mark twain, a biography, 1900-1907-第47节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


minutes　and　then　we'll　go　over。　　Take　paper　and　pencil　and　make　a　few
headings。〃

There　was　a　couch　in　the　room。　　He　lay　down　while　I　sat　at　the　table　with
a　pencil；　making　headings　now　and　then；　as　he　suggested；　and　presently　he
rose　and；　shoving　the　notes　into　his　pocket；　was　ready。　　It　was　half　past
three　when　we　entered　the　committee…room；　which　was　packed　with　people
and　rather　dimly　lighted；　for　it　was　gloomy　outside。　　Herbert　Putnam；　the
librarian；　led　us　to　seats　among　the　literary　group；　and　Clemens；
removing　his　overcoat；　stood　in　that　dim　room　clad　as　in　white　armor。　
There　was　a　perceptible　stir。　　Howells；　startled　for　a　moment；　whispered：

〃What　in　the　world　did　he　wear　that　white　suit　for？〃　though　in　his　heart
he　admired　it　as　much　as　the　others。

I　don't　remember　who　was　speaking　when　we　came　in；　but　he　was　saying
nothing　important。　　Whoever　it　was；　he　was　followed　by　Dr。　Edward　Everett
Hale；　whose　age　always　commanded　respect；　and　whose　words　always　invited
interest。　　Then　it　was　Mark　Twain's　turn。　　He　did　not　stand　by　his　chair；
as　the　others　had　done；　but　walked　over　to　the　Speaker's　table；　and；
turning；　faced　his　audience。　　I　have　never　seen　a　more　impressive　sight
than　that　snow…white　figure　in　that　dim…lit；　crowded　room。　　He　never
touched　his　notes；　he　didn't　even　remember　them。　　He　began　in　that　even；
quiet；　deliberate　voice　of　his　the　most　even；　the　most　quiet；　the　most
deliberate　voice　in　the　worldand；　without　a　break　or　a　hesitation　for　a
word；　he　delivered　a　copyright　argument；　full　of　humor　and　serious
reasoning；　such　a　speech　as　no　one　in　that　room；　I　suppose；　had　ever
heard。　　Certainly　it　was　a　fine　and　dramatic　bit　of　impromptu　pleading。
The　weary　committee；　which　had　been　tortured　all　day　with　dull；
statistical　arguments　made　by　the　mechanical　device　fiends；　and　dreary
platitudes　unloaded　by　men　whose　chief　ambition　was　to　shine　as　copyright
champions；　suddenly　realized　that　they　were　being　rewarded　for　the　long
waiting。　　They　began　to　brighten　and　freshen；　and　uplift　and　smile；　like
flowers　that　have　been　wilted　by　a　drought　when　comes　the　refreshing
shower　that　means　renewed　life　and　vigor。　　Every　listener　was　as　if
standing　on　tiptoe。　　When　the　last　sentence　was　spoken　the　applause　came
like　an　explosion。　＇Howells　in　his　book　My　Mark　Twain　speaks　of
Clemens's　white　clothing　as　〃an　inspiration　which　few　men　would　have　had
the　courage　to　act　upon。〃　　He　adds：　　〃The　first　time　I　saw　him　wear　it
was　at　the　authors'　hearing　before　the　Congressional　Committee　on
Copyright　in　Washington。　　Nothing　could　have　been　more　dramatic　than　the
gesture　with　which　he　flung　off　his　long；　loose　overcoat　and　stood　forth
in　white　from　his　feet　to　the　crown　of　his　silvery　head。　　It　was　a
magnificent　coup；　and　he　dearly　loved　a　coup；　but　the　magnificent　speech
which　he　made；　tearing　to　shreds　the　venerable　farrago　of　nonsense　about
nonproperty　in　ideas　which　had　formed　the　basis　of　all　copyright
legislation；　made　you　forget　even　his　spectacularity。〃＇

