Chapters 18 to 20 - The Adventures of Tom Sawyer - Mark Twain

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Chapter eighteen, Tom reveals his dreamsecret. That was Tom's great secret,
the scheme to return home with hisbrother pirates and attend their own funerals.
They had paddled over to the Missourishore in a log at dusk on Saturday,
landing five or six miles below thevillage. They had slept in the
woods at the edge of the towntill nearly daylight, and had then crept

(00:23):
through back lanes and alleys and finishedtheir sleep in the gallery of the church
among a chaos of invalided benches.At breakfast Monday morning, Aunt Polly and
Mary were very loving to Tom andvery attentive to his wants. There was
an unusual amount of talk in thecourse of it. Aunt Polly said,
well, I don't say it wasn'ta fine joke, Tom, to keep

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everybody suffering most a week. Soyou boys had a good time, But
it is a pity you could beso hard hearted as to let me suffer.
So if you could have come overon a log to go to your
funeral, you could have come overand give me a hint some way that
you weren't dead, but only runoff. Yes, you could have done
that, Tom, said Mary,and I believe you would if you had

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thought of it? Would you,Tom, said Aunt Polly, her face
lightening wistfully, say, now,would you if you'd thought of it?
I well, I don't know.Twould have spoiled everything? Tom. I
hoped you loved me that much,said Aunt Polly with a grieved tone that
discomforted the boy. It would havebeen something if you'd cared enough to think
of it, even if you didn'tdo it. Now, Auntie, that

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ain't any harm, pleaded Mary.It's only Tom's giddy way. He's always
in such a rush that he neverthinks of anything. More's the pity Sid
would have thought, and Sid wouldhave come and done it too. Tom,
you'll look back some day when it'stoo late and wish you'd cared a
little more for me, when itwould have cost you so little. Now,

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Auntie, you know I do carefor you, said Tom. I'd
know it better if you acted morelike it. I wish now, I
thought, said Tom with a repentanttone. But I dreamed about you anyway.
That's something, ain't it. Itain't much A cat does that much,
but it's better than nothing. Whatdid you dream? Why? Wednesday

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night? I dreamt that you wassitting over there by the bed, and
Sid was sitting by the woodbox,and Marry next to him. Well,
so we did, so we alwaysdo. I'm glad your dreams could take
even that much trouble about us.And I dreamt that Joe Harper's mother was
here. Why she was here?Did you dream anymore? Oh? Lots?

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But it's so dim now. Well, try to recollect, can't you.
Somehow it seems to me that thewind, the wind blowed the the
try harder, Tom, the winddid blow something come. Tom pressed his
fingers to his forehead an anxious minute, and then said, I've got it.
Now, I've got it now.He'd blowed the candle. Mercy on

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us. Go on, Tom,go on. And it seems to me
that you said, why I believethat that door? Go on? Tom,
Just let me study a moment,just a moment. Oh, yes,
you said you believed the door wasopen, as I'm sitting here,
I did, didn't I Marry goon? And then and then well,

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I won't be certain, but itseems like because if you made Sid go
and and well, well, whatdid I make him do? Tom?
What did I make him? Do? You made him you, oh,
you made him shut it well,for Land's sake, I never heard the
beat of that in all my days. Don't tell me there ain't anything in

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dreams anymore. Serenity Harper shall knowof this before I'm an hour older.
I'd like to see her get aroundthis with her rubbage about superstition. Go
on, Tom, Oh, it'sall getting just as bright as day now.
Next you said I weren't bad,only mischievous and harum scarum, and
not any more responsible than than Ithink it was a or something. And

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so it was, well, goodnessgracious, go on, Tom. And
then you began to cry. SoI did so I did not the first
time neither. And then but thenmissus Harper she began to cry and said
Joe was just the same, andshe wished she hadn't whipped him for taking
cream when she'd throwed it out onher own self. Tom, the spirit

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was upon you. You was aprophesying, that's what she was a doing.
Lend alive. Go on, Tom. Well, then Sid, he
said, He said, Well,I don't think I said anything, said
Sid, Yes you did, Sidsaid, Mary, shut your heads and
let Tom go. What did hesay, Tom, he said, Oh,
I think he said, he hopedI was better off where I was

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gone to, But if I'd beenbetter sometimes there to hear that. It
was his very words, and youshut him up sharp, I lay,
I did, there must have beenan angel there. There was an angel
there somewheres. And Missus Harper toldabout Joe scary her with a firecracker,
and you told about Peter and thepainkiller, just as true as I live.

