The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer（三十一）

《汤姆·索亚历险记》是美国小说家马克·吐温创作的长篇小说，首次发表于1876年。小说中的故事发生在19世纪上半叶美国密西西比河畔的一个普通小镇上。主人公汤姆·索亚天真活泼、敢于冒险、追求自由，不堪忍受束缚个性、枯燥乏味的生活，总是幻想着干一番英雄事业。小说通过主人公的冒险经历，对美国当时虚伪庸俗的社会习俗、伪善的宗教仪式和刻板陈腐的学校教育制度进行了讽刺和批判。

CHAPTER ⅩⅩⅪ（part 1）

Now to return to Tom and Becky’s share in the picnic.They tripped along the murky aisles with the rest of the company，visiting the familiar wonders of the cave—wonders dubbed with rather overdescriptive names，such as“The Drawing Room，”“The Cathedral，”“Aladdin’s Palace，”and so on.Presently the hide-and-seek frolicking began，and Tom and Becky engaged in it with zeal until the exertion began to grow a trifle wearisome；then they wandered down a sinuous avenue holding their candles aloft and reading the tangled webwork of names，dates，post-office addresses，and mottoes with which the rocky walls had been frescoed（in candle smoke）.Still drifting along and talking，they scarcely noticed that they were now in a part of the cave whose walls were not frescoed.They smoked their own names under an overhanging shelf and moved on.Presently they came to a place where a little stream of water，trickling over a ledge and carrying a limestone sediment with it，had，in the slow-dragging ages，formed a laced and ruffled Niagara in gleaming and imperishable stone.Tom squeezed his small body behind it in order to illuminate it for Becky‘s gratification.He found that it curtained a sort of steep natural stairway which was enclosed between narrow walls，and at once the ambition to be a discoverer seized him.Becky responded to his call，and they made a smoke mark for future guidance，and started upon their quest.They wound this way and that，far down into the secret depths of the cave，made another mark，and branched off in search of novelties to tell the upper world about.In one place they found a spacious cavern，from whose ceiling depended a multitude of shining stalactites of the length and circumference of a man’s leg；they walked all about it，wondering and admiring，and presently left it by one of the numerous passages that opened into it.This shortly brought them to a bewitching spring，whose basin was encrusted with a frostwork of glittering crystals；it was in the midst of a cavern whose walls were supported by many fantastic pillars which had been formed by the joining of great stalactites and stalagmites together，the result of the ceaseless water-drip of centuries.Under the roof vast knots of bats had packed themselves together，thousands in a bunch；the lights disturbed the creatures and they came flocking down by hundreds，squeaking and darting furiously at the candles.Tom knew their ways and the danger of this sort of conduct.He seized Becky‘s hand and hurried her into the first corridor that offered；and none too soon，for a bat struck Becky’s light out with its wing while she was passing out of the cavern.The bats chased the children a good distance；but the fugitives plunged into every new passage that offered，and at last got rid of the perilous things.Tom found a subterranean lake，shortly，which stretched its dim length away until its shape was lost in the shadows.He wanted to explore its borders，but concluded that it would be best to sit down and rest awhile，first.Now，for the first time，the deep stillness of the place laid a clammy hand upon the spirits of the children. Becky said：

“Why，I didn’t notice，but it seems ever so long since I heard any of the others.”

“Come to think，Becky，we are away down below them—and I don‘t know how far away north，or south，or east，or whichever it is.We couldn’t hear them here.”

Becky grew apprehensive.

“I wonder how long we’ve been down here，Tom.We better start back.”

“Yes，I reckon we better.P’raps we better.”

“Can you find the way，Tom？It’s all a mixed-up crookedness to me.”

“I reckon I could find it—but then the bats.If they put both our candles out it will be an awful fix.Let’s try some other way，so as not to go through there.”

“Well.But I hope we won’t get lost.It would be so awful！”and the girl shuddered at the thought of the dreadful possibilities.

