mark twain, a biography, 1907-1910-第20节

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　　　　　even　more　to　entertain　a　dog　than　a　burglar。　　I　am　having　the　ground
　　　　　electrified；　so　that　for　a　mile　around　any　one　who　puts　his　foot
　　　　　across　the　line　sets　off　an　alarm　that　will　be　heard　in　Europe。　　Now
　　　　　I　will　introduce　the　real　president　to　you；　a　man　whom　you　know
　　　　　alreadyDr。　Smith。

So　a　new　and　important　benefit　was　conferred　upon　the　community；　and
there　was　a　feeling　that　Redding；　besides　having　a　literary　colony；　was
to　be　literary　in　fact。

It　might　have　been　mentioned　earlier　that　Redding　already　had　literary
associations　when　Mark　Twain　arrived。　　As　far　back　as　Revolutionary　days
Joel　Barlow；　a　poet　of　distinction；　and　once　Minister　to　France；　had　been
a　resident　of　Redding；　and　there　were　still　Barlow　descendants　in　the
township。

William　Edgar　Grumman；　the　librarian；　had　written　the　story　of　Redding's
share　in　the　Revolutionary　Warno　small　share；　for　Gen。　Israel　Putnam's
army　had　been　quartered　there　during　at　least　one　long；　trying　winter。　
Charles　Burr　Todd；　of　one　of　the　oldest　Redding　families；　himselfstill
a　resident；　was　also　the　author　of　a　Redding　history。

Of　literary　folk　not　native　to　Redding；　Dora　Reed　Goodale　and　her　sister
Elaine；　the　wife　of　Dr。　Charles　A。　Eastman；　had；　long　been　residents　of
Redding　Center；　Jeanette　L。　Gilder　and　Ida　M。　Tarbell　had　summer　homes　on
Redding　Ridge；　Dan　Beard；　as　already　mentioned；　owned　a　place　near　the
banks　of　the　Saugatuck；　while　Kate　V。　St。　Maur；　also　two　of　Nathaniel
Hawthorne's　granddaughters　had　recently　located　adjoining　the　Stormfield
lands。　　By　which　it　will　be　seen　that　Redding　was　in　no　way　unsuitable　as
a　home　for　Mark　Twain。




CCLXV

A　MANTEL　AND　A　BABY　ELEPHANT

Mark　Twain　was　the　receiver　of　two　notable　presents　that　year。　　The　first
of　these；　a　mantel　from　Hawaii；　presented　to　him　by　the　Hawaiian
Promotion　Committee；　was　set　in　place　in　the　billiard…room　on　the　morning
of　his　seventy…third　birthday。　　This　committee　had　written；　proposing　to
build　for　his　new　home　either　a　mantel　or　a　chair；　as　he　might　prefer；
the　same　to　be　carved　from　the　native　woods。　　Clemens　decided　on　a
billiard…room　mantel；　and　John　Howells　forwarded　the　proper　measurements。　
So；　in　due　time；　the　mantel　arrived；　a　beautiful　piece　of　work　and　in
fine　condition；　with　the　Hawaiian　word；　〃Aloha；〃　one　of　the　sweetest
forms　of　greeting　in　any　tongue；　carved　as　its　central　ornament。

To　the　donors　of　the　gift　Clemens　wrote：

　　　　　The　beautiful　mantel　was　put　in　its　place　an　hour　ago；　&　its
　　　　　friendly　〃Aloha〃　was　the　first　uttered　greeting　received　on　my　73d
　　　　　birthday。　　It　is　rich　in　color；　rich　in　quality；　&　rich　in
　　　　　decoration；　therefore　it　exactly　harmonized　with　the　taste　for　such
　　　　　things　which　was　born　in　me　&　which　I　have　seldom　been　able　to
　　　　　indulge　to　my　content。　　It　will　be　a　great　pleasure　to　me；　daily
　　　　　renewed；　to　have　under　my　eye　this　lovely　reminder　of　the　loveliest
　　　　　fleet　of　islands　that　lies　anchored　in　any　ocean；　&　I　beg　to　thank
　　　　　the　committee　for　providing　me　that　pleasure。

