mark twain, a biography, 1900-1907-第13节

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Leap　is　where　the　Millerites　put　on　their　robes　one　night　to　go　to
heaven。　　None　of　them　went　that　night；　but　I　suppose　most　of　them　have
gone　now。〃

John　Briggs　said：

〃Sam；　do　you　remember　the　day　we　stole　the　peaches　from　old　man　Price　and
one　of　his　bow…legged　niggers　came　after　us　with　the　dogs；　and　how　we
made　up　our　minds　that　we'd　catch　that　nigger　and　drown　him？〃

They　came　to　the　place　where　they　had　pried　out　the　great　rock　that　had
so　nearly　brought　them　to　grief。　　Sam　Clemens　said：

〃John；　if　we　had　killed　that　man　we'd　have　had　a　dead　nigger　on　our　hands
without　a　cent　to　pay　for　him。〃

And　so　they　talked　on　of　this　thing　and　that；　and　by　and　by　they　drove
along　the　river；　and　Sam　Clemens　pointed　out　the　place　where　he　swam　it
and　was　taken　with　a　cramp　on　the　return　swim；　and　believed　for　a　while
that　his　career　was　about　to　close。

〃Once；　near　the　shore；　I　thought　I　would　let　down；〃　he　said；　〃but　was
afraid　to；　knowing　that　if　the　water　was　deep　I　was　a　goner；　but　finally
my　knees　struck　the　sand　and　I　crawled　out。　　That　was　the　closest　call　I
ever　had。〃

They　drove　by　the　place　where　the　haunted　house　had　stood。　　They　drank
from　a　well　they　had　always　known；　and　from　the　bucket　as　they　had　always
drunk；　talking　and　always　talking；　fondling　lovingly　and　lingeringly　that
most　beautiful　of　all　our　possessions；　the　past。

〃Sam；〃　said　John；　when　they　parted；　〃this　is　probably　the　last　time　we
shall　meet　on　this　earth。　　God　bless　you。　　Perhaps　somewhere　we　shall
renew　our　friendship。〃

〃John；〃　was　the　answer；　〃this　day　has　been　worth　thousands　of　dollars　to
me。　　We　were　like　brothers　once；　and　I　feel　that　we　are　the　same　now。　
Good…by；　John。　　I'll　try　to　meet　yousomewhere。〃




CCXXII

A　PROPHET　HONORED　IN　HIS　COUNTRY

Clemens　left　next　day　for　Columbia。　　Committees　met　him　at　Rensselaer；
Monroe　City；　Clapper；　Stoutsville；　Paris；　Madison；　Moberlyat　every
station　along　the　line　of　his　travel。　　At　each　place　crowds　were　gathered
when　the　train　pulled　in；　to　cheer　and　wave　and　to　present　him　with
flowers。　　Sometimes　he　spoke　a　few　words；　but　oftener　his　eyes　were　full
of　tearshis　voice　would　not　come。

There　is　something　essentially　dramatic　in　official　recognition　by　one's
native　Statethe　return　of　the　lad　who　has　set　out　unknown　to　battle
with　life；　and　who；　having　conquered；　is　invited　back　to　be　crowned。　　No
other　honor；　however　great　and　spectacular；　is　quite　like　that；　for　there
is　in　it　a　pathos　and　a　completeness　that　are　elemental　and　stir　emotions
as　old　as　life　itself。

It　was　on　the　4th　of　June；　1902；　that　Mark　Twain　received　his　doctor　of
laws　degree　from　the　State　University　at　Columbia；　Missouri。　　James
Wilson；　Secretary　of　Agriculture；　and　Ethan　Allen　Hitchcock；　Secretary　of
the　Interior；　were　among　those　similarly　honored。　　Mark　Twain　was
naturally　the　chief　attraction。　　Dressed　in　his　Yale　scholastic　gown　he
led　the　procession　of　graduating　students；　and；　as　in　Hannibal；　awarded
them　their　diplomas。　　The　regular　exercises　were　made　purposely　brief　in
order　that　some　time　might　be　allowed　for　the　conferring　of　the　degrees。　
This　ceremony　was　a　peculiarly　impressive　one。　　Gardner　Lathrop　read　a
brief　statement　introducing　〃America's　foremost　author　and　best…loved
citizen；　Samuel　Langhorne　ClemensMark　Twain。〃

