Chapter 31.docx

Chapter 31.docx

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Chapter31

Chapter3

TOMpresentedhimselfbeforeAuntpolly,whowassittingbyanopenwindowinapleasantrearwardapartment,whichwasbedroom,breakfast-room,dining-room,andlibrary,combined.Thebalmysummerair,therestfulquiet,theodoroftheflowers,andthedrowsingmurmurofthebeeshadhadtheireffect,andshewasnoddingoverherknitting--forshehadnocompanybutthecat,anditwasasleepinherlap.Herspectacleswereproppeduponhergrayheadforsafety.ShehadthoughtthatofcourseTomhaddesertedlongago,andshewonderedatseeinghimplacehimselfinherpoweragaininthisintrepidway.Hesaid:

"Mayn'tIgoandplaynow,aunt?

"

"What,a'ready?

Howmuchhaveyoudone?

"

"It'salldone,aunt."

"Tom,don'tlietome--Ican'tbearit."

"Iain't,aunt;itisalldone."

Auntpollyplacedsmalltrustinsuchevidence.Shewentouttoseeforherself;andshewouldhavebeencontenttofindtwentypercent.ofTom'sstatementtrue.Whenshefoundtheentirefencewhitewashed,andnotonlywhitewashedbutelaboratelycoatedandrecoated,andevenastreakaddedtotheground,herastonishmentwasalmostunspeakable.Shesaid:

"Well,Inever!

There'snogettingroundit,youcanworkwhenyou'reamindto,Tom."Andthenshedilutedthecomplimentbyadding,"Butit'spowerfulseldomyou'reamindto,I'mboundtosay.Well,go'longandplay;butmindyougetbacksometimeinaweek,orI'lltanyou."

Shewassoovercomebythesplendorofhisachievementthatshetookhimintotheclosetandselectedachoiceappleanddeliveredittohim,alongwithanimprovinglectureupontheaddedvalueandflavoratreattooktoitselfwhenitcamewithoutsinthroughvirtuouseffort.AndwhilesheclosedwithahappyScripturalflourish,he"hooked"adoughnut.

Thenheskippedout,andsawSidjuststartinguptheoutsidestairwaythatledtothebackroomsonthesecondfloor.Clodswerehandyandtheairwasfulloftheminatwinkling.TheyragedaroundSidlikeahail-storm;andbeforeAuntpollycouldcollecthersurprisedfacultiesandsallytotherescue,sixorsevenclodshadtakenpersonaleffect,andTomwasoverthefenceandgone.Therewasagate,butasageneralthinghewastoocrowdedfortimetomakeuseofit.Hissoulwasatpeace,nowthathehadsettledwithSidforcallingattentiontohisblackthreadandgettinghimintotrouble.

Tomskirtedtheblock,andcameroundintoamuddyalleythatledbythebackofhisaunt'scow-stable.Hepresentlygotsafelybeyondthereachofcaptureandpunishment,andhastenedtowardthepublicsquareofthevillage,wheretwo"military"companiesofboyshadmetforconflict,accordingtopreviousappointment.TomwasGeneralofoneofthesearmies,JoeHarper（abosomfriend）Generaloftheother.Thesetwogreatcommandersdidnotcondescendtofightinperson--thatbeingbettersuitedtothestillsmallerfry--butsattogetheronaneminenceandconductedthefieldoperationsbyordersdeliveredthroughaides-de-camp.Tom'sarmywonagreatvictory,afteralongandhard-foughtbattle.Thenthedeadwerecounted,prisonersexchanged,thetermsofthenextdisagreementagreedupon,andthedayforthenecessarybattleappointed;afterwhichthearmiesfellintolineandmarchedaway,andTomturnedhomewardalone.

AshewaspassingbythehousewhereJeffThatcherlived,hesawanewgirlinthegarden--alovelylittleblue-eyedcreaturewithyellowhairplaitedintotwolong-tails,whitesummerfrockandembroideredpantalettes.Thefresh-crownedherofellwithoutfiringashot.AcertainAmyLawrencevanishedoutofhisheartandleftnotevenamemoryofherselfbehind.Hehadthoughthelovedhertodistraction;hehadregardedhispassionasadoration;andbeholditwasonlyapoorlittleevanescentpartiality.Hehadbeenmonthswinningher;shehadconfessedhardlyaweekago;hehadbeenthehappiestandtheproudestboyintheworldonlysevenshortdays,andhereinoneinstantoftimeshehadgoneoutofhisheartlikeacasualstrangerwhosevisitisdone.

Heworshippedthisnewangelwithfurtiveeye,tillhesawthatshehaddiscoveredhim;thenhepretendedhedidnotknowshewaspresent,andbeganto"showoff"inallsortsofabsurdboyishways,inordertowinheradmiration.Hekeptupthisgrotesquefoolishnessforsometime;butby-and-by,whilehewasinthemidstofsomedangerousgymnasticperformances,heglancedasideandsawthatthelittlegirlwaswendingherwaytowardthehouse.Tomcameuptothefenceandleanedonit,grieving,andhopingshewouldtarryyetawhilelonger.Shehaltedamomentonthestepsandthenmovedtowardthedoor.Tomheavedagreatsighassheputherfootonthethreshold.Buthisfacelitup,rightaway,forshetossedapansyoverthefenceamomentbeforeshedisappeared.

