第一章摩西和“赶牛人”Chapter1DiscoverMosesandtheBulrushers你看过《汤姆·索亚历险记》吗？书的结尾是汤姆和我把强盗窃藏在山洞里的六千块金洋找到了，法官撒切尔替我们放利每人每天得一块金洋，达格丝寡妇收我做她的干儿子，我受不了她的正经规矩就溜走了。汤姆·索亚打算组织一伙强盗，要我回到寡妇身边，先做体面人才能加入。寡妇管我叫迷途羔羊，带我做饭前祷告，跟我讲摩西和“赶牛人”的故事，我对死去的人不感兴趣，我想抽烟，寡妇不让，可她自己闻鼻烟。她妹妹瓦岑小姐是个很瘦的老姑娘，戴着一副眼镜，逼着我学拼音，并跟我讲好多规矩，我说我想去地狱，不想跟她上天堂。我问她汤姆·索亚能不能上天堂，她说不能。这样我又能和他在一起了。晚上祷告后，我上楼本打算想点高兴的事，但是远处猫头鹰的笑声和夜鹰的嚎声以及野鬼的叫声，弄得我非常沮丧。远处，镇上的钟声响了十二下，我掏出烟斗抽上一袋烟，隐隐约约听见那边发出的猫叫声，汤姆·索亚在等着我呢！OUdon’tknowaboutmewithoutyouhavereadabookbythenameofTheAdventuresofTomSawyer;butthatain’tnomatter.ThatbookwasmadebyMr.MarkTwain,andhetoldthetruth,mainly.TherewasthingswhichheYstretched,butmainlyhetoldthetruth.Thatisnothing.Ineverseenanybodybutliedonetimeoranother,withoutitwasAuntPolly,orthewidow,ormaybeMary.AuntPolly—Tom’sAuntPolly,sheis—andMary,andtheWidowDouglasisalltoldaboutinthatbook,whichismostlyatruebook,withsomestretchers,asIsaidbefore.Nowthewaythatthebookwindsupisthis:Tomandmefoundthemoneythattherobbershidinthecave,anditmadeusrich.Wegotsixthousanddollarsapiece—allgold.Itwasanawfulsightofmoneywhenitwaspiledup.Well,JudgeThatcherhetookitandputitoutatinterest,anditfetchedusadollaradayapiecealltheyearround—morethanabodycouldtellwhattodowith.TheWidowDouglasshetookmeforherson,andallowedshewouldsivilizeme;butitwasroughlivinginthehouseallthetime,consideringhowdismalregularanddecentthewidowwasinallherways;andsowhenIcouldn’tstanditnolongerIlitout.Igotintomyoldragsandmysugar-hogsheadagain,andwasfreeandsatisfied.ButTomSawyerhehuntedmeupandsaidhewasgoingtostartabandofrobbers,andImightjoinifIwouldgobacktothewidowandberespectable.SoIwentback.Thewidowshecriedoverme,andcalledmeapoorlostlamb,andshecalledmealotofothernames,too,butshenevermeantnoharmbyit.Sheputmeinthemnewclothesagain,andIcouldn’tdonothingbutsweatandsweat,andfeelallcrampedup.Well,then,theoldthingcommencedagain.Thewidowrungabellforsupper,andyouhadtocometotime.Whenyougottothetableyoucouldn’tgorighttoeating,butyouhadtowaitforthewidowtotuckdownherheadandgrumblealittleoverthevictuals,thoughtherewarn’treallyanythingthematterwiththem—thatis,nothingonlyeverythingwascookedbyitself.Inabarrelofoddsandendsitisdifferent;thingsgetmixedup,andthejuicekindofswapsaround,andthethingsgobetter.AftersuppershegotoutherbookandlearnedmeaboutMosesandtheBulrushers,andIwasinasweattofindoutallabouthim;butbyandbysheletitoutthatMoseshadbeendeadaconsiderablelongtime;sothenIdidn’tcarenomoreabouthim,becauseIdon’ttakenostockindeadpeople.PrettysoonIwantedtosmoke,andaskedthewidowtoletme.Butshewouldn’t.Shesaiditwasameanpracticeandwasn’tclean,andImusttrytonotdoitanymore.Thatisjustthewaywithsomepeople.Theygetdownonathingwhentheydon’tknownothingaboutit.Hereshewasa-botheringaboutMoses,whichwasnokintoher,andnousetoanybody,beinggone,yousee,yetfindingapoweroffaultwithmefordoingathingthathadsomegoodinit.Andshetooksnuff,too;ofcoursethatwasallright,becauseshedoneitherself.Hersister,MissWatson,atolerableslimoldmaid,withgoggleson,hadjustcometolivewithher...
