mark twain, a biography, 1907-1910-第57节

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and　they　looked　gay；　but　the　common　soldiers　looked　sad。　　Many　wife…
swinks　＇〃　Swinks；〃　an　atomic　race＇　and　daughter…swinks　and　sweetheart…
swinks　were　aboutcrying；　mainly。　　It　seemed　to　indicate　that　this　was　a
case　of　war；　not　a　summer…camp　for　exercise；　and　that　the　poor　labor…
swinks　were　being　torn　from　their　planet…saving　industries　to　go　and
distribute　civilization　and　other　forms　of　suffering　among　the　feeble
benighted　somewhere；　else　why　should　the　swinkesses　cry？

The　cavalry　was　very　fineshiny　black　horses；　shapely　and　spirited；　and
presently　when　a　flash　of　light　struck　a　lifted　bugle　（delivering　a
command　which　we　couldn't　hear）　and　a　division　came　tearing　down　on　a
gallop　it　was　a　stirring　and　gallant　sight；　until　the　dust　rose　an　inch
the　Duke　thought　moreand　swallowed　it　up　in　a　rolling　and　tumbling　long
gray　cloud；　with　bright　weapons　glinting　and　sparkling　in　it。

Before　long　the　real　business　of　the　occasion　began。　　A　battalion　of
priests　arrived　carrying　sacred　pictures。　　That　settled　it：　this　was　war；
these　far…stretching　masses　of　troops　were　bound　for　the　front。　　Their
little　monarch　came　out　now；　the　sweetest　little　thing　that　ever
travestied　the　human　shape　I　think；　and　he　lifted　up　his　hands　and
blessed　the　passing　armies；　and　they　looked　as　grateful　as　they　could；
and　made　signs　of　humble　and　real　reverence　as　they　drifted　by　the　holy
pictures。

It　was　beautifulthe　whole　thing；　and　wonderful；　too；　when　those　serried
masses　swung　into　line　and　went　marching　down　the　valley　under　the　long
array　of　fluttering　flags。

Evidently　they　were　going　somewhere　to　fight　for　their　king；　which　was
the　little　manny　that　blessed　them；　and　to　preserve　him　and　his　brethren
that　occupied　the　other　swell　tents；　to　civilize　and　grasp　a　valuable
little　unwatched　country　for　them　somewhere。　　But　the　little　fellow　and
his　brethren　didn't　fall　inthat　was　a　noticeable　particular。　　They
didn't　fight；　they　stayed　at　home；　where　it　was　safe；　and　waited　for　the
swag。

Very　well；　then…what　ought　we　to　do？　　Had　we　no　moral　duty　to　perform？　
Ought　we　to　allow　this　war　to　begin？　　Was　it　not　our　duty　to　stop　it；　in
the　name　of　right　and　righteousness？　　Was　it　not　our　duty　to　administer　a
rebuke　to　this　selfish　and　heartless　Family？

The　Duke　was　struck　by　that；　and　greatly　moved。　　He　felt　as　I　did　about
it；　and　was　ready　to　do　whatever　was　right；　and　thought　we　ought　to　pour
boiling　water　on　the　Family　and　extinguish　it；　which　we　did。

It　extinguished　the　armies；　too；　which　was　not　intended。　　We　both
regretted　this；　but　the　Duke　said　that　these　people　were　nothing　to　us；
and　deserved　extinction　anyway　for　being　so　poor…spirited　as　to　serve
such　a　Family。　　He　was　loyally　doing　the　like　himself；　and　so　was　I；　but
I　don't　think　we　thought　of　that。　　And　it　wasn't　just　the　same；　anyway；
because　we　were　sooflaskies；　and　they　were　only　swinks。

