《汤姆·索亚历险记》第二十三章 波特无罪,乔逃亡在外
AT last the sleepy atmosphere was stirred -- and vigorously: the murder trial came on in the court. It became the absorbing topic of village talk immediately. Tom could not get away from it. Every reference to the murder sent a shudder to his heart, for his troubled conscience and fears almost persuaded him that these remarks were put forth in his hearing as "feelers"; he did not see how he could be suspected of knowing anything about the murder, but still he could not be comfortable in the midst of this gossip. It kept him in a cold shiver all the time. He took Huck to a lonely place to have a talk with him. It would be some relief to unseal his tongue for a little while; to divide his burden of distress with another sufferer. Moreover, he wanted to assure himself that Huck had remained discreet.
"Huck, have you ever told anybody about -- that?"
"'Bout what?"
"You know what."
"Oh -- 'course I haven't."
"Never a word?"
"Never a solitary word, so help me. What makes you ask?"
"Well, I was afeard."
"Why, Tom Sawyer, we wouldn't be alive two days if that got found out. You know that."
Tom felt more comfortable. After a pause:
"Huck, they couldn't anybody get you to tell, could they?"
"Get me to tell? Why, if I wanted that half-breed devil to drownd me they could get me to tell. They ain't no different way."
"Well, that's all right, then. I reckon we're safe as long as we keep mum. But let's swear again, anyway. It's more surer."
"I'm agreed."
So they swore again with dread solemnities.
"What is the talk around, Huck? I've heard a power of it."
"Talk? Well, it's just Muff potter, Muff potter, Muff potter all the time. It keeps me in a sweat, constant, so's I want to hide som'ers."
"That's just the same way they go on round me. I reckon he's a goner. Don't you feel sorry for him, sometimes?"
"Most always -- most always. He ain't no account; but then he hain't ever done anything to hurt anybody. Just fishes a little, to get money to get drunk on -- and loafs around considerable; but lord, we all do that -- leastways most of us -- preachers and such like. But he's kind of good -- he give me half a fish, once, when there warn't enough for two; and lots of times he's kind of stood by me when I was out of luck."
"Well, he's mended kites for me, Huck, and knitted hooks on to my line. I wish we could get him out of there."
"My! we couldn't get him out, Tom. And besides, 'twouldn't do any good; they'd ketch him again."
"Yes -- so they would. But I hate to hear 'em abuse him so like the dickens when he never done -- that."
"I do too, Tom. Lord, I hear 'em say he's the bloodiest looking villain in this country, and they wonder he wasn't ever hung before."
"Yes, they talk like that, all the time. I've heard 'em say that if he was to get free they'd lynch him."
"And they'd do it, too."
The boys had a long talk, but it brought them little comfort. As the twilight drew on, they found themselves hanging about the neighborhood of the little isolated jail, perhaps with an undefined hope that something would happen that might clear away their difficulties. But nothing happened; there seemed to be no angels or fairies interested in this luckless captive.
The boys did as they had often done before -- went to the cell grating and gave potter some tobacco and matches. He was on the ground floor and there were no guards.
His gratitude for their gifts had always smote their consciences before -- it cut deeper than ever, this time. They felt cowardly and treacherous to the last degree when potter said:
"You've been mighty good to me, boys -- better'n anybody else in this town. And I don't forget it, I don't. Often I says to myself, says I, 'I used to mend all the boys' kites and things, and show 'em where the good fishin' places was, and befriend 'em what I could, and now they've all forgot old Muff when he's in trouble; but Tom don't, and Huck don't -- they don't forget him, says I, 'and I don't forget them.' Well, boys, I done an awful thing -- drunk and crazy at the time -- that's the only way I account for it 鈥揳nd now I got to swing for it, and it's right. Right, and best, too, I reckon -- hope so, anyway. Well, we won't talk about that. I don't want to make you feel bad; you've befriended me. But what I want to say, is, don't you ever get drunk -- then you won't ever get here. Stand a litter furder west -- so -- that's it; it's a prime comfort to see faces that's friendly when a body's in such a muck of trouble, and there don't none come here but yourn. Good friendly faces -- good friendly faces. Git up on one another's backs and let me touch 'em. That's it. Shake hands -- yourn'll come through the bars, but mine's too big. Little hands, and weak -- but they've helped Muff potter a power, and they'd help him more if they could."
