“湯姆！”
"TOM!"
沒人答應。
No answer.
“湯姆！”
"TOM!"
又沒人答應。
No answer.
“這孩子到底怎麼啦，我真搞不懂？你這個湯姆！”
"What's gone with that boy, I wonder? You TOM!"
還是沒有人答應。
No answer.
這老太太拉低眼鏡從鏡片上方朝房間看了看，然後她又抬高眼鏡從鏡片下面看。她很少或者乾脆說她從來沒戴正眼鏡來找像一個小男孩這樣小的東西。這副眼鏡是很考究的，也是她的驕傲，她配這副眼鏡不是為了實用，而是為了“裝飾”，為了“漂亮”。她看東西時，即使戴上兩片爐子蓋也照樣看得一清二楚。她茫然不知所措地愣了一會兒。然後雖然不是凶神惡煞般，但嗓門高得讓每個角落都能聽到，她說：
The old lady pulled her spectacles down and looked over them about the room; then she put them up and looked out under them. She seldom or never looked through them for so small a thing as a boy; they were her state pair, the pride of her heart, and were built for "style," not service--she could have seen through a pair of stove-lids just as well. She looked perplexed for a moment, and then said, not fiercely, but still loud enough for the furniture to hear:
“好，我發誓如果我抓住你，我就——”
"Well, I lay if I get hold of you I'll--"
她話沒有說完，因為這時她正彎腰用掃把往床下猛搗，每搗一下，她需要停下來換口氣。結果，只搗出來一隻貓。
She did not finish, for by this time she was bending down and punching under the bed with the broom, and so she needed breath to punctuate the punches with. She resurrected nothing but the cat.
“我還從沒有見過這麼令人吃驚的孩子！”
"I never did see the beat of that boy!"
她走到敞開的門口，站在那裡朝滿園子的西紅柿藤和吉普遜草叢中看，想找到湯姆，可還是沒有。於是她亮開嗓子朝遠處，高聲喊到：
She went to the open door and stood in it and looked out among the tomato vines and "jimpson" weeds that constituted the garden. No Tom. So she lifted up her voice at an angle calculated for distance and shouted:
“湯姆呀，湯姆！”
"Y-o-u-u TOM!"
這時在她身後傳來一聲輕微的響聲，她轉身一把抓住了一個小男孩的短外套的衣角，他想跑都跑不掉了。
There was a slight noise behind her and she turned just in time to seize a small boy by the slack of his roundabout and arrest his flight.
“嘿！我早該想到那個壁櫥，你躲在那裡幹什麼？”
"There! I might 'a' thought of that closet. What you been doing in there?"
“沒幹什麼。”
"Nothing."
“沒幹什麼？！瞧你那雙手，再看你那張嘴，還有那渾身是什麼？”
"Nothing! Look at your hands. And look at your mouth. What is that truck?"
“我不知道，姨媽。”
"I don't know, aunt."
“哎，我知道，那是蜜餞——對，就是。我已跟你講過有四十遍了，不要動我的蜜餞，否則我就扒你的皮。把鞭子遞給我。”
"Well, I know. It's jam--that's what it is. Forty times I've said if you didn't let that jam alone I'd skin you. Hand me that switch."
鞭子在空中晃悠——情況萬分緊急。
The switch hovered in the air--the peril was desperate--
“不得了！瞧你身後是什麼，姨媽！”
"My! Look behind you, aunt!"
老太太以為有危險，急忙撩起裙子，轉過身去。湯姆撥腿就逃，頃刻他爬過高高的木柵欄，一轉眼就消失得無影無蹤。
The old lady whirled round, and snatched her skirts out of danger. The lad fled on the instant, scrambled up the high board-fence, and disappeared over it.
他的波莉姨媽站在那兒先是一愣，隨後突然輕聲笑了起來。
His aunt Polly stood surprised a moment, and then broke into a gentle laugh.
