7.汤姆·索亚历险记（节选）

7 The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (excerpt)

1. By dusk on Tuesday, the town of St. Petersburg was still shrouded in sorrow, and the two lost children had not been found.

2. The people of the town had prayed publicly for them, and many others had prayed privately for the two children, sincerely praying for their safety, but still no good news had come from the cave.

3. Most of the searchers had given up the search for the children and returned to the town to continue their usual work to go, they think the child is clearly not to be found.

4. Mrs. Thatcher was very ill and spent most of her time talking nonsense.

5. People heard her call out for the baby, and it was heartbreaking to see her raise her head each time, listen sideways for a long time, and then moan and hang her head weakly.

6. Aunt Polly had fallen into grief and despair, her head of gray hair almost all turned white.

7. At night, the town stopped all activities, the whole town was overshadowed by sadness and misery.

8. In the middle of the night, the town came to the sound of crazy bells.

9. In a short time, the streets were crowded with disheveled but ecstatic people, shouting: "Come and see!

10. They've found them both!"

11. People clanked their iron bowls and copper pots, and the sound of tinkling trumpets merged with the clamor of the people.

12. People crowded in groups to the river bank to meet the two children who had returned in the open car.

13. The car was pulled and flanked by the cheering villagers.

14. The people who came to meet them joined the procession back to the town, and they marched through the streets with majestic and powerful steps, cheering one after another.

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

16. It was one of the most glorious nights the town had ever seen.

17. half an hour after the return of the children, the town lined up to Judge Thatcher's house, hugged the two rescued children and kissed, while also holding Mrs. Thatcher's hand, full of words to say but can not say, tears like rain sprinkled on the ground.

18. Aunt Polly is really happy to the extreme, Mrs. Thatcher is also the same.

19. However, when the messenger sent to the cave to report the happy news to her husband, the joy will become perfect.

20. Tom was lying on a sofa surrounded by eager listeners.

21. He told them about this wonderful adventure, while also boasting exaggeratedly, and finally described how he left Becky to explore, how in the case of the kite line can reach along those two passages to explore the way forward, and how to explore the third passage, until the kite line is not enough.

22. Just as he turned to walk back, he suddenly found a small bright light in the distance, as if it were the sunlight, so he put down the kite string and groped toward it.

23. He poked his shoulders and head through a small hole and saw the wide Mississippi River rolling by below!

24. If it happened to be night, he would never have seen that little patch of sunlight and would not have found the passage.

25. He also told how he went back to Becky and told her the good news, while she told him not to bother her with these boring lies, because she was tired and knew she was dying, and she was willing to die.

26. He also told how he convinced Becky with all his words, when she fumbled to crawl to the mouth of the cave, see the small piece of sunlight, how excited, simply to die of joy.

27. He also said how he first climbed out of the cave, and then helped Becky climb out, how they sat there and cried aloud with joy, how some people passed by in small boats, and how they both called out to them and told them what had happened to them.

28. He also described how at first the people did not believe this absurd and strange story, for they said, "You are downstream from the river, five miles from the cave in the ravine."

29. Then they helped them both into the boat, rowed them to a house, gave them both supper, let them rest for two or three hours, and then sent them back home.

30. Tom and Becky soon found that the three days and nights of fatigue and hunger suffered in the cave, it is impossible to recover immediately.

31. Wednesday and Thursday two full days, they straight bed, as if the more difficult to lie, there is no a little strength.

32. Tom was able to go down for a while on Thursday, and on Friday he was able to go to town for a stroll, and on Saturday he was almost completely back to normal.

33. but Becky was not able to walk outside until Sunday, looking as if she had just had a serious illness.

34. Tom heard that Huck was sick, so he went to see him on Friday, who knew that he was blocked from the door, Saturday and Sunday for two days in a row also did not let him in.

35. After Sunday, he could go to see Huck every day, but Huck's family warned him not to reveal his adventure, and not to talk about any exciting topics.

36. Widow Douglas stood by to see if Tom's mother complied with the rules.

37. Back home, Tom heard about what happened at Cardiff Hill and learned that the body of the "ragamuffin" was finally found near the ferry dock, probably drowned on the way out.

38. Two weeks after Tom was rescued from the cave, Huck was much stronger and not afraid to listen to exciting topics.

39. Tom went to visit Huck again, he thought, there are some topics of interest to Huck.

40. Judge Thatcher's house was not far from where Huck lived, so Tom stopped by to see Becky.

41. The judge and a few of his friends teased him by talking at length, and some of them asked him in a mocking tone if he wanted to take another trip to that cave.

42. Tom said he didn't think he would care.

43. the judge said: there are some people like you want to go to the cave to see it, Tom, there is no doubt about it.

44. but we have taken precautions so that no one will ever get lost in that cave again."

45. "Why?

46. "Because two weeks ago I got someone to use the boiler plate to seal the cave entrance, and then three locks, the key is in my possession."

47. Tom's face immediately became white.

48. "What is it, boy!

49. Hey, someone come quickly!

50. Bring a glass of water!"

51. Someone took a glass of water and splashed it on Tom's face.

52. "Ah, it's all right now. What's wrong with you, Tom?"

53. "Gee, Judge, Indriver Joey is still in the hole!