7.汤姆·索亚历险记（节选）（2915）

7汤姆·索亚历险记（节选）

1.到了星期二的黄昏，圣彼得斯堡镇仍然笼罩在一片悲伤之中，两个走失的孩子还没有找到。

2.镇上的人们已经为他们作了公开的祈祷，还有许许多多的人私下里为这两个孩子作了祈祷，诚心诚意地祈求他们平平安安，但是依然没有从洞里传来好消息。

3.大多数搜索的人已经放弃了搜寻孩子这件事，回到镇上继续干他们平日的活儿去了，他们认为孩子明摆着是找不回来了。

4.撒切尔太太病得厉害，大部分时间都在说胡话。

5.人们听见她呼喊孩子，看见她每次抬起头，侧耳听上好久，然后一边呻吟着一边软弱无力地垂下头去，那情景真是让人心碎。

6.波莉姨妈已经陷入了悲痛和绝望之中，她那满头的灰发几乎全变白了。

7.到了晚上，镇上停止了一切活动，整个小镇被蒙上了悲伤与凄惨的阴影。

8.半夜时分，镇上传来了发疯般的钟声。

9.不一会儿，街道上就挤满了衣衫不整却欣喜若狂的人，他们高声喊着：“快来看！

10.找到他俩了！”

11.人们叮叮当当地敲响了铁碗铜盆，嘀嘀嗒嗒的喇叭声与人们的喧嚷声汇成了一片。

12.大家成群结队地拥向河岸，去迎接那两个乘敞篷车归来的孩子。

13.车子由欢呼着的村民拉着，簇拥着。

14.前来迎接的人们加入了这支回小镇的队伍，他们迈着雄壮有力的步伐，浩荡荡地穿过大街，欢呼声一浪高过一浪。

15.整个小镇灯火通明，谁也没有再回去睡觉。

16.这是这个小镇前所未有的最辉煌的一个夜晚。

17.在孩子们回来后的半个小时，镇上的人排着队来到撒切尔法官家，搂着两个获救的孩子又亲又吻，同时还使劲握住撒切尔太太的手，满肚子的话想说又说不出，泪水如雨洒了一地。

18.波莉姨妈真是高兴到了极点，撒切尔太太也是如此。

19.然而，等派到山洞里的信使把这个喜讯报告给她的丈夫时，快乐才会变得十全十美。

20.汤姆躺在一张沙发上，身边围满了热切的听众。

21.他给他们讲着这次精彩的历险过程，同时还夸张地吹嘘了一番，最后又描述了他怎样离开贝琪去探险，如何在风筝线能达到的情况下顺着那两条通道向前探路，又是怎么去探索第三条通道，直到风筝线不够用了为止。

22.正当他转身往回走时，突然发现远处有一小块亮光，好像是太阳光，于是他放下风筝线朝它摸索着走了过去。

23.他把肩和头从一个小洞中探了出来，竟看见宽阔的密西西比河正从下面滚滚流过！

24.如果碰巧是晚上，他绝不会看见那一小块太阳光，也就找不到这条通道了。

25.他又讲述了他怎样回去找贝琪，告诉了她这个好消息，而她却让他别拿这些无聊的谎话来烦她，因为她很累，知道自己快要死了，她也愿意死掉。

26.他还讲了自己如何费尽口舌说服了贝琪，当她摸索着爬到洞口，看见那一小块太阳光时，怎样兴奋得不得了，简直就要高兴死了。

27.他还说自己怎样先爬出洞口，然后又帮助贝琪爬了出来，他们是如何坐在那里高兴得大声哭了起来，一些人怎样乘着小船打那儿经过，他俩又是怎样呼喊着他们，告诉他们自己的遭遇。

28.他也描述了起初这些人如何不相信这荒唐离奇的故事，因为他们说：“你们是在河的下游，离那个峡谷里的山洞有五英里远呢。”

29.然后他们就将他俩扶上船，划到一户人家，给他俩吃了晚饭，让他们歇息了两三个小时，随后便把他们送回了家。

30.汤姆和贝琪很快发现，在洞里所遭受的三天三夜的疲劳和饥饿，是不可能马上恢复过来的。

31.星期三和星期四整整两天，他们直卧床不起，好像越躺越难受，浑身没有一点儿力气。

32.汤姆星期四稍微能下地活动一会儿，星期五就能到镇上逛逛了，到了星期六差不多完全恢复正常了。

33.但贝琪直到星期天才能够到户外走走，看上去好像刚得了一场大病似的。

34.汤姆听说哈克病了，星期五便去看他，谁知道被挡在了门外，星期六、星期天一连两天也都没让他进去。

35.过了星期天，他可以每天去看哈克了，但是哈克的家人告诫他不能透露他的探险经过，也不要谈及任何令人兴奋的话题。

36.道格拉斯寡妇守在旁边，看汤妈是否遵守规定。

37.回到家里，汤姆才听说卡迪夫山发生的事，还得知那个“衣衫褴褛的人”的尸体最后在渡船码头附近被发现了，很可能是在逃跑途中溺水而死的。

38.汤姆从山洞里获救两个星期之后，哈克已经强壮多了，也不怕听令人激动的话题了。

39.汤姆又去看望哈克，他想，有一些话题正是哈克感兴趣的。

40.撒切尔法官的家离哈克住的地方不远，于是汤姆就顺道去看了看贝琪。

41.法官和他的几个朋友逗他滔滔不绝地讲了起来，有的人还用嘲弄的口吻问他是否还想再去那个山洞走一趟。

42.汤姆说，他认为他不会在意的。

43.法官说：还有一些人和你一样想去山洞看看呢，汤姆，这一点是毫无疑问的。

44.但是我们已经采取了防范措施，以后谁也不会再在那个山洞里迷路了。”

