4 The Duke¹ and the King²

Two or three days and nights went by and nothing muchhappened．We travelled³ at night when itwas dark⁶ and everybody⁷ was⁴ asleep． Wedidn't want anyone¹⁰ to see Jim and ask questions about him．

Then， one morning，justafter it was light，I found¹¹ a littlecanoe，so I got¹³ into it and went over tothe side¹⁴ of the river．I was lookinground，when，suddenly，twomen ran¹⁵ through the trees．

'Help！' they cried．'Thereare men and dogs trying to catch us． Butwe've done nothing wrong！'

One of the men was about seventy years old；theother was about thirty，and they both hadvery old， dirty clothes． Isaid they could¹⁸ come with me， and we ranquickly back to the canoe．

Back on the raft¹⁹ we talked for a time and then the youngman said，'My friends，Ithink I can tell you my secret²⁰ now．I'mreally a duke．My grandfather was the sonof the Duke of Bridgewater，but he leftEngland and came²¹ to America．When the oldDuke died，my grandfather's youngerbrother stole²² everything and made²³ himself²⁴ the Duke of Bridgewater．'

Well，of course，wewere all very unhappy²⁵ for our friend the Duke，buthe said，'I'll be happier if you dothings for me．Bring me my dinner！'

So we did⁹ things for him，andhe liked it． But the old man spoke²⁶ verylittle and he looked unhappy，too．Aftera time he said，'You know，Bridgewater，I，too， have asecret．'And he began to cry．

'What do you mean？'theDuke asked．'What's your secret？'

And then the old man told us that he was really the firstson of the King of France．He asked usall to go down on one knee when we spoke to him． wecould call him'Your Majesty'，too．Sothat was what we did， and they were bothhappy．Of course，Iknew that they weren't really a duke and a king， butI didn't tell Jim．It's best if everybodyis happy when you're living²⁷ together on a raft．

The King and the Duke were very interested²⁸ in Jim．'Ishe a slave？'they wanted to know．'Ishe running³⁰ away？'

I had¹⁶ to tell them something， soI said¹⁷ that Jim belonged³¹ to my uncle and was taking me to my family in NewOrleans．

'Well，we'll traveldown river with you，then，'saidthe King．'We'll have a fine timetogether．'

So the four of us went on down the river， butJim and I didn't like those two men．Theywere always getting drunk³² and making plans³³ to get money out of people in everytown．It's all right to take a chicken orsomething if you're hungry，but these menwere really bad！ Jim and I decided³⁴ toget away from them as⁵ soon as we could．Itwasn't easy because they wanted to be with us all the time．

Then one morning the King went off³⁵ into a town and told usto wait for him． We waited all morningand he didn't come back，so the Duke andI went into town to look for him． Welooked all afternoon and in the end we found him in a bar， drunk，andthen he and the Duke began to fight³⁷ about some money．

Now we can get away from them，Ithought．I turned and ran back to theriver．'Quick，Jim！'I shouted．'It's time to go！'Butthere was no answer． Jim wasn't there！

I ran into the woods，cryingand shouting Jim's name． But there wasstill no answer．

Just then a boy came along．'Haveyou seen⁴⁰ a slave？'I asked him，andI described⁴¹ Jim．

'Why，yes，'theboy replied．'He's a runaway⁴³ slave．Iheard all about it in town．A familycalled the Phelpses have got him now．Anold man in a bar³⁶ told Mr Phelps that there was a runaway slave²⁹ on a raft downby the river． He said he hadn't got timeto take the slave back himself．So MrPhelps gave⁴⁴ him forty dollars and they went down and caught the slave thisafternoon．The Phelpses are going⁴⁵ to takehim back to his owner， and they'll getthree hundred dollars for him！'

I knew those two men were bad！ Iasked the boy where the Phelpses lived and he said it was a big white house alittle way down the river．

I began to make plans to get Jim back．First，Itook the raft and went down to a little island．Ihid the raft under the treesand lay⁴⁸ down to sleep．Beforeit was light，I went off down the riverin the canoe．When I thought³⁸ I was nearthe Phelpses place，I stopped，gotout of the canoe¹² and went up to the house．Suddenly，alot of dogs ran out．They came fromeverywhere and they made a terrible⁴⁹ noise．

A woman about fifty years old ran out of the house，withsome little children behind her．She wassmiling all over her face and she took⁴⁷ me by the hands and cried，'It'syou，at last，isn'tit？'

I didn't stop to think．'Yes，ma'am，'Isaid．

'Well， what took youso long？ We thought you were coming twodays ago． Your Uncle Silas goes to townevery day to meet you．He's there now，buthe'll be back soon．'She didn't stoptalking and I couldn't tell her that she was making a mistake．'Tell us all about them，'she cried．'Tellme everything．'

I knew then that I had to tell her…but just then she cried，'Here he is！Quick，hide！'andshe pushed⁵¹ me inside⁵² the house and behind the front door．Thenher husband⁵³ came in and she asked him，'Hashe come？'