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And then there was a whole lotof talk about dragging the river for
us, and about having the funeralSunday, and then you and old miss
Harper hugged and cried, and shewent, it happened just so, it
happened, just so as sure asI'm sitting in these very tracks, Tom,
you couldn't have told it more likeif you'd have seen it. And

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then what go on? Tom?Then I thought you prayed for me,
and I could see you and hearevery word you said. And you went
to bed, and I was sosorry that I took and wrote on a
piece of sycamore bark we ain't dead, we were only off being pirates,
and put it on the table bythe candle. And then you looked so
good laying there asleep that I thought. I went and leaned over and kissed

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you on the lips. Did you, Tom? Did you? I just
forgive you everything for that. Andshe sees the boy in a crushing embrace
that made him feel like the guiltiestof villains. It was very kind,
even though it was only a dream. Sid soliloquized, just audibly, shut
up, Sid, A body doesjust the same in a dream as he'd

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do if he was awake. Here'sa big milum apple I've been saving for
you, Tom, if you wasever found again. Now go long to
school. I'm thankful to the goodGod and Father of us all I've got
you back. That's long suffering andmerciful to them that believe on him and
keep his word, though Goodness knowsI'm unworthy of it. But if only
the worthy ones got his blessings andhad his hand to help him over the

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rough places, there's few enough wouldsmile here or ever enter into his rest
when the long night comes. Goalong, Sid, Mary, Tom,
take yourselves off. You've hindered melong enough. The children left for school,
and the old lady to call onmissus Harper and vanquish her realism with
Tom's marvelous dream. Sid had betterjudgment than to utter the thought that was

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in his mind as he left thehouse. It was this pretty thin,
as long as a dream as that, without any mistakes in it. What
a hero Tom was become. Nowhe did not go skipping and prancing,
but moved with a dignified swagger,as became a pirate who felt that the
public eye was on him, andindeed it was. He tried not to

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seem to see the looks or hearthe remarks as he passed along, but
they were food and drink to him. Smaller boys than himself flocked at his
heels, as proud to be seenwith him, and tolerated by him,
as if he had been the drummerat the head of a procession or the
elephant leading a menagerie into town.Boys of his own size pretended not to
know he had been away at all, but they were consuming with envy.

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Nevertheless, they would have given anythingto have had that swarthy, sun tanned
skin of his and his glittering notoriety, and Tom would not have parted with
either for a circus. At school, the children made so much of him
and of Joe, and delivered sucheloquent admiration from their eyes that the two
heroes were not long in becoming insufferablystuck up. They began to tell their

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adventures to hungry listeners, but theyonly began it was not a thing likely
to have an end with imaginations liketheirs to furnish material. And finally,
when they got out their pipes andwent serenely puffing around, the very summit
of glory was reached. Tom decidedthat he could be independent of Becky Thatcher.
Now glory was sufficient. He wouldlive for glory. Now that he

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was distinguished. Maybe she would bewanting to make up. Well, let
her she should see that he couldbe as indifferent as some other people.
Presently she arrived, Tom pretended notto see her. He moved away and
joined a group of boys and girlsand began to talk. Soon he observed
that she was tripping gaily back andforth, with flushed face and dancing eyes,

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pretending to be busy chasing schoolmates,and screaming with laughter when she made
a capture. But he noticed thatshe always made her captures in his vicinity,
and that she seemed to cast aconscious eye in his direction. At
such times too, it gratified allthe vicious vanity that was in him,
and so instead of winning him,it only set him up the more and

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made him the more diligent to avoidbetraying that he knew she was about.
Presently, she gave over skylarking andmoved irresolutely about, sighing once or twice,
and glancing furtively and wistfully towards Tom. Then she observed that now Tom
was talking more particularly to Amy Lawrencethan to anyone else. She felt a

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sharp pang and grew disturbed and uneasy. At once. She tried to go
away, but her feet were treacherousand carried her to the group. Instead.
She said to a girl almost atTom's elbow, with sham vivacity,
Why Mary Austin, you bad girl? Why didn't you come to Sunday School?
I did come. Didn't you seeme? Why no? Did you?
Where did you sit? I wasin Miss Peter's class where I almost

