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When Tom awoke in the morning, he wondered where he was. He sat up and rubbed his eyes and looked around. Then he comprehended. It was the cool gray dawn, and there was a delicious sense of repose1 and peace in the deep pervading2 calm and silence of the woods. Not a leaf stirred; not a sound obtruded3 upon great Nature’s meditation4. Beaded dewdrops stood upon the leaves and grasses. A white layer of ashes covered the fire, and a thin blue breath of smoke rose straight into the air. Joe and Huck still slept.
Now, far away in the woods a bird called; another answered; presently the hammering of a woodpecker was heard. Gradually the cool dim gray of the morning whitened, and as gradually sounds multiplied and life manifested itself. The marvel5 of Nature shaking off sleep and going to work unfolded itself to the musing6 boy. A little green worm came crawling over a dewy leaf, lifting two-thirds of his body into the air from time to time and “sniffing7 around,” then proceeding8 again—for he was measuring, Tom said; and when the worm approached him, of its own accord, he sat as still as a stone, with his hopes rising and falling, by turns, as the creature still came toward him or seemed inclined to go elsewhere; and when at last it considered a painful moment with its curved body in the air and then came decisively down upon Tom’s leg and began a journey over him, his whole heart was glad—for that meant that he was going to have a new suit of clothes—without the shadow of a doubt a gaudy9 piratical uniform. Now a procession of ants appeared, from nowhere in particular, and went about their labors10; one struggled manfully by with a dead spider five times as big as itself in its arms, and lugged11 it straight up a tree-trunk. A brown spotted12 lady-bug climbed the dizzy height of a grass blade, and Tom bent13 down close to it and said, “Lady-bug, lady-bug, fly away home, your house is on fire, your children’s alone,” and she took wing and went off to see about it—which did not surprise the boy, for he knew of old that this insect was credulous14 about conflagrations15, and he had practised upon its simplicity16 more than once. A tumblebug came next, heaving sturdily at its ball, and Tom touched the creature, to see it shut its legs against its body and pretend to be dead. The birds were fairly rioting by this time. A catbird, the Northern mocker, lit in a tree over Tom’s head, and trilled out her imitations of her neighbors in a rapture17 of enjoyment; then a shrill18 jay swept down, a flash of blue flame, and stopped on a twig19 almost within the boy’s reach, cocked his head to one side and eyed the strangers with a consuming curiosity; a gray squirrel and a big fellow of the “fox” kind came skurrying along, sitting up at intervals20 to inspect and chatter21 at the boys, for the wild things had probably never seen a human being before and scarcely knew whether to be afraid or not. All Nature was wide awake and stirring, now; long lances of sunlight pierced down through the dense22foliage23 far and near, and a few butterflies came fluttering upon the scene.
Tom stirred up the other pirates and they all clattered24 away with a shout, and in a minute or two were stripped and chasing after and tumbling over each other in the shallow limpid25 water of the white sandbar. They felt no longing26 for the little village sleeping in the distance beyond the majestic27 waste of water. A vagrant28 current or a slight rise in the river had carried off their raft, but this only gratified them, since its going was something like burning the bridge between them and civilization.
They came back to camp wonderfully refreshed, glad-hearted, and ravenous29; and they soon had the camp-fire blazing up again. Huck found a spring of clear cold water close by, and the boys made cups of broad oak or hickory leaves, and felt that water, sweetened with such a wildwood charm as that, would be a good enough substitute for coffee. While Joe was slicing bacon for breakfast, Tom and Huck asked him to hold on a minute; they stepped to a promising30 nook in the river-bank and threw in their lines; almost immediately they had reward. Joe had not had time to get impatient before they were back again with some handsome bass31, a couple of sun-perch and a small catfish—provisions enough for quite a family. They fried the fish with the bacon, and were astonished; for no fish had ever seemed so delicious before. They did not know that the quicker a fresh-water fish is on the fire after he is caught the better he is; and they reflected little upon what a sauce open-air sleeping, open-air exercise, bathing, and a large ingredient of hunger make, too.
They lay around in the shade, after breakfast, while Huck had a smoke, and then went off through the woods on an exploring expedition32. They tramped gayly along, over decaying logs, through tangled33 underbrush, among solemn monarchs34 of the forest, hung from their crowns to the ground with a drooping35 regalia of grape-vines. Now and then they came upon snug36 nooks carpeted with grass and jeweled with flowers.
