mark twain, a biography, 1907-1910-第8节

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superstitious；　as　he　readily　confessed；　though　at　times　professing　little
faith　in　these　prognostics。　　Once　when　a　clairvoyant；　of　whom　he　had
never　even　heard；　and　whom　he　had　reason　to　believe　was　ignorant　of　his
family　history；　told　him　more　about　it　than　he　knew　himself；　besides
reading　a　list　of　names　from　a　piece　of　paper　which　Clemens　had　concealed
in　his　vest　pocket　he　came　home　deeply　impressed。　　The　clairvoyant　added
that　he　would　probably　live　to　a　great　age　and　die　in　a；　foreign　landa
prophecy　which　did　not　comfort　him。




CCLXI

MINOR　EVENTS　AND　DIVERSIONS

Mark　Twain　was　deeply　interested　during　the　autumn　of　1907　in　the
Children's　Theater　of　the　Jewish　Educational　Alliance；　on　the　lower　East
Sidea　most　worthy　institution　which　ought　to　have　survived。　　A　Miss
Alice　M。　Herts；　who　developed　and　directed　it；　gave　her　strength　and
health　to　build　up　an　institution　through　which　the　interest　of　the
children　could　be　diverted　from　less　fortunate　amusements。　　She　had
interested　a　great　body　of　Jewish　children　in　the　plays　of　Shakespeare；
and　of　more　modern　dramatists；　and　these　they　had　performed　from　time　to
time　with　great　success。　　The　admission　fee　to　the　performance　was　ten
cents；　and　the　theater　was　always　crowded　with　other　childrencertainly
a　better　diversion　for　them　than　the　amusements　of　the　street；　though　of
course；　as　a　business　enterprise；　the　theater　could　not　pay。　　It　required
patrons。　　Miss　Herts　obtained　permission　to　play　〃The　Prince　and　the
Pauper；〃　and　Mark　Twain　agreed　to　become　a　sort　of　chief　patron　in　using
his　influence　to　bring　together　an　audience　who　might　be　willing　to
assist　financially　in　this　worthy　work。

〃The　Prince　and　the　Pauper〃　evening　turned　out　a　distinguished　affair。　
On　the　night　of　November　19；　1907；　the　hall　of　the　Educational　Alliance
was　crowded　with　such　an　audience　as　perhaps　never　before　assembled　on
the　East　Side；　the　finance　and　the　fashion　of　New　York　were　there。　　It
was　a　gala　night　for　the　little　East　Side　performers。　　Behind　the　curtain
they　whispered　to　each　other　that　they　were　to　play　before　queens。　　The
performance　they　gave　was　an　astonishing　one。　　So　fully　did　they　enter
into　the　spirit　of　Tom　Canty's　rise　to　royalty　that　they　seemed
absolutely　to　forget　that　they　were　lowly…born　children　of　the　Ghetto。　
They　had　become　little　princesses　and　lords　and　maids…in…waiting；　and
they　moved　through　their　pretty　tinsel　parts　as　if　all　their　ornaments
were　gems　and　their　raiment　cloth　of　gold。　　There　was　no　hesitation；　no
awkwardness　of　speech　or　gesture；　and　they　rose　really　to　sublime　heights
in　the　barn　scene　where　the　little　Prince　is　in　the　hands　of　the　mob。　
Never　in　the　history　of　the　stage　has　there　been　assembled　a　mob　more
wonderful　than　that。　　These　children　knew　mobs！　　A　mob　to　them　was　a
daily　sight；　and　their　reproduction　of　it　was　a　thing　to　startle　you　with
its　realism。　　Never　was　it　absurd；　never　was　there　a　single　note　of
artificiality　in　it。　　It　was　Hogarthian　in　its　bigness。

