那天晚上９點半鐘，湯姆和希德就像平常一樣被吩咐上床睡覺，他們做完禱告，希德很快就睡着了。湯姆沒有睡着，他躺在床上，不耐煩地等着。他似乎覺得天快要亮時，才聽到鐘敲了十下！這太令人失望了。他很想順應神經的要求，翻翻身，動一動，可是他害怕吵醒希德，於是他一動不動地躺着，兩眼直愣愣地盯着黑咕隆咚的夜空。萬籟俱寂，陰森可怕。後來在那一片寂靜中，有一點小小的，几乎聽不出來的動靜漸漸地大了起來。只聽到鐘擺滴嗒滴嗒在響。那些老屋的屋樑也神秘地發出裂開似的聲響。樓梯也隱隱約約，吱吱嘎嘎在響。很明顯是鬼怪們在四處活動了。從波莉姨媽臥室裡傳來一陣勻稱的、沉悶的鼾聲。這時一隻蟋蟀開始發出一陣令人心煩的唧唧的叫聲，而人們卻根本弄不清楚它在什麼地方。接着床頭的牆裡有一隻小蛀蟲發出一陣陰森可怕的踢嗒聲，這聲音使湯姆嚇得心驚膽跳——這似乎意味着某個人的日子不多了。然後遠處有一隻狗嗥叫起來，這叫聲在夜晚的上空震盪，與遠處的隱隱約約傳來的狗叫聲相呼應着。湯姆簡直難受極了。最後他認定時間已經停住了，永恆已經開始了。他不由自主地打起盹來，鐘敲了十一下，但是他沒有聽見。後來在他迷迷糊糊、似睡非睡的狀態中，從外面傳來一陣非常淒慘的貓兒叫春的聲音。一個鄰居打開窗戶，聲音驚動了他。一聲“滾！你這瘟貓！”的罵聲和一隻空瓶子砸到他的姨媽的木棚小屋上的破碎聲使他完全清醒過來，片刻工夫，他便穿帶好衣帽，從窗戶出來，爬行在屋頂上。他一邊爬，一邊小心謹慎地“咪嗚”了一兩次；然後縱身一跳，上了木棚小屋，再從那跳到地上。哈克貝利·費恩早已等候在那裡，手裡還拿着他那只死貓。接着兩個孩子一起消失在黑暗中。半小時之後，他倆就穿行在墳地裡的深草叢中。
AT half-past nine, that night, Tom and Sid were sent to bed, as usual. They said their prayers, and Sid was soon asleep. Tom lay awake and waited, in restless impatience. When it seemed to him that it must be nearly daylight, he heard the clock strike ten! This was despair. He would have tossed and fidgeted, as his nerves demanded, but he was afraid he might wake Sid. So he lay still, and stared up into the dark. Everything was dismally still. By and by, out of the stillness, little, scarcely perceptible noises began to emphasize themselves. The ticking of the clock began to bring itself into notice. Old beams began to crack mysteriously. The stairs creaked faintly. Evidently spirits were abroad. A measured, muffled snore issued from Aunt Polly's chamber. And now the tiresome chirping of a cricket that no human ingenuity could locate, began. Next the ghastly ticking of a death-watch in the wall at the bed's head made Tom shudder--it meant that somebody's days were numbered. Then the howl of a far-off dog rose on the night air, and was answered by a fainter howl from a remoter distance. Tom was in an agony. At last he was satisfied that time had ceased and eternity begun; he began to doze, in spite of himself; the clock chimed eleven, but he did not hear it. And then there came, mingling with his half-formed dreams, a most melancholy caterwauling. The raising of a neighboring window disturbed him. A cry of "Scat! you devil!" and the crash of an empty bottle against the back of his aunt's woodshed brought him wide awake, and a single minute later he was dressed and out of the window and creeping along the roof of the "ell" on all fours. He "meow'd" with caution once or twice, as he went; then jumped to the roof of the woodshed and thence to the ground. Huckleberry Finn was there, with his dead cat. The boys moved off and disappeared in the gloom. At the end of half an hour they were wading through the tall grass of the graveyard.
