mark twain, a biography, 1900-1907-第1节

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Mark　Twain；　A　Biography；　1900…1907

By　Albert　Bigelow　Paine






VOLUME　III；　Part　1：　1900…1907






CCXII

THE　RETURN　OF　THE　CONQUEROR

It　would　be　hard　to　exaggerate　the　stir　which　the　newspapers　and　the
public　generally　made　over　the　homecoming　of　Mark　Twain。　　He　had　left
America；　staggering　under　heavy　obligation　and　set　out　on　a　pilgrimage　of
redemption。　　At　the　moment　when　this　Mecca；　was　in　view　a　great　sorrow
had　befallen　him　and；　stirred　a　world…wide　and　soul…deep　tide　of　human
sympathy。　　Then　there　had　followed　such　ovation　as　has　seldom　been
conferred　upon　a　private　citizen；　and　now　approaching　old　age；　still　in
the　fullness　of　his　mental　vigor；　he　had　returned　to　his　native　soil　with
the　prestige　of　these　honors　upon　him　and　the　vast　added　glory　of　having
made　his　financial　fight　single…handed…and　won。

He　was　heralded　literally　as　a　conquering　hero。　　Every　paper　in　the　land
had　an　editorial　telling　the　story　of　his　debts；　his　sorrow；　and　his
triumphs。

〃He　had　behaved　like　Walter　Scott；〃　says　Howells；　〃as　millions　rejoiced
to　know　who　had　not　known　how　Walter　Scott　had　behaved　till　they　knew　it
was　like　Clemens。〃

Howells　acknowledges　that　he　had　some　doubts　as　to　the　permanency　of　the
vast　acclaim　of　the　American　public；　remembering；　or　perhaps　assuming；　a
national　fickleness。　　Says　Howells：

　　　　　He　had　hitherto　been　more　intelligently　accepted　or　more　largely
　　　　　imagined　in　Europe；　and　I　suppose　it　was　my　sense　of　this　that
　　　　　inspired　the　stupidity　of　my　saying　to　him　when　we　came　to　consider
　　　　　〃the　state　of　polite　learning〃　among　us；　〃You　mustn't　expect　people
　　　　　to　keep　it　up　here　as　they　do　in　England。〃　　But　it　appeared　that　his
　　　　　countrymen　were　only　wanting　the　chance；　and　they　kept　it　up　in
　　　　　honor　of　him　past　all　precedent。

Clemens　went　to　the　Earlington　Hotel　and　began　search　for　a　furnished
house　in　New　York。　　They　would　not　return　to　Hartfordat　least　not　yet。　
The　associations　there　were　still　too　sad；　and　they　immediately　became
more　so。　　Five　days　after　Mark　Twain's　return　to　America；　his　old　friend
and　co…worker；　Charles　Dudley　Warner；　died。　　Clemens　went　to　Hartford　to
act　as　a　pall…bearer　and　while　there　looked　into　the　old　home。　　To
Sylvester　Baxter；　of　Boston；　who　had　been　present；　he　wrote　a　few　days
later：

　　　　　It　was　a　great　pleasure　to　me　to　renew　the　other　days　with　you；　&
　　　　　there　was　a　pathetic　pleasure　in　seeing　Hartford　&　the　house　again；
　　　　　but　I　realized　that　if　we　ever　enter　the　house　again　to　live　our
　　　　　hearts　will　break。　　I　am　not　sure　that　we　shall　ever　be　strong
　　　　　enough　to　endure　that　strain。

Even　if　the　surroundings　had　been　less　sorrowful　it　is　not　likely　that
Clemens　would　have　returned　to　Hartford　at　this　time。　　He　had　become　a
world…character；　a　dweller　in　capitals。　　Everywhere　he　moved　a　world
revolved　about　him。　　Such　a　figure　in　Germany　would　live　naturally　in
Berlin；　in　England　London；　in　France；　Paris；　in　Austria；　Vienna；　in
America　his　headquarters　could　only　be　New　York。

Clemens　empowered　certain　of　his　friends　to　find　a　home　for　him；　and　Mr。　
Frank　N。　Doubleday　discovered　an　attractive　and　handsomely　furnished
residence　at　14　West　Tenth　Street；　which　was　promptly　approved。　
Doubleday；　who　was　going　to　Boston；　left　orders　with　the　agent　to　draw
the　lease　and　take　it　up　to　the　new　tenant　for　signature。　　To　Clemens　he
said：

〃The　house　is　as　good　as　yours。　　All　you've　got　to　do　is　to　sign　the
lease。　　You　can　consider　it　all　settled。〃

When　Doubleday　returned　from　Boston　a　few　days　later　the　agent　called　on
him　and　complained　that　he　couldn't　find　Mark　Twain　anywhere。　　It　was
reported　at　his　hotel　that　he　had　gone　and　left　no　address。　　Doubleday
was　mystified；　then；　reflecting；　he　had　an　inspiration。　　He　walked　over
to　14　West　Tenth　Street　and　found　what　he　had　suspectedMark　Twain　had
moved　in。　　He　had　convinced　the　caretaker　that　everything　was　all　right
and　he　was　quite　at　home。　　Doubleday　said：

〃Why；　you　haven't　executed　the　lease　yet。〃

〃No；〃　said　Clemens；　〃but　you　said　the　house　was　as　good　as　mine；〃　to
which　Doubleday　agreed；　but　suggested　that　they　go　up　to　the　real…estate
office　and　give　the　agent　notice　that　he　was　in　possession　of　the
premises。

Doubleday's　troubles　were　not　quite　over；　however。　　Clemens　began　to　find
defects　in　his　new　home　and　assumed　to　hold　Doubleday　responsible　for
them。　　He　sent　a　daily　postal　card　complaining　of　the　windows；　furnace；
the　range；　the　water…whatever　he　thought　might　lend　interest　to
Doubleday's　life。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　he　was　pleased　with　the　place。　
To　MacAlister　he　wrote：