They found plenty of things to be delighted with, but nothing to be astonished at. They discovered that the island was about three miles long and a quarter of a mile wide, and that the shore it lay closest to was only separated from it by a narrow channel hardly two hundred yards wide. They took a swim about every hour, so it was close upon the middle of the afternoon when they got back to camp. They were too hungry to stop to fish, but they fared sumptuously37 upon cold ham, and then threw themselves down in the shade to talk. But the talk soon began to drag, and then died. The stillness, the solemnity that brooded in the woods, and the sense of loneliness, began to tell upon the spirits of the boys. They fell to thinking. A sort of undefined longing crept upon them. This took dim shape, presently—it was budding homesickness. Even Finn the Red-Handed was dreaming of his doorsteps and empty hogsheads. But they were all ashamed of their weakness, and none was brave enough to speak his thought.
For some time, now, the boys had been dully conscious of a peculiar38 sound in the distance, just as one sometimes is of the ticking of a clock which he takes no distinct note of. But now this mysterious sound became more pronounced, and forced a recognition. The boys started, glanced at each other, and then each assumed a listening attitude. There was a long silence, profound and unbroken; then a deep, sullen39 boom came floating down out of the distance.
“What is it!” exclaimed Joe, under his breath.
“I wonder,” said Tom in a whisper.
“’Tain’t thunder,” said Huckleberry, in an awed40 tone, “becuz thunder—”
“Hark!” said Tom. “Listen—don’t talk.”
They waited a time that seemed an age, and then the same muffled41 boom troubled the solemn hush42.
“Let’s go and see.”
They sprang to their feet and hurried to the shore toward the town. They parted the bushes on the bank and peered out over the water. The little steam ferry-boat was about a mile below the village, drifting with the current. Her broad deck seemed crowded with people. There were a great many skiffs rowing about or floating with the stream in the neighborhood of the ferryboat, but the boys could not determine what the men in them were doing. Presently a great jet of white smoke burst from the ferryboat’s side, and as it expanded and rose in a lazy cloud, that same dull throb43 of sound was borne to the listeners again.
“I know now!” exclaimed Tom; “somebody’s drownded!”
“That’s it!” said Huck; “they done that last summer, when Bill Turner got drownded; they shoot a cannon44 over the water, and that makes him come up to the top. Yes, and they take loaves of bread and put quicksilver in ’em and set ’em afloat, and wherever there’s anybody that’s drownded, they’ll float right there and stop.”
“Yes, I’ve heard about that,” said Joe. “I wonder what makes the bread do that.”
“Oh, it ain’t the bread, so much,” said Tom; “I reckon it’s mostly what they say over it before they start it out.”
“But they don’t say anything over it,” said Huck. “I’ve seen ’em and they don’t.”
“Well, that’s funny,” said Tom. “But maybe they say it to themselves. Of course they do. Anybody might know that.”
The other boys agreed that there was reason in what Tom said, because an ignorant lump of bread, uninstructed by an incantation, could not be expected to act very intelligently when set upon an errand of such gravity.
“By jings, I wish I was over there, now,” said Joe.
“I do too,” said Huck. “I’d give heaps to know who it is.”
The boys still listened and watched. Presently a revealing thought flashed through Tom’s mind, and he exclaimed:
“Boys, I know who’s drownded—it’s us!”
They felt like heroes in an instant. Here was a gorgeous triumph; they were missed; they were mourned; hearts were breaking on their account; tears were being shed; accusing memories of unkindness to these poor lost lads were rising up, and unavailing regrets and remorse45 were being indulged; and best of all, the departed were the talk of the whole town, and the envy of all the boys, as far as this dazzling notoriety was concerned. This was fine. It was worth while to be a pirate, after all.
As twilight46 drew on, the ferryboat went back to her accustomed business and the skiffs disappeared. The pirates returned to camp. They were jubilant with vanity over their new grandeur47 and the illustrious trouble they were making. They caught fish, cooked supper and ate it, and then fell to guessing at what the village was thinking and saying about them; and the pictures they drew of the public distress48 on their account were gratifying to look upon—from their point of view. But when the shadows of night closed them in, they gradually ceased to talk, and sat gazing into the fire, with their minds evidently wandering elsewhere. The excitement was gone, now, and Tom and Joe could not keep back thoughts of certain persons at home who were not enjoying this fine frolic as much as they were. Misgivings49 came; they grew troubled and unhappy; a sigh or two escaped, unawares. By and by Joe timidly ventured upon a roundabout “feeler” as to how the others might look upon a return to civilization—not right now, but—
Tom withered50 him with derision! Huck, being uncommitted as yet, joined in with Tom, and the waverer quickly “explained,” and was glad to get out of the scrape with as little taint51 of chicken-hearted home-sickness clinging to his garments as he could. Mutiny was effectually laid to rest for the moment.