“這個該死的，我怎麼老是不吸取教訓？和我開這樣的玩笑，也不知開過多少次了。難道我不該有所提防嗎？人老了，糊塗才是最大的糊塗蛋。俗話說得好，老狗學不會新把戲。可是天啦！他耍的鬼把戲裡從來沒有兩天一樣的，誰能猜出下個鬼主意是什麼？他似乎知道，他能折磨我多長時間，我才會動肝火，而且他也知道他只要想個法哄哄我，惹我大笑一場，就會萬事皆休，我也不會揍他一頓。我對他是敢怒不能揍。我對那孩子沒盡到責任，上帝知道那是真的。《聖經》裡說：‘孩子不打不成器。’我太溺愛那孩子，我也知道這對我倆都不好。他一肚鬼點子。哎呀，但他是我那死去的親姐姐的兒子，可憐的孩子，我怎麼也不忍心揍他。每一次饒了他，我良心都受譴責；可是每一回打他，我都有點心痛不忍。哎，哎，就像《聖經》所說的，人為母生，光陰荏苒，充滿苦難。我看這話說得一點都不錯。今天下午他要是逃學，明天我就想法讓他幹點活，懲罰懲罰他。星期六讓他幹活，恐怕苛刻了點，因為所有的孩子都放了假，他又恨透了幹活，比恨什麼都厲害。可是我不得不對他盡到我的責任，否則我會把這個孩子給毀了。”
"Hang the boy, can't I never learn anything? Ain't he played me tricks enough like that for me to be looking out for him by this time? But old fools is the biggest fools there is. Can't learn an old dog new tricks, as the saying is. But my goodness, he never plays them alike, two days, and how is a body to know what's coming? He 'pears to know just how long he can torment me before I get my dander up, and he knows if he can make out to put me off for a minute or make me laugh, it's all down again and I can't hit him a lick. I ain't doing my duty by that boy, and that's the Lord's truth, goodness knows. Spare the rod and spile the child, as the Good Book says. I'm a laying up sin and suffering for us both, I know. He's full of the Old Scratch, but laws-a-me! he's my own dead sister's boy, poor thing, and I ain't got the heart to lash him, somehow. Every time I let him off, my conscience does hurt me so, and every time I hit him my old heart most breaks. Well-a-well, man that is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble, as the Scripture says, and I reckon it's so. He'll play hookey this evening, * and [* Southwestern for "afternoon"] I'll just be obleeged to make him work, tomorrow, to punish him. It's mighty hard to make him work Saturdays, when all the boys is having holiday, but he hates work more than he hates anything else, and I've got to do some of my duty by him, or I'll be the ruination of the child."
湯姆真的沒去上課，而且痛痛快快地玩了一場。他回家時正好趕上幫那小黑孩吉姆的忙，幫他在晚飯前鋸第二天用的木頭，劈引火用的柴——至少他及時趕到那兒，把他所幹的事講給吉姆聽，而活卻是吉姆幹了四分之三。湯姆的弟弟（確切地說是同母異父的弟弟）希德已幹完了他那份活（撿碎木塊），因為他是個不聲不響的孩子，從不幹什麼冒險的事，也不惹什麼麻煩。
Tom did play hookey, and he had a very good time. He got back home barely in season to help Jim, the small colored boy, saw next-day's wood and split the kindlings before supper--at least he was there in time to tell his adventures to Jim while Jim did three-fourths of the work. Tom's younger brother (or rather half-brother) Sid was already through with his part of the work (picking up chips), for he was a quiet boy, and had no adventurous, trouble-some ways.
湯姆吃晚飯的時候，總是瞅機會偷糖吃，波莉姨媽這時開始問他，話裡充滿了詭計，而且非常巧妙——因為她要設點圈套，套他說出實話來。跟其他許多頭腦簡單的人一樣，她很自負，並且相信自己很有點子，會耍弄詭秘狡猾的手腕，把自己極易被人識破的詭計當作最高明的計策，她說：
While Tom was eating his supper, and stealing sugar as opportunity offered, Aunt Polly asked him questions that were full of guile, and very deep--for she wanted to trap him into damaging revealments. Like many other simple-hearted souls, it was her pet vanity to believe she was endowed with a talent for dark and mysterious diplomacy, and she loved to contemplate her most transparent devices as marvels of low cunning. Said she:
“湯姆，學校裡挺熱的，對吧？”
"Tom, it was middling warm in school, warn't it?"
“是的，姨媽。”
"Yes'm."
“熱的厲害，對不對？”
"Powerful warm, warn't it?"
“對，姨媽。”
"Yes'm."
“你是不是想去游泳來着，湯姆。”
"Didn't you want to go in a-swimming, Tom?"
