mark twain, a biography, 1907-1910-第16节

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CCLXIX

FIRST　DAYS　AT　STORMFIELD

I　went　up　next　afternoon；　for　I　knew　how　he　dreaded　loneliness。　　We
played　billiards　for　a　time；　then　set　out　for　a　walk；　following　the　long
drive　to　the　leafy　lane　that　led　to　my　own　property。　　Presently　he　said：

〃In　one　way　I　am　sorry　I　did　not　see　this　place　sooner。　　I　never　want　to
leave　it　again。　　If　I　had　known　it　was　so　beautiful　I　should　have　vacated
the　house　in　town　and　moved　up　here　permanently。〃

I　suggested　that　he　could　still　do　so；　if　he　chose；　and　he　entered
immediately　into　the　idea。　　By　and　by　we　turned　down　a　deserted　road；
grassy　and　beautiful；　that　ran　along　his　land。　　At　one　side　was　a　slope
facing　the　west；　and　dotted　with　the　slender；　cypress…like　cedars　of　New
England。　　He　had　asked　if　that　were　part　of　his　land；　and　on　being　told
it　was　he　said：

〃I　would　like　Howells　to　have　a　house　there。　　We　must　try　to　give　that　to
Howells。〃

At　the　foot　of　the　hill　we　came　to　a　brook　and　followed　it　into　a　meadow。　
I　told　him　that　I　had　often　caught　fine　trout　there；　and　that　soon　I
would　bring　in　some　for　breakfast。　　He　answered：

〃Yes；　I　should　like　that。　　I　don't　care　to　catch　them　any　more　myself。　　I
like　them　very　hot。〃

We　passed　through　some　woods　and　came　out　near　my　own　ancient　little
house。　　He　noticed　it　and　said：

〃The　man　who　built　that　had　some　memory　of　Greece　in　his　mind　when　he　put
on　that　little　porch　with　those　columns。〃

My　second　daughter；　Frances；　was　coming　from　a　distant　school　on　the
evening　train；　and　the　carriage　was　starting　just　then　to　bring　her。　　I
suggested　that　perhaps　he　would　find　it　pleasant　to　make　the　drive。

〃Yes；〃　he　agreed；　〃I　should　enjoy　that。〃

So　I　took　the　reins；　and　he　picked　up　little　Joy；　who　came　running　out
just　then；　and　climbed　into　the　back　seat。　　It　was　another　beautiful
evening；　and　he　was　in　a　talkative　humor。　　Joy　pointed　out　a　small　turtle
in　the　road；　and　he　said：

〃That　is　a　wild　turtle。　　Do　you　think　you　could　teach　it　arithmetic？〃

Joy　was　uncertain。

〃Well；〃　he　went　on；　〃you　ought　to　get　an　arithmetica　little　ten…cent
arithmeticand　teach　that　turtle。〃

We　passed　some　swampy　woods；　rather　dim　and　junglelike。

〃Those；〃　he　said；　〃are　elephant　woods。〃

But　Joy　answered：

〃They　are　fairy　woods。　　The　fairies　are　there；　but　you　can't　see　them
because　they　wear　magic　cloaks。〃

He　said：　　〃I　wish　I　had　one　of　those　magic　cloaks；　sometimes。　　I　had　one
once；　but　it　is　worn　out　now。〃

Joy　looked　at　him　reverently；　as　one　who　had　once　been　the　owner　of　a
piece　of　fairyland。