As the night deepened, Huck began to nod, and presently to snore. Joe followed next. Tom lay upon his elbow motionless, for some time, watching the two intently. At last he got up cautiously, on his knees, and went searching among the grass and the flickering52 reflections flung by the campfire. He picked up and inspected several large semi-cylinders of the thin white bark of a sycamore, and finally chose two which seemed to suit him. Then he knelt by the fire and painfully wrote something upon each of these with his “red keel”; one he rolled up and put in his jacket pocket, and the other he put in Joe’s hat and removed it to a little distance from the owner. And he also put into the hat certain schoolboy treasures of almost inestimable value—among them a lump of chalk, an India-rubber ball, three fishhooks, and one of that kind of marbles known as a “sure ’nough crystal.” Then he tiptoed his way cautiously among the trees till he felt that he was out of hearing, and straightway broke into a keen run in the direction of the sandbar.
单词标签: repose pervading obtruded meditation marvel musing sniffing proceeding gaudy labors lugged spotted bent credulous conflagrations simplicity rapture shrill twig intervals chatter dense foliage clattered limpid longing majestic vagrant ravenous promising bass expedition tangled monarchs drooping snug sumptuously peculiar sullen awed muffled hush throb cannon remorse twilight grandeur distress misgivings withered taint flickering
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vt.(使)休息；n.安息
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v.遍及，弥漫( pervade的现在分词 )
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v.强行向前，强行，强迫( obtrude的过去式和过去分词 )
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4meditation [ˌmedɪˈteɪʃn] 第8级
n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录
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vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异；n.令人惊异的事
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n. 沉思，冥想 adj. 沉思的, 冥想的 动词muse的现在分词形式
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n.探查法v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的现在分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说
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8proceeding [prəˈsi:dɪŋ] 第7级
n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报
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adj.华而不实的；俗丽的
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v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转
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vt.用力拖拉（lug的过去式与过去分词形式）
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adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的
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n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的；v.（使）弯曲，屈身(bend的过去式和过去分词)
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adj.轻信的，易信的
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15conflagrations [kɒnfləɡ'reɪʃnz] 第11级
n.大火（灾）( conflagration的名词复数 )
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16simplicity [sɪmˈplɪsəti] 第7级
n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯
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n.狂喜；全神贯注；着迷；vt.使狂喜
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adj.尖声的；刺耳的；vt.&vi.尖叫
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n.小树枝，嫩枝；v.理解
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n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息
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vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战
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adj.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的
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n.叶子，树叶，簇叶
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发出咔哒声（clatter的过去式与过去分词形式）
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adj.清澈的，透明的
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n.（for）渴望
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adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的
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n.流浪者，游民；adj.流浪的，漂泊不定的
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adj.极饿的，贪婪的
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adj.有希望的，有前途的
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n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴
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32expedition [ˌekspəˈdɪʃn] 第8级
n.远征，探险队，迅速；
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adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词
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君主，帝王( monarch的名词复数 )
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adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词
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adj.温暖舒适的，合身的，安全的；v.使整洁干净，舒适地依靠，紧贴；n.（英）酒吧里的私房
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37sumptuously ['sʌmptʃʊəslɪ] 第9级
奢侈地，豪华地
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38peculiar [pɪˈkju:liə(r)] 第7级
adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的
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adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的
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adj.充满敬畏的，表示敬畏的v.使敬畏，使惊惧( awe的过去式和过去分词 )
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adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己）
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int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静
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vi.震颤，颤动；(急速强烈地)跳动，搏动；n.悸动，脉搏
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n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮
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n.痛恨，悔恨，自责
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n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期
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n.伟大，崇高，宏伟，庄严，豪华
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n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛
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49misgivings [mɪs'ɡɪvɪŋz] 第8级
n.疑虑，担忧，害怕；疑虑，担心，恐惧( misgiving的名词复数 )；疑惧
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adj. 枯萎的，干瘪的，（人身体的部分器官）因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式
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n.污点；感染；腐坏；v.使感染；污染
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52flickering ['flikəriŋ] 第9级
adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的
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