mark twain, a biography, 1907-1910-第6节

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and　others　of　the　staff　welcomed　him　at　the　Punch　offices　at　10　Bouverie
Street；　in　the　historic　Punch　dining…room　where　Thackeray　had　sat；　and
Douglas　Jerrold；　and　so　many　of　the　great　departed。　　Mark　Twain　was　the
first　foreign　visitor　to　be　so　honoredin　fifty　years　the　first　stranger
to　sit　at　the　sacred　boarda　mighty　distinction。　　In　the　course　of　the
dinner　they　gave　him　a　pretty　surprise；　when　little　joy　Agnew　presented
him　with　the　original　drawing　of　Partridge's　cartoon。

Nothing　could　have　appealed　to　him　more；　and　the　Punch　dinner；　with　its
associations　and　that　dainty　presentation；　remained　apart　in　his　memory
from　all　other　feastings。

Clemens　had　intended　to　return　early　in　July；　but　so　much　was　happening
that　he　postponed　his　sailing　until　the　13th。　　Before　leaving　America；　he
had　declined　a　dinner　offered　by　the　Lord　Mayor　of　Liverpool。

Repeatedly　urged　to　let　Liverpool　share　in　his　visit；　he　had　reconsidered
now；　and　on　the　day　following　the　Punch　dinner；　on　July　loth；　they
carried　him；　with　T。　P。　O'Connor　（Tay　Pay）　in　the　Prince　of　Wales's
special　coach　to　Liverpool；　to　be　guest　of　honor　at　the　reception　and
banquet　which　Lord　Mayor　Japp　tendered　him　at　the　Town　Hall。　　Clemens　was
too　tired　to　be　present　while　the　courses　were　being　served；　but　arrived
rested　and　fresh　to　respond　to　his　toast。　　Perhaps　because　it　was　his
farewell　speech　in　England；　he　made　that　night　the　most　effective　address
of　his　four　weeks'　visitone　of　the　most　effective　of　his　whole　career：
He　began　by　some　light　reference　to　the　Ascot　Cup　and　the　Dublin　Jewels
and　the　State　Regalia；　and　other　disappearances　that　had　been　laid　to　his
charge；　to　amuse　his　hearers；　and　spoke　at　greater　length　than　usual；　and
with　even　greater　variety。　　Then　laying　all　levity　aside；　he　told　them；
like　the　Queen　of　Sheba；　all　that　was　in　his　heart　。

