mark twain, a biography, 1907-1910-第33节

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a　few　of　his　words　concerning　them。　　Some　of　them　belong　to　his　earlier
reading；　and　among　these　is　Darwin's　'Descent　of　Man'；　a　book　whose
influence　was　always　present；　though　I　believe　he　did　not　read　it　any
more　in　later　years。　　In　the　days　I　knew　him　he　read　steadily　not　much
besides　Suetonius　and　Pepys　and　Carlyle。　　These　and　his　simple
astronomies　and　geologies　and　the　Morte　Arthure　and　the　poems　of　Kipling
were　seldom　far　from　his　hand。




CCLXXXVIII

A　BERMUDA　BIRTHDAY

It　was　the　middle　of　November；　1909；　when　Clemens　decided　to　take　another
Bermuda　vacation；　and　it　was　the　19th　that　we　sailed。　　I　went　to　New　York
a　day　ahead　and　arranged　matters；　and　on　the　evening　of　the　18th　received
the　news　that　Richard　Watson　Gilder　had　suddenly　died。

Next　morning　there　was　other　news。　　Clemens's　old　friend；　William　M。　
Laffan；　of　the　Sun；　had　died　while　undergoing　a　surgical　operation。　　I
met　Clemens　at　the　train。　　He　had　already　heard　about　Gilder；　but　he　had
not　yet　learned　of　Laffan's　death。　　He　said：

〃That's　just　it。　　Gilder　and　Laffan　get　all　the　good　things　that　come
along　and　I　never　get　anything。〃

Then；　suddenly　remembering；　he　added：

〃How　curious　it　is！　　I　have　been　thinking　of　Laffan　coming　down　on　the
train；　and　mentally　writing　a　letter　to　him　on　this　Stetson…Eddy　affair。〃

I　asked　when　he　had　begun　thinking　of　Laffan。

He　said：　〃Within　the　hour。〃

It　was　within　the　hour　that　I　had　received　the　news；　and　naturally　in　my
mind　had　carried　it　instantly　to　him。　　Perhaps　there　was　something
telepathic　in　it。

He　was　not　at　all　ill　going　down　to　Bermuda；　which　was　a　fortunate　thing；
for　the　water　was　rough　and　I　was　quite　disqualified。　　We　did　not　even
discuss　astronomy；　though　there　was　what　seemed　most　important　newsthe
reported　discovery　of　a　new　planet。

But　there　was　plenty　of　talk　on　the　subject　as　soon　as　we　got　settled　in
the　Hamilton　Hotel。　　It　was　windy　and　rainy　out…of…doors；　and　we　looked
out　on　the　drenched　semi…tropical　foliage　with　a　great　bamboo　swaying　and
bending　in　the　foreground；　while　he　speculated　on　the　vast　distance　that
the　new　planet　must　lie　from　our　sun；　to　which　it　was　still　a　satellite。　
The　report　had　said　that　it　was　probably　four　hundred　billions　of　miles
distant；　and　that　on　this　far　frontier　of　the　solar　system　the　sun　could
not　appear　to　it　larger　than　the　blaze　of　a　tallow　candle。　　To　us　it　was
wholly　incredible　how；　in　that　dim　remoteness；　it　could　still　hold　true
to　the　central　force　and　follow　at　a　snail…pace；　yet　with　unvarying
exactitude；　its　stupendous　orbit。　　Clemens　said　that　heretofore　Neptune；
the　planetary　outpost　of　our　system；　had　been　called　the　tortoise　of　the
skies；　but　that　comparatively　it　was　rapid　in　its　motion；　and　had　become
a　near　neighbor。　　He　was　a　good　deal　excited　at　first；　having　somehow　the
impression　that　this　new　planet　traveled　out　beyond　the　nearest　fixed
star；　but　then　he　remembered　that　the　distance　to　that　first　solar
neighbor　was　estimated　in　trillions；　not　billions；　and　that　our　little
system；　even　with　its　new　additions；　was　a　child's　handbreadth　on　the
plane　of　the　sky。　　He　had　brought　along　a　small　book　called　The　Pith　of
Astronomya　fascinating　little　volumeand　he　read　from　it　about　the
great　tempest　of　fire　in　the　sun；　where　the　waves　of　flame　roll　up　two
thousand　miles　high；　though　the　sun　itself　is　such　a　tiny　star　in　the
deeps　of　the　universe。

