THE sun rose upon a tranquil world, and beamed down upon the peaceful village like a benediction. Breakfast over, Aunt Polly had family worship: it began with a prayer built from the ground up of solid courses of Scriptural quotations, welded together with a thin mortar of originality; and from the summit of this she delivered a grim chapter of the Mosaic Law, as from Sinai.
太陽升起來，照在寧靜的世界上，靜靜的村莊彷彿沐浴在聖光之中。早飯過後，波莉姨媽做了禱告。開始的一篇禱告詞完全是從《聖經》中引用來的，其中還摻雜着星星點點的新意。兩者勉強地被粘合在一起，這種粘合做得就像她是從西奈山頂宣佈了“摩西律”中嚴酷的一段。
Then Tom girded up his loins, so to speak, and went to work to "get his verses." Sid had learned his lesson days before. Tom bent all his energies to the memorizing of five verses, and he chose part of the Sermon on the Mount, because he could find no verses that were shorter. At the end of half an hour Tom had a vague general idea of his lesson, but no more, for his mind was traversing the whole field of human thought, and his hands were busy with distracting recreations. Mary took his book to hear him recite, and he tried to find his way through the fog:
然後，湯姆好像是振作了精神，一本正經地着手去背那一段一段的《聖經》了。希德幾天前就把他該背的段落記牢了。湯姆花費了所有的精力，全力以赴在背五段《聖經》內容。他選擇的是基督《登山寶訓》的一部分，因為這部分是全文中最短的部分。快到半個小時的時候，他對要背的內容已有了一個模模糊糊的印象。不過，僅此而已，因為他此刻已經心不在焉，胡思亂想，兩手不停地忙着一些無關緊要的東西。瑪麗拿着他的書，要聽他背誦，他就竭力地雲來霧去地往下背：
"Blessed are the--a--a--"
“有福的人是……呃——呃——”
"Poor"--
“窮乏——”
"Yes--poor; blessed are the poor--a--a--"
“對——窮乏；有福的人是窮人……呃——呃——”
"In spirit--"
“精神上——”
"In spirit; blessed are the poor in spirit, for they--they--"
“在精神上；有福的人是精神上的貧乏者，因為他們——他們——”
"Theirs--"
“他們的——”
"For theirs. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn, for they--they--"
“因為他們的。有福的人是精神上的貧乏者，因為他們的是天國。有福的人是那些哀慟的人，因為他們——他們——”
"Sh--"
“將——”
"For they--a--"
“因為他們……呃——”
"S, H, A--"
“將——”
"For they S, H--Oh, I don't know what it is!"
“因為他們將——，下面我記不得了！”
"Shall!"
“將要——”
"Oh, shall! for they shall--for they shall--a--a--shall mourn--a--a--blessed are they that shall--they that--a--they that shall mourn, for they shall--a--shall what? Why don't you tell me, Mary?--what do you want to be so mean for?"
“歐！將要！因為他們將要——因為他們將要——呃——呃——將要哀慟——呃——呃——被保佑的是那些將要——那些將要——呃——那些將要哀慟的人，因為他們將要——呃——將要什麼？瑪麗，為什麼不提示我？——你幹嗎要這樣小氣？”
"Oh, Tom, you poor thick-headed thing, I'm not teasing you. I wouldn't do that. You must go and learn it again. Don't you be discouraged, Tom, you'll manage it--and if you do, I'll give you something ever so nice. There, now, that's a good boy."
“哦，湯姆，你這個可憐的小笨蛋。我可不是在拿你開玩笑。我不願逗你。你必須再去重新背。湯姆，你可別灰心喪氣，你會背來的——如果你背熟了，我會給你些好玩的東西。哎，對了，這才是個好孩子。”
"All right! What is it, Mary, tell me what it is."
“好吧！給我什麼，瑪麗？告訴我是什麼好玩的東西。”
"Never you mind, Tom. You know if I say it's nice, it is nice."
“這你用不着問，湯姆，我說好玩，就是好玩的東西。”
"You bet you that's so, Mary. All right, I'll tackle it again."
“你可得講話算話呀，瑪麗。那好吧，我就再去好好地背一背。”
And he did "tackle it again"--and under the double pressure of curiosity and prospective gain he did it with such spirit that he accomplished a shining success. Mary gave him a brand-new "Barlow" knife worth twelve and a half cents; and the convulsion of delight that swept his system shook him to his foundations. True, the knife would not cut anything, but it was a "sure-enough" Barlow, and there was inconceivable grandeur in that--though where the Western boys ever got the idea that such a weapon could possibly be counterfeited to its injury is an imposing mystery and will always remain so, perhaps. Tom contrived to scarify the cupboard with it, and was arranging to begin on the bureau, when he was called off to dress for Sunday-school.