Clemens　rose；　stepped　out　to　the　center　of　the　stage；　and　paused。　　He
seemed　to　be　in　doubt　as　to　whether　he　should　make　a　speech　or　simply
express　his　thanks　and　retire。　　Suddenly；　and　without　a　signal；　the　great
audience　rose　as　one　man　and　stood　in　silence　at　his　feet。　　He　bowed；　but
he　could　not　speak。　　Then　that　vast　assembly　began　a　peculiar　chant；
spelling　out　slowly　the　word　Missouri；　with　a　pause　between　each　letter。　
It　was　dramatic；　it　was　tremendous　in　its　impressiveness。　　He　had
recovered　himself　when　they　finished。　　He　said　he　didn't　know　whether　he
was　expected　to　make　a　speech　or　not。　　They　did　not　leave'him　in　doubt。　
They　cheered　and　demanded　a　speech；　a　speech；　and　he　made　them　oneone
of　the　speeches　he　could　make　best；　full　of　quaint　phrasing；　happy　humor；
gentle　and　dramatic　pathos。　　He　closed　by　telling　the　watermelon　story
for　its　〃moral　effect。〃

He　was　the　guest　of　E。　W。　Stevens　in　Columbia；　and　a　dinner　was　given　in
his　honor。　　They　would　have　liked　to　keep　him　longer；　but　he　was　due　in
St。　Louis　again　to　join　in　the　dedication　of　the　grounds；　where　was　to　be
held　a　World's　Fair；　to　celebrate　the　Louisiana　Purchase。　　Another
ceremony　he　attended　was　the　christening　of　the　St。　Louis　harbor…boat；　or
rather　the　rechristening；　for　it　had　been　decided　to　change　its　name　from
the　St。　Louis＇Originally　the　Elon　G。　　Smith；　built　in　1873。＇to　the
Mark　Twain。　　A　short　trip　was　made　on　it　for　the　ceremony。　　Governor
Francis　and　Mayor　Wells　were　of　the　party；　and　Count　and　Countess
Rochambeau　and　Marquis　de　Lafayette；　with　the　rest　of　the　French　group
that　had　come　over　for　the　dedication　of　the　World's　Fair　grounds。

Mark　Twain　himself　was　invited　to　pilot　the　harbor　boat；　and　so　returned
for　the　last　time　to　his　old　place　at　the　wheel。　　They　all　collected　in
the　pilot…house　behind　him；　feeling　that　it　was　a　memorable　occasion。　
They　were　going　along　well　enough　when　he　saw　a　little　ripple　running　out
from　the　shore　across　the　bow。　　In　the　old　days　he　could　have　told
whether　it　indicated　a　bar　there　or　was　only　caused　by　the　wind；　but　he
could　not　be　sure　any　more。　　Turning　to　the　pilot　languidly；　he　said：
〃I　feel　a　little　tired。　　I　guess　you　had　better　take　the　wheel。〃

Luncheon　was　served　aboard；　and　Mayor　Wells　made　the　christening　speech；
then　the　Countess　Rochambeau　took　a　bottle　of　champagne　from　the　hand　of
Governor　Francis　and　smashed　it　on　the　deck；　saying；　〃　I　christen　thee；
good　boat；　Mark　Twain。〃　　So　it　was；　the　Mississippi　joined　in　according
him　honors。　　In　his　speech　of　reply　he　paid　tribute　to　those　illustrious
visitors　from　France　and　recounted　something　of　the　story　of　French
exploration　along　that　great　river。

