Chapter 34
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WE stopped talking, and got to thinking. By and by Tom says:
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We stopped talking and started think. Pretty soon Tom said:
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“Looky here, Huck, what fools we are to not think of it before! I bet I know where Jim is.”
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“Look here, Huck—we’re fools for not having thought of it before! I bet I know where Jim is.”
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“No! Where?”
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“No! You do? Where?”
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“In that hut down by the ash-hopper. Why, looky here. When we was at dinner, didn’t you see a nigger man go in there with some vittles?”
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“He’s in that hut down by the ash-hopper. Just think about it. When we were at dinner, did you see a n----- man go in there with some food?”
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“Yes.”
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“Yes.”
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“What did you think the vittles was for?”
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“Well, what did you think the food was for?”
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“For a dog.”
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“For a dog.”
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“So ’d I. Well, it wasn’t for a dog.”
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“So did I. Well, I don’t think it was for a dog.”
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“Why?”
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“Why?”
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“Because part of it was watermelon.”
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“Because the food included some watermelon.”
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“So it was—I noticed it. Well, it does beat all that I never thought about a dog not eating watermelon. It shows how a body can see and don’t see at the same time.”
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“Yeah, you’re right. I did notice that. Well, it’s funny I never realized that before, because dogs don’t eat watermelon. It just goes to show that you can see something, but not see it at the same time.”
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“Well, the nigger unlocked the padlock when he went in, and he locked it again when he came out. He fetched uncle a key about the time we got up from table—same key, I bet. Watermelon shows man, lock shows prisoner; and it ain’t likely there’s two prisoners on such a little plantation, and where the people’s all so kind and good. Jim’s the prisoner. All right—I’m glad we found it out detective fashion; I wouldn’t give shucks for any other way. Now you work your mind, and study out a plan to steal Jim, and I will study out one, too; and we’ll take the one we like the best.”
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“Well, the n----- unclocked the padlock when he went in, and he locked it again when he came out. He also brought uncle a key around the time we got up from the table. I bet it’s the same key. Watermelon tells us it’s a man, and the padlock tells us he’s a prisoner. It isn’t likely that there are two prisoners on such a small plantation, especially one where the people are so kind and good. Jim must be the prisoner. All right—I’m glad we were able to figure that out like detectives would. That’s the best way to do it. Now, you think awhile and figure out a way to rescue Jim. I’ll think about it, too, and we’ll use the plan we like best.”
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What a head for just a boy to have! If I had Tom Sawyer’s head I wouldn’t trade it off to be a duke, nor mate of a steamboat, nor clown in a circus, nor nothing I can think of. I went to thinking out a plan, but only just to be doing something; I knowed very well where the right plan was going to come from. Pretty soon Tom says:
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Tom was really smart for just being a boy! If I had Tom Sawyer’s brains I wouldn’t ever trade them, even to be a duke or a mate on a steamboat or a clown in a circus or anything else I can think of. I started devising a plan, but only to pass the time, since I knew that Tom would think of the better plan. Pretty soon he said:
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“Ready?”
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“Okay. You ready?”
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“Yes,” I says.
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“Yes,” I said.
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“All right—bring it out.”
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“All right—let’s hear it.”
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“My plan is this,” I says. “We can easy find out if it’s Jim in there. Then get up my canoe to-morrow night, and fetch my raft over from the island. Then the first dark night that comes steal the key out of the old man’s britches after he goes to bed, and shove off down the river on the raft with Jim, hiding daytimes and running nights, the way me and Jim used to do before. Wouldn’t that plan work?”
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“This is my plan,” I said. “We can easily find out if it’s really Jim in there. Then, we can bring my canoe up tomorrow night and bring the raft from the island. Then, on the first really dark night, we can steal the key from the old man’s pants after he goes to bed. We’ll break Jim out, and set off down the river on the raft with him. We’ll float at night and hide during the day, the way Jim and I were doing it before. Wouldn’t that work?”