這是一個西部的老式的墳地，座落在離村子大約一英里的半山上。墳地周圍有一道歪歪斜斜的木板柵欄，有些地方往裡倒，有的地方往外斜，總之，沒有一個地方是筆直的。整片墓地雜草叢生，所有的舊墳都塌陷下去，墳上連一塊墓碑都沒有。圓頂的、蟲蛀的木牌子無依無靠，歪歪倒倒地插在墳墓上。這些牌子上曾經寫有“紀念某某”之類的字樣，即使現在有亮光，大多數已無法再辨認出來。
It was a graveyard of the old-fashioned Western kind. It was on a hill, about a mile and a half from the village. It had a crazy board fence around it, which leaned inward in places, and outward the rest of the time, but stood upright nowhere. Grass and weeds grew rank over the whole cemetery. All the old graves were sunken in, there was not a tombstone on the place; round-topped, worm-eaten boards staggered over the graves, leaning for support and finding none. "Sacred to the memory of" So-and-So had been painted on them once, but it could no longer have been read, on the most of them, now, even if there had been light.
一陣微風吹過樹林，發出蕭瑟聲響，湯姆擔心這可能是死鬼們在抱怨有人來打攪了他們。兩個孩子很少說話，就是說也只敢悄悄地說，因為此時此地，到處是一片肅穆和寂靜，令人壓抑。他們找到了要找的那座新隆起的墳。在離墳幾英呎內的地方，有三棵大榆樹長在一起，於是他們就躲在那裡。
A faint wind moaned through the trees, and Tom feared it might be the spirits of the dead, complaining at being disturbed. The boys talked little, and only under their breath, for the time and the place and the pervading solemnity and silence oppressed their spirits. They found the sharp new heap they were seeking, and ensconced themselves within the protection of three great elms that grew in a bunch within a few feet of the grave.
他們靜靜地等了似乎很長一段時間，除了遠處貓頭鷹的叫聲外，周圍是一片死寂。湯姆被悶得受不住了，他必須打破沉默開口談點話，他低聲問道：
Then they waited in silence for what seemed a long time. The hooting of a distant owl was all the sound that troubled the dead stillness. Tom's reflections grew oppressive. He must force some talk. So he said in a whisper:
“哈奇，你相信死人願意我們到這兒來嗎？”
"Hucky, do you believe the dead people like it for us to be here?"
哈克貝利低聲說：
Huckleberry whispered:
“我問誰呢？這裡肅靜得令人害怕，是不是？”
"I wisht I knowed. It's awful solemn like, ain't it?"
“是啊。”
"I bet it is."
有好一陣子他倆沒作聲，各自都在心裡想著這件事。之後湯姆又悄悄地說：
There was a considerable pause, while the boys canvassed this matter inwardly. Then Tom whispered:
“喂，我說哈奇——你知道霍斯·威廉斯聽見我們講話嗎？”
"Say, Hucky--do you reckon Hoss Williams hears us talking?"
“那當然嘍。至少他的陰魂能聽見。”
"O' course he does. Least his sperrit does."
湯姆停了一會才說：
Tom, after a pause:
“我剛纔提他時，要是帶上‘先生’二字就好了。不過我從來沒有不尊敬他。別人都叫他霍斯。”
"I wish I'd said Mister Williams. But I never meant any harm. Everybody calls him Hoss."
“湯姆，議論死人時要特別、特別小心才對。”
"A body can't be too partic'lar how they talk 'bout these-yer dead people, Tom."
這句話猶如一盆冷水讓湯姆掃興，因此談話就中斷了。
This was a damper, and conversation died again.
過了一會，湯姆抓住哈克的胳膊說道：
Presently Tom seized his comrade's arm and said:
“噓！”
"Sh!"
