TheWidowDouglasputHuck's moneyoutatsixpercent., andJudgeThatcherdidthesamewithTom's atAuntPolly's request. Eachladhadanin- come, now, thatwassimplyprodigious -- a dollarforeveryweek-dayintheyearandhalfoftheSundays. Itwasjustwhattheministergot -- no, itwaswhathewaspromised -- hegenerallycouldn't collectit. A dollarand a quarter a weekwouldboard, lodge, andschool a boyinthoseoldsimpledays -- andclothehimandwashhim, too, forthatmatter.
2
JudgeThatcherhadconceived a greatopinionofTom. Hesaidthatnocommonplaceboywouldeverhavegothisdaughteroutofthecave. WhenBeckytoldherfather, instrictconfidence, howTomhadtakenherwhippingatschool, theJudgewasvisiblymoved; andwhenshepleadedgraceforthemightyliewhichTomhadtoldinordertoshiftthatwhippingfromhershoulderstohisown, theJudgesaidwith a fineoutburstthatitwas a noble, a generous, a mag- nanimouslie -- a liethatwasworthytoholdupitsheadandmarchdownthroughhistorybreasttobreastwithGeorgeWashington's laudedTruthaboutthehatchet! Beckythoughtherfatherhadneverlookedsotallandsosuperbaswhenhewalkedthefloorandstampedhisfootandsaidthat. ShewentstraightoffandtoldTomaboutit.
3
JudgeThatcherhopedtoseeTom a greatlawyeror a greatsoldiersomeday. HesaidhemeanttolooktoitthatTomshouldbeadmittedtotheNationalMilitaryAcademyandafterwardtrainedinthebestlawschoolinthecountry, inorderthathemightbereadyforeithercareerorboth.
4
HuckFinn's wealthandthefactthathewasnowundertheWidowDouglas' protectionintroducedhimintosociety -- no, draggedhimintoit, hurledhimintoit -- andhissufferingswerealmostmorethanhecouldbear. Thewidow's servantskepthimcleanandneat, combedandbrushed, andtheybeddedhimnightlyinunsympatheticsheetsthathadnotonelittlespotorstainwhichhecouldpresstohisheartandknowfor a friend. Hehadtoeatwith a knifeandfork; hehadtousenapkin, cup, andplate; hehadtolearnhisbook, hehadtogotochurch; hehadtotalksoproperlythatspeechwasbecomeinsipidinhismouth; whitherso- everheturned, thebarsandshacklesofcivilizationshuthiminandboundhimhandandfoot.
"Don't talkaboutit, Tom. I'vetriedit, anditdon't work; itdon't work, Tom. Itain't forme; I ain't usedtoit. Thewidder's goodtome, andfriendly; but I can't standthemways. Shemakesmegetupjustatthesametimeeverymorning; shemakesmewash, theycombmealltothunder; shewon't letmesleepinthewoodshed; I gottowearthemblamedclothesthatjustsmothersme, Tom; theydon't seemtoanyairgitthrough 'em, somehow; andthey'resorottennicethat I can't setdown, norlaydown, norrollaroundanywher's; I hain't slidon a cellar-doorfor -- well, it 'pearstobeyears; I gottogotochurchandsweatandsweat -- I hatethemornerysermons! I can't ketch a flyinthere, I can't chaw. I gottowearshoesallSunday. Thewiddereatsby a bell; shegoestobedby a bell; shegitsupby a bell -- everything's soawfulreg'lar a bodycan't standit."
7
"Well, everybodydoesthatway, Huck."
