Tornem ara a la part de Becky i Tom en la forada. Anaren recorrent els ombrívols passadissos amb la resta de l'expedició, visitant les familiars meravelles de la cova; meravelles a les quals hom havia donat, com a motius, noms exageradament precisos, com la Sala de Rebre, La Catedral, El Palau d'Aladí, i així per l'estil. Al cap de poc començà la taleia de jugar a fet, i Tom i Becky s'hi esmerçaren amb zel, fins que l'esforç anà esdevenint enujós. Després davallaren, errívols, per una sinuosa avinguda, tenint les candeles en l'aire i llegint l'entremesclada teranyina de noms, dates, adreces postals i divises, mitjançant les quals les parets de roca semblaven pintades amb frescos... de fum de candela. Seguint endavant, amb la conversa, poc repararen que es trobaven ja en un indret de la cova on no hi havia frescos a les parets. Pintaren llurs noms, amb fum, damunt una pedra rafeguda, i avançaren més. Al cap de poc arribaren a un indret on un rierol, tot escorrent-se damunt un escull i carregat d'un sediment de calç, amb el transcurs d'edats ronsejadores havia anat formant un Niàgara, amb rulls i randes de pedra resplendent i perdurable. Tom estrenyé el cos contra ell per il·luminar-lo i dar-ne la gaubança a Becky. I trobà que amagava una mena d'espadada escala natural, closa entre parets molt estretes; i tot seguit l'ambició de descobrir va apoderar-se d'ell.
NOW to return to Tom and Becky's share in the picnic. They tripped along the murky aisles with the rest of the company, visiting the familiar wonders of the cave--wonders dubbed with rather over-descriptive names, such as "The Drawing-Room," "The Cathedral," "Aladdin's Palace," and so on. Presently the hide-and-seek frolicking began, and Tom and Becky engaged in it with zeal until the exertion began to grow a trifle wearisome; then they wandered down a sinuous avenue holding their candles aloft and reading the tangled webwork of names, dates, postoffice addresses, and mottoes with which the rocky walls had been frescoed (in candle-smoke). Still drifting along and talking, they scarcely noticed that they were now in a part of the cave whose walls were not frescoed. They smoked their own names under an overhanging shelf and moved on. Presently they came to a place where a little stream of water, trickling over a ledge and carrying a limestone sediment with it, had, in the slow-dragging ages, formed a laced and ruffled Niagara in gleaming and imperishable stone. Tom squeezed his small body behind it in order to illuminate it for Becky's gratification. He found that it curtained a sort of steep natural stairway which was enclosed between narrow walls, and at once the ambition to be a discoverer seized him.
Becky respongué a la seva iniciativa, i feren un senyal de fum per a llur futur guiatge, i partiren cap a la recerca. Serpejaren per un camí i un altre camí, d'allò més avall de les secretes fondàries de la cova; feren una altra marca, i prengueren una via lateral, a esbrinar novetats per dir-les als que havien romàs a dalt. En un indret trobaren una esbarjosa caverna, del sostre de la qual penjaven una munió d'estalactites resplendents, de la llargada i diàmetre d'un braç humà. La corregueren tota, astorant-se i admirant, i en acabat la deixaren per pendre un dels nombrosos passadissos que hi anaven a raure. Aquest camí els portà en poc temps a una font encisera, que tenia incrustada a la conca un gebre de cristalls fulgurants. Es trobava en mig d'una caverna, els murs de la qual eren sostinguts per un bell nombre de columnes fantàstiques que havien estat formades per la unió de grans estalactites i estalagmites, resultat del gotejar mai estroncat en les centúries. Sota el sostre, extensos aplecs de ratapinyades s'hi havien atapeït, a milers en cada esbart. Els llums molestaven les bestioles, i davallaren a colles, a cents, xisclant i precipitant-se furiosament a les candeles. Tom sabia llur estil, i el perill d'aquesta mena de conducta; agafà la mà de Becky i la precipità dins el primer corredor que va oferir-se-li. I que no fou pas massa d'hora, perquè una rata pennada apagà el llum de Becky amb la seva ala mentre ella sortia de la caverna. Les ratapinyades percaçaren els minyons fins a bella distància; però els fugitius es capbussaven en cada nou passadís que se'ls oferia, i a la fi es lliberaren de aquells éssers perillosos. Tom va trobar un llac subterrani, al cap de poc, que estenia la seva fosca superfície qui-sap-lo lluny, fins que la seva forma desapareixia en les tenebres. Volia explorar-ne els marges, però conclogué que seria millor de seure i reposar una estona, abans. Aleshores, per primera vegada, la quietud profunda de l'indret posà una mà apegalosa damunt els esperits dels nois. Becky digué:
Becky responded to his call, and they made a smoke-mark for future guidance, and started upon their quest. They wound this way and that, far down into the secret depths of the cave, made another mark, and branched off in search of novelties to tell the upper world about. In one place they found a spacious cavern, from whose ceiling depended a multitude of shining stalactites of the length and circumference of a man's leg; they walked all about it, wondering and admiring, and presently left it by one of the numerous passages that opened into it. This shortly brought them to a bewitching spring, whose basin was incrusted with a frostwork of glittering crystals; it was in the midst of a cavern whose walls were supported by many fantastic pillars which had been formed by the joining of great stalactites and stalagmites together, the result of the ceaseless water-drip of centuries. Under the roof vast knots of bats had packed themselves together, thousands in a bunch; the lights disturbed the creatures and they came flocking down by hundreds, squeaking and darting furiously at the candles. Tom knew their ways and the danger of this sort of conduct. He seized Becky's hand and hurried her into the first corridor that offered; and none too soon, for a bat struck Becky's light out with its wing while she was passing out of the cavern. The bats chased the children a good distance; but the fugitives plunged into every new passage that offered, and at last got rid of the perilous things. Tom found a subterranean lake, shortly, which stretched its dim length away until its shape was lost in the shadows. He wanted to explore its borders, but concluded that it would be best to sit down and rest awhile, first. Now, for the first time, the deep stillness of the place laid a clammy hand upon the spirits of the children. Becky said:
-Bé, no m'hi havia fixat, però em sembla que fa molt de temps que no he sentit ningú dels altres.
"Why, I didn't notice, but it seems ever so long since I heard any of the others."
-Penseu, Becky, que estem molt més avall que no pas ells; i no sé a quina distància en sentit nord o sud, o est, o el que sigui. No podríem pas sentir-los, d'aquí estant.
"Come to think, Becky, we are away down below them--and I don't know how far away north, or south, or east, or whichever it is. We couldn't hear them here."
Becky començà de tornar-se aprehensiva.
Becky grew apprehensive.
-Em plauria saber quant de temps hem estat aquí baix, Tom. Val més que reculem.
"I wonder how long we've been down here, Tom? We better start back."
-Sí, em sembla que és millor; potser val més.
"Yes, I reckon we better. P'raps we better."
-Podreu trobar el camí, Tom? Tot això és un embolic ben retort.
"Can you find the way, Tom? It's all a mixed-up crookedness to me."
-Em penso que podria trobar-lo, però hi ha les ratapinyades. Si ens apaguessin totes dues candeles ens trobaríem en un paorós trencacoll. Val més que provem un altre camí, per no haver de passar per aquella banda.
"I reckon I could find it--but then the bats. If they put our candles out it will be an awful fix. Let's try some other way, so as not to go through there."
-Bé, però espero que no ens perdrem. Fóra tan terrible!- I l'infant s'estremí només de pensar en aquelles esgarrifoses possibilitats.
"Well. But I hope we won't get lost. It would be so awful!" and the girl shuddered at the thought of the dreadful possibilities.
Començaren de passar un corredor, i l'atravessaren en silenci per molt de temps, mirant a cada nou forat, per veure si trobaven quelcom de familiar en el seu aspecte; però tots els eren estranys. Cada vegada que Tom feia un escorcoll, Becky sotjava la seva cara en espera d'un senyal encoratjador, i ell deia alegrement:
They started through a corridor, and traversed it in silence a long way, glancing at each new opening, to see if there was anything familiar about the look of it; but they were all strange. Every time Tom made an examination, Becky would watch his face for an encouraging sign, and he would say cheerily:
-Oh! Molt be! No és aquest, però hi arribarem una mica més enllà!