後來他真的“好好地背”了——在好奇心和獲得獎品的希望的雙重誘惑下，他精神十足地學了一陣，結果居然獲得了輝煌的勝利。瑪麗給了他一把價值１角２分半的嶄新的“巴露牌”小刀。他欣喜若狂，手舞足蹈。說真的，這把刀切不了任何東西，但它是“千真萬確”的“巴露牌”，這可是意味着一種極大的榮耀——雖然西部的孩子們居然認為這種刀器也有可能被冒牌，會損傷它的名譽，這個謎令人印象深刻，也許永遠都是如此。湯姆拿這把刀在碗櫥上亂刻了一陣，正準備在衣柜上動手的時候，卻被喚去換衣服，準備上主日學校。
Mary gave him a tin basin of water and a piece of soap, and he went outside the door and set the basin on a little bench there; then he dipped the soap in the water and laid it down; turned up his sleeves; poured out the water on the ground, gently, and then entered the kitchen and began to wipe his face diligently on the towel behind the door. But Mary removed the towel and said:
瑪麗遞給他一臉盆水和一塊肥皂。於是，他走到門外，把臉盆放在那兒的一個小凳子上。然後他把肥皂蘸了點水，又把它放下；他捲起袖子，輕輕地把水潑在地上，轉身走進廚房，用門後面的一條毛巾使勁地擦着臉。可是，瑪麗拿開毛巾，說道：
"Now ain't you ashamed, Tom. You mustn't be so bad. Water won't hurt you."
“嘿，你不害臊嗎？湯姆！你可千萬別這麼沒治了。水不會傷着你的。”
Tom was a trifle disconcerted. The basin was refilled, and this time he stood over it a little while, gathering resolution; took in a big breath and began. When he entered the kitchen presently, with both eyes shut and groping for the towel with his hands, an honorable testimony of suds and water was dripping from his face. But when he emerged from the towel, he was not yet satisfactory, for the clean territory stopped short at his chin and his jaws, like a mask; below and beyond this line there was a dark expanse of unirrigated soil that spread downward in front and backward around his neck. Mary took him in hand, and when she was done with him he was a man and a brother, without distinction of color, and his saturated hair was neatly brushed, and its short curls wrought into a dainty and symmetrical general effect. [He privately smoothed out the curls, with labor and difficulty, and plastered his hair close down to his head; for he held curls to be effeminate, and his own filled his life with bitterness.] Then Mary got out a suit of his clothing that had been used only on Sundays during two years--they were simply called his "other clothes"--and so by that we know the size of his wardrobe. The girl "put him to rights" after he had dressed himself; she buttoned his neat roundabout up to his chin, turned his vast shirt collar down over his shoulders, brushed him off and crowned him with his speckled straw hat. He now looked exceedingly improved and uncomfortable. He was fully as uncomfortable as he looked; for there was a restraint about whole clothes and cleanliness that galled him. He hoped that Mary would forget his shoes, but the hope was blighted; she coated them thoroughly with tallow, as was the custom, and brought them out. He lost his temper and said he was always being made to do everything he didn't want to do. But Mary said, persuasively:
湯姆有點不自在。臉盆重新又盛滿了水，這一回，他下定決心俯身在臉盆邊站了一會，然後深深吸了一口氣，就開始洗臉。不久，他走進廚房，閉着眼睛伸手去摸那條毛巾，臉上的肥皂水直往下淌，算是他老老實實洗過臉的證明。可是，當他拿開毛巾，露出臉時，還是不能讓人滿意。因為洗乾淨的地方只侷限于兩腮幫子和下巴上面，看上去像個假面具似的。在下巴以下和腮幫子兩旁，還有很大一片沒有沾過水，黑乎乎的，從脖子一直往下，往後伸展。瑪麗又拉過他來幫他收拾。她把他梳洗打扮完畢之後，他看起來才像個男人，像個兄弟，臉再也不是白一塊黑一塊了，那濕透了的頭髮也梳得整整齊齊，短短的捲髮還弄成了挺好看的對稱樣式。（他曾費了很大的勁，偷偷地把滿頭的鬈髮按着，緊緊地貼在頭上。因為他認定鬈髮總有些女人氣，他為自己天生的鬈髮十分懊惱。）後來，瑪麗把他的一套衣服拿出來，這套衣服已穿了兩年，只有星期天才穿——乾脆就叫“那套衣服”——由此我們可以知道他的穿戴方面的全部衣物共有多少。他自己穿戴之後，那姑娘又幫他“整理”了一番。她把他那件整潔的上裝的衣扣統統扣上，一直扣到下巴底下，又把他那個寬大的襯衣領子往下一翻，搭在兩邊的肩上，再給他刷得乾乾淨淨，戴上他那頂有點點的草帽。這一下子他顯得極漂亮，也極不舒服，他看上去一點也不舒服。因為穿上衣服還要保持整潔，對他是種拘束，所以他心裡很煩躁。他希望瑪麗別讓他穿鞋子，可這希望落了空。她按照當時的習慣，先給鞋子抹了一層蠟油，然後拿了出來。他發火了，埋怨別人老是讓他幹他自己不願意幹的事情，可是，瑪麗卻勸他道：
"Please, Tom--that's a good boy."