It　was　a　sweet　drive　to　and　from　the　village。　　There　are　none　too　many
such　evenings　in　a　lifetime。　　Colonel　Harvey's　little　daughter；　Dorothy；
came　up　a　day　or　two　later；　and　with　my　daughter　Louise　spent　the　first
week　with　him　in　the　new　home。　　They　were　created　〃Angel…Fishes〃the
first　in　the　new　aquarium；　that　is　to　say；　the　billiard…room；　where　he
followed　out　the　idea　by　hanging　a　row　of　colored　prints　of　Bermuda
fishes　in　a　sort　of　frieze　around　the　walls。　　Each　visiting　member　was
required　to　select　one　as　her　particular　patron　fish　and　he　wrote　her
name　upon　it。　　It　was　his　delight　to　gather　his　juvenile　guests　in　this
room　and　teach　them　the　science　of　billiard　angles；　but　it　was　so
difficult　to　resist　taking　the　cue　and　making　plays　himself　that　he　was
required　to　stand　on　a　little　platform　and　give　instruction　just　out　of
reach。　　His　snowy　flannels　and　gleaming　white　hair；　against　those　rich
red　walls；　with　those　small；　summer…clad　players；　made　a　pretty　picture。

The　place　did　not　retain　its　original　name。　　He　declared　that　it　would
always　be　〃Innocence　at　Home〃　to　the　angel…fish　visitors；　but　that　the
title　didn't　remain　continuously　appropriate。　　The　money　which　he　had
derived　from　Captain　Stormfield's　Visit　to　Heaven　had　been　used　to　build
the　loggia　wing；　and　he　considered　the　name　of　〃Stormfield〃　as　a
substitute。　　When；　presently；　the　summer　storms　gathered　on　that　rock…
bound；　open　hill；　with　its　wide　reaches　of　vine　and　shrub…wild；　fierce
storms　that　bent　the　birch　and　cedar；　and　strained　at　the　bay　and
huckleberry；　with　lightning　and　turbulent　wind　and　thunder；　followed　by
the　charging　rainthe　name　seemed　to　become　peculiarly　appropriate。　
Standing　with　his　head　bared　to　the　tumult；　his　white　hair　tossing　in　the
blast；　and　looking　out　upon　the　wide　splendor　of　the　spectacle；　he
rechristened　the　place；　and　〃Stormfield〃　it　became　and　remained。

The　last　day　of　Mark　Twain's　first　week　in　Redding；　June　25th；　was
saddened　by　the　news　of　the　death　of　Grover　Cleveland　at　his　home　in
Princeton；　New　Jersey。　　Clemens　had　always　been　an　ardent　Cleveland
admirer；　and　to　Mrs。　Cleveland　now　he　sent　this　word　of　condolence

　　　　　Your　husband　was　a　man　I　knew　and　loved　and　honored　for　twenty…five
　　　　　years。　　I　mourn　with　you。

And　once　during　the　evening　he　said：

〃He　was　one　of　our　two　or　three　real　Presidents。　　There　is　none　to　take
his　place。〃




CCLXX

THE　ALDRICH　MEMORIAL

At　the　end　of　June　came　the　dedication　at　Portsmouth；　New　Hampshire；　of
the　Thomas　Bailey　Aldrich　Memorial　Museum；　which　the　poet's　wife　had
established　there　in　the　old　Aldrich　homestead。　　It　was　hot　weather。
We　were　obliged　to　take　a　rather　poor　train　from　South　Norwalk；　and
Clemens　was　silent　and　gloomy　most　of　the　way　to　Boston。　　Once　there；
however；　lodged　in　a　cool　and　comfortable　hotel；　matters　improved。
He　had　brought　along　for　reading　the　old　copy　of　Sir　Thomas　Malory's
Arthur　Tales；　and　after　dinner　he　took　off　his　clothes　and　climbed　into
bed　and　sat　up　and　read　aloud　from　those　stately　legends；　with　comments
that　I　wish　I　could　remember　now；　only　stopping　at　last　when　overpowered
with　sleep。