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“WORK? Why, cert’nly it would work, like rats a-fighting. But it’s too blame’ simple; there ain’t nothing TO it. What’s the good of a plan that ain’t no more trouble than that? It’s as mild as goose-milk. Why, Huck, it wouldn’t make no more talk than breaking into a soap factory.”
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“WORK? Of course it’d work, just as easily as getting rats to fight. But it’s too simple—there isn’t anything TO it. What good is such a simple plan? It’s as mild as goose milk. Why, Huck, that wouldn’t draw any more attention than a run-of-the-mill break-in at a soap factory.”
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I never said nothing, because I warn’t expecting nothing different; but I knowed mighty well that whenever he got HIS plan ready it wouldn’t have none of them objections to it.
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I didn’t say anything, but his response was just what I’d expected. I knew for certain, though, that no one would be able to make those same objections to HIS plan.
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And it didn’t. He told me what it was, and I see in a minute it was worth fifteen of mine for style, and would make Jim just as free a man as mine would, and maybe get us all killed besides. So I was satisfied, and said we would waltz in on it. I needn’t tell what it was here, because I knowed it wouldn’t stay the way, it was. I knowed he would be changing it around every which way as we went along, and heaving in new bullinesses wherever he got a chance. And that is what he done.
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And no one could. He told me his plan, and I saw in a minute it has as much style as fifteen of my plans. It would also make Jim just as free as my plan would have, and it might get us all killed in the process. I was satisfied and said we should do it. I don’t need to bother explaining the plan here, because I knew he would change it every minute along the way, pulling new tricks whenever he had the chance. And that’s exactly what he did.
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Well, one thing was dead sure, and that was that Tom Sawyer was in earnest, and was actuly going to help steal that nigger out of slavery. That was the thing that was too many for me. Here was a boy that was respectable and well brung up; and had a character to lose; and folks at home that had characters; and he was bright and not leather-headed; and knowing and not ignorant; and not mean, but kind; and yet here he was, without any more pride, or rightness, or feeling, than to stoop to this business, and make himself a shame, and his family a shame, before everybody. I COULDN’T understand it no way at all. It was outrageous, and I knowed I ought to just up and tell him so; and so be his true friend, and let him quit the thing right where he was and save himself. And I DID start to tell him; but he shut me up, and says:
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Well, one thing was for certain: Tom Sawyer was serious and was actually going to help steal a n----- out of slavery. That was the part that I was having the most trouble with. Here was a respectable and well-mannered boy. He had a reputation to lose, and his folks at home had a reputation too. He was bright and not a thick-headed idiot. He was intelligent, not ignorant. He was kind, not mean. Yet here he was, showing no pride or concern as he lowered himself into this business. He felt no shame for himself or his family. I COULDN’T understand this at all. It was outrageous, and I knew that as his true friend I ought to stand up and tell him that so that he could quit right there and save himself. I DID start to tell him, this, but he shut me up and said:
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Chapter 34: Page 2
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“Don’t you reckon I know what I’m about? Don’t I generly know what I’m about?”
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“Don’t you think I know what I’m doing? Don’t I usually know what’s going on?”
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“Yes.”
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“Yes.”
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“Didn’t I SAY I was going to help steal the nigger?”
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“Didn’t I SAY I was going to help steal a n-----?”
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“Yes.”
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“Yes.”
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“WELL, then.”
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“Well, there you go, then.”
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That’s all he said, and that’s all I said. It warn’t no use to say any more; because when he said he’d do a thing, he always done it. But I couldn’t make out how he was willing to go into this thing; so I just let it go, and never bothered no more about it. If he was bound to have it so, I couldn’t help it.
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That’s all he said, and that’s all I said. It wasn’t any use to say anything more. When he said he was going to do something, he always did it. But I still didn’t understand why he was willing to help. I just let it go, and didn’t think any more about it. If he was intent on it being this way, then I couldn’t change it.
