mark twain, a biography, 1835-1866-第9部分

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pause；　then　the　final　count；　followed　a　second　later　by　a　gush　of　flame。
The　man　dropped；　his　breast　riddled。　　At　the　same　instant　the
thunderstorm　that　had　been　gathering　broke　loose。　　The　boys　fled　wildly；
believing　that　Satan　himself　had　arrived　to　claim　the　lost　soul。

Many　such　instances　happened　in　a　town　like　that　in　those　days。　　And
there　were　events　incident　to　slavery。　　He　saw　a　slave　struck　down　and
killed　with　a　piece　of　slag　for　a　trifling　offense。　　He　saw　an
abolitionist　attacked　by　a　mob；　and　they　would　have　lynched　him　had　not　a
Methodist　minister　defended　him　on　a　plea　that　he　must　be　crazy。　　He　did
not　remember；　in　later　years；　that　he　had　ever　seen　a　slave　auction；　but
he　added：

〃I　am　suspicious　that　it　is　because　the　thing　was　a　commonplace
spectacle；　and　not　an　uncommon　or　impressive　one。　　I　do　vividly　remember
seeing　a　dozen　black　men　and　women　chained　together　lying　in　a　group　on
the　pavement；　waiting　shipment　to　a　Southern　slave…market。　　They　had　the
saddest　faces　I　ever　saw。〃

It　is　not　surprising　that　a　boy　would　gather　a　store　of　human　knowledge
amid　such　happenings　as　these。　　They　were　wild；　disturbing　things。　　They
got　into　his　dreams　and　made　him　fearful　when　he　woke　in　the　middle　of
the　night。　　He　did　not　then　regard　them　as　an　education。　　In　some　vague
way　he　set　them　down　as　warnings；　or　punishments；　designed　to　give　him　a
taste　for　a　better　life。　　He　felt　that　it　was　his　own　conscience　that
made　these　things　torture　him。　　That　was　his　mother's　idea；　and　he　had　a
high　respect　for　her　moral　opinions；　also　for　her　courage。　　Among　other
things；　he　had　seen　her　one　day　defy　a　vicious　devil　of　a　Corsicana
common　terror　in　the　town…who　was　chasing　his　grown　daughter　with　a　heavy
rope　in　his　hand；　declaring　he　would　wear　it　out　on　her。　　Cautious
citizens　got　out　of　her　way；　but　Jane　Clemens　opened　her　door　wide　to　the
refugee；　and　then；　instead　of　rushing　in　and　closing　it；　spread　her　arms
across　it；　barring　the　way。　　The　man　swore　and　threatened　her　with　the
rope；　but　she　did　not　flinch　or　show　any　sign　of　fear。　　She　stood　there
and　shamed　him　and　derided　him　and　defied　him　until　he　gave　up　the　rope
and　slunk　off；　crestfallen　and　conquered。　　Any　one　who　could　do　that　must
have　a　perfect　conscience；　Sam　thought。　　In　the　fearsome　darkness　he
would　say　his　prayers；　especially　when　a　thunderstorm　was　coming；　and　vow
to　begin　a　better　life　in　the　morning。　　He　detested　Sunday…school　as　much
as　day…school；　and　once　Orion；　who　was　moral　and　religious；　had
threatened　to　drag　him　there　by　the　collar；　but　as　the　thunder　got　louder
Sam　decided　that　he　loved　Sunday…school　and　would　go　the　next　Sunday
without　being　invited。

Fortunately　there　were　pleasanter　things　than　these。　　There　were　picnics
sometimes；　and　ferry…boat　excursions。　　Once　there　was　a　great　Fourth…of…
July　celebration　at　which　it　was　said　a　real　Revolutionary　soldier　was　to
be　present。　　Some　one　had　discovered　him　living　alone　seven　or　eight
miles　in　the　country。　　But　this　feature　proved　a　disappointment；　for　when
the　day　came　and　he　was　triumphantly　brought　in　he　turned　out　to　be　a
Hessian；　and　was　allowed　to　walk　home。