They started through a corridor，and traversed it in silence a long way，glancing at each new opening，to see if there was anything familiar about the look of it；but they were all strange.Every time Tom made an examination，Becky would watch his face for an encouraging sign，and he would say cheerily：

“Oh，it’s all right.This ain’t the one，but we’ll come to it right away！”

But he felt less and less hopeful with each failure，and presently began to turn off into diverging avenues at sheer random，in desperate hope of finding the one that was wanted.He still said it was“all right”， but there was such a leaden dread at his heart that the words had lost their ring and sounded just as if he had said，“All is lost！”Becky clung to his side in an anguish of fear，and tried hard to keep back the tears，but they would come.At last she said：

“Oh，Tom，never mind the bats，let’s go back that way！We seem to get worse and worse off all the time.”

Tom stopped.

“Listen！”said he.

Profound silence；silence so deep that even their breathings were conspicuous in the hush.Tom shouted.The call went echoing down the empty aisles and died out in the distance in a faint sound that resembled a ripple of mocking laughter.

“Oh，don’t do it again，Tom，it is too horrid，”said Becky.

“It is horrid，but I better，Becky；they might hear us，you know，”and he shouted again.

The“might”was even a chillier horror than the ghostly laughter，it so confessed a perishing hope.The children stood still and listened；but there was no result.Tom turned upon the back track at once，and hurried his steps.It was but a little while before a certain indecision in his manner revealed another fearful fact to Becky—he could not find his way back！

“Oh，Tom，you didn’t make any marks！”

“Becky，I was such a fool！Such a fool！I never thought we might want to come back！No—I can‘t find the way.It’s all mixed up.”

“Tom，Tom，we’re lost！we’re lost！We never can get out of this awful place！Oh，why did we ever leave the others！”

She sank to the ground and burst into such a frenzy of crying that Tom was appalled with the idea that she might die，or lose her reason.He sat down by her and put his arms around her；she buried her face in his bosom，she clung to him，she poured out her terrors，her unavailing regrets，and the far echoes turned them all to jeering laughter.Tom begged her to pluck up hope again，and she said she could not.He fell to blaming and abusing himself for getting her into this miserable situation；this had a better effect.She said she would try to hope again，she would get up and follow wherever he might lead if only he would not talk like that any more.For he was no more to blame than she，she said.

So they moved on，again—aimlessly—simply at random—all they could do was to move，keep moving.For a little while，hope made a show of reviving—not with any reason to back it，but only because it is its nature to revive when the spring has not been taken out of it by age and familiarity with failure.

By and by Tom took Becky’s candle and blew it out.This economy meant so much！Words were not needed.Becky understood，and her hope died again.She knew that Tom had a whole candle and three or four pieces in his pockets—yet he must economize.

By and by，fatigue began to assert its claims；the children tried to pay no attention，for it was dreadful to think of sitting down when time was grown to be so precious，moving，in some direction，in any direction，was at least progress and might bear fruit；but to sit down was to invite death and shorten its pursuit.

At last Becky’s frail limbs refused to carry her farther.She sat down.Tom rested with her，and they talked of home，and the friends there，and the comfortable beds and，above all，the light！Becky cried，and Tom tried to think of some way of comforting her，but all his encouragements were grown threadbare with use，and sounded like sarcasms.Fatigue bore so heavily upon Becky that she drowsed off to sleep.Tom was grateful.He sat looking into her drawn face and saw it grow smooth and natural under the influence of pleasant dreams；and by and by a smile dawned and rested there.The peaceful face reflected somewhat of peace and healing into his own spirit，and his thoughts wandered away to bygone times and dreamy memories.While he was deep in his musings，Becky woke up with a breezy little laugh—but it was stricken dead upon her lips，and a groan followed it.

“Oh，how could I sleep！I wish I never，never had waked！No！No，I don’t，Tom！Don’t look so！I won’t say it again.”

“I’m glad you’ve slept，Becky；you’ll feel rested，now，and we’ll find the way out.”