湯姆忽然感到有點慌張——一絲不安和疑惑掠過心頭。他偷眼察看波莉姨媽的臉色，可什麼也沒有看出來。於是他說：
A bit of a scare shot through Tom--a touch of uncomfortable suspicion. He searched Aunt Polly's face, but it told him nothing. So he said:
“沒有啊，姨媽——呃，沒怎麼想去。”
"No'm--well, not very much."
老太太伸出手摸摸湯姆的襯衣，說道：
The old lady reached out her hand and felt Tom's shirt, and said:
“可是你現在卻並不怎麼熱，是吧！”她已發現襯衣是乾的，卻沒有人知道她內心的真正用意，為此她感到很得意。而湯姆猜透了她的心思，所以他為防老太太的下一招來了個先發制人。
"But you ain't too warm now, though." And it flattered her to reflect that she had discovered that the shirt was dry without anybody knowing that that was what she had in her mind. But in spite of her, Tom knew where the wind lay, now. So he forestalled what might be the next move:
“有的人往大家頭上打水——你瞧，我的頭髮還是濕的呢！”
"Some of us pumped on our heads--mine's damp yet. See?"
波莉姨媽很懊惱，她居然沒注意到這個明擺着的事實，以致錯過了一次機會。可接着她靈機一動，計上心來：
Aunt Polly was vexed to think she had overlooked that bit of circumstantial evidence, and missed a trick. Then she had a new inspiration:
“湯姆，你往頭上澆水的時候，不必拆掉我給你襯衫上縫的領子吧？把上衣的紐扣解開！”
"Tom, you didn't have to undo your shirt collar where I sewed it, to pump on your head, did you? Unbutton your jacket!"
湯姆臉上的不安馬上就消失了。他解開上衣，襯衣的領子還是縫的好好的。
The trouble vanished out of Tom's face. He opened his jacket. His shirt collar was securely sewed.
“真是怪事。得，算了吧！我看你曠課去游泳了！我認為你就像俗話裡說的燒焦毛的貓一樣——並不像表面看起來的那樣壞。就這一次，下不為例。”
"Bother! Well, go 'long with you. I'd made sure you'd played hookey and been a-swimming. But I forgive ye, Tom. I reckon you're a kind of a singed cat, as the saying is--better'n you look. This time."
她一面為自己的計謀落空而難過，一面又為湯姆這一次竟能如此溫順聽話而高興。
She was half sorry her sagacity had miscarried, and half glad that Tom had stumbled into obedient conduct for once.
可是希德卻說：
But Sidney said:
“哼，我記得你好像給他縫領子用的是白綫，可現在卻是黑線。”
"Well, now, if I didn't think you sewed his collar with white thread, but it's black."
“嘿，我的確用白綫縫的！湯姆！”
"Why, I did sew it with white! Tom!"
可湯姆沒等聽完話就走了。他走出門口的時候說：
But Tom did not wait for the rest. As he went out at the door he said:
“希德，為這我可要狠狠揍你一頓。”
"Siddy, I'll lick you for that."
在一個安全的地方，湯姆仔細檢查了別在上衣翻領上的兩根大針，針上還穿著綫，一根繞着白綫，另一根繞着黑線。 他說：
In a safe place Tom examined two large needles which were thrust into the lapels of his jacket, and had thread bound about them--one needle carried white thread and the other black. He said:
“如果不是希德，她是永遠不會注意到的。真討厭！有時她用白綫縫，有時又用黑線。我真希望她總是用一種綫——換來換去我實在記不住。不過，我發誓非揍希德一頓不可，我要好好教訓教訓他。”
"She'd never noticed if it hadn't been for Sid. Confound it! sometimes she sews it with white, and sometimes she sews it with black. I wish to gee-miny she'd stick to one or t'other--I can't keep the run of 'em. But I bet you I'll lam Sid for that. I'll learn him!"
湯姆不是村裡的模範男孩，但他對那位模範男孩非常熟悉，並且很討厭他。
He was not the Model Boy of the village. He knew the model boy very well though--and loathed him.
