Nascent Drama

[The Dork Lord]

The same sign.

 

[The Dork Lord]

"Susan Harper, did you do this?"

 

[The Dork Lord]

Another negative. The next girl was Becky Thatcher. Tom was trembling from head to foot with excitement and a sense of the hopelessness of the situation.

 

[The Dork Lord]

"Rebecca Thatcher" [Tom glanced at her face -- it was white with terror] -- "did you tear -- no, look me in the face" [her hands rose in appeal] -- "did you tear this book?"

 

[The Dork Lord]

A thought shot like lightning through Tom's brain. He sprang to his feet and shouted -- " I done it!"

 

[The Dork Lord]

The school stared in perplexity at this incredible folly. Tom stood a moment, to gather his dismembered faculties; and when he stepped forward to go to his punishment the surprise, the gratitude, the adoration that shone upon him out of poor Becky's eyes seemed pay enough for a hundred floggings. Inspired by the splendor of his own act, he took without an outcry the most merciless flaying that even Mr. Dobbins had ever administered; and also received with indifference the added cruelty of a command to remain two hours after school should be dismissed -- for he knew who would wait for him outside till his captivity was done, and not count the tedious time as loss, either.

 

[The Dork Lord]

Tom went to bed that night planning vengeance against Alfred Temple; for with shame and repentance Becky had told him all, not forgetting her own treachery; but even the longing for vengeance had to give way, soon, to pleasanter musings, and he fell asleep at last with Becky's latest words lingering dreamily in his ear --

 

[The Dork Lord]

"Tom, how could you be so noble!"

 

[Falconarg]

*waits for the first episode*

 

[The Dork Lord]

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

Chapter XXI​

 

[The Dork Lord]

VACATION was approaching.

 

[The Dork Lord]

The school-master, always severe, grew severer and more exacting than ever, for he wanted the school to make a good showing on "Examination" day.

 

[The Dork Lord]

His rod and his ferule were seldom idle now -- at least among the smaller pupils.

 

[The Dork Lord]

Only the biggest boys, and young ladies of eighteen and twenty, escaped lashing.

 

[The Dork Lord]

Mr. Dobbins' lashings were very vigorous ones, too; for although he carried, under his wig, a perfectly bald and shiny head, he had only reached middle age, and there was no sign of feebleness in his muscle.

 

[The Dork Lord]

As the great day approached, all the tyranny that was in him came to the surface; he seemed to take a vindictive pleasure in punishing the least shortcomings.

 

[Falconarg]

wasnt talkin to you lokgay

 

[The Dork Lord]

The consequence was, that the smaller boys spent their days in terror and suffering and their nights in plotting revenge.

 

[The Dork Lord]

They threw away no opportunity to do the master a mischief.

 

[The Dork Lord]

But he kept ahead all the time.