"Oh, it's all right. This ain't the one, but we'll come to it right away!"
Però es sentia menys i menys esperançat a cada fallida, i aviat començà de trencar per avingudes divergents, al més foll atzar, amb l'esperança desesperada de trobar la que calia. Encara deia que allò anava «molt bé»; però hi havia tanta de paor feixuga en el seu cor, que les paraules havien perdut llur dring, i sonaven com si hagués dit:
-Tot està perdut!
Becky es repenjava al seu costat, en una angoixa d'espaordiment, i feia tots els possibles per contenir-se les llàgrimes; però elles brollaren. A la fi digué:
But he felt less and less hopeful with each failure, and presently began to turn off into diverging avenues at sheer random, in desperate hope of finding the one that was wanted. He still said it was "all right," but there was such a leaden dread at his heart that the words had lost their ring and sounded just as if he had said, "All is lost!" Becky clung to his side in an anguish of fear, and tried hard to keep back the tears, but they would come. At last she said:
-O Tom! Tant se val, les ratapinyades! Tornem per aquell camí! Sembla que cada vegada anem pitjor i més enfora.
"Oh, Tom, never mind the bats, let's go back that way! We seem to get worse and worse off all the time."
Tom s'aturà.
-Escolteu!- digué.
"Listen!" said he.
Pregon silenci: silenci tan entranyable, que fins i tot llurs alens es destacaven en la quietud. Tom cridà. El crit anà resonant pels corredors buits, i finà en llunyania, en un so desmaiat que semblava un petit acompassament de rialla burleta.
Profound silence; silence so deep that even their breathings were conspicuous in the hush. Tom shouted. The call went echoing down the empty aisles and died out in the distance in a faint sound that resembled a ripple of mocking laughter.
-Oh! No ho torneu a fer, Tom! És massa ferest!- digué Becky.
"Oh, don't do it again, Tom, it is too horrid," said Becky.
-És ferest, però val més que ho faci, Becky: poden sentir-nos.- I tornà a cridar.
"It is horrid, but I better, Becky; they might hear us, you know," and he shouted again.
El poden era un horror encara més glaçador que la fantasmal rialleta, de tant que confessava una esperança esvaïda. Els minyons romangueren silenciosos, parant esment; però sense cap resultat. Tom reculà pel camí per on havia vingut i accelerà sos passos. Al cap de ben poc, una certa indecisió en la seva manera revelà a Becky un altre fet terrible: no podia retrobar el camí de vinguda.
The "might" was even a chillier horror than the ghostly laughter, it so confessed a perishing hope. The children stood still and listened; but there was no result. Tom turned upon the back track at once, and hurried his steps. It was but a little while before a certain indecision in his manner revealed another fearful fact to Becky--he could not find his way back!
-O Tom! No hi heu fet cap marca!
"Oh, Tom, you didn't make any marks!"
-Becky, he estat un ximple, un ximple! No se m'ha acudit que calia fer el camí de retorn! No, no puc trobar el camí: tot està embolicat.
"Becky, I was such a fool! Such a fool! I never thought we might want to come back! No--I can't find the way. It's all mixed up."
-Tom, estem perduts! estem perduts! Mai, mai no podrem sortir d'aquest lloc basardós! Oh! Per què vam deixar els altres!
"Tom, Tom, we're lost! we're lost! We never can get out of this awful place! Oh, why did we ever leave the others!"
Es deixà caure en terra, i esclatà en un plor tan frenètic, que a Tom l'astorà la idea que Becky pogués morir o perdre el seny. S'assegué al seu darrera, i posà els braços al voltant d'ella: ella colgà la cara en el seu pit, es repenjà d'ell, esplaià totes ses terrors, ses inútils recances; i els llunyans ecos ho retornaven tot, convertit en rialles mofetes. Tom va demanar-li que revifés la seva esperança: ella digué que no podia. Tom començà de vituperar-se i dir-se penjaments per haver-la conduïda a aquesta llastimosa situació. Això li donà millor resultat: Becky digué que feia esforços per esperar de bell nou; que s'aixecaria i el seguiria onsevulla que la menés, amb la sola condició que no tornés a parlar d'aquella manera. Perquè la conducta d'ell, féu, no havia estat més vituperable que la seva.
