Chapter 26: Page 3
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Then Susan SHE waltzed in; and if you’ll believe me, she did give Hare-lip hark from the tomb!
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Then Susan chimed in and gave Harelip a chewing out that would raise the dead, if you can believe it.
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Says I to myself, and this is ANOTHER one that I’m letting him rob her of her money!
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So I thought to myself, this is ANOTHER girl that I’m letting him rob!
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Then Mary Jane she took another inning, and went in sweet and lovely again—which was her way; but when she got done there warn’t hardly anything left o’ poor Hare-lip. So she hollered.
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Then Mary Jane started in again, though sweetly and lovingly this time, which was just her way. When she finished, there was hardly anything left of poor Harelip, who’d started crying.
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“All right, then,” says the other girls; “you just ask his pardon.”
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“All right, then,” said Mary Jane and Susan. “Just ask him for forgiveness.”
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She done it, too; and she done it beautiful. She done it so beautiful it was good to hear; and I wished I could tell her a thousand lies, so she could do it again.
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She did so, and she did it beautifully. It was really nice to hear. I wish I could tell her a thousand lies so that she could apologize again.
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I says to myself, this is ANOTHER one that I’m letting him rob her of her money. And when she got through they all jest laid theirselves out to make me feel at home and know I was amongst friends. I felt so ornery and low down and mean that I says to myself, my mind’s made up; I’ll hive that money for them or bust.
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I said to myself again, this is ANOTHER one that I’m letting him rob. And when she finished apologizing, all three girls relaxed to make me feel comfortable and let me know that I was among friends. I felt so awful and low and miserable that I made up my mind to steal that money back for them or go down trying.
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So then I lit out—for bed, I said, meaning some time or another. When I got by myself I went to thinking the thing over. I says to myself, shall I go to that doctor, private, and blow on these frauds? No—that won’t do. He might tell who told him; then the king and the duke would make it warm for me. Shall I go, private, and tell Mary Jane? No—I dasn’t do it. Her face would give them a hint, sure; they’ve got the money, and they’d slide right out and get away with it. If she was to fetch in help I’d get mixed up in the business before it was done with, I judge. No; there ain’t no good way but one. I got to steal that money, somehow; and I got to steal it some way that they won’t suspicion that I done it. They’ve got a good thing here, and they ain’t a-going to leave till they’ve played this family and this town for all they’re worth, so I’ll find a chance time enough. I’ll steal it and hide it; and by and by, when I’m away down the river, I’ll write a letter and tell Mary Jane where it’s hid. But I better hive it tonight if I can, because the doctor maybe hasn’t let up as much as he lets on he has; he might scare them out of here yet.
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So I headed off. I said I was going to bed, meaning I would be going to bed eventually. When I was alone, I started thinking things over. I asked myself if I should go see the doctor privately and tell on these frauds. No, that wouldn’t do. He might reveal who told him, and then the king and duke would come after me. Shall I go and tell Mary Jane in private? No—it would be too risky to do it. Her face would surely give her away. They had the money, and they’d just skip out and run off with it. And, if she were to send for help, I’d get mixed up in the whole business before it was done with, that’s for sure. No, there was only one way to resolve this. I had to steal that money somehow. I had to steal it in a way that wouldn’t bring suspicion upon myself. I knew I had time to do it, too, since the king and the duke had a good thing going here, and they weren’t about to leave til they’d played this family and this town for all they were worth. I would steal it and hide it and, after I’d made my way down the river, I’d write a letter and tell Mary Jane where it was hidden. But I figured I should steal it that night, if I could, because the doctor hadn’t given up as he had let on. He might scare the king and the duke out of town.