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When we got home the house was all dark and still; so we went on down to the hut by the ash-hopper for to examine it. We went through the yard so as to see what the hounds would do. They knowed us, and didn’t make no more noise than country dogs is always doing when anything comes by in the night. When we got to the cabin we took a look at the front and the two sides; and on the side I warn’t acquainted with—which was the north side—we found a square window-hole, up tolerable high, with just one stout board nailed across it. I says:
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When we got home, the house was dark and still, so we went down to the hut by the ash-hopper to examine it. We went through the yard so we could see how the dogs would react. They knew us, and didn’t make any noise other than the noises country dogs usually make when something passes by in the night. When we got to the cabin we took a look at the front and the two sides. On the one side that I wasn’t familiar with—the north side—we found a square hole that served as a window. It was pretty high up and had one board nailed across it. I said:
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“Here’s the ticket. This hole’s big enough for Jim to get through if we wrench off the board.”
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“Here’s how we’ll do it. This hole is big enough for Jim to get through if we pulled the board off.”
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Tom says:
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Tom said:
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“It’s as simple as tit-tat-toe, three-in-a-row, and as easy as playing hooky. I should HOPE we can find a way that’s a little more complicated than THAT, Huck Finn.”
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“That would be as simple as getting three-in-a-row in tick-tack-toe. And it’s just as easy as skipping school. I HOPE we can find a way to break him out that’s more complicated than THAT, Huck Finn.”
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“Well, then,” I says, “how ’ll it do to saw him out, the way I done before I was murdered that time?”
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“Well, then,” I said. “How about we saw him out, the way I did before I was murdered?”
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“That’s more LIKE,” he says. “It’s real mysterious, and troublesome, and good,” he says; “but I bet we can find a way that’s twice as long. There ain’t no hurry; le’s keep on looking around.”
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“That’s more LIKE it,” he said. “That’ll make it really mysterious and troublesome and good,” he said. “But I bet we can find a way that’s twice as complicated. We’re not in a rush—let’s keep looking around.”
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Betwixt the hut and the fence, on the back side, was a lean-to that joined the hut at the eaves, and was made out of plank. It was as long as the hut, but narrow—only about six foot wide. The door to it was at the south end, and was padlocked. Tom he went to the soap-kettle and searched around, and fetched back the iron thing they lift the lid with; so he took it and prized out one of the staples. The chain fell down, and we opened the door and went in, and shut it, and struck a match, and see the shed was only built against a cabin and hadn’t no connection with it; and there warn’t no floor to the shed, nor nothing in it but some old rusty played-out hoes and spades and picks and a crippled plow. The match went out, and so did we, and shoved in the staple again, and the door was locked as good as ever. Tom was joyful. He says;
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Around the rear, between the hut and fence was a lean-to made out of planks that joined the hut at the eaves. It was a long as the hut, but narrower—only about six feet wide. The door to it was on the south end and padlocked. Tom went to the soap kettle and searched around, and finally brought back the piece of iron they lift the lid with. He used it to pry up one of the crossbeams. The chain fell down, and we opened the door and went in. We shut the door behind us and struck a match. We saw that the shed was only built up next to the cabin, but wasn’t connected to it. We also saw that the shed didn’t have a proper floor or anything in it except some rusty old hoes, spades, picks, and broken plow. The match went out, and we left. We locked the door again and made it as good as ever by replacing the crossbeam. Tom was happy, and said:
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“Now we’re all right. We’ll DIG him out. It ’ll take about a week!”
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“Now we’re set—we’ll DIG him out. It’ll take about a week!”
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Then we started for the house, and I went in the back door—you only have to pull a buckskin latch-string, they don’t fasten the doors—but that warn’t romantical enough for Tom Sawyer; no way would do him but he must climb up the lightning-rod. But after he got up half way about three times, and missed fire and fell every time, and the last time most busted his brains out, he thought he’d got to give it up; but after he was rested he allowed he would give her one more turn for luck, and this time he made the trip.
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We started back for the house. I went in the back door—you only had to pull a buckskin latch-string since they didn’t fasten the doors properly. That wasn’t dramatic enough for Tom Sawyer, though. Nothing would satisfy him except climbing up the lightening rod. He tried climbing it three times, but each time he only reached halfway before falling—the last time, he nearly busting his brains out. After these unsuccessful attempts he decided to give up. After resting a bit, though, he said he’d give it one more try, and this time he made it all the way up.