“湯姆，——這才是個好孩子哪。”
So he got into the shoes snarling. Mary was soon ready, and the three children set out for Sunday-school--a place that Tom hated with his whole heart; but Sid and Mary were fond of it.
於是，湯姆一邊大喊大叫，一邊穿上了那雙鞋。瑪麗也很快地作好了準備，三個孩子就一塊動身去主日學校——那地方是湯姆最深惡痛絶的；但是，希德和瑪麗卻非常喜歡那裡。
Sabbath-school hours were from nine to half-past ten; and then church service. Two of the children always remained for the sermon voluntarily, and the other always remained too--for stronger reasons. The church's high-backed, uncushioned pews would seat about three hundred persons; the edifice was but a small, plain affair, with a sort of pine board tree-box on top of it for a steeple. At the door Tom dropped back a step and accosted a Sunday-dressed comrade:
主日學校的上課時間是從９點到１０點半；之後，就是做禮拜。他們三個中間有兩個總是自覺自愿地留在那兒聽牧師佈道，而另外一個因為更重要原因也是每次都留下來。教堂裡的座位靠背很高，沒有墊子，一共可坐三百人。教堂是一座簡陋的、規模不大的建築。屋頂上安了一個松木板做的盒子似的裝置當做尖塔。在門口，湯姆故意放慢一步，跟一個穿著星期天服裝的同伴打了招呼：
"Say, Billy, got a yaller ticket?"
“喂，貝利，你有黃色票嗎？”
"Yes."
“有啊。”
"What'll you take for her?"
“你要什麼東西才換呢？”
"What'll you give?"
“你準備用什麼換？”
"Piece of lickrish and a fish-hook."
“一塊糖和一個釣魚鈎。”
"Less see 'em."
“東西呢？”
Tom exhibited. They were satisfactory, and the property changed hands. Then Tom traded a couple of white alleys for three red tickets, and some small trifle or other for a couple of blue ones. He waylaid other boys as they came, and went on buying tickets of various colors ten or fifteen minutes longer. He entered the church, now, with a swarm of clean and noisy boys and girls, proceeded to his seat and started a quarrel with the first boy that came handy. The teacher, a grave, elderly man, interfered; then turned his back a moment and Tom pulled a boy's hair in the next bench, and was absorbed in his book when the boy turned around; stuck a pin in another boy, presently, in order to hear him say "Ouch!" and got a new reprimand from his teacher. Tom's whole class were of a pattern--restless, noisy, and troublesome. When they came to recite their lessons, not one of them knew his verses perfectly, but had to be prompted all along. However, they worried through, and each got his reward--in small blue tickets, each with a passage of Scripture on it; each blue ticket was pay for two verses of the recitation. Ten blue tickets equalled a red one, and could be exchanged for it; ten red tickets equalled a yellow one; for ten yellow tickets the superintendent gave a very plainly bound Bible (worth forty cents in those easy times) to the pupil. How many of my readers would have the industry and application to memorize two thousand verses, even for a Dore Bible? And yet Mary had acquired two Bibles in this way--it was the patient work of two years--and a boy of German parentage had won four or five. He once recited three thousand verses without stopping; but the strain upon his mental faculties was too great, and he was little better than an idiot from that day forth--a grievous misfortune for the school, for on great occasions, before company, the superintendent (as Tom expressed it) had always made this boy come out and "spread himself." Only the older pupils managed to keep their tickets and stick to their tedious work long enough to get a Bible, and so the delivery of one of these prizes was a rare and noteworthy circumstance; the successful pupil was so great and conspicuous for that day that on the spot every scholar's heart was fired with a fresh ambition that often lasted a couple of weeks. It is possible that Tom's mental stomach had never really hungered for one of those prizes, but unquestionably his entire being had for many a day longed for the glory and the eclat that came with it.