“We can try，Tom；but I’ve seen such a beautiful country in my dream.I reckon we are going there.”

“Maybe not，maybe not.Cheer up，Becky，and let’s go on trying.”

They rose up and wandered along，hand in hand and hopeless.They tried to estimate how long they had been in the cave，but all they knew was that it seemed days and weeks，and yet it was plain that this could not be，for their candles were not gone yet.A long time after this—they could not tell how long—Tom said they must go softly and listen for dripping water—they must find a spring.They found one presently，and Tom said it was time to rest again.Both were cruelly tired，yet Becky said she thought she could go on a little farther.She was surprised to hear Tom dissent.She could not understand it.They sat down，and Tom fastened his candle to the wall in front of them with some clay.Thought was soon busy；nothing was said for some time.Then Becky broke the silence：

“Tom，I am so hungry！”

Tom took something out of his pocket.

“Do you remember this？”said he.

Becky almost smiled.

“It’s our wedding cake，Tom.”

“Yes—I wish it was as big as a barrel，for it‘s all we’ve got.”

“I saved it from the picnic for us to dream on，Tom，the way grown-up people do with wedding cake—but it’ll be our—”

She dropped the sentence where it was.Tom divided the cake and Becky ate with good appetite，while Tom nibbled at his moiety.There was abundance of cold water to finish the feast with.By and by Becky suggested that they move on again.Tom was silent a moment.Then he said：

“Becky，can you bear it if I tell you something？”

Becky’s face paled，but she thought she could.

“Well，then，Becky，we must stay here，where there’s water to drink.That little piece is our last candle！”

Becky gave loose to tears and wailings.Tom did what he could to comfort her，but with little effect.At length Becky said：

“Tom！”

“Well，Becky？”

“They’ll miss us and hunt for us！”

“Yes，they will！Certainly they will！”

“Maybe they’re hunting for us now，Tom.”

“Why，I reckon maybe they are.I hope they are.”

“When would they miss us，Tom？”

“When they get back to the boat，I reckon.”

“Tom，it might be dark then—would they notice we hadn’t come？”

“I don’t know.But anyway，your mother would miss you as soon as they got home.”

A frightened look in Becky‘s face brought Tom to his senses and he saw that he had made a blunder.Becky was not to have gone home that night！The children became silent and thoughtful.In a moment a new burst of grief from Becky showed Tom that the thing in his mind had struck hers also—that the Sabbath morning might be half spent before Mrs.Thatcher discovered that Becky was not at Mrs.Harper’s.

The children fastened their eyes upon their bit of candle and watched it melt slowly and pitilessly away；saw the half inch of wick stand alone at last；saw the feeble flame rise and fall，climb the thin column of smoke，linger at its top a moment，and then—the horror of utter darkness reigned！

How long afterward it was that Becky came to a slow consciousness that she was crying in Tom’s arms，neither could tell.All that they knew was，that after what seemed a mighty stretch of time，both awoke out of a dead stupor of sleep and resumed their miseries once more.Tom said it might be Sunday，now—maybe Monday.He tried to get Becky to talk，but her sorrows were too oppressive，all her hopes were gone.Tom said that they must have been missed long ago，and no doubt the search was going on.He would shout and maybe someone would come.He tried it；but in the darkness the distant echoes sounded so hideously that he tried it no more.