To　F。　N。　Otremba；　who　had　carved　the　mantel；　he　sent　this　word：

　　　　　I　am　grateful　to　you　for　the　valued　compliment　to　me　in　the　labor　of
　　　　　heart　and　hand　and　brain　which　you　have　put　upon　it。　　It　is　worthy
　　　　　of　the　choicest　place　in　the　house　and　it　has　it。

It　was　the　second　beautiful　mantel　in　Stormfieldthe　Hartford　library
mantel；　removed　when　that　house　was　sold；　having　been　installed　in　the
Stormfield　living…room。

Altogether　the　seventy…third　birthday　was　a　pleasant　one。　　Clemens；　in
the　morning；　drove　down　to　see　the　library　lot　which　Mr。　Theodore　Adams
had　presented；　and　the　rest　of　the　day　there　were　fine；　close　billiard
games；　during　which　he　was　in　the　gentlest　and　happiest　moods。　　He
recalled　the　games　of　two　years　before；　and　as　we　stopped　playing　I　said：

〃I　hope　a　year　from　now　we　shall　be　here；　still　playing　the　great　game。〃

And　he　answered；　as　then：

〃Yes；　it　is　a　great　gamethe　best　game　on　earth。〃　　And　he　held　out　his
hand　and　thanked　me　for　coming；　as　he　never　failed　to　do　when　we　parted；
though　it　always　hurt　me　a　little；　for　the　debt　was　so　largely　mine。

Mark　Twain's　second　present　came　at　Christmas…time。　　About　ten　days
earlier；　a　letter　came　from　Robert　J。　Collier；　saying　that　he　had　bought
a　baby　elephant　which　he　intended　to　present　to　Mark　Twain　as　a　Christmas
gift。　　He　added　that　it　would　be　sent　as　soon　as　he　could　get　a　car　for
it；　and　the　loan　of　a　keeper　from　Barnum　&　Bailey's　headquarters　at
Bridgeport。

The　news　created　a　disturbance　in　Stormfield。　　One　could　not　refuse；
discourteously　and　abruptly；　a　costly　present　like　that；　but　it　seemed　a
disaster　to　accept　it。　　An　elephant　would　require　a　roomy　and　warm　place；
also　a　variety　of　attention　which　Stormfield　was　not　prepared　to　supply。　
The　telephone　was　set　going　and　certain　timid　excuses　were　offered　by　the
secretary。　　There　was　no　good　place　to　put　an　elephant　in　Stormfield；　but
Mr。　Collier　said；　quite　confidently：

〃Oh；　put　him　in　the　garage。〃

〃But　there's　no　heat　in　the　garage。〃

〃Well；　put　him　in　the　loggia；　then。　　That's　closed　in；　isn't　it；　for　the
winter？　　Plenty　of　sunlightjust　the　place　for　a　young　elephant。〃

〃But　we　play　cards　in　the　loggia。　　We　use　it　for　a　sort　of　sun…parlor。〃

〃But　that　wouldn't　matter。　　He's　a　kindly；　playful　little　thing。　　He'll
be　just　like　a　kitten。　　I'll　send　the　man　up　to　look　over　the　place　and
tell　you　just　how　to　take　care　of　him；　and　I'll　send　up　several　bales　of
hay　in　advance。　　It　isn't　a　large　elephant；　you　know：　just　a　little　one
a　regular　plaything。〃

There　was　nothing　further　to　be　done；　only　to　wait　and　dread　until　the
Christmas　present's　arrival。

A　few　days　before　Christmas　ten　bales　of　hay　arrived　and　several　bushels
of　carrots。　　This　store　of　provender　aroused　no　enthusiasm　at　Stormfield。　
It　would　seem　there　was　no　escape　now。

On　Christmas　morning　Mr。　Lounsbury　telephoned　up　that　there　was　a　man　at
the　station　who　said　he　was　an　elephant…trainer　from　Barnum　&　Bailey's；
sent　by　Mr。　Collier　to　look　at　the　elephant's　quarters　and　get　him
settled　when　he　should　arrive。　　Orders　were　given　to　bring　the　man　over。　
The　day　of　doom　was　at　hand。

