The sun rises and shines on the peaceful world, and the quiet village seems to be bathed in holy light. After breakfast, Aunt Polly said her prayers. The prayer at the beginning is completely quoted from the Bible, with a few new ideas mixed in. The two were grudgingly glued together as if she were proclaiming a harsh section of the Law of Moses from Mount Sinai.

Then, Tom seemed to cheer up and started to memorize the passages of the Bible seriously. Sid had memorized the passages he was supposed to memorize a few days ago. Tom spent all his energy and went all out to memorize five passages of the Bible.

He chose a part of Christ’s Sermon on the Mount because it is the shortest part of the entire text. When it was almost half an hour

he had a vague impression of what he was going to memorize. But that's all, because he was already absent-minded at the moment, thinking wildly, and his hands were constantly busy with some irrelevant things. Mary took his book and wanted to hear him recite it, and he tried his best to recite it in a blur: "Blessed people are... uh - uh ——”

“Poor——”

“Yes——poor; the blessed are the poor...uh——uh——”

“ Spiritually—"

"In spirit; blessed are the poor in spirit, for they—they—"

"Their—"

"Because of theirs. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are those who mourn

because they - they -"

"Will——"

"Because they... uh——"

"Will——"

"Because they Will——, I can’t remember the next one!”

“It’s going to——”

“Oh! It’s going to——Because they’re going to——uh——uh—— - Those who will mourn - uh - uh

- Blessed are those who will - those who will - uh - those who will mourn, because they will - uh

-What's going to happen? Mary, why don't you prompt me? -Why are you so stingy?"

"Oh, you poor little fool, I'm not kidding you. I don't want to tease you. You have to memorize it again

Don't be discouraged, Tom, you'll get it right - if you know it, I'll give you something fun.

Oh, by the way, this is a good boy."

"Okay! Tell me what is it, Mary?"

"You don't have to ask, Tom. When I say fun, it's just fun stuff."

"You have to keep your word, Mary. Well, I'll go back and memorize it carefully." Memorize it once."

Later he really "recited it well" - under the dual temptation of curiosity and the hope of winning a prize, he studied energetically for a while. The result was a brilliant victory. Mary gave him a brand new "Barlow" knife worth 1 dime and two and a half cents. He was ecstatic and dancing. To be honest, this knife can't cut anything, but it is "absolutely true"

's "Baroo card", which means a great honor - although the children of the West People actually thought that this kind of knife could be counterfeited and would damage its reputation. This mystery is impressive and may always be so. Tom used the knife to carve randomly on the cupboard for a while. Just when he was about to start working on the wardrobe, he was called to change clothes and prepare for Sunday school.

Mary handed him a basin of water and a bar of soap. So, he walked outside the door and placed the washbasin on a small stool there. Then he dipped the soap in some water and put it down again; he rolled up his sleeves, poured the water gently on the floor, turned and walked into the kitchen, wiping it vigorously with a towel behind the door. With a straight face. However, Mary took away the towel and said:

"Hey, aren't you ashamed? Tom! Don't be so rude. The water won't hurt you."

Tom felt a little uncomfortable. The basin was filled with water again. This time, he made up his mind and leaned over the basin and stood for a while. Then he took a deep breath and began to wash his face. Soon, he walked into the kitchen, closed his eyes and reached out to touch the towel. The soapy water on his face was dripping down, which was proof that he had washed his face honestly. However, when he took away the towel and exposed his face, it was still not satisfactory. Because the clean areas were only limited to the cheeks and chin, it looked like a mask.

Below the chin and on both sides of the cheeks, there is a large area that has not been touched by water. It is dark and stretches from the neck down to the back.

Mary pulled him over again to help him clean up. After she washed him, he looked like a man, like a brother. His face was no longer white and black, and his wet hair was neatly combed. , the short curly hair was also styled into a pretty symmetrical style. (He once spent a lot of effort to secretly press the curly hair tightly on his head. Because

He believed that curly hair was always somewhat feminine, and he was proud of his natural beauty. Curly hair was very upset.) Later, Mary took out a suit of clothes that he had worn for two years and only wore on Sundays-just called "that suit"- —From this we can

know how many pieces of clothing he wears. After he put it on himself, the girl helped him "tidy up" it.