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So, thinks I, I’ll go and search them rooms. Upstairs the hall was dark, but I found the duke’s room, and started to paw around it with my hands; but I recollected it wouldn’t be much like the king to let anybody else take care of that money but his own self; so then I went to his room and begun to paw around there. But I see I couldn’t do nothing without a candle, and I dasn’t light one, of course. So I judged I’d got to do the other thing—lay for them and eavesdrop. About that time I hears their footsteps coming, and was going to skip under the bed; I reached for it, but it wasn’t where I thought it would be; but I touched the curtain that hid Mary Jane’s frocks, so I jumped in behind that and snuggled in amongst the gowns, and stood there perfectly still.
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So, I thought to myself, I’ll go and search those rooms. The hall upstairs was dark, but I found the duke’s room and started groping around in there with with my hands. Then I figured that it wasn’t the king’s style to let anyone else take care of that money. So I went to his room and began to poke around in there. I couldn’t see anything without a candle, though, and it was definitely too risky to light one. I settled for another option—wait for them to show up and eavesdrop. Just then I heard their footsteps. I was going to slide under the bed, but when I reached out for it, I found it wasn’t where I thought it would be. Instead, I touched the curtain that hid Mary Jane’s frocks, so I jumped behind it, snuggled in amongst the gowns, and stood perfectly still.
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They come in and shut the door; and the first thing the duke done was to get down and look under the bed. Then I was glad I hadn’t found the bed when I wanted it. And yet, you know, it’s kind of natural to hide under the bed when you are up to anything private. They sets down then, and the king says:
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They came in and shut the door. The first thing the duke did was to get down on the floor and look under the bed, which made me glad I hadn’t found the bed when I wanted it. Then again, it’s kind of natural to hide under the bed when you’re trying to hide. They sat down, and the king said:
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“Well, what is it? And cut it middlin’ short, because it’s better for us to be down there a-whoopin’ up the mournin’ than up here givin’ ’em a chance to talk us over.”
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“Well, what is it? Keep this pretty short, because it’s better for us to be down there crying and mourning, rather than up here giving them a chance to talk about us.”
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“Well, this is it, Capet. I ain’t easy; I ain’t comfortable. That doctor lays on my mind. I wanted to know your plans. I’ve got a notion, and I think it’s a sound one.”
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“Well, here it is, Capet. It isn’t easy—I’m not comfortable. I’ve been thinking about that doctor. I want to know what your plan is. I’ve got an idea myself, and I think it’s a solid one.”
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“What is it, duke?”
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“What’s your idea, duke?”
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Chapter 26: Page 4
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“That we better glide out of this before three in the morning, and clip it down the river with what we’ve got. Specially, seeing we got it so easy—GIVEN back to us, flung at our heads, as you may say, when of course we allowed to have to steal it back. I’m for knocking off and lighting out.”
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“I’m thinking we better get out of here before three in the morning, and run to the river with what we’ve already gotten out of them. Especially since we got it so easily—it was GIVEN back to us, thrown at our heads you could say, even though we’d planned to steal it back. I’m for calling it quits and taking off.”
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That made me feel pretty bad. About an hour or two ago it would a been a little different, but now it made me feel bad and disappointed, The king rips out and says:
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That made me feel pretty bad. It would have been different about an hour or two ago, but now I felt really bad and disappointed. The king got angry and said:
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“What! And not sell out the rest o’ the property? March off like a passel of fools and leave eight or nine thous’n’ dollars’ worth o’ property layin’ around jest sufferin’ to be scooped in?—and all good, salable stuff, too.”
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“What! And not sell the rest of the property? March off like a bunch of fools and leave eight or nine thousand dollars worth of property lying around just begging to be scooped up? It’s all good, salable stuff, too.”
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The duke he grumbled; said the bag of gold was enough, and he didn’t want to go no deeper—didn’t want to rob a lot of orphans of EVERYTHING they had.
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The duke grumbled. He said the bag of gold was enough. He didn’t want to go any further. He didn’t want to rob those orphans of EVERYTHING they had.
