現在再回過頭來說說湯姆和貝基參加野餐的情況。他們跟夥伴們一起穿行在黑暗的通道里，遊覽那些熟悉的洞中奇觀——人們給它們起了些過于誇張的名子，諸如什麼“客廳”、“大教堂”、“阿拉丁宮殿”等等。在這之後，他們開始玩捉迷藏遊戲，玩得極其投入，一直玩到都有點厭煩了為止；然後他倆高舉蠟燭，順着一條彎曲的小路往前逛，邊走邊唸著用蠟燭煙油刻寫在石壁上面的名字、年月、通訊地址和格言之類的東西。他倆仍然邊走邊談着，不知不覺地來到了另一個山洞。這裡的牆上沒有刻寫字跡。在一塊突出的岩石上面，他倆熏上自己名字後繼續往前走去。不久，他們來到一個地方，那裡有股溪流從突出的岩層上流下來，水裡有石灰石沉渣，經年累月形成了瀑布一般的景觀。它四周好像嵌着邊，起伏不平，水中的石頭晶瑩閃亮，永不消失。湯姆擠到後邊，好讓貝基藉著他的燈光看個夠。他發現後面狹縫中有條陡峭的天然台階，湯姆一下心血來潮，要去繼續探險。
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.
貝基聽他的，於是倆人熏了個記號，作為以後引路標誌，就開始了探險。他倆一時這邊走，一時那邊走，就這樣蜿蜒着進了以前沒有人到過的洞中最深處，作了個記號後，又沿著叉道走下去以便出去後有新鮮事兒好跟人說。在一處，他們發現一個寬敞的石窟，上面垂下來一些人腿大小的鐘乳石，他們在裡面轉了一圈，驚嘆不已，然後從其中的一個出口離開了。不久他們就到了一個美妙的泉水旁，水底下石頭形似雪花狀玲瓏剔透，泉水位於石窟中間，四周石壁全由形狀奇特的柱子撐着，這些石砫是大鐘乳石和大石筍相連而構成的，是千萬年來水滴不息的結果。石窟上聚集着成群結隊的蝙蝠，每一群都有上千上萬隻。燈光一照，數以千計的蝙蝠飛下來，尖叫着向蠟燭猛撲過去。湯姆知道它們的習慣和危險性，他拉著她鑽到最近的一個通道里。這一招做得真好，因為貝基往外走時，手裡的蠟燭正巧被一隻蝙蝠給撲滅了。蝙蝠把他倆追出老遠的一段距離。兩個逃亡者只要看到通道就往裡鑽，最後終於擺脫了險境，把它們拋在後面。不久湯姆發現了地下湖，它漸漸地伸展，最後消失在黑暗中，他打算沿著岸去探個究竟，可轉而一想還是坐下來先歇一會為妙。這時，平生第一次兩個孩子感到這寂靜的山洞裡好像有冰冷的魔掌攫取了他倆的靈魂。貝基說：
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:
“對了，我倒沒留意。不過好像很長時間都沒聽到別的同伴的聲音了。”
"Why, I didn't notice, but it seems ever so long since I heard any of the others."
“想想看，貝基，我們現在離他們很遠，鑽到洞下面來了。我也不知道向北還是向南、向東或是什麼方向跑了多遠，我們在這個地方聽不見他們。”
"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."
貝基開始擔心起來。
Becky grew apprehensive.
“我不知道我們獃在這裡有多久了，湯姆，我們還是回去吧！”
"I wonder how long we've been down here, Tom? We better start back."
“對，我也是這樣想的，也許還是回去的好。”
"Yes, I reckon we better. P'raps we better."
“你認識路，湯姆？這裡彎彎曲曲，亂七八糟。”
"Can you find the way, Tom? It's all a mixed-up crookedness to me."
“我想我能認識路——可是那些蝙蝠很討厭。要是它們把我倆的蠟燭撲滅，那就更糟了。我們不妨從別的路走，避開那個地方。”
"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."
“行是行，不過但願別再迷了路。真是要命！”小姑娘一想到前途未卜，不禁打了個寒顫。
"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.
他們鑽進一條長廊，不聲不響地走了老遠，邊走邊看新出口，看看跟進來時的是否一樣。可是沒一個出口是原來的。湯姆每次認真查看新洞口，貝基就望着他的臉看是否有希望的表情，湯姆則愉快地說：
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:
“噢，沒什麼大不了的，這不是的，不過我們會找到出口。”
"Oh, it's all right. This ain't the one, but we'll come to it right away!"