8
"Tom, itdon't makenodifference. I ain't every- body, and I can't STANDit. It's awfultobetiedupso. Andgrubcomestooeasy -- I don't takenointerestinvittles, thatway. I gottoasktogo a-fishing; I gottoasktogoin a-swimming -- dern'd if I hain't gottoasktodoeverything. Well, I'd gottotalksoniceitwasn't nocomfort -- I'd gottogoupintheatticandripoutawhile, everyday, togit a tasteinmymouth, or I'd a died, Tom. Thewidderwouldn't letmesmoke; shewouldn't letmeyell, shewouldn't letmegape, norstretch, norscratch, beforefolks --" [Thenwith a spasmofspecialirritationandinjury] -- "Anddadfetchit, sheprayedallthetime! I neverseesuch a woman! I HADtoshove, Tom -- I justhadto. Andbesides, thatschool's goingtoopen, and I'd a hadtogotoit -- well, I wouldn't standTHAT, Tom. Looky- here, Tom, beingrichain't whatit's crackeduptobe. It's justworryandworry, andsweatandsweat, and a-wishingyouwasdeadallthetime. Nowtheseclothessuitsme, andthisbar'l suitsme, and I ain't evergoingtoshake 'emanymore. Tom, I wouldn't evergotintoallthistroubleifithadn't 'a' benforthatmoney; nowyoujusttakemysheerofitalongwithyour'n, andgimme a ten-centersometimes -- notmanytimes, becuz I don't give a dernfor a thing 'thoutit's tollablehardtogit -- andyougoandbegoffformewiththewidder."
9
"Oh, Huck, youknow I can't dothat. 'Tain't fair; andbesidesifyou'lltrythisthingjust a whilelongeryou'llcometolikeit."
10
"Likeit! Yes -- theway I'd like a hotstoveif I wastosetonitlongenough. No, Tom, I won't berich, and I won't liveinthemcussedsmotheryhouses. I likethewoods, andtheriver, andhogsheads, and I'llstickto 'em, too. Blameitall! justaswe'd gotguns, and a cave, andalljustfixedtorob, herethisdernfoolishnesshasgottocomeupandspileitall!"
"Can't letmein, Tom? Didn't youletmegofor a pirate?"
17
"Yes, butthat's different. A robberismorehigh- tonedthanwhat a pirateis -- as a generalthing. Inmostcountriesthey'reawfulhighupinthenobility -- dukesandsuch."
"Huck, I wouldn't wantto, and I DON'T wantto -- butwhatwouldpeoplesay? Why, they'd say, 'Mph! TomSawyer's Gang! prettylowcharactersinit!' They'd meanyou, Huck. Youwouldn't likethat, and I wouldn't."
20
Huckwassilentforsometime, engagedin a mentalstruggle. Finallyhesaid:
21
"Well, I'llgobacktothewidderfor a monthandtackleitandseeif I cancometostandit, ifyou'llletme b'longtothegang, Tom."
22
"Allright, Huck, it's a whiz! Comealong, oldchap, and I'llaskthewidowtoletuponyou a little, Huck."
23
"Willyou, Tom -- nowwillyou? That's good. Ifshe'llletuponsomeoftheroughestthings, I'llsmokeprivateandcussprivate, andcrowdthroughorbust. Whenyougoingtostartthegangandturnrobbers?"
"Well, I betitis. Andallthatswearing's gottobedoneatmidnight, inthelonesomest, awfulestplaceyoucanfind -- a ha'ntedhouseisthebest, butthey'reallrippedupnow."
31
"Well, midnight's good, anyway, Tom."
32
"Yes, soitis. Andyou'vegottoswearon a coffin, andsignitwithblood."
33
"Now, that's somethingLIKE! Why, it's a milliontimesbullierthanpirating. I'llsticktothewiddertill I rot, Tom; andif I gittobe a reg'larripperof a robber, andeverybodytalking 'boutit, I reckonshe'llbeproudshesnakedmeinoutofthewet."
1. CONCLUSION
0
SOendeththischronicle. Itbeingstrictly a historyof a BOY, itmuststophere; thestorycouldnotgomuchfurtherwithoutbecomingthehistoryof a MAN. Whenonewrites a novelaboutgrownpeople, heknowsexactlywheretostop -- thatis, with a marriage; butwhenhewritesofjuveniles, hemuststopwherehebestcan.