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“Why, how you talk!” says the king. “We sha’n’t rob ’em of nothing at all but jest this money. The people that BUYS the property is the suff’rers; because as soon ’s it’s found out ’at we didn’t own it—which won’t be long after we’ve slid—the sale won’t be valid, and it ’ll all go back to the estate. These yer orphans ’ll git their house back agin, and that’s enough for THEM; they’re young and spry, and k’n easy earn a livin’. THEY ain’t a-goin to suffer. Why, jest think—there’s thous’n’s and thous’n’s that ain’t nigh so well off. Bless you, THEY ain’t got noth’n’ to complain of.”
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“Listen to yourself!” said the king. “We’re not robbing them of anything except this money. The people that BUY the stuff are the ones that are going to suffer, because as soon as they find out we didn’t own it—which won’t be long after we’ve run off—the sale won’t be valid and it’ll all go back to the estate. These orphans will get there house back, and that’s good enough for THEM. They’re young and spry and can easily earn a living. THEY aren’t going to suffer. Why, just think—there are thousands and thousand of people that aren’t as well off as them. I tell you, THEY won’t have anything to complain about.”
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Well, the king he talked him blind; so at last he give in, and said all right, but said he believed it was blamed foolishness to stay, and that doctor hanging over them. But the king says:
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Well, the king talked and talked, and the duke finally gave in. He said all right, but that he believed it was foolish to stay, especially with the doctoring looming over them. But the king said:
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“Cuss the doctor! What do we k’yer for HIM? Hain’t we got all the fools in town on our side? And ain’t that a big enough majority in any town?”
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“Curse the doctor! What do you care about HIM for? Didn’t we get all the fools in town on our side? And isn’t that a big enough majority in any town?”
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So they got ready to go down stairs again. The duke says:
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So they got ready to go downstairs again. The duke said:
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“I don’t think we put that money in a good place.”
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“I don’t think we put that money in a good enough place.”
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That cheered me up. I’d begun to think I warn’t going to get a hint of no kind to help me. The king says:
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That cheered me up, since I’d begun to think they weren’t going to drop a hint about that. The king said:
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“Why?”
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“Why?”
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“Because Mary Jane ’ll be in mourning from this out; and first you know the nigger that does up the rooms will get an order to box these duds up and put ’em away; and do you reckon a nigger can run across money and not borrow some of it?”
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“Because Mary Jane will be in mourning from this point on. First, you know the n----- that cleans up these rooms will be told to box up these clothes and put them away. And do you think a n----- can run across money and not take some of it?”
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“Your head’s level agin, duke,” says the king; and he comes a-fumbling under the curtain two or three foot from where I was. I stuck tight to the wall and kept mighty still, though quivery; and I wondered what them fellows would say to me if they catched me; and I tried to think what I’d better do if they did catch me. But the king he got the bag before I could think more than about a half a thought, and he never suspicioned I was around. They took and shoved the bag through a rip in the straw tick that was under the feather-bed, and crammed it in a foot or two amongst the straw and said it was all right now, because a nigger only makes up the feather-bed, and don’t turn over the straw tick only about twice a year, and so it warn’t in no danger of getting stole now.
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“Now you’re thinking straight again, duke,” said the king. He came over and fumbled around with the curtain two or three feet from where I was. I pressed myself against the wall and kept still, though I was shaking. I wondered what those fellows would say if they caught me, and I tried to think of what I’d do if they did. But the king grabbed and pulled out the bag before I could think even half a thought. He never even suspsected that I was there. They shoved the bag through a rip in the straw mattress under the featherbed, and crammed it in a foot or two into the straw. They figured that would be all right and no longer in danger of being stolen because a n----- only makes up the featherbed—and they only turn over the mattress about twice a year.
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But I knowed better. I had it out of there before they was half-way down stairs. I groped along up to my cubby, and hid it there till I could get a chance to do better. I judged I better hide it outside of the house somewheres, because if they missed it they would give the house a good ransacking: I knowed that very well. Then I turned in, with my clothes all on; but I couldn’t a gone to sleep if I’d a wanted to, I was in such a sweat to get through with the business. By and by I heard the king and the duke come up; so I rolled off my pallet and laid with my chin at the top of my ladder, and waited to see if anything was going to happen. But nothing did.