Both　Mark　Twain　and　Miss　Herts　made　brief　addresses；　and　the　audience
shouted　approval　of　their　words。　　It　seems　a　pity　that　such　a　project　as
that　must　fail；　and　I　do　not　know　why　it　happened。　　Wealthy　men　and　women
manifested　an　interest；　but　there　was　some　hitch　somewhere；　and　the
Children's　Theater　exists　to…day　only　as　history。＇In　a　letter　to　a　Mrs。
Amelia　Dunne　Hookway；　who　had　conducted　some　children's　plays　at　the
Howland　School；　Chicago；　Mark　Twain　once　wrote：　〃　If　I　were　going　to
begin　life　over　again　I　would　have　a　children's　theater　and　watch　it；　and
work　for　it；　and　see　it　grow　and　blossom　and　bear　its　rich　moral　and
intellectual　fruitage；　and　I　should　get　more　pleasure　and　a　saner　and
healthier　profit　out　of　my　vocation　than　I　should　ever　be　able　to　get　out
of　any　other；　constituted　as　I　am。　　Yes；　you　are　easily　the　most
fortunate　of　women；　I　think。〃＇

It　was　at　a　dinner　at　The　Playersa　small；　private　dinner　given　by　Mr。
George　C。　Riggs…that　I　saw　Edward　L。　Burlingame　and　Mark　Twain　for　the
only　time　together。　　They　had　often　met　during　the　forty…two　years　that
had　passed　since　their　long…ago　Sandwich　Island　friendship；　but　only
incidentally；　for　Mr。　Burlingame　cared　not　much　for　great　public
occasions；　and　as　editor　of　Scribner's　Magazine　he　had　been　somewhat　out
of　the　line　of　Mark　Twain's　literary　doings。

Howells　was　there；　and　Gen。　Stewart　L。　Woodford；　and　David　Bispham；　John
Finley；　Evan　Shipman；　Nicholas　Biddle；　and　David　Munro。　　Clemens　told
that　night；　for　the　first　time；　the　story　of　General　Miles　and　the　three…
dollar　dog；　inventing　it；　I　believe；　as　he　went　along；　though　for　the
moment　it　certainly　did　sound　like　history。　　He　told　it　often　after　that；
and　it　has　been　included　in　his　book　of　speeches。

Later；　in　the　cab；　he　said：

〃That　was　a　mighty　good　dinner。　　Riggs　knows　how　to　do　that　sort　of
thing。　　I　enjoyed　it　ever　so　much。　　Now　we'll　go　home　and　play
billiards。〃

We　began　about　eleven　o'clock；　and　played　until　after　midnight。　　I
happened　to　be　too　strong　for　him；　and　he　swore　amazingly。　　He　vowed　that
it　was　not　a　gentleman's　game　at　all；　that　Riggs's　wine　had　demoralized
the　play。　　But　at　the　end；　when　we　were　putting　up　the　cues；　he　said：

〃Well；　those　were　good　games。　　There　is　nothing　like　billiards　after
all。〃

We　did　not　play　billiards　on　his　birthday　that　year。　　He　went　to　the
theater　in　the　afternoon；　and　it　happened　that；　with　Jesse　Lynch
Williams；　I　attended　the　same　performancethe　〃Toy…Maker　of　Nuremberg〃
written　by　Austin　Strong。　　It　proved　to　be　a　charming　play；　and　I　could
see　that　Clemens　was　enjoying　it。　　He　sat　in　a　box　next　to　the　stage；　and
the　actors　clearly　were　doing　their　very　prettiest　for　his　benefit。

When　later　I　mentioned　having　seen　him　at　the　play；　he　spoke　freely　of
his　pleasure　in　it。

〃It　is　a　fine；　delicate　piece　of　work；〃　he　said。　　〃I　wish　I　could　do　such
things　as　that。〃

〃I　believe　you　are　too　literary　for　play…writing。〃

〃Yes；　no　doubt。　　There　was　never　any　question　with　the　managers　about　my
plays。　　They　always　said　they　wouldn't　act。　　Howells　has　come　pretty　near
to　something　once　or　twice。　　I　judge　the　trouble　is　that　the　literary　man
is　thinking　of　the　style　and　quality　of　the　thing；　while　the　playwright
thinks　only　of　how　it　will　play。　　One　is　thinking　of　how　it　will　sound；
the　other　of　how　it　will　look。〃