Tom went home miserable, and his dreams that night were full of horrors. The next day and the day after, he hung about the court-room, drawn by an almost irresistible impulse to go in, but forcing himself to stay out. Huck was having the same experience. They studiously avoided each other. Each wandered away, from time to time, but the same dismal fascination always brought them back presently. Tom kept his ears open when idlers sauntered out of the courtroom, but invariably heard distressing news -- the toils were closing more and more relentlessly around poor potter. At the end of the second day the village talk was to the effect that Injun Joe's evidence stood firm and unshaken, and that there was not the slightest question as to what the jury's verdict would be.
Tom was out late, that night, and came to bed through the window. He was in a tremendous state of excitement. It was hours before he got to sleep. All the village flocked to the court-house the next morning, for this was to be the great day. Both sexes were about equally represented in the packed audience. After a long wait the jury filed in and took their places; shortly afterward, potter, pale and haggard, timid and hopeless, was brought in, with chains upon him, and seated where all the curious eyes could stare at him; no less conspicuous was Injun Joe, stolid as ever. There was another pause, and then the judge arrived and the sheriff proclaimed the opening of the court. The usual whisperings among the lawyers and gathering together of papers followed. These details and accompanying delays worked up an atmosphere of preparation that was as impressive as it was fascinating.
Now a witness was called who testified that he found Muff potter washing in the brook, at an early hour of the morning that the murder was discovered, and that he immediately sneaked away. After some further questioning, counsel for the prosecution said:
"Take the witness."
The prisoner raised his eyes for a moment, but dropped them again when his own counsel said:
"I have no questions to ask him."
The next witness proved the finding of the knife near the corpse. Counsel for the prosecution said:
"Take the witness."
"I have no questions to ask him," potter's lawyer replied.
A third witness swore he had often seen the knife in potter's possession.
"Take the witness."
Counsel for potter declined to question him. The faces of the audience began to betray annoyance. Did this attorney mean to throw away his client's life without an effort?
Several witnesses deposed concerning potter's guilty behavior when brought to the scene of the murder. They were allowed to leave the stand without being cross-questioned.
Every detail of the damaging circumstances that occurred in the graveyard upon that morning which all present remembered so well was brought out by credible witnesses, but none of them were crossexamined by potter's lawyer. The perplexity and dissatisfaction of the house expressed itself in murmurs and provoked a reproof from the bench. Counsel for the prosecution now said:
"By the oaths of citizens whose simple word is above suspicion, we have fastened this awful crime, beyond all possibility of question, upon the unhappy prisoner at the bar. We rest our case here."
A groan escaped from poor potter, and he put his face in his hands and rocked his body softly to and fro, while a painful silence reigned in the court-room. Many men were moved, and many women's compassion testified itself in tears. Counsel for the defence rose and said:
"Your honor, in our remarks at the opening of this trial, we foreshadowed our purpose to prove that our client did this fearful deed while under the influence of a blind and irresponsible delirium produced by drink. We have changed our mind. We shall not offer that plea." [Then to the clerk:] "Call Thomas Sawyer!"
A puzzled amazement awoke in every face in the house, not even excepting potter's. Every eye fastened itself with wondering interest upon Tom as he rose and took his place upon the stand. The boy looked wild enough, for he was badly scared. The oath was administered.
"Thomas Sawyer, where were you on the seventeenth of June, about the hour of midnight?"