湯姆就拿出來給他看了。貝利對這兩樣東西很滿意，於是，雙方的財物易了主。接着，湯姆用兩個白石頭子換了三張紅票，又用其它一些小玩意換了兩張藍票。當其他的孩子走過來時，湯姆又攔住他們，繼續收買各色各樣的票。這樣換了有十幾分鐘，湯姆才和一群穿著整齊、吵吵嚷嚷的男孩和女孩一起走進教堂。湯姆走到自己的座位上，和一個離他最近的男孩爭吵起來。他們的老師是位面色嚴肅、上了年紀的人，他叫他倆別閙，然後就轉過身去了。湯姆又揪了另一條板凳上一個男孩的頭髮，那男孩轉過頭時，他卻在全神貫注地在看書。接着為了要聽另一個男孩子叫一聲“哎唷！”他又用一枚別針紮了他一下，結果被老師臭罵了一頓。湯姆所在的這個班全是一個模式——吵吵閙閙，東搗西戳，一刻不停。他們一起背誦經文時，沒有一個能完整記住的，都必須不斷地給予提示才行。然而，他們還是勉強過了關，個個都得了獎——藍色的小紙票，每張票上都印有一段《聖經》上的話。要背兩段《聖經》經文才能得這麼樣一張藍色紙票。十張藍色票等於一張紅色票，也可以互換。十張紅色票又可以換一張黃色票。如果得了十張黃色票，校長就獎勵給這個學生一本簡裝的《聖經》（在當初日子好過的那個時候，值４角錢）。我親愛的讀者們當中，有多少人肯這麼用功，費勁去背上兩千段《聖經》經文來換取一本多萊版的《聖經》呢？然而瑪麗卻用這種方法得了兩本《聖經》——那可是兩年之久的耐心學習的代價——還有一個德國血統的男孩得了四五本。他曾一下子背誦了三千段《聖經》。可是由於他腦力的過度勞累，自此以後差不多成了一個白痴——這是主日學校的重大不幸，因為每逢盛大的場面，在許多來賓面前（據湯姆的講法），校長總是叫這個男孩出來“露一手”。只有那些年齡大的學生才堅持努力用功，想法得票，為的是獲取一本《聖經》。所以，每次頒發這種獎品都是件稀罕而轟動的大事。
得獎的同學在當時顯得那樣的偉大，那樣的光榮，以致每個在場的學生心裡都產生新的野心，這種野心往往要持續一兩個星期之久。湯姆內心可能從來沒有真正渴望過獲得這種獎品，不過，毫無疑問，許多天以來他的全部身心都在渴望得到隨着這種獎勵而來的光彩和榮譽。
In due course the superintendent stood up in front of the pulpit, with a closed hymn-book in his hand and his forefinger inserted between its leaves, and commanded attention. When a Sunday-school superintendent makes his customary little speech, a hymn-book in the hand is as necessary as is the inevitable sheet of music in the hand of a singer who stands forward on the platform and sings a solo at a concert--though why, is a mystery: for neither the hymn-book nor the sheet of music is ever referred to by the sufferer. This superintendent was a slim creature of thirty-five, with a sandy goatee and short sandy hair; he wore a stiff standing-collar whose upper edge almost reached his ears and whose sharp points curved forward abreast the corners of his mouth--a fence that compelled a straight lookout ahead, and a turning of the whole body when a side view was required; his chin was propped on a spreading cravat which was as broad and as long as a bank-note, and had fringed ends; his boot toes were turned sharply up, in the fashion of the day, like sleigh-runners--an effect patiently and laboriously produced by the young men by sitting with their toes pressed against a wall for hours together. Mr. Walters was very earnest of mien, and very sincere and honest at heart; and he held sacred things and places in such reverence, and so separated them from worldly matters, that unconsciously to himself his Sunday-school voice had acquired a peculiar intonation which was wholly absent on week-days. He began after this fashion:
等到一定的時候，校長在佈道台前面站了起來，他手裡拿着一本合上的聖詩，食指夾在書頁中間，叫大家靜下來，聽他講道。主日學校的校長開始他那簡短的開場白時，手中總少不了要拿着一本聖詩，就像歌手參加音樂會時站在演唱台，開始獨唱的時候一樣，手中也少不了要拿本樂譜——雖然誰也不知道為什麼要這樣。因為無論聖詩也好，樂譜也好，台上受罪的那個人從來都不會用得上這些的。這位校長是個３５歲的瘦子，蓄着沙灘色的山羊鬍和沙灘色的短頭髮；他穿著一副硬挺挺的衣服領子，領邊几乎頂到他耳邊，兩個尖尖的領角順着脖子彎過來，齊到他的嘴角——就像一堵圍牆似的，逼着他只能往前方看，每當他要看旁邊的時候，就不得不把整個身子都轉過來；他的下巴托在一條寬大的領結上面，那個領結就像一張支票那樣又寬又長，周圍還帶有花邊。他的靴子頭尖尖的，向上翹着，這在當時非常時髦，好像雪橇下面翹起來的滑刀一樣——這種時新式樣是年青人耐心地、吃力地一連幾個鐘頭地坐著把腳趾拚命頂着牆的結果。華爾特先生態度非常莊重，心地虔誠而實在。他對宗教方面的事情和場所非常尊敬，把它們和世俗方面的事分得清清楚楚。因此儘管沒有意識到，但他卻養成了主日學校講話時一種特別的語調，這種語調在平常的日子裡是絶對聽不到的。他就用這種語調開始說起來：