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go? I saw you? Didyou? Oh it's funny I didn't see
you. I wanted to tell youabout the picnic. Oh that's jolly,
who's going to give it? MyMa's going to let me have one?
Oh, goody. I hope she'lllet me come. Well, she will
the picnics for me. She'll letanybody come that I want, and I
want you. That's ever so nice. When is it going to be bye

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and bye? Maybe about vacation?Oh, won't it be fun? You're
going to have all the girls andboys? Yes, everyone that's friends to
me or wants to be. Andshe glanced ever so furtively at Tom,
But he talked right along to AmyLawrence about the terrible storm on the island
and how the lightning tore a greatsycamore tree all to flinders while he was

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standing within three feet of it.Oh may I come, said Gracie Miller.
Yes, and me said Sally Rodgers. Yes, and me too,
said Susie Harper. And Joe Yes, and so on, with clapping of
joyful hands, till all the grouphad begged for invitations but Tom and Amy.
Then Tom turned coolly away, stilltalking, and took Amy with him.

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Becky's lips trembled and the tears cameto her eyes. She hid these
signs with a forced gaiety and wenton chattering. But the life had gone
out of the picnic now, andout of everything else. She got away
as soon as she could, andhid herself and had what her sex call
a good cry. Then she satmoody with wounded pride till the bell rang.

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She roused up now with a vindictivecast in her eye, and gave
her plaited tails a shake, andsaid she knew what she'd do At recess.
Tom continued his flirtation with Amy withjubilant self satisfaction, and he kept
drifting about to find Becky and laceerther with a performance. At last he

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spied her, but there was asudden falling of his mercury. She was
sitting cozily on a little bench behindthe schoolhouse, looking at a picture book
with Alfred Temple, and so absorbedwere they, and their heads so close
together over the book, that theydid not seem to be conscious of anything
in the world besides Jealousy ran redhot through Tom's veins. He began to
hate himself for throwing away the chanceBecky had offered for a reconciliation. He

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called himself a fool, and allthe hard names could think of. He
wanted to cry with vexation. Amychatted happily along as they walked for her
heart was singing, but Tom's tonguehad lost its function. He did not
hear what Amy was saying, andwhenever she paused expectantly, he could only
stammer an awkward assent, which wasas often misplaced as otherwise. He kept

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drifting to the rear of the schoolhouseagain and again to sear his eyeballs with
a hateful spectacle. There he couldnot help it, and it maddened him
to see as he thought he sawthat Becky Thatcher never once suspected that he
was even in the land of theliving. But she did see, nevertheless,
and she knew she was winning herfight, too, and was glad
to see him suffer as she hadsuffered. Amy's happy prattle became intolerable.

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Tom hinted at things he had toattend to, things that must be done,
and time was fleeting, but invain the girl chirped on. Tom
thought, oh, hang her,Ain't I ever going to get rid of
her? At last? He mustbe attending to those things. And she
said artlessly that she would be roundwhen school left out, and he hastened
away, hating her for it.Any other boy, Tom thought, grating

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his teeth, any boy in thewhole town. But that Saint Louis Smarty,
that thinks he dresses so fine andis aristocracy. Oh all right,
I licked you the first day youever saw this town, mister, and
I'll lick you again. You justwait till I catch you out. I'll
just take and and he went throughthe motions of thrashing an imaginary boy,
pummeling the air and kicking and gouging. Oh you do, do you?

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You holler enough? Do you?Now? Then let that learn you?
And so the imaginary flogging was finished. To his satisfaction. Tom fled home
at noon. His conscience could notendure any more of Amy's grateful happiness,
and his jealousy could bear no moreof the other distress. Becky resumed her
picture inspections with Alfred, but asthe minutes dragged along and no Tom came

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to suffer, her triumph began tocloud, and she lost interest. Gravity
and absent mindedness followed, and thenmelancholy. Two or three times she pricked
up her ear at a footstep,but it was a false hope. No
Tom came at last. She grewentirely miserable and wished she hadn't carried it
so far. When poor Alfred seemedthat he was losing her, he did

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not know how kept exclaiming, Oh, here's a jolly one, look at
this. She lost patience at lastand said, oh, don't bother me.
I don't care for them, andburst into tears and got up and
walked away. Alfred dropped alongside andwas going to try to comfort her,
but she said, go away andleave me alone, can't you? I
hate you. So the boy halted, wondering what he could have done for