The　hills　and　woods　around　Hannibal　where；　with　his　playmates；　he　roamed
almost　at　will　were　never　disappointing。　　There　was　the　cave　with　its
marvels；　there　was　Bear　Creek；　where；　after　repeated　accidents；　he　had
learned　to　swim。　　It　had　cost　him　heavily　to　learn　to　swim。　　He　had　seen
two　playmates　drown；　also；　time　and　again　he　had；　himself；　been　dragged
ashore　more　dead　than　alive；　once　by　a　slave…girl；　another　time　by　a
slavemanNeal　Champ；　of　the　Pavey　Hotel。　　In　the　end　he　had　conquered；
he　could　swim　better　than　any　boy　in　town　of　his　age。

It　was　the　river　that　meant　more　to　him　than　all　the　rest。　　Its　charm　was
permanent。　　It　was　the　path　of　adventure；　the　gateway　to　the　world。　　The
river　with　its　islands；　its　great　slow…moving　rafts；　its　marvelous
steamboats　that　were　like　fairyland；　its　stately　current　swinging　to　the
sea！　　He　would　sit　by　it　for　hours　and　dream。　　He　would　venture　out　on　it
in　a　surreptitiously　borrowed　boat　when　he　was　barely　strong　enough　to
lift　an　oar　out　of　the　water。　　He　learned　to　know　all　its　moods　and
phases。　　He　felt　its　kinship。　　In　some　occult　way　he　may　have　known　it　as
his　prototypethat　resistless　tide　of　life　with　its　ever…changing　sweep；
its　shifting　shores；　its　depths；　its　shadows；　its　gorgeous　sunset　hues；
its　solemn　and　tranquil　entrance　to　the　sea。

His　hunger　for　the　life　aboard　the　steamers　became　a　passion。　　To　be　even
the　humblest　employee　of　one　of　those　floating　enchantments　would　be
enough；　to　be　an　officer　would　be　to　enter　heaven；　to　be　a　pilot　was　to
be　a　god。

〃You　can　hardly　imagine　what　it　meant；〃　he　reflected　once；　〃to　a　boy　in
those　days；　shut　in　as　we　were；　to　see　those　steamboats　pass　up　and　down；
and　never　to　take　a　trip　on　them。〃

He　had　reached　the　mature　age　of　nine　when　he　could　endure　this　no
longer。　　One　day；　when　the　big　packet　came　down　and　stopped　at　Hannibal；
he　slipped　aboard　and　crept　under　one　of　the　boats　on　the　upper　deck。
Presently　the　signal…bells　rang；　the　steamboat　backed　away　and　swung　into
midstream；　he　was　really　going　at　last。　　He　crept　from　beneath　the　boat
and　sat　looking　out　over　the　water　and　enjoying　the　scenery。　　Then　it
began　to　raina　terrific　downpour。　　He　crept　back　under　the　boat；　but
his　legs　were　outside；　and　one　of　the　crew　saw　him。　　So　he　was　taken　down
into　the　cabin　and　at　the　next　stop　set　ashore。　　It　was　the　town　of
Louisiana；　and　there　were　Lampton　relatives　there　who　took　him　home。
Jane　Clemens　declared　that　his　father　had　got　to　take　him　in　hand；　which
he　did；　doubtless　impressing　the　adventure　on　him　in　the　usual　way。
These　were　all　educational　things；　then　there　was　always　the　farm；　where
entertainment　was　no　longer　a　matter　of　girl…plays　and　swings；　with　a
colored　nurse　following　about；　but　of　manlier　sports　with　his　older　boy
cousins；　who　had　a　gun　and　went　hunting　with　the　men　for　squirrels　and
partridges　by　day；　for　coons　and　possums　by　night。　　Sometimes　the　little
boy　had　followed　the　hunters　all　night　long　and　returned　with　them
through　the　sparkling　and　fragrant　morning　fresh；　hungry；　and　triumphant
just　in　time　for　breakfast。

So　it　is　no　wonder　that　at　nine　he　was　no　longer　〃Little　Sam；〃　but　Sam
Clemens；　quite　mature　and　self…dependent；　with　a　wide　knowledge　of　men
and　things　and　a　variety　of　accomplishments。　　He　had　even　learned　to
smokea　littleout　there　on　the　farm；　and　had　tried　tobacco…chewing；
though　that　was　a　failure。　　He　had　been　stung　to　this　effort　by　a　big
girl　at　a　school　which；　with　his　cousin　Puss；　he　sometimes　briefly
attended。

〃Do　you　use　terbacker？〃　the　big　girl　had　asked；　meaning　did　he　chew　it。

〃No；〃　he　said；　abashed　at　the　confession。

〃Haw！〃　she　cried　to　the　other　scholars；　〃here's　a　boy　that　can't　chaw
terbacker。〃