If　I　dwell　unwarrantably　on　this　phase　of　Mark　Twain's　character；　it　is
because　it　was　always　so　fascinating　to　me；　and　the　contemplation　of　the
drama　of　the　skies　always　meant　so　much　to　him；　and　somehow　always　seemed
akin　to　him　in　its　proportions。　　He　had　been　born　under　a　flaming　star；　a
wanderer　of　the　skies。　　He　was　himself；　to　me；　always　a　comet　rushing
through　space；　from　mystery　to　mystery；　regardless　of　sun　and　systems。　It
is　not　likely　to　rain　long　in　Bermuda；　and　when　the　sun　comes　back　it
brings　summer；　whatever　the　season。　　Within　a　day　after　our　arrival　we
were　driving　about　those　coral　roads　along　the　beaches；　and　by　that
marvelously　variegated　water。　　We　went　often　to　the　south　shore；
especially　to　Devonshire　Bay；　where　the　reefs　and　the　sea　coloring　seem
more　beautiful　than　elsewhere。　Usually；　when　we　reached　the　bay；　we　got
out　to　walk　along　the　indurated　shore；　stopping　here　and　there　to　look
out　over　the　jeweled　water　liquid　turquoise；　emerald　lapis…lazuli；　jade；
the　imperial　garment　of　the　Lord。

At　first　we　went　alone　with　only　the　colored　driver；　Clifford　Trott；
whose　name　Clemens　could　not　recollect；　though　he　was　always　attempting
resemblances　with　ludicrous　results。　　A　little　later　Helen　Allen；　an
early　angel…fish　member　already　mentioned；　was　with　us　and　directed　the
drives；　for　she　had　been　born　on　the　island　and　knew　every　attractive　
locality；　though；　for　that　matter；　it　would　be　hard　to　find　there　a　place
that　was　not　attractive。

Clemens；　in　fact；　remained　not　many　days　regularly　at　the　hotel。　　He　kept
a　room　and　his　wardrobe　there；　but　he　paid　a　visit　to　Bay　Housethe
lovely　and　quiet　home　of　Helen's　parentsand　prolonged　it　from　day　to
day；　and　from　week　to　week；　because　it　was　a　quiet　and　peaceful　place
with　affectionate　attention　and　limitless　welcome。　　Clifford　Trott　had
orders　to　come　with　the　carriage　each　afternoon；　and　we　drove　down　to　Bay
House　for　Mark　Twain　and　his　playmate；　and　then　went　wandering　at　will
among　the　labyrinth　of　blossom…bordered；　perfectly　kept　roadways　of　a
dainty　paradise；　that　never；　I　believe；　becomes　quite　a　reality　even　to
those　who　know　it　best。

Clemens　had　an　occasional　paroxysm　during　these　weeks；　but　they　were　not
likely　to　be　severe　or　protracted；　and　I　have　no　doubt　the　peace　of　his
surroundings；　the　remoteness　from　disturbing　events；　as　well　as　the　balmy
temperature；　all　contributed　to　his　improved　condition。