There　came　a　universal　rush　of　men　and　women　to　get　near　enough　for　a
word　and　to　shake　his　hand。　　But　he　was　anxious　to　get　away。　　We　drove　to
the　Willard　and　talked　and　smoked；　and　got　ready　for　dinner。　　He　was
elated；　and　said　the　occasion　required　full…dress。　　We　started　down　at
last；　fronted　and　frocked　like　penguins。

I　did　not　realize　then　the　fullness　of　his　love　for　theatrical　effect。
I　supposed　he　would　want　to　go　down　with　as　little　ostentation　as
possible；　so　took　him　by　the　elevator　which　enters　the　dining…room
without　passing　through　the　long　corridor　known　as　〃Peacock　Alley；〃
because　of　its　being　a　favorite　place　for　handsomely　dressed　fashionables
of　the　national　capital。　　When　we　reached　the　entrance　of　the　dining…room
he　said：

〃Isn't　there　another　entrance　to　this　place？〃

I　said　there　was；　but　that　it　was　very　conspicuous。　　We　should　have　to　go
down　the　long　corridor。

〃Oh；　well；〃　he　said；　〃　I　don't　mind　that。　　Let's　go　back　and　try　it
over。〃

So　we　went　back　up　the　elevator；　walked　to　the　other　end　of　the　hotel；
and　came　down　to　the　F　Street　entrance。　　There　is　a　fine；　stately　flight
of　stepsa　really　royal　stairleading　from　this　entrance　down　into
〃Peacock　Alley。〃　　To　slowly　descend　that　flight　is　an　impressive　thing　to
do。　　It　is　like　descending　the　steps　of　a　throne…room；　or　to　some　royal
landing…place　where　Cleopatra's　barge　might　lie。　　I　confess　that　I　was
somewhat　nervous　at　the　awfulness　of　the　occasion；　but　I　reflected　that　I
was　powerfully　protected；　so　side　by　side；　both　in　full…dress；　white
ties；　white…silk　waistcoats；　and　all；　we　came　down　that　regal　flight。

Of　course　he　was　seized　upon　at　once　by　a　lot　of　feminine　admirers；　and
the　passage　along　the　corridor　was　a　perpetual　gantlet。　　I　realize　now
that　this　gave　the　dramatic　finish　to　his　day；　and　furnished　him　with
proper　appetite　for　his　dinner。　　I　did　not　again　make　the　mistake　of
taking　him　around　to　the　more　secluded　elevator。　　I　aided　and　abetted　him
every　evening　in　making　that　spectacular　descent　of　the　royal　stairway；
and　in　running　that　fair　and　frivolous　gantlet　the　length　of　〃Peacock
Alley。〃　　The　dinner　was　a　continuous　reception。　　No　sooner　was　he　seated
than　this　Congressman　and　that　Senator　came　over　to　shake　hands　with　Mark
Twain。　　Governor　Francis　of　Missouri　also　came。　　Eventually　Howells
drifted　in；　and　Clemens　reviewed　the　day；　its　humors　and　successes。　　Back
in　the　rooms　at　last　he　summed　up　the　progress　thus　farsmoked；　laughed
over　〃Uncle　Joe's〃　surrender　to　the　〃copyright　bandits；〃　and　turned　in
for　the　night。

We　were　at　the　Capitol　headquarters　in　Speaker　Cannon's　private　room
about　eleven　o'clock　next　morning。　　Clemens　was　not　in　the　best　humor
because　I　had　allowed　him　to　oversleep。　　He　was　inclined　to　be
discouraged　at　the　prospect；　and　did　not　believe　many　of　the　members
would　come　down　to　see　him。　　He　expressed　a　wish　for　some　person　of
influence　and　wide　acquaintance；　and　walked　up　and　down；　smoking
gloomily。　　I　slipped　out　and　found　the　Speaker's　colored　body…guard；
Neal；　and　suggested　that　Mr。　Clemens　was　ready　now　to　receive　the
members。