We　went　on　a　special　train　to　Portsmouth　next　morning　through　the　summer
heat；　and　assembled；　with　those　who　were　to　speak；　in　the　back　portion　of
the　opera…house；　behind　the　scenes：　Clemens　was　genial　and　good…natured
with　all　the　discomfort　of　it；　and　he　liked　to　fancy；　with　Howells；　who
had　come　over　from　Kittery　Point；　how　Aldrich　must　be　amused　at　the　whole
circumstance　if　he　could　see　them　punishing　themselves　to　do　honor　to　his
memory。　　Richard　Watson　Gilder　was　there；　and　Hamilton　Mabie；　also
Governor　Floyd　of　New　Hampshire；　Colonel　Higginson；　Robert　Bridges；　and
other　distinguished　men。　　We　got　to　the　more　open　atmosphere　of　the　stage
presently；　and　the　exercises　began。　　Clemens　was　last　on　the　program。

The　others　had　all　said　handsome；　serious　things；　and　Clemens　himself　had
mentally　prepared　something　of　the　sort；　but　when　his　turn　came；　and　he
rose　to　speak；　a　sudden　reaction　must　have　set　in；　for　he　delivered　an
address　that　certainly　would　have　delighted　Aldrich　living；　and　must　have
delighted　him　dead；　if　he　could　hear　it。　　It　was　full　of　the　most
charming　humor；　delicate；　refreshing；　and　spontaneous。　　The　audience；
that　had　been　maintaining　a　proper　gravity　throughout；　showed　its
appreciation　in　ripples　of　merriment　that　grew　presently　into　genuine
waves　of　laughter。　　He　spoke　out　his　regret　for　having　worn　black
clothes。　　It　was　a　mistake；　he　said；　to　consider　this　a　solemn　time
Aldrich　would　not　have　wished　it　to　be　so　considered。　　He　had　been　a　man
who　loved　humor　and　brightness　and　wit；　and　had　helped　to　make　life　merry
and　delightful。　　Certainly；　if　he　could　know；　he　would　not　wish　this
dedication　of　his　own　home　to　be　a　lugubrious；　smileless　occasion。
Outside；　when　the　services　were　ended；　the　venerable　juvenile　writer；
J。　T。　Trowbridge；　came　up　to　Clemens　with　extended　hand。　　Clemens　said：
〃Trowbridge；　are　you　still　alive？　　You　must　be　a　thousand　years　old。　
Why；　I　listened　to　your　stories　while　I　was　being　rocked　in　the　cradle。〃
Trowbridge　said：

〃Mark；　there's　some　mistake。　　My　earliest　infant　smile　was　wakened　with
one　of　your　jokes。〃

They　stood　side　by　side　against　a　fence　in　the　blazing　sun　and　were
photographedan　interesting　picture。

We　returned　to　Boston　that　evening。　　Clemens　did　not　wish　to　hurry　in　the
summer　heat；　and　we　remained　another　day　quietly　sight…seeing；　and
driving　around　and　around　Commonwealth　Avenue　in　a　victoria　in　the　cool
of　the　evening。　　Once；　remembering　Aldrich；　he　said：

〃I　was　just　planning　Tom　Sawyer　when　he　was　beginning　the　'Story　of　a　Bad
Boy'。　　When　I　heard　that　he　was　writing　that　I　thought　of　giving　up　mine；
but　Aldrich　insisted　that　it　would　be　a　foolish　thing　to　do。　　He　thought
my　Missouri　boy　could　not　by　any　chance　conflict　with　his　boy　of　New
England；　and　of　course　he　was　right。〃

He　spoke　of　how　great　literary　minds　usually　came　along　in　company。　　He
said：

〃Now　and　then；　on　the　stream　of　time；　small　gobs　of　that　thing　which　we
call　genius　drift　down；　and　a　few　of　these　lodge　at　some　particular
point；　and　others　collect　about　them　and　make　a　sort　of　intellectual
islanda　towhead；　as　they　say　on　the　riversuch　an　accumulation　of
intellect　we　call　a　group；　or　school；　and　name　it。

〃Thirty　years　ago　there　was　the　Cambridge　group。　　Now　there's　been　still
another；　which　included　Aldrich　and　Howells　and　Stedman　and　Cable。　　It
will　soon　be　gone。　　I　suppose　they　will　have　to　name　it　by　and　by。〃

He　pointed　out　houses　here　and　there　of　p