But　Lounsbury's　detective　instinct　came　once　more　into　play。　　He　had　seen
a　good　many　elephant…trainers　at　Bridgeport；　and　he　thought　this　one　had
a　doubtful　look。

〃Where　is　the　elephant？〃　he　asked；　as　they　drove　along。

〃He　will　arrive　at　noon。〃

〃Where　are　you　going　to　put　him？〃

〃In　the　loggia。〃

〃How　big　is　he？〃

〃About　the　size　of　a　cow。〃

〃How　long　have　you　been　with　Barnum　and　Bailey？〃

〃Six　years。〃

〃Then　you　must　know　some　friends　of　mine〃　（naming　two　that　had　no
existence　until　that　moment）。

〃Oh　yes；　indeed。　　I　know　them　well。〃

Lounsbury　didn't　say　any　more　just　then；　but　he　had　a　feeling　that
perhaps　the　dread　at　Stormfield　had　grown　unnecessarily　large。　　Something
told　him　that　this　man　seemed　rather　more　like　a　butler；　or　a　valet；　than
an　elephant…trainer。　　They　drove　to　Stormfield；　and　the　trainer　looked
over　the　place。　　It　would　do　perfectly；　he　said。　　He　gave　a　few
instructions　as　to　the　care　of　this　new　household　feature；　and　was　driven
back　to　the　station　to　bring　it。

Lounsbury　came　back　by　and　by；　bringing　the　elephant　but　not　the　trainer。　
It　didn't　need　a　trainer。　　It　was　a　beautiful　specimen；　with　soft；　smooth
coat　and　handsome　trappings；　perfectly　quiet；　well…behaved　and　small
suited　to　the　loggia；　as　Collier　had　saidfor　it　was　only　two　feet　long
and　beautifully　made　of　cloth　and　cottonone　of　the　forest　toy　elephants
ever　seen　anywhere。

It　was　a　good　joke；　such　as　Mark　Twain　loveda　carefully　prepared；
harmless　bit　of　foolery。　　He　wrote　Robert　Collier；　threatening　him　with
all　sorts　of　revenge；　declaring　that　the　elephant　was　devastating
Stormfield。

〃To　send　an　elephant　in　a　trance；　under　pretense　that　it　was　dead　or
stuffed！〃　he　said。　　〃The　animal　came　to　life；　as　you　knew　it　would；　and
began　to　observe　Christmas；　and　we　now　have　no　furniture　left　and　no
servants　and　no　visitors；　no　friends；　no　photographs；　no　burglars
nothing　but　the　elephant。　　Be　kind；　be　merciful；　be　generous；　take　him
away　and　send　us　what　is　left　of　the　earthquake。〃

Collier　wrote　that　he　thought　it　unkind　of　him　to　look　a　gift…elephant　in
the　trunk。　　And　with　such　chaffing　and　gaiety　the　year　came　to　an　end。




CCLXXVI

SHAKESPEARE…BACON　TALK

When　the　bad　weather　came　there　was　not　much　company　at　Stormfield；　and
I　went　up　regularly　each　afternoon；　for　it　was　lonely　on　that　bleak　hill；
and　after　his　forenoon　of　reading　or　writing　he　craved　diversion。　　My　own
home　was　a　little　more　than　a　half　mile　away；　and　I　enjoyed　the　walk；
whatever　the　weather。　　I　usually　managed　to　arrive　about　three　o'clock。　
He　would　watch　from　his　high　windows　until　he　saw　me　raise　the　hilltop；
and　he　would　be　at　the　door　when　I　arrived；　so　that　there　might　be　no
delay　in　getting　at　the　games。　　Or；　if　it　happened　that　he　wished　to　show
me　something　in　his　room；　I　would　hear　his　rich　voice　sounding　down　the
stair。　　Once；　when　I　arrived；　I　heard　him　calling；　and　going　up　I　found
him　highly　pleased　wi