“怎麼啦，湯姆？”他們倆緊緊靠在一起，心嘣嘣直跳。
"What is it, Tom?" And the two clung together with beating hearts.
“噓！又來了！你沒有聽見嗎？”
"Sh! There 'tis again! Didn't you hear it?"
“我——”
"I--"
“聽！現在聽見了吧。”
"There! Now you hear it."
“哦，天啊，湯姆，他們來了，他們來了，真的！我們怎麼辦啊？”
"Lord, Tom, they're coming! They're coming, sure. What'll we do?"
“我不知道。你想他們會看見我們嗎？”
"I dono. Think they'll see us?"
“哦，湯姆，他們像貓一樣，晚上也能看見東西。我要是不來就好了。”
"Oh, Tom, they can see in the dark, same as cats. I wisht I hadn't come."
“啊，不要害怕。我想他們不會來找我們的麻煩。我們又沒惹他們。我們只要一動也不動，他們也許根本不會發現我們。”
"Oh, don't be afeard. I don't believe they'll bother us. We ain't doing any harm. If we keep perfectly still, maybe they won't notice us at all."
“湯姆，我是想不動。可是天啊，我渾身直髮抖哩。”
"I'll try to, Tom, but, Lord, I'm all of a shiver."
“聽！”
"Listen!"
兩個孩子湊得很近，低着頭，屏住呼吸。這時從遠遠的墳地那邊傳來一陣低沉的說話聲。
The boys bent their heads together and scarcely breathed. A muffled sound of voices floated up from the far end of the graveyard.
“瞧！瞧那！”湯姆小聲說，“那是什麼？”
"Look! See there!" whispered Tom. "What is it?"
“是鬼火。哦，湯姆，這太嚇人了。”
"It's devil-fire. Oh, Tom, this is awful."
黑暗中，模模糊糊有幾個影子走過來，一盞老式洋鐵燈籠搖來晃去，地上被照得光點斑斑。哈克馬上戰戰兢兢地說：
Some vague figures approached through the gloom, swinging an old-fashioned tin lantern that freckled the ground with innumerable little spangles of light. Presently Huckleberry whispered with a shudder:
“肯定是鬼來了，我的老天爺呀，一共有三個！湯姆，我們死定了！你還能禱告嗎？”
"It's the devils sure enough. Three of 'em! Lordy, Tom, we're goners! Can you pray?"
“我來試試，不過你別怕。他們不會害我們的。現在我躺下睡覺，我——”’
"I'll try, but don't you be afeard. They ain't going to hurt us. 'Now I lay me down to sleep, I--'"
“噓！”
"Sh!"
“是什麼，哈克？”
"What is it, Huck?"
“是人！至少有一個是人。那是莫夫·波特老頭的聲音。”
"They're humans! One of 'em is, anyway. One of 'em's old Muff Potter's voice."
“不——那不是他的聲音。”
"No--'tain't so, is it?"
“我敢打賭我沒搞錯，你得絶對保持安靜。他沒那麼靈，不會看見我們的。可能又和往常一樣喝醉了——這個該死無用的老東西！”
"I bet I know it. Don't you stir nor budge. He ain't sharp enough to notice us. Drunk, the same as usual, likely--blamed old rip!"
“好吧，我一定保持安靜。現在他們不走了。找不到他們了。這會兒他們又來了。現在他們來勁了。又泄氣了。又來勁了。勁頭十足！他們這回找對了方向。喂，哈克，我聽出了另一個人的聲音，那是印第安·喬。”
"All right, I'll keep still. Now they're stuck. Can't find it. Here they come again. Now they're hot. Cold again. Hot again. Red hot! They're p'inted right, this time. Say, Huck, I know another o' them voices; it's Injun Joe."
“不錯，是那個殺人不眨眼的雜種！我倒情願他們都是鬼，鬼都比他們好得多。他們到這能打什麼壞主意呢？
"That's so--that murderin' half-breed! I'd druther they was devils a dern sight. What kin they be up to?"