不到兩分鐘，甚至更短，他已將全部煩惱給忘記了。就像大人們的煩惱也是煩惱一樣，他忘記煩惱並不是因為他的煩惱對他不怎麼沉重和難受，而是因為一種新的、更強烈的興趣暫時壓倒並驅散了他心中的煩悶——就像大人們在新奇感受的興奮之時，也會暫時忘卻自己的不幸一樣。這種新產生的興趣就是一種新的吹口哨方法，它很有價值，是剛從一個黑人那學到的，現在他正要一心練習練習又不想被別人打擾。這聲音很特別，像小鳥的叫聲，一種流暢而委婉的音調。在吹這個調子的時候，舌頭斷斷續續地抵住口腔的上齶——讀者若曾經也是孩子的話，也許還記得該怎樣吹這種口哨。湯姆學得很勤奮，練得很專心，很快就掌握了其中要領。於是他沿街大步流星地走着，口中吹着口哨，心裡樂滋滋的，那股樂勁如同天文學家發現了新行星時一般，僅就樂的程度之深之強烈而言，此時的湯姆絶對比天文學家還要興奮。
Within two minutes, or even less, he had forgotten all his troubles. Not because his troubles were one whit less heavy and bitter to him than a man's are to a man, but because a new and powerful interest bore them down and drove them out of his mind for the time--just as men's misfortunes are forgotten in the excitement of new enterprises. This new interest was a valued novelty in whistling, which he had just acquired from a negro, and he was suffering to practise it un-disturbed. It consisted in a peculiar bird-like turn, a sort of liquid warble, produced by touching the tongue to the roof of the mouth at short intervals in the midst of the music--the reader probably remembers how to do it, if he has ever been a boy. Diligence and attention soon gave him the knack of it, and he strode down the street with his mouth full of harmony and his soul full of gratitude. He felt much as an astronomer feels who has discovered a new planet--no doubt, as far as strong, deep, unalloyed pleasure is concerned, the advantage was with the boy, not the astronomer.
夏天的下午很長，這時天還沒有黑。湯姆的口哨聲忽然停住了，因為在他面前出現了一個陌生人——一個比他大一點的男孩。 在聖彼德堡這個貧窮、破落的小村子裡，不管是男的還是女的，老的還是少的，只要是新來的，就能引起人們的好奇心。而且這個男孩穿得非常講究——在平常工作日竟穿戴如此整齊，僅這就讓湯姆對他刮目相看。他的帽子很精緻，藍色的上衣扣得緊緊的，又新又整潔，他的褲子也是一樣。他竟然還穿著鞋——要知道，今天可是星期五！他甚至還打了條領帶，那是條顏色鮮亮的絲質領帶。他擺出一副城裡人的架勢，湯姆對此感到很不自在。湯姆眼盯着他那套漂亮的衣服，鼻子翹得高高的。可是他越看越是覺得自己身上的衣服很寒酸破舊。兩個人都一聲不吭。一個挪動一步，另一個也挪一步——可都是斜着步子兜圈子。他倆面對面，眼對眼這樣相持了很長時間，最後還是湯姆先開了腔：
The summer evenings were long. It was not dark, yet. Presently Tom checked his whistle. A stranger was before him--a boy a shade larger than himself. A new-comer of any age or either sex was an im-pressive curiosity in the poor little shabby village of St. Petersburg. This boy was well dressed, too--well dressed on a week-day. This was simply as astounding. His cap was a dainty thing, his close-buttoned blue cloth roundabout was new and natty, and so were his pantaloons. He had shoes on--and it was only Friday. He even wore a necktie, a bright bit of ribbon. He had a citified air about him that ate into Tom's vitals. The more Tom stared at the splendid marvel, the higher he turned up his nose at his finery and the shabbier and shabbier his own outfit seemed to him to grow. Neither boy spoke. If one moved, the other moved--but only sidewise, in a circle; they kept face to face and eye to eye all the time. Finally Tom said:
“我能打得過你！”
"I can lick you!"
“我倒想見識見識。”
"I'd like to see you try it."
“那好，我就打給你看。”
"Well, I can do it."
“得了，你不行。”
"No you can't, either."
“我行。”
"Yes I can."
“你就是不行。”
"No you can't."
“我就是行。”
"I can."
“不行！”
"You can't."
“行！”
"Can!"
“不行！”
"Can't!"
兩個人都不自在地停了下來。接着湯姆問道：
An uncomfortable pause. Then Tom said:
“你叫什麼名字？”
"What's your name?"