可是一次又一次的失敗使湯姆感到希望越來越渺茫，隨後他乾脆見到出口就鑽，拚命希望能找到來時的那個出口，嘴上仍說著“沒什麼大不了的，”心情卻十分沉重，連說出來的話都失去了響聲，聽上去好像是“沒救了！”貝基極度痛苦地緊跟在湯姆身旁，竭力想止住眼淚，可是眼淚還是流出來。她終於說：
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:
“對了，湯姆，別管那些蝙蝠吧，還回到那條路上去！看樣子，我們越走越不對勁。”
"Oh, Tom, never mind the bats, let's go back that way! We seem to get worse and worse off all the time."
湯姆停住腳步。 “聽！”他說。
"Listen!" said he.
周圍萬籟俱寂，靜得連他們的喘息聲都能聽見，湯姆放開喉嚨大叫。叫聲迴蕩在通道里，漸漸遠去，直至最後隱約聽上去像是陣陣笑聲一樣消失在通道深處。
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.
“喂，湯姆，別喊了，聽起來怪嚇人的。”貝基說。
"Oh, don't do it again, Tom, it is too horrid," said Becky.
“是嚇人，但我最好還是喊，貝基，說不准他們能聽見我們。”說完他又大喊起來。
"It is horrid, but I better, Becky; they might hear us, you know," and he shouted again.
“說不准”三個字比那陣陣笑聲更可怕，它表明希望正在消失，兩個孩子靜靜地站在那裡聽著，可什麼也沒聽見。湯姆立即按原路返回，步伐很快。可沒多久，他表現出舉棋不定的樣子。貝基感到十分害怕，湯姆居然連往回走的路也找不着了。
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!
“喂，湯姆，你怎麼什麼記號也沒做！”
"Oh, Tom, you didn't make any marks!"
“貝基，我真笨！一個大笨蛋！我根本沒想到還會順原路返回！是的，我們現在迷路了。真是糟糕透頂。”
"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."
“湯姆，湯姆，我們迷了路！找不着路了！永遠也走不出這個鬼地方了！真是的，我們當時幹嗎不和別的夥伴一起走呢！”
"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!"
說完，她一下子癱在地上，大哭起來，這下子嚇壞了湯姆，他以為她快要死了，要不然就是要發瘋了。他坐在她旁邊摟着她。她緊緊地挨着湯姆，臉貼在他懷裡，一古腦地訴說她的恐懼，連後悔都來不及了，這聲音傳到遠處變成了嘲笑，迴蕩在通道里。湯姆求她再打起精神來，可她說不能。於是湯姆開始了自責，罵自己不該把她弄到這種不幸的地步。這一罵倒有了好效果。她表示要努力抱定希望，只要湯姆不再說這種話，她願意跟湯姆一起闖關，因為要說誰有錯的話，她自己也不例外。
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.
這樣他倆又開始往前走，漫無目標地胡亂走——他們現在能做的就是往前走，不斷地往前走。不久，希望又開始復甦——它沒有什麼理由，很簡單，只是因為希望的源泉還沒有因時間和失敗而消失時，它自然而然地要復甦。
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.
過了一會工夫，湯姆把貝基的蠟燭拿來吹滅，這種節約意味深長，言辭是多餘的，不用多解釋，貝基就明白了其中的含義，她的希望又破滅了。她知道湯姆口袋裏還有一根整蠟燭和幾個蠟燭頭——但他必須節約着用。
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.
又過了一會，疲乏開始襲上心頭，可兩個孩子儘力想置之不理，因為現在時間就是生命。他們連想坐下來休息一下都不敢想。只要往前走，往一個方向或者無論是往哪邊走都算是前進，有可能會有結果；但千萬不能坐下來，否則等於坐以待斃，好讓死神降臨得快些。
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.
到後來，貝基柔弱的四肢再也支撐不住，她一步也走不動了。她坐在地上，湯姆也坐下來陪她休息。兩人談到家、那裡的朋友、家裡舒服的床鋪，尤其是那燈光！貝基哭起來，湯姆想另換話題來安慰她，可是她已不止一次聽到他這樣鼓勵，現在這些鼓勵的話聽起來倒像是在挖苦她。貝基實在疲乏極了，她昏昏欲睡，湯姆見此很高興，他坐在那裡盯着她看，只見她在甜蜜的睡夢中臉上的表情逐漸由繃緊狀態變得舒展了，笑容也慢慢地露出來。那平靜的臉龐給湯姆的心靈也帶來了些慰籍。於是，他的心思轉到了過去的時光和夢一般的回憶上去了，他陷入沉思時，貝基在一陣爽快的微笑中醒來，可是笑容突然中止，接着就是一陣呻吟聲。
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.
“唉，我怎麼睡着了呢！要是一覺睡過去那該有多好啊！不！不！湯姆，我不是這麼想的！不要這樣看！我不說了。”
"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."
“貝基，你睡了一覺，這很好；你會覺得休息好了，我們會找到出去的路。”
"I'm glad you've slept, Becky; you'll feel rested, now, and we'll find the way out."