兩個孩子全都止住，不再低語。這時那三個人來到墳邊，站立的地方離孩子們藏身之處還不到幾英呎遠。
The whisper died wholly out, now, for the three men had reached the grave and stood within a few feet of the boys' hiding-place.
“到了。”第三個人說，提燈的人舉起燈籠，燈光下現出的是年輕的醫生魯賓遜的面孔。”
"Here it is," said the third voice; and the owner of it held the lantern up and revealed the face of young Doctor Robinson.
波特和印第安·喬推着一個手推車，車上有一根繩子和兩把鐵鍬。他們把車上的東西卸下來，開始挖墓。醫生把燈籠放在墳頭上，走到榆樹下，背靠着一棵坐下來。樹離得很近，兩個孩子伸手就能碰到他。
Potter and Injun Joe were carrying a handbarrow with a rope and a couple of shovels on it. They cast down their load and began to open the grave. The doctor put the lantern at the head of the grave and came and sat down with his back against one of the elm trees. He was so close the boys could have touched him.
“挖快點，夥計們！”他低聲說，“月亮隨時都可能出來。”
"Hurry, men!" he said, in a low voice; "the moon might come out at any moment."
他們粗着嗓音應了一聲後繼續挖掘着。有一段時間，只能聽到他們一鍬一鍬拋泥土和石子所發出的嚓嚓聲響。那聲音非常單調刺耳。後來有一把鐵鍬碰到了棺材，發出了低沉的木頭聲音。一兩分鐘後，那兩個人就把棺材抬出來放在地上了。他們用鐵鍬撬開棺蓋，把屍體弄出來，隨便掀到地上。月亮從雲朵後面鑽出來，照着屍體那張蒼白的臉。他們把車準備好，將屍體放上去，還蓋上毯子，用繩子捆好它。波特拿出一把大彈簧刀，割斷車上垂下來的繩頭，說：
They growled a response and went on digging. For some time there was no noise but the grating sound of the spades discharging their freight of mould and gravel. It was very monotonous. Finally a spade struck upon the coffin with a dull woody accent, and within another minute or two the men had hoisted it out on the ground. They pried off the lid with their shovels, got out the body and dumped it rudely on the ground. The moon drifted from behind the clouds and exposed the pallid face. The barrow was got ready and the corpse placed on it, covered with a blanket, and bound to its place with the rope. Potter took out a large spring-knife and cut off the dangling end of the rope and then said:
“醫生，這該死的東西現在弄好了。再拿五塊錢，要不然就別弄走它。”
"Now the cussed thing's ready, Sawbones, and you'll just out with another five, or here she stays."
“對，講得對！”印第安·喬說。
"That's the talk!" said Injun Joe.
“喂，我說，這是什麼意思？”醫生問道。“按你們要求，我事先已經給過你們錢了。”
"Look here, what does this mean?" said the doctor. "You required your pay in advance, and I've paid you."
“不錯，不過還遠不止這些。”印第安·喬邊說邊走到已經站了起來的醫生面前。“五年前的一個晚上，我到你父親的廚房討點吃的，你把我給趕了出來，你還說我到廚房去沒什麼好事；打那時起，我發誓：就是花上一百年的功夫，我也要擺平你。你父親因我是盲流而將我關進牢房。你想我會善罷甘休嗎？印第安人的血也不是白流的，現在你落到我手裡，你得為此付出代價。”
"Yes, and you done more than that," said Injun Joe, approaching the doctor, who was now standing. "Five years ago you drove me away from your father's kitchen one night, when I come to ask for something to eat, and you said I warn't there for any good; and when I swore I'd get even with you if it took a hundred years, your father had me jailed for a vagrant. Did you think I'd forget? The Injun blood ain't in me for nothing. And now I've got you, and you got to settle, you know!"