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In the morning we was up at break of day, and down to the nigger cabins to pet the dogs and make friends with the nigger that fed Jim—if it WAS Jim that was being fed. The niggers was just getting through breakfast and starting for the fields; and Jim’s nigger was piling up a tin pan with bread and meat and things; and whilst the others was leaving, the key come from the house.
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The next morning, we got up at dawn and went down to the n----- cabins to pet the dogs and make friends with the n----- who’d fed Jim—if that WAS Jim who was being fed. The n------ were just finishing up breakfast and heading out to the fields. The n----- who fed Jim was piling up a tin pan with bread and meat and things. While the others were leaving, the key came from the house.
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This nigger had a good-natured, chuckle-headed face, and his wool was all tied up in little bunches with thread. That was to keep witches off. He said the witches was pestering him awful these nights, and making him see all kinds of strange things, and hear all kinds of strange words and noises, and he didn’t believe he was ever witched so long before in his life. He got so worked up, and got to running on so about his troubles, he forgot all about what he’d been a-going to do. So Tom says:
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The n----- had a good-natured, smiling face, and his hair was all tied up in little bunches with thread to keep the witches away. He said witches were pestering him pretty badly these past few nights, causing him to see and hear all kinds of strange things. He said he’d never been so bewitched in all his life. He got so worked up telling us all about his troubles that he forgot what he was going to do. So Tom said:
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Chapter 34: Page 3
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“What’s the vittles for? Going to feed the dogs?”
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“What’s the food for? Going to feed the dogs?”
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The nigger kind of smiled around gradually over his face, like when you heave a brickbat in a mud-puddle, and he says:
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A slow smile spread over the n-----’s face, kind of like how ripples spread over the water after you throw a brick in. He said:
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“Yes, Mars Sid, A dog. Cur’us dog, too. Does you want to go en look at ’im?”
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“Yes, Master Sid—a dog. Pretty interesting dog, too. Do you want to go and look at him?”
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“Yes.”
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“Yes.”
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I hunched Tom, and whispers:
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I pulled Tom aside and whispered:
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“You going, right here in the daybreak? THAT warn’t the plan.”
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“You’re going right in there in the midde of the day? THAT wasn’t the plan.”
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“No, it warn’t; but it’s the plan NOW.”
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“No it wasn’t. But it’s the plan NOW.”
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So, drat him, we went along, but I didn’t like it much. When we got in we couldn’t hardly see anything, it was so dark; but Jim was there, sure enough, and could see us; and he sings out:
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Darn him. So we went along, but I didn’t like it much. It was so dark when we went inside, that I couldn’t see anything. But sure enough, Jim was there, and he could see us too. He cried out:
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“Why, HUCK! En good LAN’! ain’ dat Misto Tom?”
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“HUCK! And my word! Isn’t that Mister Tom?”
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I just knowed how it would be; I just expected it. I didn’t know nothing to do; and if I had I couldn’t a done it, because that nigger busted in and says:
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I knew this would happen, and I’d expected it to. But I didn’t know what to do—and even if I had, the n----- jumped in said:
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“Why, de gracious sakes! do he know you genlmen?”
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“Land’s sake! Does he know you gentlemen?”
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We could see pretty well now. Tom he looked at the nigger, steady and kind of wondering, and says:
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We could see pretty well now. Tom looked at the n----- slowly with a puzzled look on his face and said:
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“Does WHO know us?”
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“Does WHO know us?”
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“Why, dis-yer runaway nigger.”
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“Why… this runaway n-----.”
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“I don’t reckon he does; but what put that into your head?”
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“I don’t think he does. What would put that idea into your head?”
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“What PUT it dar? Didn’ he jis’ dis minute sing out like he knowed you?”
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“What PUT it there? Didn’t he just cry out a minute ago that he knew you?”
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Tom says, in a puzzled-up kind of way:
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Tom said in a puzzled kind of way:
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“Well, that’s mighty curious. WHO sung out? WHEN did he sing out? WHAT did he sing out?” And turns to me, perfectly ca’m, and says, “Did YOU hear anybody sing out?”