Theboyranaroundandstoppedwithinafootortwooftheflower,andthenshadedhiseyeswithhishandandbegantolookdownstreetasifhehaddiscoveredsomethingofinterestgoingoninthatdirection.presentlyhepickedupastrawandbegantryingtobalanceitonhisnose,withhisheadtiltedfarback;andashemovedfromsidetoside,inhisefforts,heedgednearerandnearertowardthepansy;finallyhisbarefootresteduponit,hisplianttoescloseduponit,andhehoppedawaywiththetreasureanddisappearedroundthecorner.Butonlyforaminute--onlywhilehecouldbuttontheflowerinsidehisjacket,nexthisheart--ornexthisstomach,possibly,forhewasnotmuchpostedinanatomy,andnothypercritical,anyway.

Hereturned,now,andhungaboutthefencetillnightfall,"showingoff,"asbefore;butthegirlneverexhibitedherselfagain,thoughTomcomfortedhimselfalittlewiththehopethatshehadbeennearsomewindow,meantime,andbeenawareofhisattentions.Finallyhestrodehomereluctantly,withhispoorheadfullofvisions.

Allthroughsupperhisspiritsweresohighthathisauntwondered"whathadgotintothechild."HetookagoodscoldingaboutcloddingSid,anddidnotseemtominditintheleast.Hetriedtostealsugarunderhisaunt'sverynose,andgothisknucklesrappedforit.Hesaid:

"Aunt,youdon'twhackSidwhenhetakesit."

"Well,Siddon'ttormentabodythewayyoudo.You'dbealwaysintothatsugarifIwarn'twatchingyou."

presentlyshesteppedintothekitchen,andSid,happyinhisimmunity,reachedforthesugar-bowl--asortofgloryingoverTomwhichwaswellnighunbearable.ButSid'sfingersslippedandthebowldroppedandbroke.Tomwasinecstasies.Insuchecstasiesthatheevencontrolledhistongueandwassilent.Hesaidtohimselfthathewouldnotspeakaword,evenwhenhisauntcamein,butwouldsitperfectlystilltillsheaskedwhodidthemischief;andthenhewouldtell,andtherewouldbenothingsogoodintheworldastoseethatpetmodel"catchit."Hewassobrimfulofexultationthathecouldhardlyholdhimselfwhentheoldladycamebackandstoodabovethewreckdischarginglightningsofwrathfromoverherspectacles.Hesaidtohimself,"Nowit'scoming!

"Andthenextinstanthewassprawlingonthefloor!

ThepotentpalmwasupliftedtostrikeagainwhenTomcriedout:

"Holdon,now,what'eryoubeltingmefor?

--Sidbrokeit!

"

Auntpollypaused,perplexed,andTomlookedforhealingpity.Butwhenshegothertongueagain,sheonlysaid:

"Umf!

Well,youdidn'tgetalickamiss,Ireckon.YoubeenintosomeotheraudaciousmischiefwhenIwasn'taround,likeenough."

Thenherconsciencereproachedher,andsheyearnedtosaysomethingkindandloving;butshejudgedthatthiswouldbeconstruedintoaconfessionthatshehadbeeninthewrong,anddisciplineforbadethat.Soshekeptsilence,andwentaboutheraffairswithatroubledheart.Tomsulkedinacornerandexaltedhiswoes.Heknewthatinherhearthisauntwasonherkneestohim,andhewasmoroselygratifiedbytheconsciousnessofit.Hewouldhangoutnosignals,hewouldtakenoticeofnone.Heknewthatayearningglancefelluponhim,nowandthen,throughafilmoftears,butherefusedrecognitionofit.Hepicturedhimselflyingsickuntodeathandhisauntbendingoverhimbeseechingonelittleforgivingword,buthewouldturnhisfacetothewall,anddiewiththatwordunsaid.Ah,howwouldshefeelthen?

Andhepicturedhimselfbroughthomefromtheriver,dead,withhiscurlsallwet,andhissoreheartatrest.Howshewouldthrowherselfuponhim,andhowhertearswouldfalllikerain,andherlipsprayGodtogiveherbackherboyandshewouldnever,neverabusehimanymore!

Buthewouldlietherecoldandwhiteandmakenosign--apoorlittlesufferer,whosegriefswereatanend.Hesoworkeduponhisfeelingswiththepathosofthesedreams,thathehadtokeepswallowing,hewassoliketochoke;andhiseyesswaminablurofwater,whichoverflowedwhenhewinked,andrandownandtrickledfromtheendofhisnose.Andsuchaluxurytohimwasthispettingofhissorrows,thathecouldnotbeartohaveanyworldlycheerinessoranygratingdelightintrudeuponit;itwastoosacredforsuchcontact;andso,presently,whenhiscousinMarydancedin,allalivewiththejoyofseeinghomeagainafteranage-longvisitofoneweektothecountry,hegotupandmovedincloudsanddarknessoutatonedoorasshebroughtsongandsunshineinattheother.

Hewanderedfarfromtheaccustomedhauntsofboys,andsoughtdesolateplacesthatwereinharmonywithhisspirit.Alograftintheriverinvitedhim,andheseatedhimselfonitsouteredgeandcontemplatedthedrearyvastnessofthestream,wishing,thewhile,thathecouldonlybedrowned,allatonceandunconsciously,withoutundergoingtheuncomfortablerouti