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she had said she would look atpictures all through the nooning, and she
walked on crying. Then Alfred wentmusing into the deserted schoolhouse. He was
humiliated and angry. He easily guessedhis way to the truth. The girl
had simply made a convenience of himto vent her spite upon Tom Sawyer.
He was far from hating Tom theless. When this thought occurred to him,

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he wished there was some way toget that boy into trouble without much
risk to himself. Tom's spelling bookfell under his eye. Here was his
opportunity. He gratefully opened to thelesson for the afternoon and poured ink upon
the page Becky, glancing in ata window behind him at the moment,
saw the act and moved on withoutdiscovering herself. She started homeward, now

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intending to find Tom and tell himTom would be thankful and their troubles would
be healed. Before she was halfway home, however, she had changed
her mind. The thought of Tom'streatment of her when she was talking about
her picnic came scorching back and filledher with shame. She resolved to let
him get whipped on the damaged spellingbook's account, and to hate him forever
into the bargain. End of chaptereighteen, Chapter nineteen, The cruelty of

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I didn't think. Tom arrived athome in a dreary mood, and the
first thing his aunt said to himshowed him that he had brought his sorrows
to an unpromising market. Tom,I've a notion to skin you alive,
Auntie. What have I done?Well? You've done enough here. I
go over to Serenity Harper like anold softie, expecting I'm going to make

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her believe all that rubbage about thatdream. When lo and behold you.
She'd found out from Joe that youwas over here, and heard all the
talk we had that night. Tom, I don't know what is to become
of a boy that will act likethat. It makes me feel so bad
to think that you could let mego to Serenity Harper and make such a
fool of myself and never say aword. This was a new aspect of

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the thing. His smartness of themorning had seemed to Tom a good joke
before, and very ingenious. Itmerely looked mean and shabby. Now.
He hung his head and could notthink of anything to say for a moment.
Then he said, Auntie, Iwished I hadn't done it, but
I didn't think. Oh child,you never think. You never think of
anything but your own selfishness. Youcould think to come all the way over

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here from Jackson's Island in the nightto laugh at our troubles, and you
could think to fool me with alie about a dream, but you never
think to pity us and save usfrom sorrow. Addie, I know now
it was mean, but I didn'tmean it to be mean. I didn't
honest, And besides, I didn'tcome over here to laugh at you that
night. What did you come forthen? It was to tell you not

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to be uneasy about us because wehadn't got drowned, Tom, Tom,
I would be the thankfullest soul inthis world if I could believe you ever
had as good a thought as that. But you know you never did,
and I know it, Tom,Indeed, indeed I did, Addie.
I wish I may never stir ifI didn't. Oh, Tom, don't
lie. Don't do it. Itonly makes things a hundred times worse.

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It ain't a lie, Addie,It's the truth. I wanted to keep
you from grieving. That was allthat made me come. I'd give the
whole world to believe that. Itwould cover up a power of sins.
Tom, I'd most be glad you'drun off and acted so bad. But
it ain't reasonable, because why didn'tyou tell me? Child? Why you

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see? When you got to talkingabout the funeral, I just got all
full of the idea of our comingand hiding in the church, and I
couldn't somehow bear to spoil it.So I just put the bark back in
my pocket and kept mum, whatbark the bark I wrote on to tell
you we'd gone pirating. I wishnow you'd waked up when I kissed you,
I do honest. The hard linesin his aunt's face relaxed, and

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a sudden tenderness dawned in her eyes. Did you kiss me, Tom?
Why? Yes I did. Areyou sure you did, Tom? Why
yes, I did? Aunt,he's certain? Sure? What did you
kiss me for? Tom? BecauseI loved you so and you laid there
moaning and I was so sorry.The words sounded like truth. The old
lady could not hide a tremor inher voice when she said, kiss me

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again, Tom, and be offwith you to school now, and don't
bother me anymore. The moment hewas gone, she ran to a closet
and got out the ruin of ajacket which Tom had gone pirating in.
Then she stopped with it in herhand and said to herself, No,
I don't dare poor boy. Ireckon he'd lied about it. But it's
a blessed, blessed lie. There'ssuch a comfort come from it. I

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hope the Lord. I know theLord will forgive him because it was such
good heartedness and him to tell it. But I don't want to find out
it's a lie. I won't look. She put the jacket away and stood
by musing a minute Twice she putout her hand to take the garment again,
and twice she refrained. Once moreshe ventured, and this time she
fortified herself with a thought, it'sa good lie. It's a good lie.