45.“为什么？

46.“因为两周前我就找人用锅炉钢板把山洞的洞口封上了，然后又上了三道锁，钥匙在我这里。”

47.汤姆的脸立刻变得煞白。

48.“怎么了，孩子！

49.喂，快来人哪！

50.快拿杯水来！”

51.有人拿过一杯水，一下子泼在了汤姆的脸上。

52.“啊，现在没事了。你怎么了，汤姆？”

53.“哎呀，法官，印江·乔埃还在洞里呢！

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Excerpt)

1. By Tuesday evening, the town of St. Petersburg was still shrouded in sadness as the two lost children had not been found.

2. The townspeople had offered public prayers for them, and many had prayed privately, sincerely hoping for their safe return, but there was still no good news from the cave.

3. Most of the searchers had given up looking for the children and had returned to their daily activities, believing the children were lost for good.

4. Mrs. Thatcher was severely ill, spending most of her time talking nonsense.

5. People heard her calling for the children and saw her lift her head, listen intently for a long time, then weakly drop her head with a moan, a heart-wrenching sight.

6. Aunt Polly had fallen into grief and despair, and her hair had almost entirely turned white.

7. By nightfall, the town came to a standstill, covered in a shadow of sorrow and misery.

8. In the middle of the night, the town's bells rang frantically.

9. Soon, the streets were filled with disheveled but ecstatic people shouting, "Come and see!

10. They’ve been found!"

11. People banged on iron pots and pans, the sounds of horns and cheers merging into a cacophony.

12. Crowds surged towards the riverbank to greet the children returning in an open carriage.

13. The cart was pulled and surrounded by cheering villagers.

14. Those who came to greet them joined the procession back to town, marching with strong, lively steps, their cheers growing louder and louder.

15. The whole town was brightly lit, and no one went back to sleep.

16. It was the most glorious night the town had ever seen.

17. Within half an hour of the children's return, townspeople lined up at Judge Thatcher’s house, hugging and kissing the rescued children and shaking Mrs. Thatcher’s hand fervently, speechless with emotion, tears streaming down.

18. Aunt Polly was overjoyed, as was Mrs. Thatcher.

19. However, the joy would be complete only when the messenger sent to the cave brought the news to her husband.

20. Tom lay on a sofa, surrounded by eager listeners.

21. He recounted the thrilling adventure, exaggerating some parts, and described how he left Becky to explore, using the kite string to navigate two passages, then a third until the string ran out.

22. As he turned back, he saw a small patch of light in the distance, like sunlight, and followed it.

23. He pushed his shoulder and head through a small hole and saw the wide Mississippi River flowing below!

24. If it had been nighttime, he wouldn’t have seen the sunlight and found the way out.

25. He told how he went back to Becky with the good news, but she told him not to bother her with silly lies, as she was tired and ready to die.

26. He described how he convinced Becky, and how excited she was when she saw the sunlight, almost dying of joy.

27. He explained how he first climbed out and then helped Becky out, and how they sat and cried loudly in happiness, how some people in a boat passed by, and they shouted and told their story.

28. He said the people initially didn’t believe the wild story, saying, "You’re downstream, five miles from the cave."

29. They took them on board, gave them dinner, let them rest for a few hours, and then brought them home.

30. Tom and Becky soon realized they couldn’t quickly recover from the three days and nights of fatigue and hunger in the cave.

31. They stayed in bed all Wednesday and Thursday, feeling worse the longer they lay down, completely exhausted.

32. Tom could get up a bit on Thursday and wander around town on Friday, almost back to normal by Saturday.

33. Becky could go outside on Sunday, looking like she had been seriously ill.

34. Tom heard Huck was sick and went to see him on Friday but was turned away. He was also turned away on Saturday and Sunday.

35. After Sunday, Tom could visit Huck daily but was warned not to talk about his adventure or anything exciting.

36. Widow Douglas stayed nearby to ensure Tom followed the rules.

37. At home, Tom learned about what happened on Cardiff Hill and that the body of the "ragged man" was found near the ferry dock, likely drowned while escaping.

38. Two weeks after Tom’s rescue from the cave, Huck was much stronger and could handle exciting stories.

39. Tom visited Huck, thinking of topics that would interest him.

40. Judge Thatcher's house was near Huck's place, so Tom stopped by to see Becky.

41. The judge and his friends encouraged him to talk, some mockingly asking if he wanted to visit the cave again.

42. Tom said he wouldn't mind.

43. The judge said, "Others want to see the cave too, Tom, but we’ve taken precautions to prevent anyone from getting lost."

44. "Why?"

45. "Because two weeks ago, I had the cave entrance sealed with boiler steel and locked it with three locks. I have the keys."

46. Tom’s face turned pale.

47. "What’s the matter, boy?

48. Hey, someone!

49. Get some water!"

50. Someone brought a cup of water and splashed it on Tom’s face.

51. "Ah, now you’re better. What’s wrong, Tom?"

52. "Oh, Judge, Injun Joe is still in the cave!"

53. Judge Thatcher turned pale too.