“我們可以試試，湯姆。可我在夢中見到了一個美麗的國家，我想我們正是在去那兒的路上。”
"We can try, Tom; but I've seen such a beautiful country in my dream. I reckon we are going there."
“不一定，不一定。貝基，打起精神來！我們再去試它一試。”
"Maybe not, maybe not. Cheer up, Becky, and let's go on trying."
他們站起身，手拉著手向前走去，可心裡無數。他倆想合計出獃在洞裡有多久了，可是他們只知道好像是過了許多天，有好幾個星期，可是這不可能，因為蠟燭還沒有用光。此後很長一段時間，他們都說不准在洞裡到底獃了多久——湯姆說他們必須輕輕地走路，聽聽哪兒有滴水聲——他們必須找到泉水處。不久他倆果真發現了一處泉水，湯姆又說這回該休息休息了。兩人累得夠嗆，可是貝基卻說她還能再走一會。湯姆不同意，這讓貝基大吃一驚，不能理解。他們坐下來，湯姆用粘土把蠟燭粘在前面的石壁上。兩人各想各的心思，誰也沒說一句話。過了一段時間，還是貝基先開了口：
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:
“湯姆，我很餓！”
"Tom, I am so hungry!"
湯姆從口袋裏掏出點什麼東西。
Tom took something out of his pocket.
“還記得這個嗎？”他問貝基。
"Do you remember this?" said he.
她差點笑起來。
Becky almost smiled.
“是我倆的結婚喜糕啊，湯姆。”
"It's our wedding-cake, Tom."
“對了，現在就剩下這點東西了，它要是有方桶那麼大就好了。”
"Yes--I wish it was as big as a barrel, for it's all we've got."
“這還是我野餐時留下的，做個想頭，湯姆，大人們的結婚喜糕不也是這樣的嗎？——不過這將是我倆的——”
"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--"
她話只說了半截，湯姆就動手分喜糕。貝基大口大口地吃着，湯姆自己卻一點一點、地嘗着他那份。最後，他倆又飽飽地喝了一通涼水，結束了這頓“宴席”。這時貝基又開始建議繼續往前走。湯姆先沉默了一會，然後說：
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:
“貝基，如果我告訴你，你受得了嗎？”
"Becky, can you bear it if I tell you something?"
貝基的臉色發白，可她覺得她能受得了。
Becky's face paled, but she thought she could.
“是這樣的，貝基，我們得獃在這裡，這裡有水喝，我們的蠟燭也只有這麼一小截了！”
"Well, then, Becky, we must stay here, where there's water to drink. That little piece is our last candle!"
貝基放聲大哭，湯姆盡全力來安慰她，可是一點用也沒有。最後貝基說：
Becky gave loose to tears and wailings. Tom did what he could to comfort her, but with little effect. At length Becky said:
“湯姆！”
"Tom!"
“我在這裡，貝基，有什麼要說的嗎？”
"Well, Becky?"
“他們會想我倆，找我們的！”
"They'll miss us and hunt for us!"
“說得對，他們會的，一定會的！”
"Yes, they will! Certainly they will!"
“說不定，現在正在找呢，湯姆。”
"Maybe they're hunting for us now, Tom."
“當然嘍，我想他們也許正在找，我希望如此。”
"Why, I reckon maybe they are. I hope they are."
“湯姆，不知道他們什麼時候會發現我們丟了？”
"When would they miss us, Tom?"
“大概是上船回去時吧。”
"When they get back to the boat, I reckon."
“湯姆，那可是天要黑的時候，他們會注意到我們沒回去嗎？”
"Tom, it might be dark then--would they notice we hadn't come?"
“這，我就說不准了，不過他們一到家，你媽媽見不着你，一定會想你的。”
"I don't know. But anyway, your mother would miss you as soon as they got home."
貝基的臉上露出害怕的神情，湯姆這才意識到他犯了個大錯誤。貝基說好那天晚上不回家。兩個孩子沉默不語，各自思忖着，突然一陣悲痛襲上貝基心頭，湯姆發現，他想的事情和她的一樣——那就是星期天撒切爾夫人發現貝基不在哈帕夫人家時，已經是中午時分。
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.
孩子們眼睛盯着那截小蠟燭頭，看著它一點一點、無情地燒掉，最後剩下半英吋長的燭心，那軟弱的燭光忽高忽低，順着細長的煙柱往上爬，爬到頂部徘徊了一會，接着恐怖的黑暗完全籠罩了一切。
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!