'No，'her husbandreplied．

'Look！'she shouted，andthen she pulled⁵⁴ me out from be-hind the door．

'Why，who's that？'MrPhelps cried，surprised．

'It's Tom Sawyer！'shelaughed．

4 公爵和国王

二三个昼夜过去了，没发生什么事。我们在夜里旅行，那时天黑，别人都在睡觉。我们不想让任何人看见吉姆，问起有关他的问题。

一天早晨，天刚刚亮，我发现了一只小独木舟，于是，我上了独木舟来到了河边。我正在环视着，突然，两个男人跑着穿过树林。

“救命！”他们喊道，“有人想要抓我们，还带着狗。可我们没做错事！”

其中一个人大约70岁，另外一个人大约30岁，他们俩都穿着很旧很脏的衣服。我说道，他们可以跟我来，我们很快跑回到了独木舟那儿。

回到木筏上，我们说了一会话。然后，年轻人说道，“我的朋友们，我想，现在我能告诉你们我的秘密了。其实我是个公爵。我祖父是布里奇沃特公爵的儿子，可他离开了英国，来到了美国。老公爵死时，我祖父年轻的兄弟偷走了一切，变成了布里奇沃特公爵。”

当然了，我们为我们的公爵朋友感到很难过，但他说，“如果你们为我做事，我会更高兴，把我的饭拿来！”

所以，我们为他做事，他喜欢这样。可那个老人话说得很少，看上去也不高兴。过了一会，他说，“你要知道，布里奇沃特，我也有秘密。”他开始哭起来。

“你是什么意思？”公爵问道，“你有什么秘密？”

然后，那老人告诉我们，他的确是法国国王的长子。他要求我们跟他讲话时要单腿跪下。我们也可以称他为“陛下”。所以，这就是我们所做的一切，他们俩都很高兴。当然，我知道他们根本不是什么公爵和国王，可我没告诉吉姆。当你们共同生活在一只木筏上时，如果每一个人都快乐，那是最好不过了。

国王和公爵对吉姆很感兴趣。“他是一个奴隶吗？”他们想知道，“他正在逃跑吗？”

我得对他们说些什么，于是，我说，吉姆归我叔叔所有，他正把我送到新奥尔良的家去。

“噢，那么，我们和你们一起旅行，”国王说道，“我们在一起会度过愉快的时光。”

于是，我们四人顺流而下，可我和吉姆不喜欢那两个人。他们总是喝得醉醺醺的，并计划在每一个镇上从人们那里搞到钱。如果你饿了，拿只鸡或什么的还可以，可这俩人坏透了。我和吉姆决定尽快地摆脱他们。这不容易，因为他们总要跟着我们。

有一天，国王到一个镇上去了，让我们等他。我们等了他一上午，他没回来。于是，我和公爵到镇上去找他。我们找了一下午，最后，在一个酒吧里找到了他，他醉醺醺的。然后，他和公爵为钱开始打起来。

“现在，我们能摆脱他们了，”我想着。我转身跑回河边。“快点，吉姆！”我大声喊着，“是走的时候了！”可没人答应。吉姆不在那儿！

我跑进树林，喊着叫着吉姆的名字。可是，仍然没有回答。

正在那儿时，一个男孩过来了。“你看见一个奴隶了吗？”我问他，并描述了一下吉姆。

“看见了，”那男孩回答道，“他是一个逃跑的奴隶。我是在镇上听到这些的。斐尔普斯一家人抓到了他。酒吧里的一个老头告诉斐尔普斯先生，在河下游方向河边的木筏上有一个逃跑的奴隶。他说，他自己没有时间亲自把那奴隶抓来。于是，斐尔普斯先生给了他40美元，今天下午到那去抓住了那个奴隶。斐尔普斯打算把他送回到他的主人那儿去。为了这个奴隶，他们会得到300美元。”

我知道那俩人坏透了！我问那男孩儿斐尔普斯家住哪儿？他说是河下游不太远的一座大白房子。

我开始制定救吉姆的计划。首先，我乘木筏顺流而下来到一个小岛。我把木筏藏在树下，躺下睡着了。天亮之前，我乘着独木舟顺流而下。当我觉得我已靠近斐尔普斯住处时，我停了下来，从独木舟上下来，朝那座房子走去。突然，有许多狗跑出来。他们朝我围过来，发出可怕的叫声。

一位大约50岁的女人跑出屋来，身后跟着几个小孩子。她满脸笑容，拉住我的手叫道，“你终于来了，是吧！”

我连想都没想，就说，“是的，夫人。”

“是什么使你耽搁了这么久？我们以为你两天前就到哪。你的姨夫赛拉斯每天都到镇上去接你。他现在就在那儿，不过，他很快就会回来。”她不停地说着，我无法告诉她，是她弄错了。“把他们的事都告诉我，”她大声说道，“把一切都告诉我。”

那时我明白了，我不得不告诉她……可就在那时，她喊道，“他来了！快点，藏起来！”她把我推到屋里，藏在前门后。然后，她丈夫走了进来，她问他，“他来了吗？”

“没有，”她丈夫回答道。

“看看！”她大声说道，然后，她把我从门后拉出来。

“咦，这是谁？”斐尔普斯先生惊奇地大声说道。

“这是汤姆•索亚！”她笑道。