第三十一章（上）

现在得回头说说有关野餐会上汤姆和贝基的事了。他俩与其他几名同伴一起沿着暗黑的通道游览了洞中那些熟悉的奇观异景——这些奇境都被人们冠以诸如“会客厅”“大教堂”“阿拉丁神宫”等等夸张的名字。后来他们玩起了捉迷藏的游戏。汤姆和贝基玩得很投入，尽兴了，这才感到很累很累，便手举着蜡烛，沿着弯弯曲曲的小道，边走边读着那些用烛烟熏在岩壁上的人名、日期、地址、格言警句等。他俩边走边聊，不知不觉间已到了岩壁上没有题字的地方，便在一块突出的岩壁上用烟熏上了各自的名字。写完了继续往前走。不久到了一个地方，一股细小的水流从突出的岩壁上汩汩淌下来，水中夹杂着一些细小的石灰石，日积月累，形成了一道晶光点点、万年不涸的瀑布，水花四溅，恰如镶着无数的花边。汤姆将自己瘦小的身躯，挤到水幕之后，用烛光照亮，让贝基看得更清楚。他发现，水幕后面、狭窄的峭壁之间有一段天然陡坡。他突然萌发雄心，想前去探险一番。贝基对此积极响应，并用烛烟留下记号，便于回来时认路，然后继续探险。两个人在洞内绕来绕去，来到神秘洞穴的深处，又在那里留下记号。接着进了一个岔道猎奇搜幽，回去后好向大家报告。他们在一处发现了一个宽敞洞厅，洞顶上悬挂下数不胜数的钟乳石，晶晶亮，长短粗细如同人腿。他们把这洞穴细细探看了一番，又惊讶又赞叹，最后从众多的小道中的一条退了出去。很快他俩眼前出现一泓令人心醉神迷的泉水，泉水下落处是个水池，池的四壁镶嵌着亮晶晶的霜花。水池位于洞窟的中央，支撑岩壁的是由许多巨大的钟乳石和石笋上下相连而成的柱子，神奇怪异，是多少世纪从不间断的滴水的结晶。洞顶下，聚集着成群成堆的蝙蝠，每一群有数千只之多，它们被烛光惊起，上百成千地吵吵嚷嚷，怒气冲冲地扑向蜡烛。汤姆懂得蝙蝠的习性，知道这会带来什么危险，急忙抓住贝基的手，跑进就近的一条小道。正在这时。就在贝基往洞外跑时，一只蝙蝠的翅膀扑灭了她手中的蜡烛，蝙蝠追了两个孩子好一段路，吓得这两个逃命者慌不择路，见路就钻，好不容易摆脱了这些危险的家伙。不久，汤姆发现了一个地下湖。长长的湖身往远处延伸，昏暗中见不到尽头。他想对这湖作一番探索，但觉得还是先坐下来歇息一会儿为好。这时候他俩才第一次感到这幽洞的寂静是何等的阴森恐怖。贝基说：

“哦，我竟没有注意到，已好久好久没听见其他人的声音了。”

“想到没有，贝基，咱俩是呆在他们的底下——不知道离他们有多远，也分不清东南西北，呆在这里能听得到他们的声音吗？”

贝基听了好不担心。

“不知道咱俩在这里呆多久了，汤姆。不如回去吧。”

“不错，是得回去了。该回去了。”

“你认得路吗，汤姆？我觉得到处弯弯绕绕，已搞得我晕头转向了。”

“我想路我认得，可那些蝙蝠很难对付。要是咱俩的蜡烛都让它们给扑灭了，那就太糟了。还是另找一条路试试吧，这样就用不着经过那里了。”

“好吧，可我希望别迷路了。那就太可怕了。”贝基一想到可能会遭到这样的局面，不由得打了个寒战。

两个人进了一条通道，默默地走了好长一段路，每到一个出口，都打量一眼，看看是不是有眼熟的地方，可全是没见过的。每当汤姆查看道口时，贝基都注视他的脸，想见到一丝令人鼓舞的神色。而汤姆每每充满信心地说：

“哦，毫无问题。这虽不是咱俩要找的路，可很快就会出去的。”

但找呀找，都没有找到正确的路，他也觉得希望越来越渺茫了。后来他干脆不由分说，胡乱找了起来，见岔道就钻，也许能侥幸找到该找的路。这时候他嘴里还是说“毫无问题”，但心头像是灌了铅似的沉重，说出的话也没有原先那样爽朗，听来仿佛是说“全错了”。贝基胆战心惊，紧紧依偎在他身旁，使劲不让眼泪流出来，可就是忍不住。最后她说：