She sank to the ground and burst into such a frenzy of crying that Tom was appalled with the idea that she might die, or lose her reason. He sat down by her and put his arms around her; she buried her face in his bosom, she clung to him, she poured out her terrors, her unavailing regrets, and the far echoes turned them all to jeering laughter. Tom begged her to pluck up hope again, and she said she could not. He fell to blaming and abusing himself for getting her into this miserable situation; this had a better effect. She said she would try to hope again, she would get up and follow wherever he might lead if only he would not talk like that any more. For he was no more to blame than she, she said.
Així, doncs, continuaren caminant esmaperduts, simplement a l'atzar: tot el que podien fer era avançar, continuar avançant. Per una breu estona l'esperança va gloriar-se de reviure: no pas amb cap raó per a fonamentar-ho, sinó perquè està en la seva natura de reviure quan la deu no n'ha estat estroncada pels anys i la familiaritat amb les fallides.
So they moved on again--aimlessly--simply at random--all they could do was to move, keep moving. For a little while, hope made a show of reviving--not with any reason to back it, but only because it is its nature to revive when the spring has not been taken out of it by age and familiarity with failure.
No va passar gaire estona que Tom no prengués la candela i la bufés. Aquest estalvi volia dir molt: no calien les paraules. Becky ho comprengué, i la seva esperança finà de bell nou: sabia que Tom tenia una candela sencera i tres o quatre caps sobrers a la butxaca, però li calia estalviar.
By-and-by Tom took Becky's candle and blew it out. This economy meant so much! Words were not needed. Becky understood, and her hope died again. She knew that Tom had a whole candle and three or four pieces in his pockets--yet he must economize.
No trigà la fadiga a fer valer els seus drets. Els nois procuraren de no parar-hi esment, perquè era horrible de pensar en seure quan el temps havia esdevingut tan preciós: avançar, en alguna direcció, en qualsevol direcció, era almenys un progrés i podia comportar un fruit; però seure era imitar la mort i abreujar el seu encalç.
By-and-by, fatigue began to assert its claims; the children tried to pay attention, for it was dreadful to think of sitting down when time was grown to be so precious, moving, in some direction, in any direction, was at least progress and might bear fruit; but to sit down was to invite death and shorten its pursuit.
A la fi les fràgils cametes de Becky refusaren de portar-la més enllà. S'assegué. Tom reposà amb ella, i parlaren de llurs estatges, i dels amics que tenien, i dels llits confortables, i sobre tot de la llum! Becky plorava, i Tom feia per manera que se li acudís algun altre estil de reconfortar-la; però tots sos encoratjaments s'havien esfilagarsat amb l'ús, i sonaven com a sarcasmes. La fadiga de Becky era tan feixuga, que va anar-se endormiscant, fins a trencar el son. Tom n'estigué content. Tot seient, li mirava la cara estirada, i veia còm se li tornava suau i natural sota la influència de somnis plaents; i al cap de poc hi albejà un somriure, i s'hi aturà. La cara, tranquila, reverberava quelcom de pacífic i guaridor, vingut al propi esperit, i sos pensaments vagarejaven cap a temps passats i memòries somnioses. Mentre estava ben endins de la seva consirositat, Becky, es despertà amb una airosa rialleta, però que es glaçà mortalment en els seus llavis i acabà en un gemec.
At last Becky's frail limbs refused to carry her farther. She sat down. Tom rested with her, and they talked of home, and the friends there, and the comfortable beds and, above all, the light! Becky cried, and Tom tried to think of some way of comforting her, but all his encouragements were grown thread-bare with use, and sounded like sarcasms. Fatigue bore so heavily upon Becky that she drowsed off to sleep. Tom was grateful. He sat looking into her drawn face and saw it grow smooth and natural under the influence of pleasant dreams; and by-and-by a smile dawned and rested there. The peaceful face reflected somewhat of peace and healing into his own spirit, and his thoughts wandered away to bygone times and dreamy memories. While he was deep in his musings, Becky woke up with a breezy little laugh--but it was stricken dead upon her lips, and a groan followed it.