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But I knew better. I had the bag out of there before they were halfway down the stairs. I groped along up the stairs to my nook in the attic, and hid the money there until I could get a chance to find a better hiding place. I figured I’d better hide it somewhere outside the house, because if they’d ransack the house if they realized it was missing—I knew that for sure. Then I went to bed with all my clothes still on. But I couldn’t have gotten to sleep if I wanted to. I was so anxious to get through with this business. Pretty soon I heard the king and the duke come upstairs, so I rolled off my pallet and laid with my chin at the top of my ladder, waiting to see if anything was going to happen. But nothing did.
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Chapter 26: Page 5
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So I held on till all the late sounds had quit and the early ones hadn’t begun yet; and then I slipped down the ladder.
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So I waited until all the sounds of the night had stopped, but before the sounds of the early morning had begun. Then I slipped down the ladder.
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Chapter 27
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I CREPT to their doors and listened; they was snoring. So I tiptoed along, and got down stairs all right. There warn’t a sound anywheres. I peeped through a crack of the dining-room door, and see the men that was watching the corpse all sound asleep on their chairs. The door was open into the parlor, where the corpse was laying, and there was a candle in both rooms. I passed along, and the parlor door was open; but I see there warn’t nobody in there but the remainders of Peter; so I shoved on by; but the front door was locked, and the key wasn’t there. Just then I heard somebody coming down the stairs, back behind me. I run in the parlor and took a swift look around, and the only place I see to hide the bag was in the coffin. The lid was shoved along about a foot, showing the dead man’s face down in there, with a wet cloth over it, and his shroud on. I tucked the money-bag in under the lid, just down beyond where his hands was crossed, which made me creep, they was so cold, and then I run back across the room and in behind the door.
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I crept to their doors and listened—they were snoring. So I tiptoed along and down the stairs safely. The house was so quiet—you couldn’t hear a sound. I peeped through a crack in the dining room door and saw that the men who were watching the corpse had all fallen asleep on their chairs. The door that led into the parlor, where the corpse was laying, was open. Each room had a candle. I continued on through the door and into the parlor. There wasn’t anyone there; only Peter’s remains. I kept going to the front door, but it was locked and there was no key. Just then I heard someone coming down the stairs behind me. I ran to the parlor, took a quick look around, and saw that the only place to hide the bag was in the coffin. The lid was shoved down part way so you could see the dead man’s face with a wet cloth over it and the shroud he was wearing. I tucked the bag of money in under the lid, just beyond where his hands were crossed. The hands creeped me out because they were so cold. Then I ran back across the room and hid behind the door.
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The person coming was Mary Jane. She went to the coffin, very soft, and kneeled down and looked in; then she put up her handkerchief, and I see she begun to cry, though I couldn’t hear her, and her back was to me. I slid out, and as I passed the dining-room I thought I’d make sure them watchers hadn’t seen me; so I looked through the crack, and everything was all right. They hadn’t stirred.
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The person who’d come down the stairs was Mary Jane. She went to the coffin very quietly, kneeled down, and looked in. Then she put her handkerchief to her eyes, and I could see that she had started crying. I couldn’t hear her, though, because her back was to me. I slid out from my hiding spot. As I passed the dining room, I double checked to make sure the two men watching the body hadn’t seen me. I look through the crack, and everything looked okay—they hadn’t stirred at all.
