ThewidowsaidshemeanttogiveHuckahomeunderherroofandhavehimeducated;andthatwhenshecouldsparethemoneyshewouldstarthiminbusinessinamodestway.Tom'schancewascome.Hesaid:
　　"Huckdon'tneedit.Huck'srich."
　　Nothingbutaheavystrainuponthegoodmannersofthecompanykeptbackthedueandpropercomplimentarylaughatthispleasantjoke.Butthesilencewasalittleawkward.Tombrokeit:
　　"Huck'sgotmoney.Maybeyoudon'tbelieveit,buthe'sgotlotsofit.Oh,youneedn'tsmile——IreckonIcanshowyou.Youjustwaitaminute."
　　Tomranoutofdoors.Thecompanylookedateachotherwithaperplexedinterest——andinquiringlyatHuck,whowastongue-tied.
　　"Sid,whatailsTom?"saidAuntPolly."He——well,thereain'teveranymakingofthatboyout.Inever——"
　　Tomentered,strugglingwiththeweightofhissacks,andAuntPollydidnotfinishhersentence.Tompouredthemassofyellowcoinuponthetableandsaid:
　　"There——whatdidItellyou?Halfofit'sHuck'sandhalfofit'smine!"
　　Thespectacletookthegeneralbreathaway.Allgazed,nobodyspokeforamoment.Thentherewasaunanimouscallforanexplanation.Tomsaidhecouldfurnishit,andhedid.Thetalewaslong,butbrimfulofinterest.Therewasscarcelyaninterruptionfromanyonetobreakthecharmofitsflow.Whenhehadfinished,Mr.Jonessaid:
　　"IthoughtIhadfixedupalittlesurpriseforthisoccasion,butitdon'tamounttoanythingnow.Thisonemakesitsingmightysmall,I'mwillingtoallow."
　　Themoneywascounted.Thesumamountedtoalittleovertwelvethousanddollars.Itwasmorethananyonepresenthadeverseenatonetimebefore,thoughseveralpersonsweretherewhowereworthconsiderablymorethanthatinproperty.
　　CHAPTERXXXV
　　THEreadermayrestsatisfiedthatTom'sandHuck'swindfallmadeamightystirinthepoorlittlevillageofSt.Petersburg.Sovastasum,allinactualcash,seemednexttoincredible.Itwastalkedabout,gloatedover,glorified,untilthereasonofmanyofthecitizenstotteredunderthestrainoftheunhealthyexcitement.Every"haunted"houseinSt.Petersburgandtheneighboringvillageswasdissected,plankbyplank,anditsfoundationsdugupandransackedforhiddentreasure——andnotbyboys,butmen——prettygrave,unromanticmen,too,someofthem.WhereverTomandHuckappearedtheywerecourted,admired,staredat.Theboyswerenotabletorememberthattheirremarkshadpossessedweightbefore;butnowtheirsayingsweretreasuredandrepeated;everythingtheydidseemedsomehowtoberegardedasremarkable;theyhadevidentlylostthepowerofdoingandsayingcommonplacethings;moreover,theirpasthistorywasrakedupanddiscoveredtobearmarksofconspicuousoriginality.Thevillagepaperpublishedbiographicalsketchesoftheboys.
　　TheWidowDouglasputHuck'smoneyoutatsixpercent.,andJudgeThatcherdidthesamewithTom'satAuntPolly'srequest.Eachladhadanincome,now,thatwassimplyprodigious——adollarforeveryweek-dayintheyearandhalfoftheSundays.Itwasjustwhattheministergot——no,itwaswhathewaspromised——hegenerallycouldn'tcollectit.Adollarandaquarteraweekwouldboard,lodge,andschoolaboyinthoseoldsimpledays——andclothehimandwashhim,too,forthatmatter.
　　JudgeThatcherhadconceivedagreatopinionofTom.Hesaidthatnocommonplaceboywouldeverhavegothisdaughteroutofthecave.WhenBeckytoldherfather,instrictconfidence,howTomhadtakenherwhippingatschool,theJudgewasvisiblymoved;andwhenshepleadedgraceforthemightyliewhichTomhadtoldinordertoshiftthatwhippingfromhershoulderstohisown,theJudgesaidwithafineoutburstthatitwasanoble,agenerous,amagnanimouslie——aliethatwasworthytoholdupitsheadandmarchdownthroughhistorybreasttobreastwithGeorgeWashington'slaudedTruthaboutthehatchet!Beckythoughtherfatherhadneverlookedsotallandsosuperbaswhenhewalkedthefloorandstampedhisfootandsaidthat.ShewentstraightoffandtoldTomaboutit.