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“Well that’s pretty funny. WHO cried out? And WHEN did he cry out? And WHAT did he cry out?” He turned to me perfectly calm and said, “Did YOU hear anyone cry out?”
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Of course there warn’t nothing to be said but the one thing; so I says:
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Of course, I could only say one thing, so I said:
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“No; I ain’t heard nobody say nothing.”
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“No. I didn’t hear anyone say anything.”
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Then he turns to Jim, and looks him over like he never see him before, and says:
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Then Tom turned to Jim. He looked him over as if he’d never seen him before, and said:
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“Did you sing out?”
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“Did you cry out?”
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“No, sah,” says Jim; “I hain’t said nothing, sah.”
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“No, sir,” Jim said. “I didn’t say anything, sir.”
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“Not a word?”
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“Not a word?”
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“No, sah, I hain’t said a word.”
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“No, sir. I didn’t say a word.”
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“Did you ever see us before?”
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“Have you ever seen us before?”
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“No, sah; not as I knows on.”
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“No, sir. Not that I know of.”
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So Tom turns to the nigger, which was looking wild and distressed, and says, kind of severe:
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So Tom turned to the n-----, who was looking pretty frantic and worried. He said, kind of severely:
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“What do you reckon’s the matter with you, anyway? What made you think somebody sung out?”
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“What’s the matter with you, anyway? What made you think someone had cried out?”
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“Oh, it’s de dad-blame’ witches, sah, en I wisht I was dead, I do. Dey’s awluz at it, sah, en dey do mos’ kill me, dey sk’yers me so. Please to don’t tell nobody ’bout it sah, er ole Mars Silas he’ll scole me; ’kase he say dey AIN’T no witches. I jis’ wish to goodness he was heah now—DEN what would he say! I jis’ bet he couldn’ fine no way to git aroun’ it DIS time. But it’s awluz jis’ so; people dat’s SOT, stays sot; dey won’t look into noth’n’en fine it out f’r deyselves, en when YOU fine it out en tell um ’bout it, dey doan’ b’lieve you.”
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“Oh, it’s the darn witches, sir! I wish I were dead, I really do. They’re always at it, sir, and it’s killing me. They scare me so much. Please don’t tell anyone about it, sir, or old Master Silas will scold me. He says there aren’t any witches. I just wish to God that he were here now—THEN what would he say? I bet he couldn’t ignore them this time. But it’s always like this—people who’re set stay set. They don’t investigate or try to find out anything for themselves. And when YOU find it out and tell them about it, they don’t believe you.”
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Tom give him a dime, and said we wouldn’t tell nobody; and told him to buy some more thread to tie up his wool with; and then looks at Jim, and says:
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Tom gave him a dime, and said we wouldn’t tell anyone. He also told him to buy some more thread to tie up his hair with. Then he looked at Jim and said:
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“I wonder if Uncle Silas is going to hang this nigger. If I was to catch a nigger that was ungrateful enough to run away, I wouldn’t give him up, I’d hang him.” And whilst the nigger stepped to the door to look at the dime and bite it to see if it was good, he whispers to Jim and says:
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“I wonder if Uncle Silas is going to hang this n-----. If I were to catch a n----- that was ungrateful enough to run away, I wouldn’t give him away—I’d hang him.” While the n----- stepped into the doorway to look at the dime in the sunlight and bite it to see if it was genuine, Tom whispered to Jim:
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“Don’t ever let on to know us. And if you hear any digging going on nights, it’s us; we’re going to set you free.”
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“Don’t ever say that you know us. And if you hear any digging going on at night, it’s us. We’re going to set you free.”
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Jim only had time to grab us by the hand and squeeze it; then the nigger come back, and we said we’d come again some time if the nigger wanted us to; and he said he would, more particular if it was dark, because the witches went for him mostly in the dark, and it was good to have folks around then.
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Jim had just enough time to grab us each by the hand and squeeze them before the n----- came back. We said we’d come back again if the n----- wanted us to, and he said he’d like that, especially when it was dark since the witches usually went after him at night. He said it was good to have other people around.
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