說到這，他已經開始在醫生面前揮舞着拳頭來威脅他。醫生突然猛擊一拳，將這個惡棍打翻在地，波特扔掉刀，大聲喊道：
He was threatening the doctor, with his fist in his face, by this time. The doctor struck out suddenly and stretched the ruffian on the ground. Potter dropped his knife, and exclaimed:
“嘿，你竟敢打我的朋友！”緊接着，他和醫生扭打在一起。兩個人拚命打起來，腳踩着地上的草，踢得泥土飛揚。印第安·喬迅速地從地上爬起來，眼裡燃燒着怒火，抓起波特扔在地上的那把刀，像貓似的，彎着腰悄悄地在兩個打架的人周圍轉來轉去，尋找着機會。突然醫生猛地把對手摔開，抓起威廉斯墳上那塊重重的墓碑，一下子把波特打倒在地。與此同時，這個雜種乘機把刀子一下子全捅進了醫生的胸膛。醫生晃了晃就倒下去，身體搭在波特身上。波特被弄得滿身都是血。這時烏雲遮住了這可怕的慘相，那兩個嚇壞了的孩子在黑暗中連忙跑掉了。
"Here, now, don't you hit my pard!" and the next moment he had grappled with the doctor and the two were struggling with might and main, trampling the grass and tearing the ground with their heels. Injun Joe sprang to his feet, his eyes flaming with passion, snatched up Potter's knife, and went creeping, catlike and stooping, round and round about the combatants, seeking an opportunity. All at once the doctor flung himself free, seized the heavy headboard of Williams' grave and felled Potter to the earth with it--and in the same instant the half-breed saw his chance and drove the knife to the hilt in the young man's breast. He reeled and fell partly upon Potter, flooding him with his blood, and in the same moment the clouds blotted out the dreadful spectacle and the two frightened boys went speeding away in the dark.
不久，雲層退去，月亮又露出了面，印第安·喬站在那兩個人身旁，凝視着他們。醫生咕咕噥噥地講了些什麼話，長長地喘了一兩聲氣，然後就安靜地死去了。那個雜種還說：
Presently, when the moon emerged again, Injun Joe was standing over the two forms, contemplating them. The doctor murmured inarticulately, gave a long gasp or two and was still. The half-breed muttered:
“那筆帳就算扯平了——你這該死的傢伙。”
"That score is settled--damn you."
接着他又搜去屍體身上的東西，然後他將那把殺人的刀放在波特張開的石手裡，坐上了撬開的棺材。三——四——五分鐘過去了，這時波特才開始動彈，並且呻吟起來。他的手握住了那把刀。他舉起刀來瞥了一眼，隨即打了個冷顫，刀落到了地上。接着他坐起身來，推開壓着他的屍體，然後盯着它看了一會，又往周圍望瞭望，心裡感到迷惑不解。他的目光碰到了喬的目光。
Then he robbed the body. After which he put the fatal knife in Potter's open right hand, and sat down on the dismantled coffin. Three--four--five minutes passed, and then Potter began to stir and moan. His hand closed upon the knife; he raised it, glanced at it, and let it fall, with a shudder. Then he sat up, pushing the body from him, and gazed at it, and then around him, confusedly. His eyes met Joe's.
“天啊，這是怎麼回事，喬？”他說。
"Lord, how is this, Joe?" he said.
“這事糟糕透了，”喬動也沒動地說，
"It's a dirty business," said Joe, without moving.
“你幹嗎要這樣幹？”
"What did you do it for?"
“我！我可沒幹這事。”
"I! I never done it!"
“聽著！這你怎麼能賴掉呢。”
"Look here! That kind of talk won't wash."
波特嚇得直抖，臉色變得煞白。
Potter trembled and grew white.
