THEY swarmed1 up towards Sherburn's house, awhooping and raging like Injuns, and everything had to clear the way or get run over and tromped to mush, and it was awful to see. Children was heeling it ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women's heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks3 and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach. Lots of the women and girls was crying and taking on, scared most to death.
They swarmed up in front of Sherburn's palings as thick as they could jam together, and you couldn't hear yourself think for the noise. It was a little twenty-foot yard. Some sung out "Tear down the fence! tear down the fence!" Then there was a racket of ripping and tearing and smashing, and down she goes, and the front wall of the crowd begins to roll in like a wave.
Just then Sherburn steps out on to the roof of his little front porch, with a double-barrel gun in his hand, and takes his stand, perfectly5 ca'm and deliberate, not saying a word. The racket stopped, and the wave sucked back.
Sherburn never said a word -- just stood there, looking down. The stillness was awful creepy and uncomfortable. Sherburn run his eye slow along the crowd; and wherever it struck the people tried a little to outgaze him, but they couldn't; they dropped their eyes and looked sneaky. Then pretty soon Sherburn sort of laughed; not the pleasant kind, but the kind that makes you feel like when you are eating bread that's got sand in it.
Then he says, slow and scornful:
"The idea of YOU lynching anybody! It's amusing. The idea of you thinking you had pluck enough to lynch a MAN! Because you're brave enough to tar6 and feather poor friendless cast-out women that come along here, did that make you think you had grit7 enough to lay your hands on a MAN? Why, a MAN'S safe in the hands of ten thousand of your kind -- as long as it's daytime and you're not behind him.
"Do I know you? I know you clear through was born and raised in the South, and I've lived in the North; so I know the average all around. The average man's a coward. In the North he lets anybody walk over him that wants to, and goes home and prays for a humble8 spirit to bear it. In the South one man all by himself, has stopped a stage full of men in the daytime, and robbed the lot. Your newspapers call you a brave people so much that you think you are braver than any other people -- whereas you're just AS brave, and no braver. Why don't your juries hang murderers? Because they're afraid the man's friends will shoot them in the back, in the dark -- and it's just what they WOULD do.
"So they always acquit9; and then a MAN goes in the night, with a hundred masked cowards at his back and lynches the rascal10. Your mistake is, that you didn't bring a man with you; that's one mistake, and the other is that you didn't come in the dark and fetch your masks. You brought PART of a man -- Buck4 Harkness, there -- and if you hadn't had him to start you, you'd a taken it out in blowing.
"You didn't want to come. The average man don't like trouble and danger. YOU don't like trouble and danger. But if only HALF a man -- like Buck Harkness, there -- shouts 'Lynch him! lynch him!' you're afraid to back down -- afraid you'll be found out to be what you are -- COWARDS -- and so you raise a yell, and hang yourselves on to that half-a-man's coat-tail, and come raging up here, swearing what big things you're going to do. The pitifulest thing out is a mob; that's what an army is -- a mob; they don't fight with courage that's born in them, but with courage that's borrowed from their mass, and from their officers. But a mob without any MAN at the head of it is BENEATH pitifulness. Now the thing for YOU to do is to droop11 your tails and go home and crawl in a hole. If any real lynching's going to be done it will be done in the dark, Southern fashion; and when they come they'll bring their masks, and fetch a MAN along. Now LEAVE -- and take your half-a-man with you" -- tossing his gun up across his left arm and cocking it when he says this.
The crowd washed back sudden, and then broke all apart, and went tearing off every which way, and Buck Harkness he heeled it after them, looking tolerable cheap. I could a stayed if I wanted to, but I didn't want to.
I went to the circus and loafed around the back side till the watchman went by, and then dived in under the tent. I had my twenty-dollar gold piece and some other money, but I reckoned I better save it, because there ain't no telling how soon you are going to need it, away from home and amongst strangers that way. You can't be too careful. I ain't opposed to spending money on circuses when there ain't no other way, but there ain't no use in WASTING it on them.
It was a real bully12 circus. It was the splendidest sight that ever was when they all come riding in, two and two, a gentleman and lady, side by side, the men just in their drawers and undershirts, and no shoes nor stirrups, and resting their hands on their thighs13 easy and comfortable -- there must a been twenty of them -- and every lady with a lovely complexion14, and perfectly beautiful, and looking just like a gang of real sure-enough queens, and dressed in clothes that cost millions of dollars, and just littered with diamonds. It was a powerful fine sight; I never see anything so lovely. And then one by one they got up and stood, and went a-weaving around the ring so gentle and wavy15 and graceful16, the men looking ever so tall and airy and straight, with their heads bobbing and skimming along, away up there under the tent-roof, and every lady's rose-leafy dress flapping soft and silky around her hips17, and she looking like the most loveliest parasol.