“哦，汤姆，别管那些蝙蝠吧。咱俩还是回原路！看来咱俩越来越糟了。”

汤姆停住了脚步。

“听！”他说。

一片深沉的寂静，静得连他俩不说话时都能听到彼此的呼吸声。汤姆喊了一声。喊声在一条条空荡荡的通道上回响着，到了远处渐次变弱，成了低微的嘲笑声。

“别再喊了，汤姆。太可怕了。”贝基说。

“是可怕，可我觉得还是喊喊好，贝基。知道吗，可能会被他们听到。”他说罢又喊了一声。

这“可能”两字比鬼怪的笑声还要恐怖，这无异于承认希望的破灭。两个孩子站着一动不动，听了起来。但毫无结果。突然，汤姆转身就走，脚步匆忙。但不久贝基从他犹豫不决的举动中看出另一个可怕的事实：他找不到回去的路了！

“哦，汤姆，你没留下过记号吗？”

“贝基，我蠢极了！我就没有想到过会往回走！我找不到路了。全乱套了。”

“汤姆，汤姆，咱俩迷路了！再也找不到离开这可怕的地方的路了。哦，为什么当初不跟大家在一起呢！”

她一屁股坐到了地上，号啕大哭起来，这一哭让汤姆不由想到，她说不定会死去，要么会发疯，吓得他呆了。他在她身旁坐了下来，双手搂住她，她把脸埋在他的胸口，依偎着他，向他倾诉自己的恐惧，倾诉自己于事无补的悔恨，而远处的回声在他们听来都变成了嘲弄的笑声。汤姆恳求她重新鼓起希望，她说办不到。他责怪自己害得她陷入这么悲惨的境地。这番话很有作用。她说她要努力再次鼓起希望，她要振作起来，只要他不再说那样的话，不管他带她到哪里，她都跟着他走。她说，她也该受到同样的责备。

于是两个人继续走下去——漫无目标——简直是乱走一气——他们所能做的就是走着走着，不停地走着。不久，他俩似乎又燃起了希望之光，倒不是有什么理由来支撑，完全是因为希望之源既然未被岁月和频频的失败所阻，那么希望自然而然会复苏。

过了一会儿，汤姆拿过贝基的蜡烛，吹灭它。这一节约的举措大有好处。这是不言而喻的。贝基明白其深意。她又感到希望破灭了。她知道汤姆口袋里有整整一根蜡烛，外加三四根用了半截的——可他还得省着用。

慢慢地疲劳开始加剧。两个孩子竭力不加理会，虽然多么想坐下来，但那是多么可怕。因为时间很宝贵，只能朝前走，不论朝哪个方向，走下去就有进展，就有所获，而坐下去无异于坐以待毙，缩短死亡来临的时间。

最后贝基累得再也迈不开步了，便坐了下来。汤姆也跟着她坐下来歇息。他俩谈起了家，谈起了朋友，也谈到了舒适的床铺，特别是灯光！贝基哭开了，汤姆想方设法安慰她，但鼓励的话一说再说，说多了变得软弱无力，听来反成了挖苦了。贝基感到精疲力竭，不觉睡了过去。汤姆反而感得欣慰。他坐着端详起她扭曲的脸庞。在美梦的作用下，那脸又变得平滑而自然，慢慢地漾起了丝丝笑意，久久没有消逝。这面容是何等的安详，也感染了汤姆，他的心灵也跟着平和下来，他的思绪不觉转到了往事和种种梦幻般的记忆之中。就在他沉醉于静思之中，贝基醒了，且轻声一笑，但笑声即刻在她唇边冻结住了，紧接着是一声叹息。

“哦，我怎么能睡着呢！我多么希望别醒过来就好了！不，不，汤姆，别这样看着我！我不再说了。”

“你睡着了，我挺高兴的，贝基。你已经休息了一会儿，不再那么累了吧。咱俩这就找路去。”