That　was　enough。　　They　began　to　arrive　immediately。　　John　Sharp　Williams
came　first；　then　Boutell；　from　Illinois；　Littlefield；　of　Maine；　and　after
them　a　perfect　procession；　including　all　the　leading　lightsDalzell；
Champ　Clark；　McCallone　hundred　and　eighty　or　so　in　all　during　the　next
three　or　four　hours。

Neal　announced　each　name　at　the　door；　and　in　turn　I　announced　it　to
Clemens　when　the　press　was　not　too　great。　　He　had　provided　boxes　of
cigars；　and　the　room　was　presently　blue　with　smoke；　Clemens　in　his　white
suit　in　the　midst　of　it；　surrounded　by　those　darker　figuresshaking
hands；　dealing　out　copyright　gospel　and　anecdoteshappy　and　wonderfully
excited。　　There　were　chairs；　but　usually　there　was　only　standing　room。　
He　was　on　his　feet　for　several　hours　and　talked　continually；　but　when　at
last　it　was　over；　and　Champ　Clark；　who　I　believe　remained　longest　and　was
most　enthusiastic　in　the　movement；　had　bade　him　good…by；　he　declared　that
he　was　not　a　particle　tired；　and　added：

〃I　believe　if　our　bill　could　be　presented　now　it　would　pass。〃

He　was　highly　elated；　and　pronounced　everything　a　perfect　success。　　Neal；
who　was　largely　responsible　for　the　triumph；　received　a　ten…dollar　bill。

We　drove　to　the　hotel　and　dined　that　night　with　the　Dodges；　who　had　been
neighbors　at　Riverdale。　　Later；　the　usual　crowd　of　admirers　gathered
around　him；　among　them　I　remember　the　minister　from　Costa　Rica；　the
Italian　minister；　and　others　of　the　diplomatic　service；　most　of　whom　he
had　known　during　his　European　residence。　　Some　one　told　of　traveling　in
India　and　China；　and　how　a　certain　Hindu　〃god〃　who　had　exchanged
autographs　with　Mark　Twain　during　his　sojourn　there　was　familiar　with
only　two　other　American　namesGeorge　Washington　and　Chicago；　while　the
King　of　Siam　had　read　but　three　English　booksthe　Bible；　Bryce's
American　Commonwealth；　and　The　Innocents　Abroad。

We　were　at　Thomas　Nelson　Page's　for　dinner　next　eveninga　wonderfully
beautiful　home；　full　of　art　treasures。　　A　number　of　guests　had　been
invited。　　Clemens　naturally　led　the　dinner…talk；　which　eventually　drifted
to　reading。　　He　told　of　Mrs。　Clemens's　embarrassment　when　Stepniak　had
visited　them　and　talked　books；　and　asked　her　what　her　husband　thought　of
Balzac；　Thackeray；　and　the　others。　　She　had　been　obliged　to　say　that　he
had　not　read　them。

〃'How　interesting！'　said　Stepniak。　　But　it　wasn't　interesting　to　Mrs。
Clemens。　　It　was　torture。〃

He　was　light…spirited　and　gay；　but　recalling　Mrs。　Clemens　saddened　him；
perhaps；　for　he　was　silent　as　we　drove　to　the　hotel；　and　after　he　was　in
bed　he　said；　with　a　weary　despair　which　even　the　words　do　not　convey：

〃If　I　had　been　there　a　minute　earlier；　it　is　possibleit　is　possible
that　she　might　have　died　in　my　arms。　　Sometimes　I　think　that　perhaps
there　was　an　instanta　single　instantwhen　she　realized　that　she　was
dying　and　that　I　was　not　there。〃

In　New　York　I　had　once　brought　him　a　print　of　the　superb　〃Adams
Memorial；〃　by　Saint…Gaudensthe　bronze　woman　who　sits　in　the　still　court
in　the　Rock　Creek　Cem