8 The Trial of Muff Potter

CHAPTER 8 The Trial of Muff Potter Summer vacation was fast approaching. The next thing Tom knew, school was over, and his days were free again. The Fourth of July came and went with little fanfare. Tom began to find his precious vacation time hanging heavy on his hands. First, Becky Thatcher had left town with her parents for a summer vacation. Then Tom came down with the measles. During two long weeks, Tom lay in bed a prisoner, dead to the world and its happenings. When he finally got onto his feet, the town of St.Petersburg had started to

第八章审判莫夫·波特暑假很快就要到了。 汤姆所知道的下一件事就是放学了，他的日子又自由了。 七月四日悄无声息地来了又去。 汤姆开始觉得他宝贵的假期过得很吃力。 首先，贝基·撒切尔随父母离开小镇去度暑假了。 然后汤姆得了麻疹。 在漫长的两个星期里，汤姆像个囚犯一样躺在床上，对世界和世界上发生的事情毫无知觉。 当他终于站起来的时候，圣彼得堡镇已经开始了

come back to life. Muff Potter's murder trial was ready to begin, and it soon became the talk of the town. Every mention of the death of Dr.Robinson sent a shudder straight to Tom's heart. He didn't see how he could be suspected of knowing anything about it, but he still didn't feel comfortable in the midst of all the gossip. Just hearing the name "Muff Potter" kept him in a cold shiver. Tom ached to be rid of his terrible secret and to tell the truth. One day, he took Huck aside for a private talk. "Huck," he started gravely. "Have you ever told anybody about—that?" "About what?" "You know what." "Oh—course I haven't." "Not a word?"

回到生活中来。莫夫·波特谋杀案的审判即将开始，很快就成了全城的话题。 每次提到罗宾逊医生的死，汤姆的心都直打颤。 他不明白为什么会有人怀疑他对这件事一无所知，但置身于这些闲言碎语之中，他还是觉得不自在。 一听到“莫夫·波特”这个名字，他就打了个寒颤。 汤姆渴望说出他那可怕的秘密，说出真相。 一天，他把哈克拉到一边私下谈话。 “哈克，”他严肃地说。 “你告诉过别人——这件事吗？”“什么?”“你知道吗？” “哦，我当然没有。”“一句话也不说？”

"Not a single word, so help me. What makes you ask?" "Well, I was afraid." "Why, Tom Sawyer, we wouldn't be alive two days if that got found out. You know that." Tom paused for a moment. "I reckon Muff Potter's a goner. Don't you feel sorry for him sometimes?" "Most always," Huck responded. "Muff Potter ain't ever done anything to hurt anybody. Just fishes a little to get money and loafs around. But we all do that. He's kind of good, and he gave me half a fish once, when there wasn't enough for two; and lots of times he stood by me when I was out of luck." "Well, he's helped fix kites for me when they got torn," Tom added. "And he tied hooks onto my fishing line when I couldn't

“一个字也没有，我发誓。 你为什么这么问？”“嗯，我很害怕。” “嘿，汤姆·索亚，要是这件事被发现了，我们连两天也活不了。 你知道的。”汤姆停了一会儿。 “我看莫夫·波特完了。 你有时不为他感到难过吗？”“多半是这样。”哈克回答。 “莫夫·波特从来没有做过伤害任何人的事。 只是钓鱼赚点钱，四处游荡。 但我们都这样做。他还算不错，有一次我的鱼不够两个人吃，他却给了我半条鱼。很多时候，当我运气不好的时候，他都站在我身边。” “嗯，他帮我修理风筝，当它们被撕破的时候，”汤姆补充说。 他在我做不到的时候把鱼钩系在我的鱼线上

do it. I wish we could get him out of jail." "My! we couldn't get him out, Tom. And besides, it wouldn't do any good. They'd catch him again." "They probably would," Tom agreed. "I just hate to hear how they abuse him so, 'specially as he hasn't done anything." "I do, too, Tom. I hear 'em say that Muff's the bloodiest-looking villain in the country, and they wonder why he wasn't ever hung before." The boys kept on talking, but it brought them little comfort. Tom went home miserable that night, and his dreams were full of horrors. The two next days, he hung about the courtroom, drawn by an almost irresistible urge to go inside. Huck felt the same way. But both boys were too afraid, and they even avoided looking at each other. Outside the courthouse, all the talk that