也不知過了多久，貝基才慢慢意識到她趴在湯姆懷裡哭。他倆只知道好像經過一段很長的時間後，兩人從昏睡中醒來，再度一籌莫展。湯姆說現在可能是星期天，要麼就是星期一。他儘力想讓貝基說話，可是她十分悲傷，所有的希望全都泡了湯。湯姆說他們老早就走失了，毫無疑問，人們正在找他倆，他要叫喊，有許多人聽見會來的。他叫了幾聲，可是黑暗中，回聲聽起來十分可怕，他只好停下來，不再叫喊。
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.
時間一分一秒地逝去。現在饑餓又開始折磨這兩個小傢伙。湯姆拿出從他那份中留出來的一小塊喜糕分給貝基吃，可是他們越吃越覺得餓得慌。那塊小的可憐的喜糕反而激起了他們的食慾。
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.
過了一會，湯姆說：
By-and-by Tom said:
“噓，你聽見了嗎？”
"SH! Did you hear that?"
兩人屏住呼吸靜心聽著，遠處傳來一陣模糊不清的喊叫聲。湯姆立即搭上腔，拉著貝基的手，順着聲音傳來的方向，摸索着進入通道里。他馬上又聽了聽，聲音又傳過來，這次明顯地近了。
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.
“是他們！”湯姆說，“他們來了！快來貝基——我們現在有救了！”
"It's them!" said Tom; "they're coming! Come along, Becky--we're all right now!"
兩個被困在山洞裡的“囚犯”高興得几乎發狂。不過他倆走得很慢，因為腳下不時會碰到坑坑窪窪，必須小心點才行。說著說著，他們就碰到一個坑窪。他倆停下腳步。那坑大約有三英呎深，也許是一百英呎——不管怎麼說是跨不過去的。湯姆趴在地上，儘量伸手去摸，可是根本摸不到坑底。他仍必須獃在這裡，等待搜尋的人過來。他倆聽著，很顯然本來就很遙遠的喊叫聲，現在聽起來更遠了。一會工夫後，聲音一點也聽不到了。真是倒霉透頂！湯姆直喊得嗓子都啞了也無濟於事。他充滿希望地和貝基談着，可過了一段令人焦慮的時刻後，再也沒有聽見那遠去的喊叫聲。
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.
孩子們摸索着重新回到泉水旁。時間慢慢地過去了，令人乏味。他們又睡了一覺，等醒來後饑腸轆轆，痛苦不堪，湯姆堅信今天一定是星期二。
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.
湯姆突然想出個主意。附近有許多叉路口，與其在這裡閒等着急人，不如去闖幾條碰碰運氣。他從口袋裏掏出一根風箏綫，把它系在一塊突出的石頭上，然後和貝基一起上了路。湯姆頭裡走，邊走邊放綫。大約走出有二十步遠，通道往下到了盡頭。湯姆跪了下來，往下摸着，順手摸到拐角處，他又使勁儘量往左邊一點摸。這時，不到二十碼的地方，有隻手，拿着蠟燭，從石頭後面出來了。湯姆大喝一聲，那隻手的主人——印第安·喬的身體立即露了出來。湯姆嚇癱了，他動彈不得。緊接着就見那西班牙人拔腿就跑，轉眼就不見了，真是謝天謝地。湯姆在想喬沒聽出他是誰，否則會過來殺了他，以報他在法庭上作證之仇。山洞裡的回音讓人無法辨出誰是誰。毫無疑問這就是喬沒能認出他的原因，湯姆這樣合計着。湯姆被嚇得渾身無力。他自言自語道，他要是還有氣力回到泉水邊，一定獃在那裡，無論怎樣，都不想再去冒險，碰上印第安·喬就完蛋了。他很謹慎，不想對貝基說出看到了什麼。他講他大喝一聲只是為了碰碰運氣。
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."
可是從長遠的角度來說害怕是次要的，主要的問題是饑餓和疲乏。他倆在泉水旁又度過了一個漫長而又乏味的夜晚，這給他倆帶來了轉機，孩子們醒來時，饑餓難忍。湯姆堅信日子到了星期三或是星期四，說不定是星期五、星期六都有可能，現在大夥們一定不再尋找他倆了，他提議重找一條出路。他現在覺得就是遇到印第安·喬和什麼別的危險也不怕。問題是貝基虛弱得很。她陷入了麻木狀態，喚不醒她的精神。她說她就原地獃着等待死亡——這不會太久。她對湯姆說，如果他願意的話他自己可以順着風箏綫去找出路，但要求他時不時地回來好和她說說話，她還讓他保證在最後時刻來臨時，一定要守在她身旁，握著她的手，這樣一直握下去。
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.
湯姆吻了她，嗓子裡卻有種哽噎的感覺，表面上還裝出信心十足的樣子；別人一定會找來救他倆出洞。然後他手裡拿着風箏綫爬進一個通道。饑餓令他沮喪，尤其是一想到死到臨頭更令他感到悲傷。
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.