She buttoned up all the buttons of his neat coat, buttoned them all the way to the bottom of his chin, then turned the collar of his wide shirt down

and placed it on On both shoulders, he brushed it clean and put on his dotted straw hat. He looked very beautiful and very uncomfortable at the same time. He didn't look comfortable at all. Because he had to keep his clothes neat and tidy, which was a constraint for him, so he felt very irritable. He hoped Mary would not let him wear shoes, but his hope was in vain. Following her custom at the time, she first applied a layer of wax to the shoes and then took them out. He got angry and complained that others always asked him to do things that he didn't want to do. However, Mary persuaded him: "Tom, - this is a good thing." Boy."

So Tom put on the shoes while shouting. Mary quickly made preparations, and the three children set off together to Sunday school - a place that Tom hated most; but Sid and Mary liked it very much.

Sunday school class time is from 9 to 10:30; after that, there is church service. Two of the three of them always stayed there voluntarily to listen to the pastor's sermons, while the other one stayed every time for more important reasons. The seats in the church have high backs and no cushions, and can seat 300 people at a time. The church is a simple, small building. A box-like device made of pine boards was installed on the roof to serve as a spire. At the door, Tom deliberately slowed down and greeted a companion wearing a Sunday costume: "Hey, Bailey, do you have a yellow ticket?"

"Yes."

"What do you want in exchange for it?"

"What are you going to exchange for?"

“A piece of candy and a fishing hook.

"

"Where are the things? ”

Tom took it out and showed it to him. Bailey was very satisfied with these two things, so the property of both parties changed hands. Then,

Tom used two white stones to He exchanged three red tickets and exchanged some other gadgets for two blue tickets. When other children came by, Tom stopped them and continued to buy various tickets. After more than ten minutes, Tom walked into the church with a group of neatly dressed and noisy boys and girls. Tom walked to his seat and met the man closest to him. >

The children started arguing. Their teacher, a serious-looking, elderly man, told them to stop and then turned away. Tom grabbed another one. The hair of a boy on the bench, when the boy turned his head, he was concentrating on reading

Then in order to hear another boy shout "Ouch! "He pricked him with a pin again, and was scolded by the teacher. The class where Tom was in was all in the same pattern - making noise, poking around, and never stopping. . When they recited the scriptures together, no one could remember them completely, and they had to be given constant reminders. However, they still managed to pass the test. They all won prizes - small blue paper tickets, each with a passage from the Bible printed on it. You had to memorize two passages from the Bible to get such a blue ticket. Colored paper tickets. Ten blue tickets are equal to one red ticket, and ten red tickets can be exchanged for one yellow ticket. If you get ten yellow tickets, the principal will reward you. This student has a simple Bible (it was worth 40 cents in those early days), how many of my dear readers are willing to use it like this?

Gong, how about going through the trouble of memorizing two thousand Bible passages in exchange for a Doraemon Bible? However, Mary got two Bibles in this way

——That was the price of two years of patient study. There was also a boy of German origin who got four or five books. He once recited three thousand passages of the Bible. His brain was overworked and he became almost an idiot from then on - a great misfortune in the Sunday school, for on great occasions, in the presence of many guests (according to

Tom's teaching), the principal always asked the boy to "show his skills". Only the older students insisted on working hard and getting votes for their ideas in order to get a Bible. ". Therefore, every time such a prize is awarded, it is a rare and sensational event.

The winning students seemed so great and glorious at the time. Every student present has a new ambition in his heart, and this ambition often lasts for a week or two. Tom may have never really desired to win such an award.

Grade, but there is no doubt that for many days his whole body and mind have been longing for the glory and honor that will come with such a reward.

Waiting for a certain time. At that moment, the principal stood up in front of the pulpit. He held a closed hymn book in his hand and put his index finger between the pages. He asked everyone to calm down and listen to his Sunday school sermon. When the principal began his brief opening remarks, he had to hold a hymn book in his hand, just as a singer stands on the podium at a concert and begins to sing solo.

No need to get a music score - although no one knows why, because no matter whether it is a hymn or a music score, the person on the stage is always suffering.

Won't have any use for these.