“咱俩可以试试，汤姆。我刚才在梦中去了一个非常美丽的国家，我想咱俩就要去那里了。”

“说不定不去那里，不去那里。提起精神来，贝基。咱俩这就去找路。”

两个孩子站起身，手拉着手，无望地慢慢走下去。他俩估算着在洞穴里已呆了多长时间，却拿不准是几天，还是几个星期。不过显然没有这么久，因为手头的蜡烛还没点完呢。此后过了很长一段时间——说不准有多长——汤姆说，现在脚步要放轻些，好听到滴水声——他们必须要找到一处泉水。很快就找到了。汤姆说该再次休息了。两个人实在太累了，但贝基说，她认为自己可以接着走会儿。可汤姆说他不同意，贝基觉得挺奇怪，她想不通。两个人坐了下来。汤姆用些泥土将蜡烛固定在面前的石壁上。两个人忙着想心事，好一会儿没人说话。后来还是贝基先开口，打破了沉默：

“汤姆，我好饿！”

汤姆从口袋掏出样东西。

“你记不记得这是什么？”

贝基差点没笑出声来。

“这是你我的结婚蛋糕呀，汤姆。”

“说对了。要是它有木桶那么大就好了，因为现在咱俩只有这点了。”

“我是野餐时省下留作纪念的，汤姆。就像大人对待结婚蛋糕那样——可现在它成了咱俩——”

贝基只说到这里便不说下去。汤姆把蛋糕一分为二。贝基吃得津津有味，很快就吃完了。汤姆却一口一口慢慢吃着自己的一份。吃了蛋糕想喝水，水有的是。汤姆和贝基都说该接着走了。汤姆沉默了一会儿，便说：

“贝基，我要跟你说句话，你听了受得了吗？”

贝基的脸色刷地变得苍白，不过她说，她想受得了。

“那好，贝基，这里有的是水，咱俩就呆在这里不走了。咱俩剩下的就是这一小块蜡烛了！”

贝基忍不住失声痛哭起来。汤姆生着法子安慰她，但没有用。最后贝基说：

“汤姆！”

“怎么，贝基？”

“他们丢了咱俩，会来找吗？”

“会的，一定会来找。当然会来找。”

“说不定这会儿就在找呢，是不是，汤姆？”

“我想他们可能在找！希望他们在找。”

“他们是在什么时候发现咱俩不见了的呢，汤姆？”

“我估计他们是在回船上的时候。”

“那时候天大概暗了——那么他们能注意到咱俩不在吗？”

“我说不上。不过他们一回到家，你妈妈一定会发现你没回来。”

汤姆一见贝基脸上露出恐惧的神色，就意识到，他犯了个天大的错误，那就是当晚贝基原本就是不准备回家的！两个孩子一时陷入了沉默，想着心事。不一会儿贝基突然露出伤心的神色，让汤姆感到，他与贝基的想法居然不谋而合——待撒切尔太太发现贝基不在哈珀家，星期天上午差不多要过去一半了。

两个孩子眼睛紧紧盯着最后一小截蜡烛，眼看着它慢慢无情地短下去，最后只剩下短短的半英寸烛芯了。微弱的火焰忽升忽落，化成一缕轻烟腾空而去，在烟柱顶盘桓片刻，然后——四周即刻笼罩在令人心惊肉跳的黑暗之中。

两个孩子谁也说不准，多久之后，贝基才慢慢地清醒过来，意识到自己躺在汤姆的怀中哭泣着，他俩只知道，经过一段似乎非常漫长的时间，他们都从死去一般的昏睡中醒过来，再度陷入悲痛之中。汤姆说现在恐怕已到星期天了——说不定是星期一了。他试着让贝基说话。可她太伤心了，她完全绝望了。汤姆说，他俩迷路的时间也许很久了，大家肯定都在寻找他们。他一定要大声喊叫，也许会被人听到，过来找他们。他试着喊了喊。但黑暗中远处的回声听来令人心惊肉跳，他就不喊了。