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I slipped up to bed, feeling ruther blue, on accounts of the thing playing out that way after I had took so much trouble and run so much resk about it. Says I, if it could stay where it is, all right; because when we get down the river a hundred mile or two I could write back to Mary Jane, and she could dig him up again and get it; but that ain’t the thing that’s going to happen; the thing that’s going to happen is, the money ’ll be found when they come to screw on the lid. Then the king ’ll get it again, and it ’ll be a long day before he gives anybody another chance to smouch it from him. Of course I WANTED to slide down and get it out of there, but I dasn’t try it. Every minute it was getting earlier now, and pretty soon some of them watchers would begin to stir, and I might get catched—catched with six thousand dollars in my hands that nobody hadn’t hired me to take care of. I don’t wish to be mixed up in no such business as that, I says to myself.
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I snuck upstairs and back to bed. I was feeling kind of down about the way things turned out after I’d gone to so much trouble and risk. It’s okay if the money bag stays were it is, I told myself, because I can write to Mary Jane after we get down the river one or two hundred miles. She can dig him up again and get the money. But that probably wasn’t going to happen. What would happen is the money will be found when they screw on the coffin lid. Then the king will get the money again, and it’ll be a long time before there will ever be another opportunity to steal it from him. Of course, I WANTED to slip back downstairs and get the money back out of the coffin, but I knew I shouldn’t try it. Morning was approaching with every minute and pretty soon some of those men downstairs would begin to wake. If I tried, I might get caught—caught with six thousand dollars in my hands that no one had put me in charge of. I don’t want to be mixed up in anything like that, I told myself.
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When I got down stairs in the morning the parlor was shut up, and the watchers was gone. There warn’t nobody around but the family and the widow Bartley and our tribe. I watched their faces to see if anything had been happening, but I couldn’t tell.
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When I went downstairs in the morning, the parlor was shut up and the sentries were gone. There wasn’t anyone around except for the family, the widow Bartley, our group. I watched their faces to see if anything unsual was going on, but I couldn’t tell.
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Towards the middle of the day the undertaker come with his man, and they set the coffin in the middle of the room on a couple of chairs, and then set all our chairs in rows, and borrowed more from the neighbors till the hall and the parlor and the dining-room was full. I see the coffin lid was the way it was before, but I dasn’t go to look in under it, with folks around.
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The undertaker came with his assistant around noon, and they put the coffin in the middle of the room on a couple of chairs. Then they put all the chairs in rows. They borrowed some more chairs from the neighbors until they had filled the hall, parlor, and dining room. I saw that the coffin lid was still partly closed, like it had been before, but I couldn’t risk looking under it with everyone around.
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Then the people begun to flock in, and the beats and the girls took seats in the front row at the head of the coffin, and for a half an hour the people filed around slow, in single rank, and looked down at the dead man’s face a minute, and some dropped in a tear, and it was all very still and solemn, only the girls and the beats holding handkerchiefs to their eyes and keeping their heads bent, and sobbing a little. There warn’t no other sound but the scraping of the feet on the floor and blowing noses—because people always blows them more at a funeral than they do at other places except church.
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People began flocking in. The women and the girls took seats in the front row at the head of coffin. For the next half hour, people came in slowly, in single file, and looked down at the dead man’s face for a minute. The girls and women kept their heads bent with handkerchiefs held to their eyes as they cried. It was all very still and solemn. The only other sounds were for the scraping of feet on the floor and the blowing of noses. People always seem to blow their noses more at funerals than they do at other places, except church.
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When the place was packed full the undertaker he slid around in his black gloves with his softy soothering ways, putting on the last touches, and getting people and things all ship-shape and comfortable, and making no more sound than a cat. He never spoke; he moved people around, he squeezed in late ones, he opened up passageways, and done it with nods, and signs with his hands. Then he took his place over against the wall. He was the softest, glidingest, stealthiest man I ever see; and there warn’t no more smile to him than there is to a ham.
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When the room was packed full, the undertaker in his black gloves moved silently around the room, soothing people, putting on the last touches, and getting people and things settled and comfortable. He never spoke, but used nods and hand signals to move people around, squeeze in late comers, and open up passageways. Then he took his place over against the wall. He was the softest, stealthiest man I’ve ever seen, and he didn’t even have a smile on his face
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