And then faster and faster they went, all of them dancing, first one foot out in the air and then the other, the horses leaning more and more, and the ringmaster going round and round the center-pole, cracking his whip and shouting "Hi! -- hi!" and the clown cracking jokes behind him; and by and by all hands dropped the reins18, and every lady put her knuckles19 on her hips and every gentleman folded his arms, and then how the horses did lean over and hump themselves! And so one after the other they all skipped off into the ring, and made the sweetest bow I ever see, and then scampered20 out, and everybody clapped their hands and went just about wild.
Well, all through the circus they done the most astonishing things; and all the time that clown carried on so it most killed the people. The ringmaster couldn't ever say a word to him but he was back at him quick as a wink21 with the funniest things a body ever said; and how he ever COULD think of so many of them, and so sudden and so pat, was what I couldn't noway understand. Why, I couldn't a thought of them in a year. And by and by a drunk man tried to get into the ring -- said he wanted to ride; said he could ride as well as anybody that ever was. They argued and tried to keep him out, but he wouldn't listen, and the whole show come to a standstill. Then the people begun to holler at him and make fun of him, and that made him mad, and he begun to rip and tear; so that stirred up the people, and a lot of men begun to pile down off of the benches and swarm2 towards the ring, saying, "Knock him down! throw him out!" and one or two women begun to scream. So, then, the ringmaster he made a little speech, and said he hoped there wouldn't be no disturbance22, and if the man would promise he wouldn't make no more trouble he would let him ride if he thought he could stay on the horse. So everybody laughed and said all right, and the man got on. The minute he was on, the horse begun to rip and tear and jump and cavort23 around, with two circus men hanging on to his bridle24 trying to hold him, and the drunk man hanging on to his neck, and his heels flying in the air every jump, and the whole crowd of people standing25 up shouting and laughing till tears rolled down. And at last, sure enough, all the circus men could do, the horse broke loose, and away he went like the very nation, round and round the ring, with that sot laying down on him and hanging to his neck, with first one leg hanging most to the ground on one side, and then t'other one on t'other side, and the people just crazy. It warn't funny to me, though; I was all of a tremble to see his danger. But pretty soon he struggled up astraddle and grabbed the bridle, a-reeling this way and that; and the next minute he sprung up and dropped the bridle and stood! and the horse a-going like a house afire too. He just stood up there, a-sailing around as easy and comfortable as if he warn't ever drunk in his life -- and then he begun to pull off his clothes and sling26 them. He shed them so thick they kind of clogged27 up the air, and altogether he shed seventeen suits. And, then, there he was, slim and handsome, and dressed the gaudiest28 and prettiest you ever saw, and he lit into that horse with his whip and made him fairly hum -- and finally skipped off, and made his bow and danced off to the dressing-room, and everybody just a-howling with pleasure and astonishment29.
Then the ringmaster he see how he had been fooled, and he WAS the sickest ringmaster you ever see, I reckon. Why, it was one of his own men! He had got up that joke all out of his own head, and never let on to nobody. Well, I felt sheepish enough to be took in so, but I wouldn't a been in that ringmaster's place, not for a thousand dollars. I don't know; there may be bullier circuses than what that one was, but I never struck them yet. Anyways, it was plenty good enough for ME; and wherever I run across it, it can have all of MY custom every time.
Well, that night we had OUR show; but there warn't only about twelve people there -- just enough to pay expenses. And they laughed all the time, and that made the duke mad; and everybody left, anyway, before the show was over, but one boy which was asleep. So the duke said these Arkansaw lunkheads couldn't come up to Shakespeare; what they wanted was low comedy -- and maybe something ruther worse than low comedy, he reckoned. He said he could size their style. So next morning he got some big sheets of wrapping paper and some black paint, and drawed off some handbills, and stuck them up all over the village. The bills said:
AT THE COURT HOUSE!
FOR 3 NIGHTS ONLY!
The World-Renowned Tragedians
DAVID GARRICK THE YOUNGER!
AND
EDMUND KEAN THE ELDER!