Tom glanced at Injun Joe's iron face and his tongue failed him. The audience listened breathless, but the words refused to come. After a few moments, however, the boy got a little of his strength back, and managed to put enough of it into his voice to make part of the house hear:
"In the graveyard!"
"A little bit louder, please. Don't be afraid. You were --"
"In the graveyard."
A contemptuous smile flitted across Injun Joe's face.
"Were you anywhere near Horse Williams' grave?"
"Yes, sir."
"Speak up -- just a trifle louder. How near were you?"
"Near as I am to you."
"Were you hidden, or not?"
"I was hid."
"Where?"
"Behind the elms that's on the edge of the grave."
Injun Joe gave a barely perceptible start.
"Any one with you?"
"Yes, sir. I went there with --"
"Wait -- wait a moment. Never mind mentioning your companion's name. We will produce him at the proper time. Did you carry anything there with you."
Tom hesitated and looked confused.
"Speak out, my boy -- don't be diffident. The truth is always respectable. What did you take there?"
"Only a -- a -- dead cat."
There was a ripple of mirth, which the court checked.
"We will produce the skeleton of that cat. Now, my boy, tell us everything that occurred -- tell it in your own way -- don't skip anything, and don't be afraid."
Tom began -- hesitatingly at first, but as he warmed to his subject his words flowed more and more easily; in a little while every sound ceased but his own voice; every eye fixed itself upon him; with parted lips and bated breath the audience hung upon his words, taking no note of time, rapt in the ghastly fascinations of the tale. The strain upon pent emotion reached its climax when the boy said:
"-- and as the doctor fetched the board around and Muff potter fell, Injun Joe jumped with the knife and --"
Crash! Quick as lightning the half-breed sprang for a window, tore his way through all opposers, and was gone!
最后,昏昏然的气氛被打破了鈥斺敹掖蚱频煤艹沟祝耗瞧鹉鄙卑冈诜ㄍド瞎罄砹恕U馐铝⒓闯闪巳蛉颂嘎鄣娜让呕疤狻L滥肺薹ò谕颜饧隆C糠暧腥颂峒罢馄鹉鄙卑福托奈拢蛭遣话驳牧夹暮图鹊目志寮负跏顾嘈牛思沂枪室馑蹈教剿拟溈诜玮潱凰幻靼祝鹑嗽趺椿峄骋勺约毫私庹飧霭盖椋苏庑┮槁郏苁遣荒芄惶┤淮χU庑┗叭盟煌5卮蚝洹K压死揭桓銎Ь泊Γ噶苏饧隆D茉菔钡厍阃乱幌滦慕幔土硪桓鐾苷勰サ娜斯餐值R幌掠浅睿舛蕴滥防此担嗌偎闶堑惆参俊6遥敫闱宄耸欠袷贾彰话颜飧雒孛苄孤冻鋈ァ
鈥湽耍阍裁慈怂灯鸸斺斈羌侣穑库
鈥準裁词虑椋库
鈥溍髦饰省b
鈥溑垛斺數比幻凰倒b
鈥溡痪湟裁凰倒穑库
鈥溡桓鲎忠裁凰倒曳⑹摹D阄收飧龈陕穑库
鈥湴Γ液芎ε隆b
鈥満伲滥路索亚,一旦秘密泄露,我们连两天也活不成。这你知道。鈥
汤姆觉得心里踏实多了。停了一会,他说:
鈥湽耍撬潜颇阏泄阍趺窗欤库
鈥湵莆艺泄亢伲俏蚁氡荒歉龌煺释醢说盎罨钛退溃也呕嵴泄7裨颍蔷觳坏健b
鈥満冒桑庋兔皇铝恕N蚁胫灰勖鞘乜谌缙浚涂杀0踩晃揄Α5牵迷勖窃俜⒁换厥陌伞U庋慰啃b
鈥溛以蕹伞b
于是他们又非常严肃认真地发了一回誓。
鈥湸蠹叶荚谝槁坌┦裁词拢耍课姨降亩嗟靡凰垦剑♀
鈥準裁词拢繂悖共皇悄路波特、莫夫路波特、莫夫路波特,没完没了。这些话让人直冒冷汗,我想找个地方躲一躲。鈥
鈥溛乙灿型小N蚁胨闶峭炅恕D闶遣皇怯惺焙蛞参械侥压库
鈥湶畈欢嗑N压斺斁J钦庋K凰闶裁慈宋铮坏永疵蛔龉裁瓷颂旌淼氖虑椤2还堑龅鲇悖ヂ羟椿痪拼蠛纫煌ㄢ斺敵5酱ο泄洌豢墒牵咸欤勖且裁簧俑烧庑┦掳♀斺斊鹇朐勖嵌喟攵际钦庋斺斄嫉赖娜艘膊焕狻5撬难酆免斺斢幸淮危业龅挠悴还涣礁鋈朔郑垢宋野胩跤悖换褂泻枚啻危以似患训氖焙颍济簧侔锩Αb
鈥湴ィ耍镂倚薰珞荩拱镂野延愎诚翟诟妥由稀
我希望我们能把他救出来。鈥
鈥湴パ剑√滥罚强墒共坏谩?銮遥瘸隼匆膊患糜谑拢
他们还会再把他抓回去。鈥
鈥準茄解斺斔腔嵩侔阉セ厝ァ?墒牵姨盅崽剿锹钏悄Ч恚涫邓久桓赦斺斈羌隆b
鈥溛乙惨谎滥贰@咸煲姨剿锹钏侨芬缓哦窆鳎腔顾邓裁创忧懊槐唤仕滥亍b
鈥湺裕且恢倍际钦饷绰畹摹N一固怂担撬环懦隼矗蔷屯低到峁羲b
鈥溗钦娴幕崮敲锤伞b