〃The　name　of　La　Salle　will　last　as　long　as　the　river　itself；〃　he　said；
〃will　last　until　commerce　is　dead。　　We　have　allowed　the　commerce　of　the
river　to　die；　but　it　was　to　accommodate　the　railroads；　and　we　must　be
grateful。〃

Carriages　were　waiting　for　them　when　the　boat　landed　in　the　afternoon；
and　the　party　got　in　and　were　driven　to　a　house　which　had　been　identified
as　Eugene　Field's　birthplace。　　A　bronze　tablet　recording　this　fact　had
been　installed；　and　this　was　to　be　the　unveiling。　　The　place　was　not　in
an　inviting　quarter　of　the　town。　　It　stood　in　what　is　known　as　Walsh's
Rowwas　fashionable　enough　once；　perhaps；　but　long　since　fallen　into
disrepute。　　Ragged　children　played　in　the　doorways；　and　thirsty　lodgers
were　making　trips　with　tin　pails　to　convenient　bar…rooms。　　A　curious
nondescript　audience　assembled　around　the　little　group　of　dedicators；
wondering　what　it　was　all　about。　　The　tablet　was　concealed　by　the
American　flag；　which　could　be　easily　pulled　away　by　an　attached　cord。
Governor　Francis　spoke　a　few　words；　to　the　effect　that　they　had　gathered
here　to　unveil　a　tablet　to　an　American　poet；　and　that　it　was　fitting　that
Mark　Twain　should　do　this。　　They　removed　their　hats；　and　Clemens；　his
white　hair　blowing　in　the　wind；　said：

〃My　friends；　we　are　here　with　reverence　and　respect　to　commemorate　and
enshrine　in　memory　the　house　where　was　born　a　man　who；　by　his　life；　made
bright　the　lives　of　all　who　knew　him；　and　by　his　literary　efforts　cheered
the　thoughts　of　thousands　who　never　knew　him。　　I　take　pleasure　in
unveiling　the　tablet　of　Eugene　Field。〃

The　flag　fell　and　the　bronze　inscription　was　revealed。　　By　this　time　the
crowd；　generally；　had　recognized　who　it　was　that　was　speaking。　　A
working…man　proposed　three　cheers　for　Mark　Twain；　and　they　were　heartily
given。　　Then　the　little　party　drove　away；　while　the　neighborhood
collected　to　regard　the　old　house　with　a　new　interest。

It　was　reported　to　Clemens　later　that　there　was　some　dispute　as　to　the
identity　of　the　Field　birthplace。　　He　said：

〃Never　mind。　　It　is　of　no　real　consequence　whether　it　is　his　birthplace
or　not。　　A　rose　in　any　other　garden　will　bloom　as　sweet。〃




CCXXIII

AT　YORK　HARBOR

They　decided　to　spend　the　summer　at　York　Harbor；　Maine。　　They　engaged　a
cottage；　there；　and　about　the　end　of　June　Mr。　Rogers　brought　his　yacht
Kanawha　to　their　water…front　at　Riverdale；　and　in　perfect　weather　took
them　to　Maine　by　sea。　　They　landed　at　York　Harbor　and　took　possession　of
their　cottage；　The　Pines；　one　of　their　many　attractive　summer　lodges。　
Howells；　at　Kittery　Point；　was　not　far　away；　and　everything　promised　a
happy　summer。

Mrs。　Clemens　wrote　to　Mrs。　Crane：

　　　　　We　are　in　the　midst　of　pines。　　They　come　up　right　about　us；　and　the
　　　　　house　is　so　high　and　the　roots　of　the　trees　are　so　far　below　the
　　　　　veranda　that　we　are　right　in　the　branches。　　We　drove　over　to　call　on
　　　　　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Howells。　　The　drive　was　most　beautiful；　and　never　in　my
　　　　　life　have　I　seen　such　a　variety　of　wild　flowers　in　so　short　a　space。

Howells　tells　us　of　the　wide；　low　cottage　in　a　pine　grove　overlooking
York　River；　and　how　he　used　to　sit　with　Clemens　that