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I won't let it grieve me,so she sought the jacket pocket.
A moment later, she was readingTom's piece of bark through the flowing tears
and saying, I forgive the boynow if he'd committed a million sins.
End of chapter nineteen. Chapter twenty, Tom takes Becky's punishment. There was

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something about Aunt Polly's manner when shekissed Tom that swept away his low spirits
and made him lighthearted and happy again. He started to school and had the
luck of coming upon Becky Thatcher atthe head Meadow Lane. His mood always
determined his manner. Without a moment'shesitation, he ran to her and said,
I acted mighty mean today, Becky, and I'm so sorry. I

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won't ever ever do that way againas long as I ever live. Please
make up, won't you? Thegirl stopped and looked at him, scornfully
in the face. I'll thank youto keep yourself to yourself. Mister Thomas
Sawyer I'll never speak to you again. She tossed her head and passed on.
Tom was so stunned that he hadnot even presence of mind enough to
say who cares miss Smarty, untilthe right time to say it had gone

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by, so he said nothing,But he was in a fine rage.
Nevertheless, he moped into the schoolyard, wishing she were a boy, and
imagining how he would trounce her ifshe were. He presently encountered her and
delivered a stinging remark. As hepassed. She hurled one in return,
and the angry breach was complete.It seemed to Becky, in her hot
resentment, that she could hardly waitfor school to take in. She was

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so impatient to see Tom flogged forthe injured spelling book. If she had
had any ling ding notion of exposingto Alfred Temple, Tom's offensive fling had
driven it entirely away. Poor girl, she did not know how fast she
was nearing trouble herself. The masterMister Dobbins had reached middle age with an
unsatisfied ambition. The darling of hisdesires was to be a doctor, but

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poverty had decreed that he should benothing higher than a village schoolmaster. Every
day he took a mysterious book outof his desk and absorbed himself in it.
At times when no classes were reciting, he kept that book under lock
and key. There was not anurchin in school, but was perishing to
have a glimpse of it, Butthe chance never came. Every boy and
girl had a theory about the natureof that book, but no two theories

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were alike, and there was noway of getting at the facts in the
case. Now, as Becky waspassing by the desk, which stood near
the door, she noticed that thekey was in the lock. It was
a precious moment. She glanced around, found herself alone, and the next
instant she had the book in herhands. The title page, Professor Somebody's
Anatomy, carried no information to hermind, so she begun to turn the

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leaves she came at, once upona handsomely engraved and colored frontispiece a human
figure stark naked. At that moment, a shadow fell on the page,
and Tom Sawyer stepped in at thedoor and caught the glimpse of the picture.
Becky snatched at the book to closeit, and had the hard luck
to tear the pictured plate half downthe middle. She thrust the volumes into

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the desk, turned the key,and burst out, crying with shame and
vexation. Tom Sawyer, you arejust as mean as you can be to
sneak up on a person and lookat what they're looking at. How could
I know you was looking at anything? You ought to be ashamed of yourself,
Tom Sawyer, you know you're goingto tell on me and I what
shall I do? What shall Ido? I'll be whipped and I never
was whipped in school. Then shestamped her little foot and said, be

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so mean. If you want toI know something that's going to happen you
just wait and you'll see hateful,hateful, hateful, And she flung out
of the house with a new explosionof crying. Tom stood still, rather
flustered by this, onslaught Presently,he said to himself, what a curious
kind of a fool. A girlis never been licked in school? Shucks?

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What's a lickin'? That's just likea girl. They're so thin skinned
and chicken hearted. Well, ofcourse I ain't going to tell Old Dobbins
on this little fool, because there'sother ways of getting even on her.
That ain't so mean. But whatof it? Old Dobbins will ask who
it was toward his book? Nobody'llanswer. Then he'll do just the way
he always does. Ask first one, then tether, and when he comes

(23:30):
to the right girl, he'll knowit without any telling. Girl's faces always
tell on them. They ain't gotany backbone. She'll get licked. Well,
it's a kind of a tight placefor Becky thatcher, because there ain't
any way out of it. Tomconned the thing a moment longer, and
then added, all right, thoughshe'd like to see me in such a
fix, let her sweat it out. Tom joined a mob of skylarking scholars