The principal is a 35-year-old thin man with a beach-colored goatee and short beach-colored hair. He wears a stiff collar, with the edge of the collar almost touching his ears. A sharp collar curved along his neck and reached the corner of his mouth - like a wall, forcing him to look forward. Whenever he wanted to look aside,

When he was sitting next to him, he had to turn his whole body; his chin was resting on a wide tie, which was as wide and thick as a check

Long, with lace around it. The toes of his boots were pointed and turned up, which was very fashionable at the time, like the upturned blades under the sled - this fashionable style was the result of the young man's patient and laborious efforts to continue. The result of sitting for hours with my toes pressed against the wall. Mr. Walter has a very solemn attitude and a pious and practical heart. He has great respect for religious things and places, and clearly distinguishes them from secular matters. Therefore, although he did not realize it

he developed a special intonation in his Sunday school speeches that would never be heard on ordinary days

of. He started speaking in this tone:

"Children, now I want you all to sit up as upright as possible and concentrate on listening to what I am saying for a minute or two

Yes - well done, that's what good kids should do. I saw a little girl looking out the window - I thought she was someone outside. A place - maybe thinking that I am giving a speech to the birds in the tree, (a burst of laughter.) I want to tell you that I have seen so many smart and clean people. The little faces gather in such a place, obedient and learn well, I am so happy." Wait, wait and so on. I don’t need to write down everything I say below.

Anyway, these are things that everyone is familiar with. Mr. Walter's speech encountered some interference in the last third of his speech, because some bad boys started fighting again or made other small moves, and the whole room turned around and whispered. Even Mary and Sid, the "mainstays" that stood tall and were not easily destroyed, were also affected. As Mr. Walter's voice suddenly stopped,

all the noise in the classroom also stopped abruptly, and everyone suddenly fell silent to express their feelings for the end of the speech

Excitement.

The whispers just now were mainly caused by a somewhat rare thing - that is, the arrival of several visitors

Visitors: Lawyer Thatcher, He was accompanied by a very frail old man; an elegant, fat, middle-aged gentleman with iron-gray hair; and a noble lady, who was undoubtedly that gentleman's wife. The lady also held a child in her hand. Tom

Tom has always been uneasy, full of troubles and sorrows; and he was also condemned by his conscience - he dared not look into Amy Lawrence's eyes, her affectionate He couldn't bear the attention. But when he saw this new little girl, a flame of happiness immediately ignited in his heart. Then he tried his best to show off - slapping people, pulling their hair, making faces - in short, he used any tricks that could attract the girl's attention, win her favor and admiration. Thinking of the inhuman treatment he received in the garden of this little angel's house, his joy cooled down a bit, but it was as fast as if he had stayed on the beach.

Just like the imprint, it was washed away completely by the wave of happiness.

These visitors were invited to take their seats at the top table. Mr. Walter had just finished his speech and introduced these distinguished guests to the teachers and students of the school.

The middle-aged man turned out to be an extraordinary big shot - he was actually the county judge - he was the most majestic figure these children had ever seen - they wanted to know who he was. What to do - On the one hand, they really wanted to hear him roar,

but on the other hand, they were quite afraid of his roar. He was from the town of Constantinople, twelve miles away—so he was a man who had traveled far and seen the world—his eyes had seen the county courts— —It is said that the roof of that house is made of tin

. He was intimidating to think about, as was evident in his haunting silence and rows of staring eyes. This was the great Justice Thatcher, the brother of their town lawyer. Jeff Thatcher immediately stepped forward and got close to this big shot, which really made all the teachers and students in the school envious and jealous. Hearing everyone's whispers felt like listening to music, and he felt refreshed

.

"Look, Jim! He's on the stage. Hey - look! He's shaking his hand - he's actually shaking his hand! Oh

Yeah, you Don’t you wish you were Jeff?”

Mr. Walter began to “show off”. He looked like an official, giving orders, expressing opinions, and giving guidance, which kept him busy

What a joy. As long as he finds the target, he will inevitably chatter a few words. The librarian also "showed off" a lot -

He was holding many books in his hands, mumbling, running around, and busy. His behavior at least made that little authority figure happy. The young female teachers also "showed off" a lot - bending down affectionately to look at the students who had just been slapped, and pointing their beautiful fingers at the disobedient children. A warning, or a kind pat on the back of a well-behaved child.

Young male teachers also "made a splash" by scolding students in a low voice and using other methods to show their authority and attention

school rules All the teachers, both men and women, found something to do in the library next to the pulpit. This kind of thing can only be done once, but they did it two or three times (pretending to be anxious on the surface). Little girls

also "showed off" in various ways, and the boys "showed off" even more vigorously, so the air was filled with flying paper

balls, and the classroom There were constant sounds of scuffles. In particular, the adult sitting on the stage looked at the audience with a solemn smile and a condescending look. This sense of superiority made him feel proud - because he I am also "showing off".