-Oh! Còm he pogut dormir! Voldria que mai, mai, m'hagués despertat! No, no: me'n desdic, Tom! No feu aquest posat! No ho tornaré a dir.
"Oh, how could I sleep! I wish I never, never had waked! No! No, I don't, Tom! Don't look so! I won't say it again."
-Estic content que hagueu dormit, Becky: esteu més reposada, ara, i trobarem el camí de sortida.
"I'm glad you've slept, Becky; you'll feel rested, now, and we'll find the way out."
-Podem provar-ho, Tom; però he vist una contrada tan bella, en el meu somni! Em penso que ens n'hi anirem.
"We can try, Tom; but I've seen such a beautiful country in my dream. I reckon we are going there."
-Potser no; potser no. Coratge, Becky, i continuem les provatures.
"Maybe not, maybe not. Cheer up, Becky, and let's go on trying."
S'aixecaren i seguiren caminant a l'atzar dant-se les mans, orbs d'esperança. Feren per manera de computar quant de temps havien estat dins la cova; però no sabien sinó que semblava que haguessin passat dies i setmanes. I, amb tot, era palès que això no podia ésser, perquè llurs candeles no eren encara exhaurides. Molt de temps després d'això (no haurien pogut dir quant) Tom digué que els calia caminar sense fressa i parar l'oïda per sentir els degotissos: necessitaven trobar una font. En trobaren una al cap de poca estona, i Tom digué que era hora de tornar a reposar. Tots dos estaven cruelment fadigats, però Becky digué que creia que podria anar una mica més enllà. La sorprengué d'oir que Tom era d'un altre parer: no podia capir-ho. S'assegueren, i Tom plantà la candela a la paret, en front d'ells, amb una mica d'argila. Llur magí aviat s'aqueferà: no digueren un mot per qui-sap-lo temps. Després Becky rompé el silenci:
They rose up and wandered along, hand in hand and hopeless. They tried to estimate how long they had been in the cave, but all they knew was that it seemed days and weeks, and yet it was plain that this could not be, for their candles were not gone yet. A long time after this--they could not tell how long--Tom said they must go softly and listen for dripping water--they must find a spring. They found one presently, and Tom said it was time to rest again. Both were cruelly tired, yet Becky said she thought she could go a little farther. She was surprised to hear Tom dissent. She could not understand it. They sat down, and Tom fastened his candle to the wall in front of them with some clay. Thought was soon busy; nothing was said for some time. Then Becky broke the silence:
-Tom, tinc molta de gana.
"Tom, I am so hungry!"
Tom es tragué quelcom de la butxaca.
Tom took something out of his pocket.
-Us recordeu d'això?- va dir.
"Do you remember this?" said he.
Becky gairebé va somriure.
Becky almost smiled.
-És nostra coca de noces, Tom.
"It's our wedding-cake, Tom."
-Sí. Voldria que fos gran com un barril, perquè no tenim altra cosa.
"Yes--I wish it was as big as a barrel, for it's all we've got."
-Vaig deixar-la de banda a la forada, Tom, perquè poguéssim somniejar damunt ella, com la gent gran fa amb la coca de llurs noces; però... serà nostre...
"I saved it from the picnic for us to dream on, Tom, the way grownup people do with wedding-cake--but it'll be our--"
Deixà trencada la frase en aquell indret. Tom partí la coca i Becky menjà amb bon delit, mentre Tom rosegava la seva meitat. Hi havia abundor d'aigua per a cloure-hi el festí. Al cap de poc, Becky suggerí que podien caminar de bell nou. Tom romangué en silenci un moment. Després va fer:
She dropped the sentence where it was. Tom divided the cake and Becky ate with good appetite, while Tom nibbled at his moiety. There was abundance of cold water to finish the feast with. By-and-by Becky suggested that they move on again. Tom was silent a moment. Then he said:
-Becky: si us dic una cosa, podreu comportar-la?
"Becky, can you bear it if I tell you something?"
La faç de Becky s'esblaimà, però digué que podria.