“我認為我會醒酒的，今晚我本不想喝酒，可是現在腦子裡還是糊里糊塗的，比我們來這兒的時候還厲害。我現在昏昏沉沉，几乎回憶不起來任何事情。告訴我，喬，夥計，說老實話，是我干的嗎？喬，我根本不想那樣幹。天地良心，我根本不想那樣幹，喬，告訴我這是怎麼回事？喬？哦，這太可怕了——他這麼年輕有為，前途遠大。”
"I thought I'd got sober. I'd no business to drink to-night. But it's in my head yet--worse'n when we started here. I'm all in a muddle; can't recollect anything of it, hardly. Tell me, Joe--honest, now, old feller--did I do it? Joe, I never meant to--'pon my soul and honor, I never meant to, Joe. Tell me how it was, Joe. Oh, it's awful--and him so young and promising."
“嘿，就是你倆扭打起來了，他用墓碑牌子砸了你一下，你就被砸叭下了。接着你爬起來，晃晃悠悠地站不穩，就這樣，你一把奪過這把刀，一下子捅進他的身體。這時候他又狠命地給了你一擊，於是你就躺在這兒，像死過去一樣，人事不省，一直躺到現在。”
"Why, you two was scuffling, and he fetched you one with the headboard and you fell flat; and then up you come, all reeling and staggering like, and snatched the knife and jammed it into him, just as he fetched you another awful clip--and here you've laid, as dead as a wedge til now."
“啊，我一點也不知道我都幹了些什麼。要是我當時清醒的話，我情願馬上就死掉。我想這都是因為威士忌在作怪，當時又很衝動。喬，我從前還沒有用過兇器。我跟人打過架，可是從來沒使過兇器。這一點人們都知道。喬，這事你可別說出去！喬，你說你不會說出去，這才夠意思啊。喬，我向來都喜歡你，也總是站在你一邊的。你難道忘記了嗎？喬，你不會講出去的，對不對？”於是這個可憐的傢伙，雙手合掌，祈求地跪倒在那個殘忍的兇手面前。
"Oh, I didn't know what I was a-doing. I wish I may die this minute if I did. It was all on account of the whiskey and the excitement, I reckon. I never used a weepon in my life before, Joe. I've fought, but never with weepons. They'll all say that. Joe, don't tell! Say you won't tell, Joe--that's a good feller. I always liked you, Joe, and stood up for you, too. Don't you remember? You won't tell, will you, Joe?" And the poor creature dropped on his knees before the stolid murderer, and clasped his appealing hands.
“對。莫夫·波特，你一向待我不錯，我不會對不起你。怎麼樣，我這樣說算是公平合理吧。”
"No, you've always been fair and square with me, Muff Potter, and I won't go back on you. There, now, that's as fair as a man can say."
“啊，喬，你真是慈悲心腸。我要祝福你一輩子。”波特開始哭起來。
"Oh, Joe, you're an angel. I'll bless you for this the longest day I live." And Potter began to cry.
“哦，得了，不要再說了。現在不是哭鼻子的時候。你從那邊走，現在就動身，別留下任何腳印。”
"Come, now, that's enough of that. This ain't any time for blubbering. You be off yonder way and I'll go this. Move, now, and don't leave any tracks behind you."
波特開始還是小跑，很快就大跑起來。那個雜種站在那兒，看著他的背影，自言自語地咕噥道：
Potter started on a trot that quickly increased to a run. The half-breed stood looking after him. He muttered:
“他挨了一擊，酒也沒醒，瞧他那樣，八成想不起來這把刀了。就算想他起來，他已經跑出去有十里八里的了。他一個人是不敢再回到這裡來取刀的——這個膽小鬼。”
"If he's as much stunned with the lick and fuddled with the rum as he had the look of being, he won't think of the knife till he's gone so far he'll be afraid to come back after it to such a place by himself--chicken-heart!"
兩三分鐘後，只有月光照着那個被害的人，那個用毯子裹着的屍體，那個沒有蓋上蓋子的棺材，還有那座挖開的墳墓。一切又恢復了平靜。
Two or three minutes later the murdered man, the blanketed corpse, the lidless coffin, and the open grave were under no inspection but the moon's. The stillness was complete again, too.