Of the London and Continental
Theatres,
In their Thrilling Tragedy of
THE KING'S CAMELEOPARD,
OR
THE ROYAL NONESUCH ! ! !
Admission 50 cents.
Then at the bottom was the biggest line of all, which said:
LADIES AND CHILDREN NOT ADMITTED.
"There," says he, "if that line don't fetch them, I don't know Arkansaw!"
他们一窝蜂似地向谢本家涌去，不住嚷着叫着怒气冲冲，跟印第安人一样。谁都得让开道，否则，就会被踏上去踩个粉碎，看起来简直是气势汹汹。小孩儿在这群乱哄哄的人群前面拼命跑，尖叫着赶紧让路，沿街每个窗户后都挤满了妇女的头，每一颗树上都爬有黑人男孩，男男女女的黑人都打篱笆后往外看，这伙乱哄哄的人群一走过，他们就赶快一哄而散，躲得远远的。很多妇人和女孩子在哭，歇斯底里的，简直快吓死了。人群涌到谢本家的栅栏前，密密麻麻地挤在一起，声音嘈杂得你都听不明白你内心在想什么。那是个20 英尺宽的小院子．有人喊：" 拆掉栅栏！拆掉栅栏！" 接着，就听到连拉带拔又劈里啪啦乱砸的声音，栅栏倒了，前边的人流潮水一般涌进院中。
恰在此时，谢本从他前面那个小门廊的屋顶上站了出来，手里握着一支双筒枪，十分镇静，不慌不忙，站得稳稳当当，不发一言。喧闹声停下来，人潮朝向退。
谢本什么话也不说，就站在那里，朝下看。那场面静得让人浑身直起鸡皮疙瘩，特别不舒服。谢本拿眼睛慢慢地扫过人群，他眼睛扫视到哪里，哪里的人都想瞪得比他圆，可，他们却做不到，他们垂下他们的眼睛，显得萎琐。很快，谢本发笑了，不是那种愉快的笑，而是那种叫你觉得你正在吃带沙子的面包。
后来，他说话了，音调缓慢又傲慢："你们这些人竟然也想到用私刑处死人！有意思。你们也有勇气想到用私刑处死一条好汉！就凭你们敢于给那些外地来的无依无靠无家可归的可怜女人们抹上柏油插上鸡毛，你们就觉得自己有胆量对一个好汉下手！不，一个好汉落在一万个你们这类人手里也是安全的！只要是在大白天，只要你们不在背后干。""我还不了解你们吗？我看透你们这群人啦。我是在南方生南方长的，我在北方也住过，所以，各地的普通人我都了解。普通人就是懦夫。在北方，他让人家不论是谁都能从他身上踏过去，接着，他回到家里，祷告上帝，请求赐他一颗卑贱的灵魂来忍受。在南方，一个人，单枪匹马就可以拦截一辆装满人的公共马车，在大白天，并能把他们抢个遍。你们的报纸经常把你们叫做英雄的民族，这样，你们认为自己就比别的民族更勇敢--可是，你们也就是这样，而并非更勇敢。为什么你们的陪审团不把杀人犯判绞刑呢？因为他们担心那人的朋友会在背后，在暗地里冲他们放黑枪--他们也确实也这么干的。""因此他们总判人无罪。接着，一个好汉夜间摸去了，背后跟着一百个戴面具的懦夫，用私刑绞死了那个恶棍。眼下，你们的失误是，你们没带一个好汉和你们一起来，这是个失误。另一个失误是你们不是夜里来，带着你们的面具。你们带来了半条好汉--巴克·哈尼斯，他在哪儿--要是你们不受他鼓动，你们早把这事丢开让风吹走了。""你们不想来，普通人不喜欢麻烦和危险。（你们）这些人不想麻烦和涉入危险。可是，只要那（半拉）好汉--像巴克·哈尼斯，在那边一喊，'用私刑绞死他，私刑绞死他！'你们害怕退下来，害怕会暴露出你们的真相--（一群懦夫）--你们就嚷，把你们自己吊在那半条好汉的衣服尾巴后边，怒气冲冲地过来，发誓你们会干点儿大事。天底下最可怜的就是一帮乌合之众，军队就是这样--一帮乌合之众，他们打仗从来不是靠自己天生的勇气，而是从他们人多那里借的勇气，或者是从长官那里借的勇气。但是，一帮乌合之众没个好汉领头，连可怜也算不上。现在你们要做的事情是夹着你们的尾巴回家去，爬进洞里。要真想动用私刑，那也得晚上干，按南方的老规矩，来的时候，他们就会带上面具，叫个好汉一块儿来。现在（走开）--带着你们的半拉好汉一起走。" 他这样说的时候，举起枪，横过他的左臂，拉开了扳机。
人群"哗"地一下猛地后退，随后就七零八落，飞快地朝各处夺路而逃，巴克·哈尼斯跟在他们后面，样子既惭愧又丧气。我可以就地呆着，只要是我愿意，可我也不愿意了。我去看那个马戏表演，从场子外面来回转悠，等看守的人过去了，我就打帐篷底下钻进去。我有20 个十块金币跟一些零钱，可我想我最好是省着，因为出门在外，又在生人中间混，这样的日子，谁也说不明白你什么时候会很快用到这些钱。多加小心总不为过。要是没有其他办法，我不反对花钱看马戏，可也没有必要在那上头（浪费）钱。
这是个真正的一流马戏团。那场面十分精彩，只见他们全部骑马入场，两个两个进来，一男一女并排走，那些男演员只穿着贴身衣裤，不穿鞋也不用马蹬，手搁在大腿上，逍遥自在--差不多有20 个人--每个女演员面貌都很好看，很漂亮--看上去就像是一队货真价实的王后，穿的衣服值几百万块，就象用钻石镶成的。那场面非常精美，我还没见过这么好看的东西呢。接着，他们一个一个全起来站着，绕场地跑，像波浪一般一起一伏，姿态优雅从容。男演员看上去高大飘逸又挺拔，他们的头一上一下，在帐篷顶下面轻快地掠过。每个女演员，那玫瑰花瓣儿似的衣服轻软柔滑地飘摆在腰下，看上去就像是最最可爱的太阳伞。
后来，他们越骑越快，全跳着舞，两只脚交替着伸往空中，马身越来越倾斜，马戏团指挥绕着中间的柱子不住挥动马鞭，一边喊着"嗨！嗨！" 小丑一直跟在他身后逗笑话，很快，骑马的演员全甩开了缰绳，女演员双手叉腰，男演员抱着胳膊，马使劲奔跑，斜得十分厉害！最后，一个接一个，全部滑下马，跳往场地中间，逗人喜爱地鞠了一躬，随后蹦蹦跳跳出去了。每个人都拼命鼓掌，高兴得快要发疯。