　　　　　。　　。　　。　　Home　is　dear　to　us　all；　and　now　I　am　departing　to　my　own
　　　　　home　beyond　the　ocean。　　Oxford　has　conferred　upon　me　the　highest
　　　　　honor　that　has　ever　fallen　to　my　share　of　this　life's　prizes。　　It　is
　　　　　the　very　one　I　would　have　chosen；　as　outranking　all　and　any　others；
　　　　　the　one　more　precious　to　me　than　any　and　all　others　within　the　gift
　　　　　of　man　or　state。　　During　my　four　weeks'　sojourn　in　England　I　have
　　　　　had　another　lofty　honor；　a　continuous　honor；　an　honor　which　has
　　　　　flowed　serenely　along；　without　halt　or　obstruction；　through　all
　　　　　these　twenty…six　days；　a　most　moving　and　pulse…stirring　honorthe
　　　　　heartfelt　grip　of　the　hand；　and　the　welcome　that　does　not　descend
　　　　　from　the　pale…gray　matter　of　the　brain；　but　rushes　up　with　the　red
　　　　　blood　from　the　heart。　　It　makes　me　proud　and　sometimes　it　makes　me
　　　　　humble；　too。　　Many　and　many　a　year　ago　I　gathered　an　incident　from
　　　　　Dana's　Two　Years　Before　the　Mast。　　It　was　like　this：　There　was　a
　　　　　presumptuous　little　self…important　skipper　in　a　coasting　sloop
　　　　　engaged　in　the　dried…apple　and　kitchen…furniture　trade；　and　he　was
　　　　　always　hailing　every　ship　that　came　in　sight。　　He　did　it　just　to
　　　　　hear　himself　talk　and　to　air　his　small　grandeur。　　One　day　a　majestic
　　　　　Indiaman　came　plowing　by　with　course　on　course　of　canvas　towering
　　　　　into　the　sky；　her　decks　and　yards　swarming　with　sailors；　her　hull
　　　　　burdened　to　the　Plimsoll　line　with　a　rich　freightage　of　precious
　　　　　spices；　lading　the　breezes　with　gracious　and　mysterious　odors　of　the
　　　　　Orient。　　It　was　a　noble　spectacle；　a　sublime　spectacle！　　Of　course
　　　　　the　little　skipper　popped　into　the　shrouds　and　squeaked　out　a　hail；
　　　　　〃Ship　ahoy！　　What　ship　is　that？　　And　whence　and　whither？〃　　In　a　deep
　　　　　and　thunderous　bass　the　answer　came　back　through　the　speaking…
　　　　　trumpet；　〃The　Begum；　of　Bengal142　days　out　from　Cantonhomeward
　　　　　bound！　　What　ship　is　that？〃　　Well；　it　just　crushed　that　poor　little
　　　　　creature's　vanity　flat；　and　he　squeaked　back　most　humbly；　〃Only　the
　　　　　Mary　Ann；　fourteen　hours　out　from　Boston；　bound　for　Kittery　Point
　　　　　with　nothing　to　speak　of！〃　　Oh；　what　an　eloquent　word　that　〃only；〃
　　　　　to　express　the　depths　of　his　humbleness！　　That　is　just　my　case。　
　　　　　During　just　one　hour　in　the　twenty…fournot　moreI　pause　and
　　　　　reflect　in　the　stillness　of　the　night　with　the　echoes　of　your
　　　　　English　welcome　still　lingering　in　my　ears；　and　then　I　am　humble。　
　　　　　Then　I　am　properly　meek；　and　for　that　little　while　I　am　only　the
　　　　　Mary　Ann；　fourteen　hours　out；　cargoed　with　vegetables　and　tinware；
　　　　　but　during　all　the　other　twenty…three　hours　my　vain　self…complacency
　　　　　rides　high　on　the　white　crests　of　your　approval；　and　then　I　am　a
　　　　　stately　Indiaman；　plowing　the　great　seas　under　a　cloud　of　canvas　and
　　　　　laden　with　the　kindest　words　that　have　ever　been　vouchsafed　to　any
　　　　　wandering　alien　in　this　world；　I　think；　then　my　twenty…six　fortunate
　　　　　days　on　this　old　mother　soil　seem　to　be　multiplied　by　six；　and　I　am
　　　　　the　Begum；　of　Bengal；　142　days　out　from　Cantonhomeward　bound！

He　returned　to　London；　and　with　one　of　his　young　acquaintances；　an
Americanhe　called　her　Francescapaid　many　calls。　　It　took　the
dreariness　out　of　that　social　function　to　perform　it　in　that　way。　　With　a
list　of　the　calls　they　were　to　make　they　drove　forth　each　day　to　cancel
the　social　debt。　　They　paid　calls　in　every　walk　of　life。　　His　young
companion　was　privileged　to　see　the　inside　of　London　homes　of　almost
every　class；　for　he　showed　no　partiality；　he　went　to　the　homes　of　the
poor　and　the　rich　alike。　　One　day　they　visited　the　home　of　an　old
bookkeeper　whom　he　had　known　in　1872　as　a　clerk　in　a　large　establishment；
earning　a　salary　of　perhaps　a　pound　a　week；　who　now　had　risen　mightily；
for　he　had　become　head　bookkeeper　in　that　establishment　on　a　salary　of
six　pounds　a　week；　and　thought　it　great　prosperity　and　fortune　for　his
old　age。