两个孩子谈了很久,可并没有得到什么安慰。天色向晚,他俩来到那偏僻的小牢房附近转悠,心里存着不太明确的希望,希望能发生什么意外之事,来帮他们排忧解难。但是,什么事也没发生;似乎没什么天使神仙对这倒霉的囚犯感兴趣。
这两个孩子还是像从前那样鈥斺斪叩嚼畏康拇盎嵌ㄌ氐萁ヒ坏阊桃逗突鸩瘛K还卦诘谝徊悖挥锌词亍
他非常感激他俩给他送好东西,这更让他俩的良心不安起来鈥斺斦庖淮危癜训端频纳钌畲探切睦铩5辈ㄌ卮蚩跋皇保┚醯米约杭涞ㄐ∨率拢歉鍪愕呐淹健K担
鈥満⒆用牵忝嵌晕姨昧蒜斺敱日蛏先魏纹渌娜硕己谩N也换嵬堑模彝涣恕N页W愿龆鶈堖蹲牛衡樜夜コ38蛏系暮⒆用切蘩矸珞葜嗟耐婢撸嫠咚鞘裁吹胤降鲇阕詈茫×退墙慌笥选5衷诓ㄌ乩贤吩饽蚜耍蔷桶阉耍豢墒前。滥访挥型艘裁挥型斺斨挥兴┟挥型撬b櫸宜担衡樜乙膊换嵬撬恰b櫚。⒆用牵腋闪思膳碌氖虑殁斺數笔蔽液茸砹耍裰静磺邂斺斘抑荒苷饷唇馐外斺斚衷冢乙虼耸露坏跛溃馐怯Ω玫摹N蚁耄怯Ω玫模彩亲詈玫拟斺斘曳吹瓜M坏跛馈E叮勖遣惶刚馐铝税伞N也幌肴媚忝巧诵哪压荒忝嵌晕艺饷春茫牵蚁攵阅忝撬档木褪牵忝乔虿荒苄锞瓢 鈥斺斦庋忝蔷筒换岜还氐秸饫锪恕D忝窃偻髡疽坏汊斺敹遭斺斁驼庋灰桓鋈嗽獯瞬恍遥鼓芸吹蕉运押玫拿婵祝媸悄蟮陌参堪 O衷冢四忝牵僖裁挥腥死纯次伊恕6嗝从押玫牧车扳斺敹嘤押冒 D忝橇┮桓雠赖搅硪桓霰成希梦颐忝堑牧嘲伞:昧恕T勖俏瘴帐职赦斺斈忝堑氖挚梢源哟盎Х熘猩旖矗业氖痔蟛恍小U饷葱〉氖郑欢啻罅ζ斺斂删褪钦庑∈职锪四路波特很大的忙,要是能帮上更大的忙,也会帮的呀。鈥
汤姆悲痛地回到家里,当夜做了很多恶梦。第二天和第三天,他在法院外面转来转去,心里有种无法克制的冲动,想闯进去,可他还是强迫自己留在外面。哈克也有同样的经历。他们故意相互回避着。他们时常从那里走开,可是又都被这件惨案吸引回来。每当有旁听的人从法庭出来,汤姆就侧着耳朵细听,但听到的消息都令人忧心忡忡鈥斺敺ㄍ嚼丛轿耷榈卣窒蚩闪哪路波特身上。第二天快结束的时候,镇上传言,印第安路乔的证据确凿无疑,陪审团如何裁决此案是明摆着的了。
那天夜里,汤姆很晚才回来,他从窗子里爬进来上床睡觉。由于极度兴奋,过了好几个小时他才睡着。次晨,镇上所有的人成群结队地向法院走去,因为今天是个不平常的日子。听众席上挤满了人,男女各占一半。人们等了很久,陪审团才一个接着一个入场就座;不一会,波特带着手铐被押了进来,他面色苍白,一脸憔悴,神情羞怯,一副听天由命的样子。他坐的地方很显眼,全场好奇的人都能看得见。印第安路乔也同样地引人注目,他还是和先前一样不露声色。又过了一会,法官驾到,执法官就宣布开庭。接着,就听见律师们惯例式地低头接耳和收拾文件的声音。这些细节和随后的耽搁给人们一种准备开庭的印象,它既让人印象深刻同时又令人着迷。
现在,一个证人被带上来。他作证说在谋杀案发生的那天清晨,他看见莫夫路波特在河里洗澡,并且很快就溜掉了。
原告律师问了一会,说:
鈥溛恃吨と恕b
犯人抬眼看了一会,然后又低下了眼睛。这时他的辩护律师说:
鈥溛颐挥形侍庖省b
第二个证人证明,他曾在被害人尸体附近发现了那把刀。
原告律师说:
鈥溛恃吨と恕b
波特的律师说:鈥溛颐挥形侍庖省b
第三个证人发誓说,他常常看见波特带着那把刀。
鈥溛恃吨と恕b
波特的律师拒绝向这个证人提问。看得出听众们开始恼火了。难道这个辩护律师不打算作任何努力,就把他的当事人性命给断送掉吗?