At this time, there is only one thing left to make Mr. Walter extremely ecstatic, and that is that he really wants to have an opportunity to award a "Bible" to a certain student

》, to show yourself. There were several students who had some yellow tickets, but none of them had enough. He walked around among the star students and asked. If, at this time, the once outstanding student of German origin could be made sane and he could perform again, he would really be willing to give everything he had.

Hope was about to fail. At this moment, Tom Sawyer stepped forward, holding nine yellow tickets, nine

red tickets and Ten blue tickets, requesting a Bible. This was a bolt from the blue. In ten years' time, Mr. Walter would not have expected that it would be this baby who would apply. But there is no way to shirk it - the tickets are not fake and should be valid according to regulations.

So, Tom had the honor to sit with the judge and several other distinguished guests, and the big news was announced to the public from the summit. This was the most astonishing thing in ten years, and it caused a great sensation in the whole house, elevating the status of the new hero to the level of the judge.

Now people in the school were staring at two remarkable people instead of one.

The boys were even more gnashing their teeth with jealousy - but the ones who regretted the most were those who used the notes they got from memorizing the Bible to exchange with Tom for selling out the privilege of painting the wall

The children of the treasure. They gave Tom these notes for these treasures, which had done him a great service in obtaining this infuriating honor. However, I realized now that it was too late to regret. These children

now realize that their opponent is a scheming liar, a cunning snake hiding in the grass, and that they themselves are fools who have been deceived

, so they all felt ashamed of themselves.

When the principal gave Tom the award, in order to cope with the occasion, he tried to find some words of praise and praise to say. But

it seemed that there wasn't much enthusiasm coming from his heart, because the poor man's instinct told him that there might be something hidden in it

Shady secrets. This kid can really hold two thousand passages from the holy book in his head, which is really laughable

because there is no doubt that a dozen passages are enough for him.

Amy Lawrence was proud and proud, and she tried every means to make Tom see this - but Tom would not look in her direction.

She couldn't figure out what was going on, then she was a little panicked, then vaguely suspicious, then doubtful

quickly dispelled—and then suspicious again. She watched him for a moment, and when she saw Tom glance furtively at the new girl, it dawned on her--and she was heartbroken, jealous, angry, and in tears. out. She hated everyone, but the one she hated the most was Tom (she thought).

Tom was introduced to the Honorable Judge by the principal, but his tongue was tied, he couldn't breathe, and his heart was beating violently-

-half of it was because of this big shot. Majesty, partly because he is her father. If it were night and darkness, he would simply kneel down and worship him. The Lord Chancellor put his hand on Tom's head, said he was a good young man, and asked him what his name was. The child stammered and struggled to breathe, and managed to answer:

"Tom."

"Oh, no, it's not Tom - it should be -"

"Thomas."

"Oh, that's right. I think there's half more, maybe, that's good. But I'm sure you have one more

Tell me your last name, okay?" "Thomas, tell your honor, what's your last name!" Mr. Walter said quickly, "You still have to call me sir, so don't forget to be polite. ."

"Thomas Sawyer."

"That's right! He's a good boy. He has a lot of potential. There are quite a few passages from the Holy Book - in fact, there are enough. You will never regret it if you spend so much energy memorizing these verses.

, because knowledge is precious, more valuable than all the wealth in the world. With knowledge, you can become a great man and a good person; Thomas, one day in the future, when you look back on the past. At that time, you will say, I owe everything to the Sunday school I went to as a child - to the knowledge my dear teachers taught me - to my good principal , he encouraged me, urged me

and gave me a beautiful Bible - a beautiful and exquisite Bible - for me to keep for myself forever -

—All thanks to the good teachings of my teachers! You will say so in the future, Thomas—your two thousand passages are different

No matter how much money people give you, you will not Sell ??it! - You certainly won't.

Now tell me and this wife what you have learned, you won't mind - no, I know you won't care - because we appreciate it very much Children who are

knowledgeable and knowledgeable. So, no need to ask, you must know the names of all the twelve disciples, just tell us the names of the two disciples originally chosen by Jesus, okay? "

Tom pinched a buttonhole and pulled hard, looking very shy. His face suddenly turned red and his eyelids drooped

Mr. Walter His heart sank. He thought to himself, this child couldn't even answer the simplest question

Why did the judge insist on asking him? But he had to speak:

"Thomas, answer your Honor's question - don't be afraid. "

Tom still wouldn't speak.

"Well, I knew you were going to tell me," said the lady. "The names of the first two disciples were— ”

“David and Goliath——”