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outside. In a few moments,the master arrived in school took in.
Tom did not feel a strong interestin his studies. Every time he stole
a glance at the girl's side ofthe room, Becky's face troubled him.
Considering all things, He did notwant to pity her, and yet it
was all he could do to helpit. He could get up no exaltation
that was really worthy the name.Presently, the spelling book discovery was made,

(24:15):
and Tom's mind was entirely full ofhis own matters. For a while.
After that, Becky roused up fromher lethargy of distress and showed good
interest in the proceedings. She didnot expect that Tom could get out of
his trouble by denying that he spiltthe ink on the book himself, and
she was right. The denial onlyseemed to make the thing worse for Tom.
Becky supposed she would be glad ofthat, and she tried to believe

(24:37):
she was glad of it, butshe found she was not certain. When
the worst came to the worst,she had an impulse to get up and
tell on Alfred Temple, but shemade an effort and forced herself to keep
still, because, said she toherself, he'll tell about me tearing the
boat. Sure, I wouldn't saya word, not to save his life.
Tom took his whipping and went backto his seat, not at all

(25:00):
broken hearted, for he thought itwas possible that he had unknowingly upset the
ink on the spelling book himself insome skylarking bout. He had denied it
for form's sake and because it wascustom, and had stuck to the denial
from principle a whole hour drifted by. The Master sat nodding in his throne.
The air was drowsy with a humof study. By and by.
Mister Dobbins straightened himself up, yawned, and then unlocked his desk and reached

(25:23):
for his book, but seemed undecidedwhether to take it out or leave it.
Most of the pupils glanced up languidly, but there was two among them
that watched his movements with intent eyes. Mister Dobbins fingered his book absently for
a while, then took it outand settled himself in his chair to read.
Tom shot a glance at Becky.He had seen a hunted and helpless

(25:45):
rabbit look as she did, witha gun leveled at its head. Instantly
he forgot his quarrel with her quickSomething must be done done in a flash,
too, But the very imminence ofthe emergency paralyzed his invention. Good.
He had an inspiration he would runand snatch the book, spring through
the door, and fly, Buthis resolution shook for one little instant,
and the chance was lost. TheMaster opened the volume. If Tom only

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had the wasted opportunity back again toolate, there was no help for Becky
now he said. The next moment, the Master faced the school. Every
eye sank under his gaze. Therewas that in it which smote even the
innocent with fear. There was silencewhile one might count ten. The Master
was gathering his wrath. Then hespoke, who tore this book? There

(26:32):
was not a sound. One couldhave heard a pin drop. The stillness
continued. The Master searched face afterface for signs of guilt. Benjamin Rogers,
did you tear this book? Adenial? Another pause? Joseph Harper?
Did you? Another denial? Tom'suneasiness grew more and more intense into
the slow torture of these proceedings.The Master scanned the ranks of boys,

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considered a while, then turned tothe girls. Amy Lawrence, a shake
of the head, Gracie Miller thesame sign Susan Harper, did you do
this? Another negative? The nextgirl was Becky Thatcher. Tom was trembling
from head to foot with excitement anda sense of hopelessness of the situation.

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Rebecca Thatcher Tom glanced at her face. It was white with terror. Did
you tear no? Look me inthe face. Her hands rose in appeal.
Did you tear this book? Athought? Shot like lightning through Tom's
brain. He sprang to his feetand shouted, I done it. The
school stared in perplexity at this incrediblefolly. Tom stood a moment to gather

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his dismembered faculties, and when hestepped forward to go to his punishment,
the surprise, the gratitude, theadoration that shone upon him out of poor
Becky's eyes seemed pay enough for ahundred floggings. Inspired by the splendor of
his own act, he took,without an outcry, the most merciless flaying
that even mister Dobbins had ever administered, and all received with indifference. The

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added cruelty of a command to remaintwo hours after school should be dismissed,
for he knew who would wait forhim outside till his captivity was done,
and not count the tedious time asloss either. Tom went to bed that
night, planning vengeance against Alfred Temple, for with shame and repentance Becky had
told him all not forgetting her owntreachery. But even the longing for vengeance

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had to give way soon to pleasantermusings, and he fell asleep at last
with Becky's latest words lingering dreamily inhis ear, Tom, how could you
be so noble? End of Chaptertwenty