"Now, children, I want you all to sit up just as straight and pretty as you can and give me all your attention for a minute or two. There--that is it. That is the way good little boys and girls should do. I see one little girl who is looking out of the window--I am afraid she thinks I am out there somewhere--perhaps up in one of the trees making a speech to the little birds. [Applausive titter.] I want to tell you how good it makes me feel to see so many bright, clean little faces assembled in a place like this, learning to do right and be good." And so forth and so on. It is not necessary to set down the rest of the oration. It was of a pattern which does not vary, and so it is familiar to us all.
“孩子們，現在我要你們都儘量地、端端正正地坐起來，集中注意力聽我講一兩分鐘的話。對——做得好。好小孩子們就該這樣做。我看見一個小姑娘在向窗外看——我想她一定認為我是在外面的某個地方——也許想著我在給樹上的小鳥作演講吧，（一陣嘻嘻哈哈的喝彩聲。）我想告訴你們看到這麼多聰明的、乾乾淨淨的小臉兒聚集在這樣的地方，聽話、學好，我心裡是多麼的高興。”等等、等等諸如此類的話。下面講的話我就不必一一寫下了。
The latter third of the speech was marred by the resumption of fights and other recreations among certain of the bad boys, and by fidgetings and whisperings that extended far and wide, washing even to the bases of isolated and incorruptible rocks like Sid and Mary. But now every sound ceased suddenly, with the subsidence of Mr. Walters' voice, and the conclusion of the speech was received with a burst of silent gratitude.
反正是些千佛一面大家都熟悉的東西。華爾特先生的演說到後面三分之一時受到了一些干擾，因為一些壞孩子又打起架來或搞別的小動作，滿堂都在扭頭講悄悄話。連瑪麗和希德這樣巍然屹立，不易摧毀的“中流砥柱”也受到了衝擊。隨着華爾特先生的聲音突然終止，課堂裡的一切吵閙聲也都隨之嘎然止住，大家突然靜下來，以此來表達對演說結束的感激之情。
A good part of the whispering had been occasioned by an event which was more or less rare--the entrance of visitors: lawyer Thatcher, accompanied by a very feeble and aged man; a fine, portly, middle-aged gentleman with iron-gray hair; and a dignified lady who was doubtless the latter's wife. The lady was leading a child. Tom had been restless and full of chafings and repinings; conscience-smitten, too--he could not meet Amy Lawrence's eye, he could not brook her loving gaze. But when he saw this small newcomer his soul was all ablaze with bliss in a moment. The next moment he was "showing off" with all his might--cuffing boys, pulling hair, making faces--in a word, using every art that seemed likely to fascinate a girl and win her applause. His exaltation had but one alloy--the memory of his humiliation in this angel's garden--and that record in sand was fast washing out, under the waves of happiness that were sweeping over it now.