　　JudgeThatcherhopedtoseeTomagreatlawyeroragreatsoldiersomeday.HesaidhemeanttolooktoitthatTomshouldbeadmittedtotheNationalMilitaryAcademyandafterwardtrainedinthebestlawschoolinthecountry,inorderthathemightbereadyforeithercareerorboth.
　　HuckFinn'swealthandthefactthathewasnowundertheWidowDouglas'protectionintroducedhimintosociety——no,draggedhimintoit,hurledhimintoit——andhissufferingswerealmostmorethanhecouldbear.Thewidow'sservantskepthimcleanandneat,combedandbrushed,andtheybeddedhimnightlyinunsympatheticsheetsthathadnotonelittlespotorstainwhichhecouldpresstohisheartandknowforafriend.Hehadtoeatwithaknifeandfork;hehadtousenapkin,cup,andplate;hehadtolearnhisbook,hehadtogotochurch;hehadtotalksoproperlythatspeechwasbecomeinsipidinhismouth;whithersoeverheturned,thebarsandshacklesofcivilizationshuthiminandboundhimhandandfoot.
　　Hebravelyborehismiseriesthreeweeks,andthenonedayturnedupmissing.Forforty-eighthoursthewidowhuntedforhimeverywhereingreatdistress.Thepublicwereprofoundlyconcerned;theysearchedhighandlow,theydraggedtheriverforhisbody.EarlythethirdmorningTomSawyerwiselywentpokingamongsomeoldemptyhogsheadsdownbehindtheabandonedslaughter-house,andinoneofthemhefoundtherefugee.Huckhadsleptthere;hehadjustbreakfasteduponsomestolenoddsandendsoffood,andwaslyingoff,now,incomfort,withhispipe.Hewasunkempt,uncombed,andcladinthesameoldruinofragsthathadmadehimpicturesqueinthedayswhenhewasfreeandhappy.Tomroutedhimout,toldhimthetroublehehadbeencausing,andurgedhimtogohome.Huck'sfacelostitstranquilcontent,andtookamelancholycast.Hesaid:
　　"Don'ttalkaboutit,Tom.I'vetriedit,anditdon'twork;itdon'twork,Tom.Itain'tforme;Iain'tusedtoit.Thewidder'sgoodtome,andfriendly;butIcan'tstandthemways.Shemakesmegetupjustatthesametimeeverymorning;shemakesmewash,theycombmealltothunder;shewon'tletmesleepinthewoodshed;Igottowearthemblamedclothesthatjustsmothersme,Tom;theydon'tseemtoanyairgitthrough'em,somehow;andthey'resorottennicethatIcan'tsetdown,norlaydown,norrollaroundanywher's;Ihain'tslidonacellar-doorfor——well,it'pearstobeyears;Igottogotochurchandsweatandsweat——Ihatethemornerysermons!Ican'tketchaflyinthere,Ican'tchaw.IgottowearshoesallSunday.Thewiddereatsbyabell;shegoestobedbyabell;shegitsupbyabell——everything'ssoawfulreg'larabodycan'tstandit."
　　"Well,everybodydoesthatway,Huck."
　　"Tom,itdon'tmakenodifference.Iain'teverybody,andIcan'tstandit.It'sawfultobetiedupso.Andgrubcomestooeasy——Idon'ttakenointerestinvittles,thatway.Igottoasktogoa-fishing;Igottoasktogoina-swimming——dern'difIhain'tgottoasktodoeverything.Well,I'dgottotalksoniceitwasn'tnocomfort——I'dgottogoupintheatticandripoutawhile,everyday,togitatasteinmymouth,orI'dadied,Tom.Thewidderwouldn'tletmesmoke;shewouldn'tletmeyell,shewouldn'tletmegape,norstretch,norscratch,beforefolks——"[Thenwithaspasmofspecialirritationandinjury]——"Anddadfetchit,sheprayedallthetime!Ineverseesuchawoman!IHADtoshove,Tom——Ijusthadto.Andbesides,thatschool'sgoingtoopen,andI'dahadtogotoit——well,Iwouldn'tstandTHAT,Tom.Looky-here,Tom,beingrichain'twhatit'scrackeduptobe.It'sjustworryandworry,andsweatandsweat,anda-wishingyouwasdeadallthetime.Nowtheseclothessuitsme,andthisbar'lsuitsme,andIain'tevergoingtoshake'emanymore.Tom,Iwouldn'tevergotintoallthistroubleifithadn't'a'benforthatmoney;nowyoujusttakemysheerofitalongwithyour'n,andgimmeaten-centersometimes——notmanytimes,becuzIdon'tgiveadernforathing'thoutit'stollablehardtogit——andyougoandbegoffformewiththewidder."