He　talked　pretty　continuously　during　these　drives；　and　he　by　no　means
restricted　his　subjects　to　juvenile　matters。　　He　discussed　history　and
his　favorite　sciences　and　philosophies；　and　I　am　sure　that　his　drift　was
rarely　beyond　the　understanding　of　his　young　companion；　for　it　was　Mark
Twain's　gift　to　phrase　his　thought　so　that　it　commanded　not　only　the
respect　of　age；　but　the　comprehension　and　the　interest　of　youth。
I　remember　that　once　he　talked；　during　an　afternoon's　drive；　on　the
French　Revolution　and　the　ridiculous　episode　of　Anacharsis　Cloots；
〃orator　and　advocate　of　the　human　race；〃　collecting　the　vast　populace　of
France　to　swear　allegiance　to　a　king　even　then　doomed　to　the　block。　　The
very　name　of　Cloots　suggested　humor；　and　nothing　could　have　been　more
delightful　and　graphic　than　the　whole　episode　as　he　related　it。
Helen　asked　if　he　thought　such　a　thing　as　that　could　ever　happen　in
America。

〃No；〃　he　said；　〃the　American　sense　of　humor　would　have　laughed　it　out　of
court　in　a　week；　and　the　Frenchman　dreads　ridicule；　too；　though　he　never
seems　to　realize　how　ridiculous　he　isthe　most　ridiculous　creature　in
the　world。〃

On　the　morning　of　his　seventy…fourth　birthday　he　was　looking　wonderfully
well　after　a　night　of　sound　sleep；　his　face　full　of　color　and　freshness；
his　eyes　bright　and　keen　and　full　of　good…humor。　　I　presented　him　with　a
pair　of　cuff…buttons　silver…enameled　with　the　Bermuda　lily；　and　I　thought
he　seemed　pleased　with　them。

It　was　rather　gloomy　outside；　so　we　remained　indoors　by　the　fire　and
played　cards；　game　after　game　of　hearts；　at　which　he　excelled；　and　he　was
usually　kept　happy　by　winning。　　There　were　no　visitors；　and　after　dinner
Helen　asked　him　to　read　some　of　her　favorite　episodes　from　Tom　Sawyer；　so
he　read　the　whitewashing　scene；　Peter　and　the　Pain…killer；　and　such
chapters　until　tea…time。　　Then　there　was　a　birthday　cake；　and　afterward
cigars　and　talk　and　a　quiet　fireside　evening。

Once；　in　the　course　of　his　talk；　he　forgot　a　word　and　denounced　his　poor
memory：

〃I'll　forget　the　Lord's　middle　name　some　time；〃　he　declared；　〃right　in
the　midst　of　a　storm；　when　I　need　all　the　help　I　can　get。〃

Later　he　said：

〃Nobody　dreamed；　seventy…four　years　ago　to…day；　that　I　would　be　in
Bermuda　now。〃　　And　I　thought　he　meant　a　good　deal　more　than　the　words
conveyed。

It　was　during　this　Bermuda　visit　that　Mark　Twain　added　the　finishing
paragraph　to　his　article；　〃The　Turning…Point　in　My　Life；〃　which；　at
Howells's　suggestion；　he　had　been　preparing　for　Harper's　Bazar。　　It　was　a
characteristic　touch；　and；　as　the　last　summary　of　his　philosophy　of　human
life；　may　be　repeated　here。

　　　　　Necessarily　the　scene　of　the　real　turning…point　of　my　life　（and　of
　　　　　yours）　was　the　Garden　of　Eden。　　It　was　there　that　the　first　link　was
　　　　　forged　of　the　chain　that　was　ultimately　to　lead　to　the　emptying　of
　　　　　me　into　the　literary　guild。　　Adam's　temperament　was　the　first
　　　　　command　the　Deity　ever　issued　to　a　human　being　on　this　planet。　　And
　　　　　it　was　the　only　command　Adam　would　never　be　able　to　disobey。　　It
　　　　　said；　〃Be　weak；　be　water；　be　characterless；　be　cheaply　persuadable。〃　
　　　　　The　later　command；　to　let　the　fruit　alone；　was　certain　to　be
　　　　　disobeyed。　　Not　by　Adam　himself；　but　by　his　temperamentwhich　he
　　　　　did　not　create　and　had　no　authority　over。　　For