按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
its long corridors； its royal chambers hung with stalactites； its remote
hiding…places； its possibilities as the home of a gallant outlaw band； it
contained everything that a romantic boy could love or long for。 In Tom
Sawyer Indian Joe dies in the cave。 He did not die there in real life；
but was lost there once； and was living on bats when they found him。 He
was a dissolute reprobate； and when； one night； he did die there came up
a thunder…storm so terrific that Sam Clemens at home and in bed was
certain that Satan had come in person for the half…breed's wicked soul。
He covered his head and said his prayers industriously； in the fear that
the evil one might conclude to save another trip by taking him along；
too。
The treasure…digging adventure in the book had a foundation in fact。
There was a tradition concerning some French trappers who long before had
established a trading…post two miles above Hannibal； on what is called
the 〃bay。〃 It is said that； while one of these trappers was out hunting；
Indians made a raid on the post and massacred the others。 The hunter on
returning found his comrades killed and scalped； but the Indians had
failed to find the treasure which was buried in a chest。 He left it
there； swam across to Illinois； and made his way to St。 Louis； where he
told of the massacre and the burial of the； chest of gold。 Then he
started to raise a party to go back for it； but was taken sick and died。
Later some men came up from St。 Louis looking for the chest。 They did
not find it； but they told the circumstances； and afterward a good many
people tried to find the gold。
Tom Blankenship one morning came to Sam Clemens and John Briggs and said
he was going to dig up the treasure。 He said he had dreamed just where
it was； and said if they would go with him and dig he would divide up。
The boys had great faith in dreams； especially Tom's dreams。 Tom's
unlimited freedom gave him a large importance in their eyes。 The dreams
of a boy like that were pretty sure to mean something。 They followed Tom
to the place with some shovels and a pick； and he showed them where to
dig。 Then he sat down under the shade of a papaw…tree and gave orders。
They dug nearly all day。 Now and then they stopped to rest； and maybe to
wonder a little why Tom didn't dig some himself； but； of course； he had
done the dreaming； which entitled him to an equal share。
They did not find it that day； and when they went back next morning they
took two long iron rods； these they would push and drive into the ground
until they struck something hard。 Then they would dig down to see what
it was； but it never turned out to be money。 That night the boys
declared they would not dig any more。 But Tom had another dream。 He
dreamed the gold was exactly under the； little papaw…tree。 This sounded
so circumstantial that they went back and dug another day。 It was hot
weather too； August； and that night they were nearly dead。 Even Tom gave
it up； then。 He said there was something about the way they dug； but he
never offered to do any digging himself。
This differs considerably from the digging incident in the book； but it
gives us an idea of the respect the boys had for the ragamuffin original
of Huckleberry Finn。 ＇Much of the detail in this chapter was furnished
to the writer by John Briggs shortly before his death in 1907。＇ Tom
Blankenship's brother； Ben； was also drawn upon for that creation； at
least so far as one important phase of Huck's character is concerned。 He
was considerably older； as well as more disreputable； than Tom。 He was
inclined to torment the boys by tying knots in their clothes when they
went swimming； or by throwing mud at them when they wanted to come out；
and they had no deep love for him。 But somewhere in Ben Blankenship
there was a fine generous strain of humanity that provided Mark Twain
with that immortal episode in the story of Huck Finnin sheltering the
Nigger Jim。
This is the real story：
A slave ran off from Monroe County； Missouri； and got across the river
into Illinois。 Ben used to fish and hunt over there in the swamps； and
one day found him。 It was considered a most worthy act in those days to
return a runaway slave； in fact； it was a crime not to do it。 Besides；
there was for this one a reward of fifty dollars； a fortune to ragged
outcast Ben Blankenship。 That money and the honor he could acquire must
have been tempting to the waif； but it did not outweigh his human
sympathy。 Instead of giving him up and claiming the reward； Ben kept the
runaway over there in the marshes all summer。 The negro would fish and
Ben would carry him scraps of other food。 Then； by and by； it leaked
out。 Some wood…choppers went on a hunt for the fugitive； and chased him
to what was called 〃Bird Slough。〃 There trying to cross a drift he was
drowned。
In the book； the author makes Huck's struggle a psychological one between
conscience and the law； on one side； and sympathy on the other。 With Ben
Blankenship the struggleif there was a strugglewas probably between
sympathy and cupidity。 He would care very little for conscience and
still less for law。 His sympathy with the runaway； however； would be
large and elemental； and it must have been very large to offset the lure
of that reward。
There was a gruesome sequel to this incident。 Some days following the
drowning of the runaway； Sam Clemens； John Briggs； and the Bowen boys
went to the spot and were pushing the drift about； when suddenly the
negro rose before them； straight and terrible； about half his length out
of the water。 He had gone down feet foremost； and the loosened drift had
released him。 The boys did not stop to investigate。 They thought he was
after them and flew in wild terror； never stopping until they reached
human habitation。
How many gruesome experiences there appear to have been in those early
days！ In 'The Innocents Abroad' Mark Twain tells of the murdered man he
saw one night in his father's office。 The man's name was McFarlane。 He
had been stabbed that day in the old Hudson…McFarlane feud and carried in
there to die。 Sam Clemens and John Briggs had run away from school and
had been sky larking all that day； and knew nothing of the affair。 Sam
decided that his father's office was safer for him than to face his
mother； who was probably sitting up； waiting。 He tells us how he lay on
the lounge； and how a shape on the floor gradually resolved itself into
the outlines of a man； how a square of moonlight from the window
approached it and gradually revealed the dead face and the ghastly
stabbed breast。
〃I went out of there；〃 he says。 〃I do not say that I went away in any
sort of a hurry； but I simply went； that is sufficient。 I went out of
the window； and I carried the sash along with me。 I did not need the
sash； but it was handier to take it than to； leave it； and so I took it。
I was not scared； but I was considerably agitated。〃
He was not yet twelve； for his father was no longer alive when the boy
reached that age。 Certainly these were disturbing； haunting things。
Then there was the case of the drunken tramp in the calaboose to whom th