这样，自始至终，马戏团表演的全是最让人开眼的节目；从头到尾，那个小丑都在逗乐儿，几乎把人笑死。马戏团指挥只需稍一张口跟他说句话，他一眨巴眼就给顶了回去，用的竟是谁也想不到的最最俏皮的话。我怎么也弄不明白他怎么（能够）想起那么多俏皮话，还讲得那么快，接得那么巧。哎呀，要让我想，一年也想不出来。又过了一阵，一个喝醉的人想进表演场，说他想去骑马，还说他骑得比谁都好。他们给他讲道理，想劝他出去，可是他不听，整表演因此停下来了。接着，那些人开始冲他嚷，跟他开玩笑，这么一来可把他气疯了，他开始又撕又扯。那些人也让他惹急了，很多人起身离座，涌进表演场，一边高喊，" 打倒他！把他赶出去！" 还有一两个女人尖声高叫。于是，马戏团指挥说了几句话，他说希望这儿别出乱子，如果那人保证他不会添麻烦，他可以让他骑马，只要他认为他可以在马背上呆得住。于是，大家都笑了，说那好吧，那人上去了。他刚一上马，那匹马就开始撕咬跳跃，左冲右撞，马戏团的两个人使劲拉着缰绳，想把马稳住。那醉汉紧紧搂住马的脖子，马跳一下，他的双脚就被甩向空中乱扑腾，全场观众站起来叫啊，笑啊，乐得眼泪都滚落下来了，马戏团那两个人虽然费尽气力，那匹马终于还是挣脱跑走了。就是这样。它拼命地飞奔，绕场奔走了一圈又一圈，那醉汉爬在马背上，紧抱着它的脖子。一会儿，这边的一条腿差点儿挨着地面，一会儿，那边的一条腿又落下来险些蹭着地面，观众给高兴坏了。但是，我一点都不觉着好玩，看着他那样危险，吓得我直打哆嗦。可是不久，他挣扎着跨上马背，抓住缰绳，这边一歪那边一晃，接着，他往上一跳，甩掉缰绳，站住啦！那匹马一个劲儿跑啊，跑得就跟房子着火了一般。他站在马背上，轻松自如地骑马驰骋，如同他一辈子也未醉过酒一样。然后，他开始扯下他的衣服，往地上扔。他脱了就扔，满天满地飞得都是他的衣服，总共他脱下17 套衣服。这回，他真人露相了，身材修长，英俊漂亮，穿着最鲜艳华丽的服装，他拿马鞭抽那匹马，抽得它疾驰如飞，最后，他翻身下马，弯腰鞠躬，蹦着跳着跑往化妆室，全场欢声雷动，观众既兴奋又惊讶。
那个马戏团指挥这才发现他被人耍了，我看他是我见过的最难为情的马戏指挥。嗨，那可是自己团里的人呢！他自己脑子里想出来那个玩笑，从未泄露给任何人。唉，我觉得很不好意思，就这样被骗上当了，我可不想当那个马戏团指挥，给我一千块我也不干。我不知道，或许还有比这个马戏团更有趣的班子，不过我还没遇见过。不管怎样，对（我）来说，这是足够棒的了；不管在哪儿，我再碰上它，我总会再光顾的，一次也没落。
噢，那天晚上，我们也上演了（我们的）节目，可是，大概仅有12 个人到场，刚够应付开支。他们从头笑到底，可把公爵气坏了，结果是节目还没演完，大家都退场了，只剩一个小男孩儿还睡着了。于是，公爵说，照他看来，这些阿肯色笨蛋欣赏不了莎士比亚，他们想要的是低俗喜剧--或许是比低俗喜剧更糟更俗的东西。他说他可以约摸出他们的嗜好。因此，第二天一早，他搜罗了几张包皮纸和一些黑油墨，涂划了几张海报，村子各处全贴上了。
法院大厅上演！
仅限三晚！
世界驰名悲剧表演艺术家小大卫·加里克！
及老埃德蒙·基恩！
伦敦及大陆各戏剧名星联袂推出惊险悲剧国王的长颈鹿又名皇室奇物！！！
入场费五角海报最下端是一行最大的字--写的是：妇女和儿童禁止观看"好啦，"他说，" 要是这一行字还引不来人，那就是说我没摸透阿肯色！"
收听单词发音 |
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swarmed
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| 密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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swarm
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| n.(昆虫)等一大群；vi.成群飞舞；蜂拥而入 | |
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bucks
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| n.雄鹿( buck的名词复数 )；钱；（英国十九世纪初的）花花公子；（用于某些表达方式）责任v.（马等）猛然弓背跃起( buck的第三人称单数 )；抵制；猛然震荡；马等尥起后蹄跳跃 | |
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buck
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| n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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tar
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| n.柏油，焦油；vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于 | |
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grit
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| n.沙粒，决心，勇气；v.下定决心，咬紧牙关 | |
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humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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acquit
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| vt.宣判无罪；(oneself)使(自己)表现出 | |
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rascal
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| n.流氓；不诚实的人 | |
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droop
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| v.低垂，下垂；凋萎，萎靡 | |
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bully
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| n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮 | |
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thighs
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| n.股，大腿( thigh的名词复数 )；食用的鸡（等的）腿 | |
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complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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wavy
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| adj.有波浪的，多浪的，波浪状的，波动的，不稳定的 | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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hips
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| abbr.high impact polystyrene 高冲击强度聚苯乙烯，耐冲性聚苯乙烯n.臀部( hip的名词复数 )；[建筑学]屋脊；臀围（尺寸）；臀部…的 | |
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reins
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| 感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带 | |
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knuckles
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| n.（指人）指关节( knuckle的名词复数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝v.（指人）指关节( knuckle的第三人称单数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝 | |
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scampered
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| v.蹦蹦跳跳地跑，惊惶奔跑( scamper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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wink
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| n.眨眼，使眼色，瞬间；v.眨眼，使眼色，闪烁 | |
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disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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cavort
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| v.腾跃 | |
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bridle
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| n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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sling
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| vt.扔；悬挂；n.挂带；吊索，吊兜；弹弓 | |
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clogged
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| （使）阻碍( clog的过去式和过去分词 )； 淤滞 | |
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gaudiest
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| adj.花哨的，俗气的( gaudy的最高级 ) | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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