Becky's face paled, but she thought she could.
-Bé, doncs, Becky: cal que romanguem aquí, amb aigua per a beure. Aquest trosset de candela és l'últim que ens resta.
"Well, then, Becky, we must stay here, where there's water to drink. That little piece is our last candle!"
Becky no pogué contenir les llàgrimes i els planys. Tom féu el que pogué per reconfortar-la, però amb efecte ben migrat. A la fi Becky digué:
Becky gave loose to tears and wailings. Tom did what he could to comfort her, but with little effect. At length Becky said:
-Tom!
"Tom!"
-Què, Becky?
"Well, Becky?"
-S'adonaran de nostra manca, i vindran a cercar-nos!
"They'll miss us and hunt for us!"
-Ben cert! Ben cert que ho faran!
"Yes, they will! Certainly they will!"
-Potser estan cercant-nos, ara, Tom.
"Maybe they're hunting for us now, Tom."
-Bé, em penso que sí. Espero que sí.
"Why, I reckon maybe they are. I hope they are."
-Quan repararan la nostra absència, Tom?
"When would they miss us, Tom?"
-Quan tornin al vapor, em penso.
"When they get back to the boat, I reckon."
-Tom, pot ésser fosc, aleshores: se n'adonaran, que no hi siguem?
"Tom, it might be dark then--would they notice we hadn't come?"
-No ho sé. Però tanmateix la vostra mare se n'adonarà tan aviat com hagin arribat al poble.
"I don't know. But anyway, your mother would miss you as soon as they got home."
Una mirada d'espant a la cara de Becky retornà a Tom els seus sentits, i veié que havia comès una errada. Becky no havia d'anar a casa aquella nit! Els infants esdevingueren silenciosos i pensívols. Al cap d'un moment, un nou esclat de consternació en Becky mostrà a Tom que la cosa que ell tenia al magí havia colpit així mateix el d'ella: del matí del diumenge podia haver-ne transcorregut la meitat abans que la senyora Thatcher descobrís que Becky no havia estat a la casa de la senyora Harper.
A frightened look in Becky's face brought Tom to his senses and he saw that he had made a blunder. Becky was not to have gone home that night! The children became silent and thoughtful. In a moment a new burst of grief from Becky showed Tom that the thing in his mind had struck hers also--that the Sabbath morning might be half spent before Mrs. Thatcher discovered that Becky was not at Mrs. Harper's.
Els infants clavaren els ulls en llur bocí de candela, i vigilaren còm anava fonent-se a pleret, implacablement; veieren la mitja polzada de ble que romania, al capdavall, tota sola; veieren la débil flama alçant-se i caient, la prima columna de fum, enfiladissa, aturant-se-li al cim un instant, i després... l'absoluta horror de les tenebres!
The children fastened their eyes upon their bit of candle and watched it melt slowly and pitilessly away; saw the half inch of wick stand alone at last; saw the feeble flame rise and fall, climb the thin column of smoke, linger at its top a moment, and then--the horror of utter darkness reigned!
Quant de temps hagués trigat Becky a retornar a una lenta consciència de trobar-se plorant en braços de Tom, ni l'un ni l'altre haurien sabut dir-ho. Tot el que sabien era que, després d'una tongada de temps que semblava qui-sap-lo llarga, tots dos es despertaren d'una mortal estupor somnolenta i tornaren a fer-se càrrec de llurs misèries. Tom digué que devia ésser diumenge, aleshores, i potser dilluns. Procurà de fer que Becky parlés, però sos dols eren massa corprenedors: totes les seves esperances eren esvaïdes. Tom digué que llur absència devia haver estat reparada feia temps, i que sens dubte la recerca anava endavant. Cridaria, i potser vindria algú. Ho intentà; però, en la fosca, els ecos sonaven tan paorosament, que no va tornar-hi.
How long afterward it was that Becky came to a slow consciousness that she was crying in Tom's arms, neither could tell. All that they knew was, that after what seemed a mighty stretch of time, both awoke out of a dead stupor of sleep and resumed their miseries once more. Tom said it might be Sunday, now--maybe Monday. He tried to get Becky to talk, but her sorrows were too oppressive, all her hopes were gone. Tom said that they must have been missed long ago, and no doubt the search was going on. He would shout and maybe some one would come. He tried it; but in the darkness the distant echoes sounded so hideously that he tried it no more.