He　sailed　on　July　13th　for　home；　besought　to　the　last　moment　by　a　crowd
of　autograph…seekers　and　reporters　and　photographers；　and　a　multitude　who
only　wished　to　see　him　and　to　shout　and　wave　good…by。　　He　was　sailing
away　from　them　for　the　last　time。　　They　hoped　he　would　make　a　speech；　but
that　would　not　have　been　possible。　　To　；the　reporters　he　gave　a　farewell
message：　〃It　has　been　the　most　enjoyable　holiday　I　have　ever　had；　and　I
am　sorry　the　end　of　it　has　come。　　I　have　met　a　hundred；　old　friends；　and
I　have　made　a　hundred　new　ones。　　It　is　a　good　kind　of　riches　to　have；
there　is　none　better；　I　think。〃　　And　the　London　Tribune　declared　that
〃the　ship　that　bore　him　away　had　difficulty　in　getting　clear；　so　thickly
was　the　water　strewn　with　the　bay…leaves　of　his　triumph。　　For　Mark　Twain
has　triumphed；　and　in　his　all…too…brief　stay　of　a　month　has　done　more　for
the　cause　of　the　world's　peace　than　will　be　accomplished　by　the　Hague
Conference。　　He　has　made　the　world　laugh　again。〃

His　ship　was　the　Minnetonka；　and　there　were　some　little　folks　aboard　to
be　adopted　as　grandchildren。　　On　July　5th；　in　a　fog；　the　Minnetonka
collided　with　the　bark　Sterling；　and　narrowly　escaped　sinking　her。　　On
the　whole；　however；　the　homeward　way　was　clear；　and　the　vessel　reached
New　York　nearly　a　day　in　advance　of　their　schedule。　　Some　ceremonies　of
welcome　had　been　prepared　for　him；　but　they　were　upset　by　the　early
arrival；　so　that　when　he　descended　the　gang…plank　to　his　native　soil　only
a　few　who　had　received　special　information　were　there　to　greet　him。　　But
perhaps　he　did　not　notice　it。　　He　seldom　took　account　of　the　absence　of
such　things。　　By　early　afternoon；　however；　the　papers　rang　with　the
announcement　that　Mark　Twain　was　home　again。

It　is　a　sorrow　to　me　that　I　was　not　at　the　dock　to　welcome　him。　　I　had
been　visiting　in　Elmira；　and　timed　my　return　for　the　evening　of　the　a　2d；
to　be　on　hand　the　following　morning；　when　the　ship　was　due。　　When　I　saw
the　announcement　that　he　had　already　arrived　I　called　a　greeting　over　the
telephone；　and　was　told　to　come　down　and　play　billiards。　　I　confess　I
went　with　a　certain　degree　of　awe；　for　one　could　not　but　be　overwhelmed
with　the　echoes　of　the　great　splendor　he　had　so　recently　achieved；　and　I
prepared　to　sit　a　good　way　off　in　silence；　and　hear　something　of　the　tale
of　this　returning　conqueror；　but　when　I　arrived　he　was　already　in　the
billiard…room　knocking　the　balls　abouthis　coat　off；　for　it　was　a　hot
night。　　As　I　entered　he　said：

〃Get　your　cue。　　I　have　been　inventing　a　new　game。〃　　And　I　think　there
were　scarcely　ten　words　exchanged　before　we　were　at　it。　　The　pageant　was
over；　the　curtain　was　rung　down。　　Business　was　resumed　at　the　old　stand。




CCLX

MATTERS　PSYCHIC　AND　OTHERWISE

He　returned　to　Tuxedo　and　took　up　his　dictations；　and　mingled　freely　with
the　social　life；　but　the　contrast　between　his　recent　London　experience
and　his　semi…retirement　must　have　been　very　great。　　When　I　visited　him
now　and　then；　he　seemed　to　me　lonelynot　especially　for　companionship；
but　rather　for　the　life　that　lay　behind　himthe　great　career　which　in　a
sense　now　had　been　completed　since　he　had　touched　its　highest　point。　
There　was　no　billiard…table　at　Tuxedo；　and　he　spoke　expectantly　of
getting　back　to　town　and　the　games　there；　also　of　the　new　home　which　was
then　building　in　Reddin