有几个证人都作证说当波特被带到凶杀现场时,他表现出了畏罪行为。被告的律师没有盘问他们一句,就允许他们退出了证人席。
在场的人对那天早上坟地里发生的悲剧都记忆犹新。现在宣过誓的证人把一个一个的细节都讲了出来,不过他们无一受到波特律师的盘问。全场一片低语声,表达了人们的困惑和不满的情绪,结果引起了法官的一阵申斥。于是,原告律师说:
鈥溨钗还裥淖髦ぃ约蛞怅嗖蝗葜靡桑荽耍颐侨隙ㄕ馄鹂膳碌哪鄙卑福廖抟晌剩当桓嫦险飧霾恍业姆溉怂1景溉≈さ酱私崾b
可怜的莫夫呻吟了一声,他双手捂脸,来回轻轻地摇晃着身子,与此同时法庭上一片寂静,令人痛苦。许多男人都被感动了,女人们也掉下了同情的眼泪。这时,辩护律师站起身来,说:
鈥湻ü俅笕耍就ド笱吨酰颐堑乃跃秃橇丝ド笱吨康模颐窃ν贾っ魑已酝庵猓何业牡笔氯撕攘司疲栽谏裰静磺宓那榭鱿赂闪苏饧膳碌氖虑椤O衷谖腋谋淞酥饕猓疑昵氤坊啬瞧缁ご省b澣缓笏允榧窃彼担衡湸滥路索亚!鈥
在场的每一个人都莫名其妙,惊诧不已;连波特也不例外。当汤姆站起来,走到证人席上的时候,人们都怀着极大的兴趣迷惑不解地盯着他。这孩子因为受到过分惊吓,看起来有点不能自制。他宣了誓。
鈥溙滥路索亚,6月17日大约半夜时分,你在什么地方?鈥
看见印第安路乔那张冷酷的脸,汤姆舌头僵住了,讲不出话来。听众们屏息敛气静听,可是话还是没有说出来。然而,过了几分钟,这孩子恢复了一点气力,勉强提高了声音,但仍然只有部分人能听清楚他的话:
鈥溤诜氐兀♀
鈥溓肽闵晕⒋蟮闵1鸷ε隆D闶窃阝︹︹
鈥溤诜氐亍b
印第安路乔的脸上迅速地闪过一丝嘲弄的微笑。
鈥溎闶窃诨羲路威廉斯的坟墓附近的什么地方吗?鈥
鈥準堑模壬b
鈥湸蟮闵斺斣偕晕⒋蟮闵>嗬胗卸嘣叮库
鈥溇拖裎依肽饷丛丁b
鈥溎闶遣皇遣仄鹄戳耍库
鈥準遣仄鹄戳恕b
鈥準裁吹胤剑库
鈥湶卦诜乇叩募缚糜苁骱竺妗b
印第安路乔吃了一惊,别人几乎没有察觉到。
鈥溁褂斜鹑寺穑库
鈥溣校壬N沂呛外︹︹
鈥湵鹈︹斺數纫幌隆D悴灰峒澳阃榈拿帧N颐窃谑实钡氖焙颍岽仕摹D愕侥抢锶ィ攀裁炊髀穑库
汤姆犹豫着,不知所措。
鈥溗党隼窗桑⒆逾斺敱鸷ε隆K嫡婊白苁侨萌司磁宓摹
带了什么去的?鈥
鈥溇痛艘恢烩斺斶棱斺斠恢凰烂āb
人们一阵哄笑。法官把他们喝止住了。
鈥溛颐腔岚涯侵凰烂ǖ牟泻∧美锤蠹铱吹摹O衷冢⒆樱惆训笔狈⑸氖滤党隼粹斺斦帐邓碘斺斒裁匆脖鹚德┑簦鸷ε隆b
汤姆开始说了鈥斺斊鸪跤行┩掏掏峦拢墒墙ソサ叵不墩飧龌疤饬耍谑牵驮剿翟搅鞒┳匀纾幻还嗝矗怂谒祷巴獗鹞奁渌簦克劬Χ荚诙⒆潘蝗嗣钦抛抛欤磷『粑酥掳蝗坏靥彩鲎耪飧龃姘愕木坏愣济蛔⒁獾绞奔洌急徽飧隹植蓝主攘κ愕睦瘴×恕
说到后来,汤姆心中积压的情感一下子迸发出来,他说:
鈥溾︹σ缴换幽悄九疲路波特就应声倒在地上,印第安路乔拿着刀,跳过来,狠狠就是一下鈥︹︹
鈥溁├玻♀澞歉龌煺噬恋缫话悖翱诖苋ィ蹇凶璧菜娜耍芰耍
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