Les hores anaven escolant-se, i la fam turmentà altra vegada els captius. Una part de la mitja coca de Tom romania: se la partiren i la menjaren. Però semblà que tinguessin més fam que no pas abans: el pobre bocí de menja no féu sinó esmolar el desig.
The hours wasted away, and hunger came to torment the captives again. A portion of Tom's half of the cake was left; they divided and ate it. But they seemed hungrier than before. The poor morsel of food only whetted desire.
Al cap de poc, Tom digué:
By-and-by Tom said:
-Sst! No sentiu això?
"SH! Did you hear that?"
Tots dos contingueren llur alè i pararen l'orella: se sentia un so com de crit llunyà, desmaiat. Tom va fer-hi resposta immediatament, i, dant a Becky la mà, començà d'anar a les palpentes pel corredor en aquell sentit. Aviat escoltà de bell nou: altra vegada sentiren el so, i aparentment una mica més a prop.
Both held their breath and listened. There was a sound like the faintest, far-off shout. Instantly Tom answered it, and leading Becky by the hand, started groping down the corridor in its direction. Presently he listened again; again the sound was heard, and apparently a little nearer.
-Són ells!- digué Tom. -Ja vénen! Avanceu, Becky! Estem salvats, ara!
"It's them!" said Tom; "they're coming! Come along, Becky--we're all right now!"
La joia dels presoners fou gairebé atuïdora. Llur acuitament era, però, relatiu; perquè els pous abundaven i havien de guardar-se'n. No trigaren a topar-ne un, i s'hagueren de parar. Podia ésser de tres peus de profunditat; podia ésser de tres cents: no hi havia manera de passar-lo, ça com lla. Tom s'ajagué damunt son pit i arribà tan avall com pogué. Res de fons: havien de romandre allí i esperar fins que els cercadors arribessin. Escoltaren: evidentment els crits de la llunyania anaven fent-se més distants. Al cap d'un moment o dos s'havien esvaït totalment. O dissort descoratjadora! Tom cridà fins a enronquir-se, però no li valgué. Parlà esperançadament a Becky, però va passar un segle d'afanyosa espera sense que tornés a oir-se cap so.
The joy of the prisoners was almost overwhelming. Their speed was slow, however, because pitfalls were somewhat common, and had to be guarded against. They shortly came to one and had to stop. It might be three feet deep, it might be a hundred--there was no passing it at any rate. Tom got down on his breast and reached as far down as he could. No bottom. They must stay there and wait until the searchers came. They listened; evidently the distant shoutings were growing more distant! a moment or two more and they had gone altogether. The heart-sinking misery of it! Tom whooped until he was hoarse, but it was of no use. He talked hopefully to Becky; but an age of anxious waiting passed and no sounds came again.
Els infants, a les palpentes, retornaren a la font. El temps, remís, s'arrossegava. Dormiren altre cop, i es desvetllaren, plens de fam i amargor. Tom creia que devia ésser dimarts, aleshores.
The children groped their way back to the spring. The weary time dragged on; they slept again, and awoke famished and woe-stricken. Tom believed it must be Tuesday by this time.
En aquell moment una idea el colpí. Hi havia alguns passadissos laterals a llur abast: seria millor d'explorar-ne algun que no pas comportar la càrrega del temps feixuc dins l'ociositat. Es tragué un cordill d'estel de la butxaca, el nuà a un sortint de roca i ell i Becky començaren de caminar, Tom al davant, descabdellant el fil a mesura que avançaven a les palpentes. A la fi de vint graons el corredor acabava en un lloc on calia saltar. Tom s'agenollà i palpà cap avall, i després tan enllà, al voltant del recó, com pogué abastar convenientment amb la mà. Féu un esforç per estendre's una mica més a la dreta; i, en aquell moment, encara no a vint yardes de distància, una mà humana, tenint una candela, aparegué darrera una roca! Tom féu un crit esclatant, i tot seguit la mà fou seguida pel cos al qual pertanyia: el de Joe l'Indi! Tom en fou paralitzat: no podia moure's. Experimentà una pregona satisfacció, a l'instant següent, en veure que l'espanyol apretava a córrer i es perdia de vista. Tom s'estranyà que Joe no hagués reconegut la seva veu i no hagués comparegut i l'hagués mort, per haver declarat al Tribunal. Però els ecos degueren disfressar-li la veu: sens dubte això era, va raonar ell. L'esglai de Tom havia afeblit tots els seus muscles. Es digué a sí mateix que, si hagués tingut prou força per a tornar a la font, hauria romàs allí, i no hi havia cosa que l'hagués temptat a córrer el perill de trobar de bell nou Joe l'Indi. Tingué compte de no dir a Becky el que havia vist. Digué que només havia cridat «per si reeixia».