　　　　　We　were　very　lucky　to　get　this　big　house　furnished。　　There　was　not
　　　　　another　one　in　town　procurable　that　would　answer　us；　but　this　one　is
　　　　　all　right…space　enough　in　it　for　several　families；　the　rooms　all
　　　　　old…fashioned；　great　size。

The　house　at　14　West　Tenth　Street　became　suddenly　one　of　the　most
conspicuous　residences　in　New　York。　　The　papers　immediately　made　its
appearance　familiar。　　Many　people　passed　down　that　usually　quiet　street；
stopping　to　observe　or　point　out　where　Mark　Twain　lived。　　There　was　a
constant　procession　of　callers　of　every　kind。　　Many　were　friends；　old　and
new；　but　there　was　a　multitude　of　strangers。　　Hundreds　came　merely　to
express　their　appreciation　of　his　work；　hoping　for　a　personal　word　or　a
hand…shake　or　an　autograph；　but　there　were　other　hundreds　who　came　with
this　thing　and　that　thingaxes　to　grindand　there　were　newspaper
reporters　to　ask　his　opinion　on　politics；　or　polygamy；　or　woman's
suffrage；　on　heaven　and　hell　and　happiness；　on　the　latest　novel；　on　the
war　in　Africa；　the　troubles　in　China；　on　anything　under　the　sun；
important　or　unimportant；　interesting　or　inane；　concerning　which　one
might　possibly　hold　an　opinion。　　He　was　unfailing　〃copy〃　if　they　could
but　get　a　word　with　him。　　Anything　that　he　might　choose　to　say　upon　any
subject　whatever　was　seized　upon　and　magnified　and　printed　with
head…lines。　　Sometimes　opinions　were　invented　for　him。　　If　he　let　fall　a
few　words　they　were　multiplied　into　a　column　interview。

〃That　reporter　worked　a　miracle　equal　to　the　loaves　and　fishes；〃　he　said
of　one　such　performance。

Many　men　would　have　become　annoyed　and　irritable　as　these　things
continued；　but　Mark　Twain　was　greater　than　that。　　Eventually　he　employed
a　secretary　to　stand　between　him　and　the　wash　of　the　tide；　as　a　sort　of
breakwater；　but　he　seldom　lost　his　temper　no　matter　what　was　the　request
which　was　laid　before　him；　for　he　recognized　underneath　it　the　great
tribute　of　a　great　nation。

Of　course　his　literary　valuation　would　be　affected　by　the　noise　of　the
general　applause。　　Magazines　and　syndicates　besought　him　for　manuscripts。　
He　was　offered　fifty　cents　and　even　a　dollar　a　word　for　whatever　he　might
give　them。　　He　felt　a　child…like　gratification　in　these　evidences　of　his
market　advancement；　but　he　was　not　demoralized　by　them。　　He　confined　his
work　to　a　few　magazines；　and　in　November　concluded　an　arrangement　with
the　new　management　of　Harper　&　Brothers；　by　which　that　firm　was　to　have
the　exclusive　serial　privilege　of　whatever　he　might　write　at　a　fixed　rate
of　twenty　cents　per　worda　rate　increased　to　thirty　cents　by　a　later
contract；　which　also　provided　an　increased　royalty　for　the　publication　of
his　books。

The　United　States；　as　a　nation；　does　not　confer　any　special　honors　upon
private　citizens。　　We　do　not　have　decorations　and　titles；　even　though
there　are　times　when　it　seems　that　such　things　might　be　not
inappropriately　conferred。　　Certain　of　the　newspapers；　more　lavish　in
their　enthusiasm　than　others；　were　inclined　to　propose；　as　one　paper
phrased　it；　〃Some　peculiar　recognitionsomething　that　should　appeal　to
Samuel　L。　　Clemens；　the　man；　rather　than　to　Mark　Twain；　the　literate。　
Just　what　form　this　recognition　should　take　is　doubtful；　for　the　case　has
no　exact　precedent。〃

Perhaps　the　paper　thought　that　Mark　Twain　was　entitledas　he　himself
once　humorously　suggested…to　the　〃thanks　of　Congress〃　for　having　come
home　alive　and　out　of　debt；　but　it　is　just　as　well　that　nothing　of　the
sort　was　ever　seriously　considered。　　The　thanks　of　the　public　at　large
contained　more　substance；　and　was　a　tribute　much　more　to　his　mind。　　The
paper　above　quoted　ended　by　suggesting　a　very　large　dinner　and　memorial
of　welcome　as　being　more　in　keeping　with　the　republican　idea　and　the
American　expression　of　good…will。

But　this　was　an　unneeded　suggestion。　　If　he　had　eaten　all　the　dinners
proposed　he　would　not　have　lived　to　enjoy　his　public　honors　a　month。　　As
it　was；　he　accepted　many　more　dinners　than　he　could　eat；　and　presently
fell　into　the　habit　of　arriving　when　the　banqueting　was　about　over　and
the　after…dinner　speaking　about　to　begin。　　Even　so　the　strain　told　on
him。

〃His　friends　saw　that　he　was　wearing　himself　out；〃　says　Howells；　and
perhaps　this　was　true；　for　he　grew　thin　and　pale　and　contracted　a　hacking
cough。　　He　did　not　spare　himself　as　often　as　he　should　have　done。　　Once
to　Richard　Watson　Gilder　he　sent　this　line　of　regrets：

　　　　　In　bed　with　a　chest　cold　and　other　companyWednesday。
　　　　　DEAR　GILDER；I　can't。