And if it had only happened to be night he would not have seen that speck of daylight and would not have explored that passage any more！ He told how he went back for Becky and broke the good news and she told him not to fret her with such stuff， for she was tired， and knew she was going to die， and wanted to. He described how he labored with her and convinced her； and how she almost died for joy when she had groped to where she actually saw the blue speck of daylight； how he pushed his way out at the hole and then helped her out； how they sat there and cried for gladness； how some men came along in a skiff and Tom hailed them and told them their situation and their famished condition； how the men didn’t believe the wild tale at first， “because，” said they， “you are five miles down the river below the valley the cave is in”—then took them aboard， rowed to a house， gave them supper， made them rest till two or three hours after dark and then brought them home.
Before day-dawn， Judge Thatcher and the handful of searchers with him were tracked out， in the cave， by the twine clews they had strung behind them， and informed of the great news.
Three days and nights of toil and hunger in the cave were not to be shaken off at once， as Tom and Becky soon discovered. They were bedridden all of Wednesday and Thursday， and seemed to grow more and more tired and worn， all the time. Tom got about， a little， on Thursday，was downtown Friday， and nearly as whole as ever Saturday； but Becky did not leave her room until Sunday， and then she looked as if she had passed through a wasting illness.
Tom learned of Huck’s sickness and went to see him on Friday， but could not be admitted to the bedroom； neither could he on Saturday or Sunday. He was admitted daily after that， but was warned to keep still about his adventure and introduce no exciting topic. The Widow Douglas stayed by to see that he obeyed. At home Tom learned of the Cardiff Hill event； also that the “ragged man’s” body had eventually been found in the river near the ferry-landing； he had been drowned while trying to escape， perhaps.
About a fortnight after Tom’s rescue from the cave， he started off to visit Huck， who had grown plenty strong enough， now， to hear exciting talk， and Tom had some that would interest him， he thought. Judge Thatcher’s house was on Tom’s way， and he stopped to see Becky. The Judge and some friends set Tom to talking， and some one asked him ironically if he wouldn’t like to go to the cave again. Tom said he thought he wouldn’t mind it. The Judge said：
“Well， there are others just like you， Tom， I’ve not the least doubt. But we have taken care of that. Nobody will get lost in that cave any more.”
“Why？”
“Because I had its big door sheathed with boiler iron two weeks ago， and triple-locked—and I’ve got the keys.”
Tom turned as white as a sheet.
“What’s the matter， boy！ Here， run， somebody！ Fetch a glass of water！” The water was brought and thrown into Tom’s face.
“Ah， now you’re all right. What was the matter with you， Tom？” “Oh， Judge，Injun Joe’s in the cave！”
9
Little Prince
小王子（节选）
He found himself in the neighborhood of the asteroids 325， 326， 327， 328， 329， and 330. He began， therefore， by visiting them， in order to add to his knowledge.
The first of them was inhabited by a king. Clad in royal purple and ermine， he was seated upon a throne which was at the same time both simple and majestic.
“Ah！ Here is a subject，” exclaimed the king， when he saw the little prince coming. And the little prince asked himself：
“How could he recognize me when he had never seen me before？”
He did not know how the world is simplified for kings. To them， all men are subjects.
“Approach， so that I may see you better，” said the king， who felt consumingly proud of being at last a king over somebody.
The little prince looked everywhere to find a place to sit down； but the entire planet was crammed and obstructed by the king’s magnificent ermine robe. So he remained standing upright， and， since he was tired， he yawned.
“It is contrary to etiquette to yawn in the presence of a king，” the monarch said to him. “I forbid you to do so.”
I can’t help it. I can’t stop myself，”replied the little prince， thoroughly embarrassed. “I have come on a long journey， and I have had no sleep...”
“Ah， then，” the king said. “I order you to yawn. It is years since I have seen anyone yawning. Yawns， to me， are objects of curiosity. Come， now！ Yawn again！ It is all order.”
“That frightens me…I cannot， any more…”murmured the little prince， now completely abashed.
“Hum！ Hum！”replied the king. “ Then I…I order you sometimes to yawn and sometimes to…”
He sputtered a little， and seemed vexed.
For what the king fundamentally insisted upon was that his authority should be respected. He tolerated no disobedience. He was an absolute monarch. But， because he was a very good man， he made his orders reasonable.
“If I ordered a general，” he would say， by way of example， “if I ordered a general to change himself into a sea bird， and if the general did not obey me， that would not be the fault of the general. It would be my fault.”
“May I sit down？”came now a timid inquiry from the little prince.
“I order you to do so，” the king answered him， and majestically gathered in a fold of his ermine mantle. But the little prince was wondering… The planet was tiny. Over what could this king really rule？
“Sire，” he said to him，“I beg that you will excuse my asking you a question—” “I order you to ask me a question，” the king hastened to assure him.
“Sire—over what do you rule？”
“Over everything，” said the king， with magnificent simplicity. “Over everything？”
The king made a gesture， which took in his planet， the other planets， and all the stars. “Over all that？” asked the little prince.
“Over all that.” the king answered.
For his rule was not only absolute： it was also universal. “And the stars obey you？”
“Certainly they do，” the king said. “They obey instantly. I do not permit insubordination.”