending down and punching under the bed with the broom, and so she needed breath to punctuate the punches with. She resurrected nothing but the cat.
"I never did see the beat of that boy!"
She went to the open door and stood in it and looked out among the tomato vines and "jimpson" weeds that constituted the garden. No Tom. So she lifted up her voice at an angle calculated for distance and shouted:
"Y-o-u-u TOM!"
There was a slight noise behind her and she turned just in time to seize a small boy by the slack of his roundabout and arrest his flight.
"There! I might 'a' thought of that closet. What you been doing in there?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing! Look at your hands. And look at your mouth. What IS that truck?"
"I don't know, aunt."
"Well, I know. It's jam--that's what it is. Forty times I've said if you didn't let that jam alone I'd skin you. Hand me that switch."
The switch hovered in the air--the peril was desperate--
"My! Look behind you, aunt!"
The old lady whirled round, and snatched her skirts out of danger. The lad fled on the instant, scrambled up the high board-fence, and disappeared over it.
His aunt Polly stood surprised a moment, and then broke into a gentle laugh.
"Hang the boy, can't I never learn anything? Ain't he played me tricks enough like that for me to be looking out for him by this time? But old fools is the biggest fools there is. Can't learn an old dog new tricks, as the saying is. But my goodness, he never plays them alike, two days, and how is a body to know what's coming? He 'pears to know just how long he can torment me before I get my dander up, and he knows if he can make out to put me off for a minute or make me laugh, it's all down again and I can't hit him a lick. I ain't doing my duty by that boy, and that's the Lord's truth, goodness knows. Spare the rod and spile the child, as the Good Book says. I'm a laying up sin and suffering for us both, I know. He's full of the Old Scratch, but laws-a-me! he's my own dead sister's boy, poor thing, and I ain't got the heart to lash him, somehow. Every time I let him off, my conscience does hurt me so, and every time I hit him my old heart most breaks. Well-a-well, man that is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble, as the Scripture says, and I reckon it's so. He'll play hookey this evening, * and (* Southwestern for "afternoon") I'll just be obleeged to make him work, to-morrow, to punish him. It's mighty hard to make him work Saturdays, when all the boys is having holiday, but he hates work more than he hates anything else, and I've GOT to do some of my duty by him, or I'll be the ruination of the child."
Tom did play hookey, and he had a very good time. He got back home barely in season to help Jim, the small colored boy, saw next-day's wood and split the kindlings before supper--at least he was there in time to tell his adventures to Jim while Jim did three-fourths of the work. Tom's younger brother (or rather half-brother) Sid was already through with his part of the work (picking up chips), for he was a quiet boy, and had no adventurous, troublesome ways.
While Tom was eating his supper, and stealing sugar as opportunity offered, Aunt Polly asked him questions that were full of guile, and very deep--for she wanted to trap him into damaging revealments. Like many other simple-hearted souls, it was her pet vanity to believe she was endowed with a talent for dark and mysterious diplomacy, and she loved to contemplate her most transparent devices as marvels of low cunning. Said she:
"Tom, it was middling warm in school, warn't it?"
"Yes'm."
"Powerful warm, warn't it?"
"Yes'm."
"Didn't you want to go in a-swimming, Tom?"
A bit of a scare shot through Tom--a touch of uncomfortable suspicion. He searched Aunt Polly's face, but it told him nothing. So he said:
"No'm--well, not very much."
The old lady reached out her hand and felt Tom's shirt, and said:
"But you ain't too warm now, though." And it flattered her to reflect that she had discovered that the shirt was dry without anybody knowing that that was what she had in her mind. But in spite of her, Tom knew where the wind lay, now. So he forestalled what might be the next move:
"Some of us pumped on our heads--mine's damp yet. See?"
Aunt Polly was vexed to think she had overlooked that bit of circumstantial evidence, and missed a trick. Then she had a new inspiration:
"Tom, you didn't have to undo your shirt collar where I sewed it, to pump on your head, did you? Unbutton your jacket!"
The trouble vanished out of Tom's face. He opened his jacket. His shirt collar was securely sewed.
"Bother! Well, go 'long with you. I'd made sure you'd played hookey and been a-swimming. But I forgive ye, Tom. I reckon you're a kind of a singed cat, as the saying is--better'n you look. THIS time."
She was half sorry her sagacity had miscarried, and half glad that Tom had stumbled into obedient conduct for once.
But Sidney said:
"Well, now, if I didn't think you sewed his collar with white thread, but it's black."
"Why, I did sew it with white! Tom!"
But Tom did not wait for the rest. As he went out at the door he said:
"Siddy, I'll lick you for that."
In a safe place Tom examined two large needles which were thrust into the lapels of his jacket, and had thread bound about them--one needle carried white thread and the other black. He said:
"She'd never noticed if it hadn't been for Sid. Confound it! sometimes she sews it with white, and sometimes she sews it with black. I wish to geeminy she'd stick to one or t'other--I can't keep the run of 'em. But I bet you I'll lam Sid for that. I'll learn him!"
He was not the Model Boy of the village. He knew the model boy very well though--and loathed him.