“這也許你管不着！”
"'Tisn't any of your business, maybe."
“哼，我就管得着！”
"Well I 'low I'll make it my business."
“好，那你就管管看。”
"Well why don't you?"
“要是你再囉嗦，我就管給你看。”
"If you say much, I will."
“囉嗦——囉嗦——偏要囉嗦，看你能怎麼樣？”
"Much--much--much. There now."
“哎，你認為你自己很了不起，是不是？如果我想打倒你的話，一隻手背在後面都能打過你。”
"Oh, you think you're mighty smart, don't you? I could lick you with one hand tied behind me, if I wanted to."
“好啊，你說你能打過我，那你為什麼不動手啊？”
"Well why don't you do it? You say you can do it."
“如果你老是嘴硬的話，我就打給你看。”
"Well I will, if you fool with me."
“嘿——你這種人我見得多了，盡吹大話下不了台！”
"Oh yes--I've seen whole families in the same fix."
“哈！你自以為是個人物呢！瞧，你那帽子！”
"Smarty! You think you're some, now, don't you? Oh, what a hat!"
“你要是看不順眼你就把它摘下來呀，如果你敢碰，我就揍扁你！”
"You can lump that hat if you don't like it. I dare you to knock it off--and anybody that'll take a dare will suck eggs."
“你吹牛。”
"You're a liar!"
“你也是吹牛。”
"You're another."
“你光是講大話，不敢動手。”
"You're a fighting liar and dasn't take it up."
“噢，滾你的蛋吧！”
"Aw--take a walk!"
“告訴你——要是你再罵我的話，我就用石頭砸碎你的腦袋。”
"Say--if you give me much more of your sass I'll take and bounce a rock off'n your head."
“那好，你就來砸啊！”
"Oh, of course you will."
“我肯定會的。”
"Well I will."
“那你為什麼不來試試？你老是吹牛不敢動手，哦，我知道你害怕了。”
"Well why don't you do it then? What do you keep saying you will for? Why don't you do it? It's because you're afraid."
“我才不怕呢！”
"I ain't afraid."
“你怕！”
"You are."
“我不怕！”
"I ain't."
“你就是怕！”
"You are."
兩個人暫停了一會兒，接着又眼對眼，身子側身子兜着圈子走了幾步。忽然兩個人肩抵着肩。湯姆說：
Another pause, and more eying and sidling around each other. Presently they were shoulder to shoulder. Tom said:
“你從這滾吧！”
"Get away from here!"
“你自己滾吧！”
"Go away yourself!"
“我不滾。”
"I won't."
“我也不滾。”
"I won't either."
於是他倆站在那兒，雙方都斜着一隻腳撐着勁，用儘力氣想把對手往後推，兩個人都憤恨地瞪着對方。可是誰都沒占優勢。他們直鬥得渾身燥熱，滿臉通紅，然後兩人稍稍放鬆，卻都小心謹慎地提防着對方。這時，湯姆又說：
So they stood, each with a foot placed at an angle as a brace, and both shoving with might and main, and glowering at each other with hate. But neither could get an advantage. After struggling till both were hot and flushed, each relaxed his strain with watchful caution, and Tom said:
“你是個膽小鬼，是個狗崽子。我要向我大哥哥告你的狀，他只要動動小指頭就能把你捏碎，我會讓他揍你的。”
"You're a coward and a pup. I'll tell my big brother on you, and he can thrash you with his little finger, and I'll make him do it, too."
“我可不怕你什麼大哥哥，我有一個比你大哥還大的大哥哥——而且我大哥哥能把你的大哥哥從那堵籬笆圍牆扔過去。” （兩個人的所謂的大哥哥都是虛構的。）
"What do I care for your big brother? I've got a brother that's bigger than he is--and what's more, he can throw him over that fence, too." [Both brothers were imaginary.]
“你撒謊。”
"That's a lie."
“你講的也不是真的。”
"Your saying so don't make it so."
湯姆用大腳趾頭在地上的灰土上劃了一道綫，說：
Tom drew a line in the dust with his big toe, and said:
“你若敢跨過這道綫，我就把你打趴在地上，讓你站不起來。誰敢，誰就得吃不了兜着走。”
"I dare you to step over that, and I'll lick you till you can't stand up. Anybody that'll take a dare will steal sheep."