Now an idea struck him. There were some side passages near at hand. It would be better to explore some of these than bear the weight of the heavy time in idleness. He took a kite-line from his pocket, tied it to a projection, and he and Becky started, Tom in the lead, unwinding the line as he groped along. At the end of twenty steps the corridor ended in a "jumping-off place." Tom got down on his knees and felt below, and then as far around the corner as he could reach with his hands conveniently; he made an effort to stretch yet a little farther to the right, and at that moment, not twenty yards away, a human hand, holding a candle, appeared from behind a rock! Tom lifted up a glorious shout, and instantly that hand was followed by the body it belonged to--Injun Joe's! Tom was paralyzed; he could not move. He was vastly gratified the next moment, to see the "Spaniard" take to his heels and get himself out of sight. Tom wondered that Joe had not recognized his voice and come over and killed him for testifying in court. But the echoes must have disguised the voice. Without doubt, that was it, he reasoned. Tom's fright weakened every muscle in his body. He said to himself that if he had strength enough to get back to the spring he would stay there, and nothing should tempt him to run the risk of meeting Injun Joe again. He was careful to keep from Becky what it was he had seen. He told her he had only shouted "for luck."
Però la fam i la malaurança, al cap de molt de temps, es feren més fortes que les temences. Una altra espera tediosa a la font i un altre són, de força durada, hi feren mudança. Els infants es despertaren, desvetllats per una fam desesperada. Tom cregué que ja devia ésser dimecres o dijous, o potser divendres o dissabte, i que havia estat abandonada la recerca. Es proposà d'explorar un altre passadís: se sentia amb voluntat de confrontar Joe l'Indi i totes les terrors. Però Becky s'havia decandit: s'havia capbussat en una extenuada apatia, i no podia ésser reviscolada. Digué que esperaria on es trobava, i moriria: poc havia de trigar gaire estona. Digué a Tom que partís amb el cordill d'estel, i explorés, si volia, però li pregava que tornés de tant en tant i li parlés; i li féu prometre que, quan vingués l'hora terrible, romandria al seu devora i li agafaria la mà fins que tot fos acabat.
But hunger and wretchedness rise superior to fears in the long run. Another tedious wait at the spring and another long sleep brought changes. The children awoke tortured with a raging hunger. Tom believed that it must be Wednesday or Thursday or even Friday or Saturday, now, and that the search had been given over. He proposed to explore another passage. He felt willing to risk Injun Joe and all other terrors. But Becky was very weak. She had sunk into a dreary apathy and would not be roused. She said she would wait, now, where she was, and die--it would not be long. She told Tom to go with the kite-line and explore if he chose; but she implored him to come back every little while and speak to her; and she made him promise that when the awful time came, he would stay by her and hold her hand until all was over.
Tom la besà, sentint que un nus li escanyava la gorja, i va fer veure que confiava de trobar els cercadors o una eixida de la cova. Després, amb el cordill d'estel a la mà, anà davallant a les palpentes, a grapes i damunt els genolls, per un dels passadissos, devastat per la fam i emmalaltit per les pronòstigues de les imminents acaballes.
Tom kissed her, with a choking sensation in his throat, and made a show of being confident of finding the searchers or an escape from the cave; then he took the kite-line in his hand and went groping down one of the passages on his hands and knees, distressed with hunger and sick with bodings of coming doom.