这样做。我希望我们能把他从监狱里救出来。” “我的天!我们救不了他，汤姆。 再说，这也没什么用。 他们会再次抓住他的。”“他们可能会的，”汤姆同意道。 “我只是讨厌听到他们这样辱骂他，尤其是他什么也没做。” “我也是，汤姆。我听他们说，莫夫是这个国家里最凶狠的恶棍，他们不明白为什么以前没有绞死他。” 孩子们不停地说话，但这并没有给他们带来什么安慰。 那天晚上汤姆回到家很痛苦，他的梦充满了恐怖。 接下来的两天里，他在法庭里转来转去，被一种几乎无法抗拒的冲动所吸引，想进去看看。 哈克也有同感。但两个男孩都太害怕了，他们甚至都不敢看对方一眼。 在法院外面，大家都在说

Tom heard was about how things were looking bleak for Muff. At the end of the trial's second day, Injun Joe's evidence stood firm. There was not the slightest doubt as to what the verdict would be. Tom was out late that night and came to bed through the window. He was in a terrible state of excitement and couldn't get to sleep for hours. The next morning, the entire village flocked to the courthouse, for this was to be the great day. After a long wait, the jury filed in and took their places. Shortly afterward, Potter, looking pale and sleepless, was brought in with chains upon him and seated where everyone could stare at him. No less visible was Injun Joe, calm as ever. Once the judge arrived, the usual whisperings among the lawyers and shuffling of papers followed. All these details and delays in beginning the

汤姆听到的是关于马夫的处境如何暗淡。 第二天审判结束时，印第安·乔的证词站得住脚。 判决结果是毫无疑问的。 那天晚上汤姆很晚才回家，从窗户钻进了床。 他非常兴奋，好几个小时都睡不着。 第二天早上，全村的人都涌向法院，因为这将是一个伟大的日子。 经过长时间的等待，陪审团鱼贯而入，各就各位。 不一会儿，脸色苍白、睡不着觉的波特被带了进来，身上戴着镣铐，坐在大家都能盯着他看的地方。 印第安·乔和往常一样平静。 法官一到，律师们就像往常一样窃窃私语，翻看文件。 所有这些细节和开始的延迟

trial worked up an even greater feeling of suspense inside the courtroom. Finally, a witness was called who testified that he had found Muff Potter washing in the creek, at an early hour of the morning that the murder was discovered, and that Muff had sneaked away immediately. After the prosecutor finished with his questions, it was time for Potter's lawyer to examine the witness. "No questions," he said coolly. The next witness said that he had found Muff Potter's knife near the dead body. But again, Potter's lawyer didn't ask the man a single question. A third and a fourth witness testified without Potter's lawyer doing anything. Meanwhile, members of the court audience became angry, and many started to wonder about what was really going on. Did Muff's

审判在法庭里引起了更大的悬念。 最后，一名证人出庭作证说，在谋杀案被发现的那天凌晨，他看见莫夫·波特在小溪里洗澡，莫夫立刻溜走了。 公诉人问完问题后，是波特的律师盘问证人的时候了。 “没有问题，”他冷冷地说。 下一个证人说他在尸体附近发现了莫夫·波特的刀。 但是，波特的律师还是没有问这个人一个问题。 第三和第四个证人在波特的律师没有做任何事情的情况下作证。 与此同时，法庭上的一些听众变得愤怒起来，许多人开始怀疑到底发生了什么。 套的