這個新來的男孩毫不猶豫地跨過那道綫，說：
The new boy stepped over promptly, and said:
“你說你敢打我，現在來看看你怎麼打法。”
"Now you said you'd do it, now let's see you do it."
“你不要逼我！你最好還是當心點。”
"Don't you crowd me now; you better look out."
“哎，你不是說要打我嗎？——你為什麼不動手啊？”
"Well, you said you'd do it--why don't you do it?"
“得了，你要是肯給我兩個分幣，我就動手。”
"By jingo! for two cents I will do it."
新來的男孩果真從衣服口袋裏掏出兩個分幣，嘲弄地攤開手掌。湯姆一把將錢打翻在地。立刻兩個人像兩隻爭食的貓一樣，在地上的塵土裡滾打，撕扯起來，緊接着又是扯頭髮，又是揪衣領，拚命地捶打對方的鼻子，抓對方的臉。兩個人都弄得渾身是土，卻又都威風凜凜。最後誰勝誰敗逐漸見了分曉，湯姆從塵土中爬起來，騎在那個男孩的身上，攥緊拳頭使勁地打那個男孩。 “挨夠了嗎？求饒吧！”他說。
The new boy took two broad coppers out of his pocket and held them out with derision. Tom struck them to the ground. In an instant both boys were rolling and tumbling in the dirt, gripped together like cats; and for the space of a minute they tugged and tore at each other's hair and clothes, punched and scratched each other's nose, and covered themselves with dust and glory. Presently the confusion took form, and through the fog of battle Tom appeared, seated astride the new boy, and pounding him with his fists. "Holler 'nuff!" said he.
那個男孩只想掙脫出來。他氣得嚎啕大哭。
The boy only struggled to free himself. He was crying--mainly from rage.
湯姆還在不停地捶打，說：“求饒吧！”
"Holler 'nuff!"--and the pounding went on.
那男孩只好擠出幾個字：“饒了我！”
湯姆讓他站起來，對他說：
At last the stranger got out a smothered "'Nuff!" and Tom let him up and said:
“現在你知道我的厲害了吧！以後最好給我小心點，看看在跟誰嘴硬。”
"Now that'll learn you. Better look out who you're fooling with next time."
這位新來的男孩拍拍身上的塵土，哭哭啼啼地走開了。他不時地回過頭來，搖晃着腦袋，嚇唬湯姆：
“下次要是抓住你，我就，我就……”
湯姆對此不屑一顧，趾高氣揚地走開了。他的背剛一轉過來，那男孩子就抓起一塊石頭朝他砸過來，正打在湯姆的背上，接着就夾着尾巴，像羚羊似的飛快地跑掉了。湯姆窮追不捨，直追到他家。他就站在人家大門口，嚷着叫那男孩出來較量，可是那個對手只是在窗子裡朝他擠鼻子弄眼，拒不迎戰。最後那對手的媽媽出來了，咒罵湯姆是個邪惡下流、沒有家教的壞孩子，喝斥他趕快滾開。於是湯姆就走了，不過，他臨走時說還要尋機再教訓教訓那混小子一頓。
The new boy went off brushing the dust from his clothes, sobbing, snuffling, and occasionally looking back and shaking his head and threatening what he would do to Tom the "next time he caught him out." To which Tom responded with jeers, and started off in high feather, and as soon as his back was turned the new boy snatched up a stone, threw it and hit him between the shoulders and then turned tail and ran like an antelope. Tom chased the traitor home, and thus found out where he lived. He then held a position at the gate for some time, daring the enemy to come outside, but the enemy only made faces at him through the window and declined. At last the enemy's mother appeared, and called Tom a bad, vicious, vulgar child, and ordered him away. So he went away; but he said he "'lowed" to "lay" for that boy.
那天晚上，他回到家時已經很遲了。當他小心翼翼地從窗戶往裡爬時，猛然間發現了有人埋伏，仔細一看，原來是他的波莉姨媽。她看到他衣服被弄成那副樣子，原來就打算讓湯姆在星期六休息日幹活的決心現在就更加堅定了。
He got home pretty late that night, and when he climbed cautiously in at the window, he uncovered an ambuscade, in the person of his aunt; and when she saw the state his clothes were in her resolution to turn his Saturday holiday into captivity at hard labor became adamantine in its firmness.