Degraded　and　ashamed；　he　tried　to　correct　his　fault；　but　it　only　made　him
very　ill；　and　he　did　not　try　again。

He　had　also　acquired　the　use　of　certain　strong；　expressive　words；　and
used　them；　sometimes；　when　his　mother　was　safely　distant。　　He　had　an
impression　that　she　would　〃skin　him　alive〃　if　she　heard　him　swear。　　His
education　had　doubtful　spots　in　it；　but　it　had　provided　wisdom。

He　was　not　a　particularly　attractive　lad。　　He　was　not　tall　for　his　years；
and　his　head　was　somewhat　too　large　for　his　body。　　He　had　a　〃great　ruck〃
of　light；　sandy　hair　which　he　plastered　down　to　keep　it　from　curling；
keen　blue…gray　eyes；　and　rather　large　features。　　Still；　he　had　a　fair；
delicate　complexion；　when　it　was　not　blackened　by　grime　or　tan；　a　gentle；
winning　manner；　a　smile　that；　with　his　slow；　measured　way　of　speaking；
made　him　a　favorite　with　his　companions。　　He　did　not　speak　much；　and　his
mental　attainments　were　not　highly　regarded；　but；　for　some　reason；
whenever　he　did　speak　every　playmate　in　hearing　stopped　whatever　he　was
doing　and　listened。　　Perhaps　it　would　be　a　plan　for　a　new　game　or　lark；
perhaps　it　was　something　droll；　perhaps　it　was　just　a　commonplace　remark
that　his　peculiar　drawl　made　amusing。　　Whatever　it　was；　they　considered
it　worth　while。　　His　mother　always　referred　to　his　slow　fashion　of
speaking　as　〃Sammy's　long　talk。〃　　Her　own　speech　was　still　more
deliberate；　but　she　seemed　not　to　notice　it。　　Henrya　much　handsomer　lad
and　regarded　as　far　more　promisingdid　not　have　it。　　He　was　a　lovable；
obedient　little　fellow　whom　the　mischievous　Sam　took　delight　in　teasing。
For　this　and　other　reasons　the　latter's　punishments　were　frequent　enough；
perhaps　not　always　deserved。　　Sometimes　he　charged　his　mother　with
partiality。　　He　would　say：

〃Yes；　no　matter　what　it　is；　I　am　always　the　one　to　get　punished〃；　and　his
mother　would　answer：

〃Well；　Sam；　if　you　didn't　deserve　it　for　that；　you　did　for　something
else。〃

Henry　Clemens　became　the　Sid　of　Tom　Sawyer；　though　Henry　was　in　every　way
a　finer　character　than　Sid。　　His　brother　Sam　always　loved　him；　and　fought
for　him　oftener　than　with　him。

With　the　death　of　Benjamin　Clemens；　Henry　and　Sam　were　naturally　drawn
much　closer　together；　though　Sam　could　seldom　resist　the　temptation　of
tormenting　Henry。　　A　schoolmate；　George　Butler　（he　was　a　nephew　of
General　Butler　and　afterward　fought　bravely　in　the　Civil　War）；　had　a
little　blue　suit　with　a　leather　belt　to　match；　and　was　the　envy　of　all。
Mrs。　Clemens　finally　made　Sam　and　Henry　suits　of　blue　cotton　velvet；　and
the　next　Sunday；　after　various　services　were　over；　the　two　sauntered
about；　shedding　glory　for　a　time；　finally　going　for　a　stroll　in　the
woods。　　They　walked　along　properly　enough；　at　first；　then　just　ahead　Sam
spied　the　stump　of　a　newly　cut　tree；　and　with　a　wild　whooping　impulse
took　a　running　leap　over　it。　　There　were　splinters　on　the　stump　where　the
tree　had　broken　away；　but　he　cleared　them　neatly。　　Henry　wanted　to　match
the　performance；　but　was　afraid　to　try；　so　Sam　dared　him。　　He　kept　daring
him　until　Henry　was　goaded　to　the　attempt。　　He　cleared　the　stump；　but　the
highest　splinters　caught　the　slack　of　his　little　blue　trousers；　and　the
cloth　gave　way。　　He　escaped　injury；　but　the　precious　trousers　were
damaged　almost　beyond　repair