剛纔那陣子的竊竊私語主要是由一件多少有些稀罕的事情引起的——那就是來了幾位來訪者：有撒切爾律師，他由一個非常衰弱的老人陪伴；一位文雅、肥胖、滿頭鐵灰色頭髮的中年紳士；還有一位貴夫人，她無疑是那位紳士的太太。這位夫人手裡還牽着一個小孩。湯姆心裡一直很不安，心裡充滿了煩惱和憂愁；而且還受到良心的譴責——他不敢正視艾美·勞倫斯的眼睛，她那含情的注目簡直使他受不了。可是當他看見這位新來的小女孩，他的心裡立刻燃起了幸福的火焰。接着他就拚命地賣弄炫耀——打別人的耳光，揪頭髮，做鬼臉——總而言之，凡是可能引起女孩注意，獲取她歡心和讚賞的把戲，他都用了。想到在這個小天使家花園受到的那種非人的待遇，他高興的勁頭涼了一截，不過快得就像留在沙灘上的印跡一樣，被幸福的浪潮一沖，就被沖得一乾二淨。
The visitors were given the highest seat of honor, and as soon as Mr. Walters' speech was finished, he introduced them to the school. The middle-aged man turned out to be a prodigious personage--no less a one than the county judge--altogether the most august creation these children had ever looked upon--and they wondered what kind of material he was made of--and they half wanted to hear him roar, and were half afraid he might, too. He was from Constantinople, twelve miles away--so he had travelled, and seen the world--these very eyes had looked upon the county court-house--which was said to have a tin roof. The awe which these reflections inspired was attested by the impressive silence and the ranks of staring eyes. This was the great Judge Thatcher, brother of their own lawyer. Jeff Thatcher immediately went forward, to be familiar with the great man and be envied by the school. It would have been music to his soul to hear the whisperings:
這幾位來訪者被請到最上席就座，華爾特先生剛剛結束講話，就向全校師生介紹了這幾位貴賓。那位中年人原來是個不平凡的大人物——竟是縣上的法官——他是這些孩子們所見過的最威嚴的人物——他們很想知道他是由什麼做的——他們一方面很想聽聽他吼叫兩聲，可是另一方面又相當害怕他吼叫。他是離這兒十二哩遠的康士坦丁堡鎮人——因此他是出過遠門、見過世面的人——他那雙眼睛曾見過縣上的法庭——據說那所房子的屋頂是用錫皮做的。想到這些，他讓人覺得畏懼，這從他那令人難忘的沉默和一排排瞪着的眼睛可以看得出來。這就是了不起的撒切爾大法官，是他們鎮上律師的哥哥。傑夫·撒切爾立即走上前，和這位大人物親近，真讓全校師生羡慕、嫉妒。聽大家切切私語，他就像聽見音樂一般，心情舒暢。
"Look at him, Jim! He's a going up there. Say--look! he's a going to shake hands with him--he is shaking hands with him! By jings, don't you wish you was Jeff?"
“吉姆，你看！他上講台了。嘿——瞧！他要和他握手啦——他真的和他握手了！哎呀，你不希望自己就是傑夫嗎？”
Mr. Walters fell to "showing off," with all sorts of official bustlings and activities, giving orders, delivering judgments, discharging directions here, there, everywhere that he could find a target. The librarian "showed off"--running hither and thither with his arms full of books and making a deal of the splutter and fuss that insect authority delights in. The young lady teachers "showed off"--bending sweetly over pupils that were lately being boxed, lifting pretty warning fingers at bad little boys and patting good ones lovingly. The young gentlemen teachers "showed off" with small scoldings and other little displays of authority and fine attention to discipline--and most of the teachers, of both sexes, found business up at the library, by the pulpit; and it was business that frequently had to be done over again two or three times (with much seeming vexation). The little girls "showed off" in various ways, and the little boys "showed off" with such diligence that the air was thick with paper wads and the murmur of scufflings. And above it all the great man sat and beamed a majestic judicial smile upon all the house, and warmed himself in the sun of his own grandeur--for he was "showing off," too.
華爾特先生開始“出風頭”了，他一副官樣，到處發號施令，表示意見，給予指導，忙得他不亦樂乎。只要他發現目標，免不了都要嘮叨幾句。圖書管理員也“賣弄”了一番——他手裡抱著許多本書，嘴裡咕咕噥噥，到處跑動，忙個不停。他這種舉動起碼讓那位小權威人物開心。年輕的女教師們也“炫耀”了一番——親切地彎下腰看著那些剛被打過耳光的學生，伸出漂亮的手指對著那些不聽話的孩子以示警告，或者和藹可親地拍拍那些乖孩子。年輕的男教師們也“出了一番風頭”，他們小聲地罵一罵學生，還用別的表示享有權威和重視校規的方式表現了自己——所有男男女女的教師們都在佈道台旁的圖書室那兒找到可干的事情。這種事情只幹一次就可以了，他們卻反覆幹了兩三次（表面上裝出很着急的樣子）。小姑娘們也用各種方式“賣弄”，男孩子“賣弄”得更是勁頭十足，於是，空中滿是亂飛的紙團，教室裡互相扭打的聲音不斷。尤其是，那位坐在台上的大人，面帶莊嚴的微笑，一副高高在上的樣子，望着全場，這種優越感令其陶然——因為他自己也在“炫耀”啊。
There was only one thing wanting to make Mr. Walters' ecstasy complete, and that was a chance to deliver a Bible-prize and exhibit a prodigy. Several pupils had a few yellow tickets, but none had enough--he had been around among the star pupils inquiring. He would have given worlds, now, to have that German lad back again with a sound mind.