Franklin　realizes　that　no　atom　is　destructible；　that　it　has　always
existed　and　will　exist　forever；　but　he　thinks　all　atoms　will　go　out　of
this　world　some　day　and　continue　their　life　in　a　happier　one。　　Old
Tolliver　thinks　no　atom's　life　will　ever　end；　but　he　also　thinks
Blitzowski　is　the　only　world　it　will　ever　see；　and　that　at　no　time　in　its
eternity　will　it　be　either　worse　off　or　better　off　than　it　is　now　and
always　has　been。　　Of　course　he　thinks　the　planet　Blitzowski　is　itself
eternal　and　indestructibleat　any　rate　he　says　he　thinks　that。　　It　could
make　me　sad；　only　I　know　better。　　D。　T。　　will　fetch　Blitzy　yet　one　of
these　days。

But　these　are　alien　thoughts；　human　thoughts；　and　they　falsely　indicate
that　I　do　not　want　this　tramp　to　go　on　living。　　What　would　become　of　me
if　he　should　disintegrate？　　My　molecules　would　scatter　all　around　and
take　up　new　quarters　in　hundreds　of　plants　and　animals；　each　would　carry
its　special　feelings　along　with　it；　each　would　be　content　in　its　new
estate；　but　where　should　I　be？　　I　should　not　have　a　rag　of　a　feeling
left；　after　my　disintegrationwith　hiswas　complete。　　Nothing　to　think
with；　nothing　to　grieve　or　rejoice　with；　nothing　to　hope　or　despair　with。　
There　would　be　no　more　me。　　I　should　be　musing　and　thinking　and　dreaming
somewhere　elsein　some　distant　animal　maybeperhaps　a　catby　proxy　of
my　oxygen　I　should　be　raging　and　fuming　in　some　other　creaturesa　rat；
perhaps；　I　should　be　smiling　and　hoping　in　still　another　child　of　Nature
heir　to　my　hydrogena　weed；　or　a　cabbage；　or　something；　my　carbonic
acid　（ambition）　would　be　dreaming　dreams　in　some　lowly　wood…violet　that
was　longing　for　a　showy　career；　thus　my　details　would　be　doing　as　much
feeling　as　ever；　but　I　should　not　be　aware　of　it；　it　would　all　be　going
on　for　the　benefit　of　those　others；　and　I　not　in　it　at　all。　　I　should　be
gradually　wasting　away；　atom　by　atom；　molecule　by　molecule；　as　the　years
went　on；　and　at　last　I　should　be　all　distributed；　and　nothing　left　of
what　had　once　been　Me。　　It　is　curious；　and　not　without　impressiveness：　I
should　still　be　alive；　intensely　alive；　but　so　scattered　that　I　would　not
know　it。　　I　should　not　be　deadno；　one　cannot　call　it　thatbut　I　should
be　the　next　thing　to　it。　　And　to　think　what　centuries　and　ages　and　aeons
would　drift　over　me　before　the　disintegration　was　finished；　the　last　bone
turned　to　gas　and　blown　away！　　I　wish　I　knew　what　it　is　going　to　feel
like；　to　lie　helpless　such　a　weary；　weary　time；　and　see　my　faculties
decay　and　depart；　one　by　one；　like　lights　which　burn　low；　and　flicker　and
perish；　until　the　ever…deepening　gloom　and　darkness　whichoh；　away；　away
with　these　horrors；　and　let　me　think　of　something　wholesome！

My　tramp　is　only　85；　there　is　good　hope　that　he　will　live　ten　years
longer500；000　of　my　microbe　years。　　So　may　it　be。