Within two minutes, or even less, he had forgotten all his troubles. Not because his troubles were one whit less heavy and bitter to him than a man's are to a man, but because a new and powerful interest bore them down and drove them out of his mind for the time--just as men's misfortunes are forgotten in the excitement of new enterprises. This new interest was a valued novelty in whistling, which he had just acquired from a negro, and he was suffering to practise it undisturbed. It consisted in a peculiar bird-like turn, a sort of liquid warble, produced by touching the tongue to the roof of the mouth at short intervals in the midst of the music--the reader probably remembers how to do it, if he has ever been a boy. Diligence and attention soon gave him the knack of it, and he strode down the street with his mouth full of harmony and his soul full of gratitude. He felt much as an astronomer feels who has discovered a new planet--no doubt, as far as strong, deep, unalloyed pleasure is concerned, the advantage was with the boy, not the astronomer.
The summer evenings were long. It was not dark, yet. Presently Tom checked his whistle. A stranger was before him--a boy a shade larger than himself. A new-comer of any age or either sex was an impressive curiosity in the poor little shabby village of St. Petersburg. This boy was well dressed, too--well dressed on a week-day. This was simply astounding. His cap was a dainty thing, his close-buttoned blue cloth roundabout was new and natty, and so were his pantaloons. He had shoes on--and it was only Friday. He even wore a necktie, a bright bit of ribbon. He had a citified air about him that ate into Tom's vitals. The more Tom stared at the splendid marvel, the higher he turned up his nose at his finery and the shabbier and shabbier his own outfit seemed to him to grow. Neither boy spoke. If one moved, the other moved--but only sidewise, in a circle; they kept face to face and eye to eye all the time. Finally Tom said:
"I can lick you!"
"I'd like to see you try it."
"Well, I can do it."
"No you can't, either."
"Yes I can."
"No you can't."
"I can."
"You can't."
"Can!"
"Can't!"
An uncomfortable pause. Then Tom said:
"What's your name?"
"'Tisn't any of your business, maybe."
"Well I 'low I'll MAKE it my business."
"Well why don't you?"
"If you say much, I will."
"Much--much--MUCH. There now."
"Oh, you think you're mighty smart, DON'T you? I could lick you with one hand tied behind me, if I wanted to."
"Well why don't you DO it? You SAY you can do it."
"Well I WILL, if you fool with me."
"Oh yes--I've seen whole families in the same fix."
"Smarty! You think you're SOME, now, DON'T you? Oh, what a hat!"
"You can lump that hat if you don't like it. I dare you to knock it off--and anybody that'll take a dare will suck eggs."
"You're a liar!"
"You're another."
"You're a fighting liar and dasn't take it up."
"Aw--take a walk!"
"Say--if you give me much more of your sass I'll take and bounce a rock off'n your head."
"Oh, of COURSE you will."
"Well I WILL."
"Well why don't you DO it then? What do you keep SAYING you will for? Why don't you DO it? It's because you're afraid."
"I AIN'T afraid."
"You are."
"I ain't."
"You are."
Another pause, and more eying and sidling around each other. Presently they were shoulder to shoulder. Tom said:
"Get away from here!"
"Go away yourself!"
"I won't."
"I won't either."
So they stood, each with a foot placed at an angle as a brace, and both shoving with might and main, and glowering at each other with hate. But neither could get an advantage. After struggling till both were hot and flushed, each relaxed his strain with watchful caution, and Tom said:
"You're a coward and a pup. I'll tell my big brother on you, and he can thrash you with his little finger, and I'll make him do it, too."
"What do I care for your big brother? I've got a brother that's bigger than he is--and what's more, he can throw him over that fence, too." (Both brothers were imaginary.)
"That's a lie."
"YOUR saying so don't make it so."
Tom drew a line in the dust with his big toe, and said:
"I dare you to step over that, and I'll lick you till you can't stand up. Anybody that'll take a dare will steal sheep."
The new boy stepped over promptly, and said:
"Now you said you'd do it, now let's see you do it."
"Don't you crowd me now; you better look out."
"Well, you SAID you'd do it--why don't you do it?"
"By jingo! for two cents I WILL do it."
The new boy took two broad coppers out of his pocket and held them out with derision. Tom struck them to the ground. In an instant both boys were rolling and tumbling in the dirt, gripped together like cats; and for the space of a minute they tugged and tore at each other's hair and clothes, punched and scratched each other's nose, and covered themselves with dust and glory. Presently the confusion took form, and through the fog of battle Tom appeared, seated astride the new boy, and pounding him with his fists. "Holler 'nuff!" said he.
The boy only struggled to free himself. He was crying--mainly from rage.
"Holler 'nuff!"--and the pounding went on.
At last the stranger got out a smothered "'Nuff!" and Tom let him up and said:
"Now that'll learn you. Better look out who you're fooling with next time."
The new boy went off brushing the dust from his clothes, sobbing, snuffling, and occasionally looking back and shaking his head and threatening what he would do to Tom the "next time he caught him out." To which Tom responded with jeers, and started off in high feather, and as soon as his back was turned the new boy snatched up a stone, threw it and hit him between the shoulders and then turned tail and ran like an antelope. Tom chased the traitor home, and thus found out where he lived. He then held a position at the gate for some time, daring the enemy to come outside, but the enemy only made faces at him through the window and declined. At last the enemy's mother appeared, and called Tom a bad, vicious, vulgar child, and ordered him away. So he went away; but he said he "'lowed" to "lay" for that boy.
He got home pretty late that night, and when he climbed cautiously in at the window, he uncovered an ambuscade, in the person of his aunt; and when she saw the state his clothes were in her resolution to turn his Saturday holiday into captivity at hard labor became adamantine in its firmness.