這時候只差一件事情，就能使華爾特先生狂喜到極點，那就是他非常想有一個機會給某個學生頒發一本《聖經》，藉以展示一下自己。有幾個學生擁有一些黃色票，可沒有一個夠數的——他在幾個明星學生中間轉了一圈，問了問。假如，這時候能叫那個德國血統曾經出色過的學生腦子健全起來，再能表演一回，他真情願付出所有的一切。
And now at this moment, when hope was dead, Tom Sawyer came forward with nine yellow tickets, nine red tickets, and ten blue ones, and demanded a Bible. This was a thunderbolt out of a clear sky. Walters was not expecting an application from this source for the next ten years. But there was no getting around it--here were the certified checks, and they were good for their face. Tom was therefore elevated to a place with the Judge and the other elect, and the great news was announced from headquarters. It was the most stunning surprise of the decade, and so profound was the sensation that it lifted the new hero up to the judicial one's altitude, and the school had two marvels to gaze upon in place of one. The boys were all eaten up with envy--but those that suffered the bitterest pangs were those who perceived too late that they themselves had contributed to this hated splendor by trading tickets to Tom for the wealth he had amassed in selling whitewashing privileges. These despised themselves, as being the dupes of a wily fraud, a guileful snake in the grass.
希望眼看就要落空了，就在這個時候，湯姆·索亞卻走上前來，手裡拿着九張黃票、九張紅票和十張藍票，請求得到一本《聖經》。這真是晴天霹靂。再過十年，華爾特先生也不會料想竟是這個寶貝來提出申請。可是又無法推脫——票面都不假，按照規定都該是有效的。於是，湯姆有幸與法官和其他幾位貴賓們坐在一起，這個重大的消息就從首腦席上公佈于眾了。這是十年來最令人吃驚的事情，全場大為轟動，把這位新英雄的地位抬高得和法官老爺相等。這下子學校的人們瞪着眼睛看的是兩位而不是一位了不起的人物了。男孩子們更是忌妒得咬牙切齒——可是最懊悔的還是那些用背《聖經》得來的條子跟湯姆換他出賣刷牆特權時所積攢下的財寶的孩子們。為了湯姆這些寶貝玩意，他們給了湯姆這些條子，這幫了他大忙，使他獲得了這種令人氣憤的榮譽。可是，現在才發現，後悔已經晚了。這些孩子們現在才明白他們的對手是個詭計多端的騙子，是一條藏在草裡狡詐的蛇，而他們自己卻是上了當的大傻瓜，因此他們都覺得自慚形穢。
The prize was delivered to Tom with as much effusion as the superintendent could pump up under the circumstances; but it lacked somewhat of the true gush, for the poor fellow's instinct taught him that there was a mystery here that could not well bear the light, perhaps; it was simply preposterous that this boy had warehoused two thousand sheaves of Scriptural wisdom on his premises--a dozen would strain his capacity, without a doubt.
校長給湯姆發獎的時候，為了應付這種場合，他儘量找出一些讚美表揚的話來說。可是從他話裡聽出好像沒有多少是發自他內心的熱忱，因為這位可憐的人的本能告訴他，這裡面也許潛藏着某種見不得人的秘密。這孩子腦子裡真的能裝下兩千段聖書裡的經文，真會讓人笑掉大牙——因為毫無疑問，十幾段經文就夠他受的了。
Amy Lawrence was proud and glad, and she tried to make Tom see it in her face--but he wouldn't look. She wondered; then she was just a grain troubled; next a dim suspicion came and went--came again; she watched; a furtive glance told her worlds--and then her heart broke, and she was jealous, and angry, and the tears came and she hated everybody. Tom most of all (she thought).
艾美·勞倫斯既得意又自豪，她想方設法地要湯姆看出這點來——可是，湯姆偏不朝她這邊看。她搞不清這是怎麼回事，接着她有點兒慌張，然後隱隱約約又有點懷疑，很快疑慮消除了——跟着又懷疑起來。她注視了他一會兒，當看到湯姆偷偷地瞟了新來的女孩子一眼時，這才恍然大悟——於是她心碎了，忌妒了，非常惱火，跟着眼淚也流了出來。她恨所有的人，最恨最恨的是湯姆（她心裡想）。
Tom was introduced to the Judge; but his tongue was tied, his breath would hardly come, his heart quaked--partly because of the awful greatness of the man, but mainly because he was her parent. He would have liked to fall down and worship him, if it were in the dark. The Judge put his hand on Tom's head and called him a fine little man, and asked him what his name was. The boy stammered, gasped, and got it out:
湯姆被校長介紹給法官大人，可是，他的舌頭打了結，氣也喘不過來，心也跳得厲害——一半是因為這位大人物的威嚴，一半則因為他是她的父親。如果現在是夜晚，是在黑暗中，他簡直就要向他下跪膜拜了。大法官把手放在湯姆的頭上，說他是個好小伙子，還問他叫什麼名字。這孩子結結巴巴，喘氣困難，勉強答道：
"Tom."