Oh；　dear；　we　are　all　so　wise！　　Each　of　us　knows　it　all；　and　knows　he
knows　it　allthe　rest；　to　a　man；　are　fools　and　deluded。　　One　man　knows
there　is　a　hell；　the　next　one　knows　there　isn't；　one　man　knows　high
tariff　is　right；　the　next　man　knows　it　isn't；　one　man　knows　monarchy　is
best；　the　next　one　knows　it　isn't；　one　age　knows　there　are　witches；　the
next　one　knows　there　aren't；　one　sect　knows　its　religion　is　the　only　true
one；　there　are　sixty…four　thousand　five　hundred　million　sects　that　know
it　isn't　so。　　There　is　not　a　mind　present　among　this　multitude　of
verdict…deliverers　that　is　the　superior　of　the　minds　that　persuade　and
represent　the　rest　of　the　divisions　of　the　multitude。　　Yet　this　sarcastic
fact　does　not　humble　the　arrogance　nor　diminish　the　know…it…all　bulk　of　a
single　verdict…maker　of　the　lot　by　so　much　as　a　shade。　　Mind　is　plainly
an　ass；　but　it　will　be　many　ages　before　it　finds　it　out；　no　doubt。　　Why
do　we　respect　the　opinions　of　any　man　or　any　microbe　that　ever　lived？　　I
swear　I　don't　know。　　Why　do　I　respect　my　own？　　Wellthat　is　different。







APPENDIX　W

LITTLE　BESSIE　WOULD　ASSIST　PROVIDENCE

（See　Chapter　cclxxxii）

＇It　is　dull；　and　I　need　wholesome　excitements　and　distractions；　so　I　will
go　lightly　excursioning　along　the　primrose　path　of　theology。＇

Little　Bessie　was　nearly　three　years　old。　　She　was　a　good　child；　and　not
shallow；　not　frivolous；　but　meditative　and　thoughtful；　and　much　given　to　
thinking　out　the　reasons　of　things　and　trying　to　make　them　harmonize　with
results。　　One　day　she　said：

〃Mama；　why　is　there　so　much　pain　and　sorrow　and　suffering？　　What　is　it
all　for？〃

It　was　an　easy　question；　and　mama　had　no　difficulty　in　answering　it：

〃It　is　for　our　good；　my　child。　　In　His　wisdom　and　mercy　the　Lord　sends　us
these　afflictions　to　discipline　us　and　make　us　better。〃

〃Is　it　He　that　sends　them？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Does　He　send　all　of　them；　mama？〃

〃Yes；　dear；　all　of　them。　　None　of　them　comes　by　accident；　He　alone　sends
them；　and　always　out　of　love　for　us；　and　to　make　us　better。〃

〃Isn't　it　strange？〃

〃Strange？　　Why；　no；　I　have　never　thought　of　it　in　that　way。　　I　have　not
heard　any　one　call　it　strange　before。　　It　has　always　seemed　natural　and
right　to　me；　and　wise　and　most　kindly　and　merciful。〃

〃Who　first　thought　of　it　like　that；　mama？　　Was　it　you？〃

〃Oh　no；　child；　I　was　taught　it。〃

〃Who　taught　you　so；　mama？〃

〃Why；　really；　I　don't　knowI　can't　remember。　　My　mother；　I　suppose；　or
the　preacher。　　But　it's　a　thing　that　everybody　knows。〃

〃Well；　anyway；　it　does　seem　strange。　　Did　He　give　Billy　Norris　the
typhus？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃What　for？〃

〃Why；　to　discipline　him　and　make　him　good。〃

〃But　he　died；　mama；　and　so　it　couldn't　make　him　good。〃

〃Well；　then；　I　suppose　it　was　for　some　other　reason。　　We　know　it　was　a
good　reason；　whatever　it　was。〃

〃What　do　you　think　it　was；　mama？〃

〃Oh；　you　ask　so　many　questions！　　I　think　it　was　to　discipline　his
parents。〃

〃Well；　then；　it　wasn't　fair；　mama。　　Why　should　his　life　be　taken　away　for
their　sake；　when　he　wasn't　doing　anything？〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　know！　　I　only　know　it　was　for　a　good　and　wise　and　merciful
reason。〃

〃What　reason；　mama？〃

〃I　thinkI　think…well；　it　was　a　judgment；　it　was　to　punish　them　for　some
sin　they　had　committed。〃

〃But　he　was　the　one　that　was　punished；　mama。　　Was　that　right？〃

〃Certainly；　certainly。　　He　does　nothing　that　isn't　right　and　wise　and
merciful。　　You　can't　understand　these　things　now；　dear；　b