　　"Oh,Huck,youknowIcan'tdothat.'Tain'tfair;andbesidesifyou'lltrythisthingjustawhilelongeryou'llcometolikeit."
　　"Likeit!Yes——thewayI'dlikeahotstoveifIwastosetonitlongenough.No,Tom,Iwon'tberich,andIwon'tliveinthemcussedsmotheryhouses.Ilikethewoods,andtheriver,andhogsheads,andI'llstickto'em,too.Blameitall!justaswe'dgotguns,andacave,andalljustfixedtorob,herethisdernfoolishnesshasgottocomeupandspileitall!"
　　Tomsawhisopportunity——
　　"Lookyhere,Huck,beingrichain'tgoingtokeepmebackfromturningrobber."
　　"No!Oh,good-licks;areyouinrealdead-woodearnest,Tom?"
　　"JustasdeadearnestasI'msittinghere.ButHuck,wecan'tletyouintothegangifyouain'trespectable,youknow."
　　Huck'sjoywasquenched.
　　"Can'tletmein,Tom?Didn'tyouletmegoforapirate?"
　　"Yes,butthat'sdifferent.Arobberismorehigh-tonedthanwhatapirateis——asageneralthing.Inmostcountriesthey'reawfulhighupinthenobility——dukesandsuch."
　　"Now,Tom,hain'tyoualwaysbenfriendlytome?Youwouldn'tshetmeout,wouldyou,Tom?Youwouldn'tdothat,now,wouldyou,Tom?"
　　"Huck,Iwouldn'twantto,andIdon'twantto——butwhatwouldpeoplesay?Why,they'dsay,'Mph!TomSawyer'sGang!prettylowcharactersinit!'They'dmeanyou,Huck.Youwouldn'tlikethat,andIwouldn't."
　　Huckwassilentforsometime,engagedinamentalstruggle.Finallyhesaid:
　　"Well,I'llgobacktothewidderforamonthandtackleitandseeifIcancometostandit,ifyou'llletmeb'longtothegang,Tom."
　　"Allright,Huck,it'sawhiz!Comealong,oldchap,andI'llaskthewidowtoletuponyoualittle,Huck."
　　"Willyou,Tom——nowwillyou?That'sgood.Ifshe'llletuponsomeoftheroughestthings,I'llsmokeprivateandcussprivate,andcrowdthroughorbust.Whenyougoingtostartthegangandturnrobbers?"
　　"Oh,rightoff.We'llgettheboystogetherandhavetheinitiationto-night,maybe."
　　"Havethewhich?"
　　"Havetheinitiation."
　　"What'sthat?"
　　"It'stosweartostandbyoneanother,andnevertellthegang'ssecrets,evenifyou'rechoppedalltoflinders,andkillanybodyandallhisfamilythathurtsoneofthegang."
　　"That'sgay——that'smightygay,Tom,Itellyou."
　　"Well,Ibetitis.Andallthatswearing'sgottobedoneatmidnight,inthelonesomest,awfulestplaceyoucanfind——aha'ntedhouseisthebest,butthey'reallrippedupnow."
　　"Well,midnight'sgood,anyway,Tom."
　　"Yes,soitis.Andyou'vegottoswearonacoffin,andsignitwithblood."
　　"Now,that'ssomethinglike!Why,it'samilliontimesbullierthanpirating.I'llsticktothewiddertillIrot,Tom;andifIgittobeareg'larripperofarobber,andeverybodytalking'boutit,Ireckonshe'llbeproudshesnakedmeinoutofthewet."
　　CONCLUSION
　　SOendeththischronicle.Itbeingstrictlyahistoryofaboy,itmuststophere;thestorycouldnotgomuchfurtherwithoutbecomingthehistoryofaman.Whenonewritesanovelaboutgrownpeople,heknowsexactlywheretostop——thatis,withamarriage;butwhenhewritesofjuveniles,hemuststopwherehebestcan.
　　Mostofthecharactersthatperforminthisbookstilllive,andareprosperousandhappy.Somedayitmayseemworthwhiletotakeupthestoryoftheyoungeronesagainandseewhatsortofmenandwomentheyturnedouttobe;thereforeitwillbewisestnottorevealanyofthatpartoftheirlivesatpresent.