“湯姆。”
"Oh, no, not Tom--it is--"
“哦，不對，不是湯姆——應該是——”
"Thomas."
“托馬斯。”
"Ah, that's it. I thought there was more to it, maybe. That's very well. But you've another one I daresay, and you'll tell it to me, won't you?"
“喔，這就對了。我想應該還有一半吧，也許該有，這很好。不過，我肯定你還有一個姓，你告訴我，好不好？”
"Tell the gentleman your other name, Thomas," said Walters, "and say sir. You mustn't forget your manners."
“托馬斯，告訴法官大人你姓什麼！”華爾特先生趕忙說，“還要稱呼先生，你可別忘了禮貌呀。”
"Thomas Sawyer--sir."
“托馬斯·索亞——先生。”
"That's it! That's a good boy. Fine boy. Fine, manly little fellow. Two thousand verses is a great many--very, very great many. And you never can be sorry for the trouble you took to learn them; for knowledge is worth more than anything there is in the world; it's what makes great men and good men; you'll be a great man and a good man yourself, some day, Thomas, and then you'll look back and say, It's all owing to the precious Sunday-school privileges of my boyhood--it's all owing to my dear teachers that taught me to learn--it's all owing to the good superintendent, who encouraged me, and watched over me, and gave me a beautiful Bible--a splendid elegant Bible--to keep and have it all for my own, always--it's all owing to right bringing up! That is what you will say, Thomas--and you wouldn't take any money for those two thousand verses--no indeed you wouldn't. And now you wouldn't mind telling me and this lady some of the things you've learned--no, I know you wouldn't--for we are proud of little boys that learn. Now, no doubt you know the names of all the twelve disciples. Won't you tell us the names of the first two that were appointed?"
“這就對了！這才是個好孩子。很不錯的小伙子。不錯，有出息。兩千段的聖書經文可真不少——實在，實在是夠多的。你花了那麼多精力來背誦這些經文，你一輩子也不會後悔的，因為知識是寶貴的，比世上一切財富都有價值。有了知識，你就能成為偉人，成為好人；托馬斯，等將來有一天，當你迴首往事時，你會說，一切都歸功於我兒時所上的主日學校——歸功於我親愛的老師們教給我的那些知識——歸功於我的好校長，他鼓勵我，督促我，還給了我一本漂亮的《聖經》——一本漂亮而精美的《聖經》——讓我自己永遠保留——這一切多虧了我的老師們教導有方啊！將來你會這麼說的，托馬斯——你那兩千段經文別人無論給你多少錢，你也不會賣吧！——你肯定不會賣的。現在把你學過的內容說給我和這位太太聽聽，你該不會介意吧——不會的，我知道你不會在乎的——因為我們是非常讚賞有知識有學問的孩子。那麼，不用問，你肯定知道所有十二門徒的名字，就把耶穌最初選定的兩個門徒的名字告訴我們，好不好？”
Tom was tugging at a button-hole and looking sheepish. He blushed, now, and his eyes fell. Mr. Walters' heart sank within him. He said to himself, it is not possible that the boy can answer the simplest question--why did the Judge ask him? Yet he felt obliged to speak up and say:
湯姆捏住一個鈕扣眼使勁地拉，樣子顯得很害羞。他的臉一下子漲得通紅，眼皮也垂了下來。華爾特先生的心也隨之一沉。他心裡想，這個孩子連最簡單的問題都不可能回答出來——為什麼法官偏要問他？然而他又不得不開口，說道：
"Answer the gentleman, Thomas--don't be afraid."
“托馬斯，回答法官大人的問題——不要害怕。”
Tom still hung fire.
湯姆仍舊不肯開口。
"Now I know you'll tell me," said the lady. "The names of the first two disciples were--"
“好吧，我知道你會跟我講，”那位太太說。“最初的兩個門徒的名字是——”
"David And Goliah!"
“大衛和哥利亞斯——”
Let us draw the curtain of charity over the rest of the scene.
這幕戲不能再往下看了，我們還是發發慈悲就此閉幕吧。