〃I　suppose；〃　I　said；　〃the　literary　man　should　have　a　collaborator　with　a
genius　for　stage　mechanism。　　John　Luther　Long's　exquisite　plays　would
hardly　have　been　successful　without　David　Belasco　to　stage　them。　　Belasco
cannot　write　a　play　himself；　but　in　the　matter　of　acting　construction　his
genius　is　supreme。〃

〃Yes；　so　it　is；　it　was　Belasco　who　made　it　possible　to　play　〃The　Prince
and　the　Pauper〃a　collection　of　literary　garbage　before　he　got　hold　of
it。〃

Clemens　attended　few　public　functions　now。　　He　was　beset　with
invitations；　but　he　declined　most　of　them。　　He　told　the　dog　story　one
night　to　the　Pleiades　Club；　assembled　at　the　Brevoort；　but　that　was　only
a　step　away；　and　we　went　in　after　the　dining　was　ended　and　came　away
before　the　exercises　were　concluded。

He　also　spoke　at　a　banquet　given　to　Andrew　CarnegieSaint　Andrew；　as　he
called　himby　the　Engineers　Club；　and　had　his　usual　fun　at　the　chief
guest's　expense。

　　　　　I　have　been　chief　guest　at　a　good　many　banquets　myself；　and　I　know
　　　　　what　brother　Andrew　is　feeling　like　now。　　He　has　been　receiving
　　　　　compliments　and　nothing　but　compliments；　but　he　knows　that　there　is
　　　　　another　side　to　him　that　needs　censure。

　　　　　I　am　going　to　vary　the　complimentary　monotony。　　While　we　have　all
　　　　　been　listening　to　the　complimentary　talk　Mr。　Carnegie's　face　has
　　　　　scintillated　with　fictitious　innocence。　　You'd　think　he　never
　　　　　committed　a　crime　in　his　life。　　But　he　has。

　　　　　Look　at　his　pestiferous　simplified　spelling。　　Imagine　the　calamity
　　　　　on　two　sides　of　the　ocean　when　he　foisted　his　simplified　spelling　on
　　　　　the　whole　human　race。　　We've　got　it　all　now　so　that　nobody　could
　　　　　spell　。　　。　　。　　。

　　　　　If　Mr。　Carnegie　had　left　spelling　alone　we　wouldn't　have　had　any
　　　　　spots　on　the　sun；　or　any　San　Francisco　quake；　or　any　business
　　　　　depression。

　　　　　There；　I　trust　he　feels　better　now　and　that　he　has　enjoyed　my　abuse
　　　　　more　than　he　did　his　compliments。　　And　now　that　I　think　I　have　him
　　　　　smoothed　down　and　feeling　comfortable　I　just　want　to　say　one　thing
　　　　　morethat　his　simplified　spelling　is　all　right　enough；　but；　like
　　　　　chastity；　you　can　carry　it　too　far。

As　he　was　about　to　go；　Carnegie　called　his　attention　to　the　beautiful
souvenir　bronze　and　gold…plated　goblets　that　stood　at　each　guest's　plate。　
Carnegie　said：

〃The　club　had　those　especially　made　at　Tiffany's　for　this　occasion。　　They
cost　ten　dollars　apiece。〃

Clemens　sand：　〃Is　that　so？　　Well；　I　only　meant　to　take　my　own；　but　if
that's　the　case　I'll　load　my　cab　with　them。〃

We　made　an　attempt　to　reform　on　the　matter　of　billiards。　　The　continued
strain　of　late　hours　was　doing　neither　of　us　any　particular　good。　　More
than　once　I　journeyed　into　the　country　on　one　errand　and　another；　mainly
for　rest；　but　a　card　sa