mark twain, a biography, 1866-1875-第13节

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He　remembered　afterward　that　Dickens　wore　a　black　velvet　coat　with　a
fiery　red　flower　in　his　buttonhole；　and　that　he　read　the　storm　scene　from
Copperfieldthe　death　of　James　Steerforth。　　But　he　remembered　still　more
clearly　the　face　and　dress　of　that　slender　girlish　figure　at　his　side。

Olivia　Langdon　was　twenty…two　years　old　at　this　time；　delicate　as　the
miniature　he　had　seen；　fragile　to　look　upon；　though　no　longer　with　the
shattered　health　of　her　girlhood。　　At　sixteen；　through　a　fall　upon　the
ice；　she　had　become　a　complete　invalid；　confined　to　her　bed　for　two
years；　unable　to　sit；　even　when　supported；　unable　to　lie　in　any　position
except　upon　her　back。　　Great　physicians　and　surgeons；　one　after　another；
had　done　their　best　for　her　but　she　had　failed　steadily　until　every　hope
had　died。　　Then；　when　nothing　else　was　left　to　try；　a　certain　Doctor
Newton；　of　spectacular　celebrity；　who　cured　by　〃laying　on　of　hands；〃　was
brought　to　Elmira　to　see　her。　　Doctor　Newton　came　into　the　darkened　room
and　said：

〃Open　the　windowswe　must　have　light！〃

They　protested　that　she　could　not　bear　the　light；　but　the　windows　were
opened。　　Doctor　Newton　came　to　the　bedside　of　the　helpless　girl；
delivered　a　short；　fervent　prayer；　put　his　arm　under　her　shoulders；　and
bade　her　sit　up。　　She　had　not　moved　for　two　years；　and　the　family　were
alarmed；　but　she　obeyed；　and　he　assisted　her　into　a　chair。　　Sensation
came　back　to　her　limbs。　　With　his　assistance　she　even　made　a　feeble
attempt　to　walk。　　He　left　then；　saying　that　she　would　gradually　improve；
and　in　time　be　well；　though　probably　never　very　strong。　　On　the　same　day
he　healed　a　boy；　crippled　and　drawn　with　fever。

It　turned　out　as　he　had　said。　　Olivia　Langdon　improved　steadily；　and　now
at　twenty…two；　though　not　robustshe　was　never　thatshe　was
comparatively　well。　　Gentle；　winning；　lovable；　she　was　the　family　idol；
and　Samuel　Clemens　joined　in　their　worship　from　the　moment　of　that　first
meeting。

Olivia　Langdon；　on　her　part；　was　at　first　dazed　and　fascinated；　rather
than　attracted；　by　this　astonishing　creature；　so　unlike　any　one　she　had
ever　known。　　Her　life　had　been　circumscribed；　her　experiences　of　a　simple
sort。　　She　had　never　seen　anything　resembling　him　before。　　Indeed；　nobody
had。　　Somewhat　carelessly；　even　if　correctly；　attired；　eagerly；　rather
than　observantly；　attentive；　brilliant　and　startling；　rather　than
cultured；　of　speecha　blazing　human　solitaire；　unfashioned；　unset；
tossed　by　the　drift　of　fortune　at　her　feet。　　He　disturbed　rather　than
gratified　her。　　She　sensed　his　heresy　toward　the　conventions　and　forms
which　had　been　her　gospel；　his　bantering；　indifferent　attitude　toward
lifeto　her　always　so　serious　and　sacred；　she　suspected　that　he　even
might　have　unorthodox　views　on　matters　of　religion。　　When　he　had　gone　she
somehow　had　the　feeling　that　a　great　fiery　meteor　of　unknown　portent　had
swept　across　her　sky。

To　her　brother；　who　was　eager　for　her　approval　of　his　celebrity；　Miss
Langdon　conceded　admiration。　　As　for　her　father；　he　did　not　qualify　his
opinion。　　With　hearty　sense　of　humor；　and　a　keen　perception　of　verity　and
capability　in　men；　Jervis　Langdon　accepted　Samuel　Clemens　from　the　start；
and　remained　his　stanch　admirer　and　friend。　　Clemens　left　that　night　with
an　invitation　to　visit　Elmira　by　and　by；　and　with　the　full　intention　of
goingsoon。　　Fate；　however；　had　another　plan。　　He　did　not　see　Elmira　for
the　better　part　of　a　year。

He　saw　Miss　Langdon　again　within　the　week。　　On　New…Year's　Day　he　set
forth　to　pay　calls；　after　the　fashion　of　the　timemore　lavish　then　than
now。　　Miss　Langdon　was　receiving　with　Miss　Alice　Hooker；　a　niece　of　Henry
Ward　Beecher；　at　the　home　of　a　Mrs。　Berry；　he　decided　to　go　there　first。
With　young　Langdon　he　arrived　at　eleven　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and　they
did　not　leave　until　midnight。　　If　his　first　impression　upon　Olivia
Langdon　had　been　meteoric；　it　would　seem　that　he　must　now　have　become　to
her　as　a　streaming　comet　that　swept　from　zenith　to　horizon。　　One　thing　is
certain：　she　had　become　to　him　the　single；　unvarying　beacon　of　his　future
years。　　He　visited　Henry　Ward　Beecher　on　that　trip　and　dined　with　him　by
invitation。　　Harriet　Beecher　Stowe　was　present；　and　others　of　that
eminent　family。　　Likewise　his　old　Quaker　City　comrades；　Moses　S。　　and
Emma　Beach。　　It　was　a　brilliant　gathering；　a　conclave　of　intellectual
godsa　triumph　to　be　there　for　one　who　had　been　a　printer…boy　on　the
banks　of　the　Mississippi；　and　only　a　little　while　before　a　miner　with
pick　and　shovel。　　It　was　gratifying　to　be　so　honored；　it　would　be
pleasant　to　write　home；　but　the　occasion　lacked　something　too
everything；　in　factfor　when　he　ran　his　eye　around　the　board　the　face　of
the　minature　was　not　there。

Still　there　were　compensations；　inadequate；　of　course；　but　pleasant
enough　to　remember。　　It　was　Sunday　evening　and　the　party　adjourned　to
Plymouth　Church。　　After　services　Mr。　Beecher　invited　him　to　return　home
with　him　for　a　quiet　talk。　　Evidently　they　had　a　good　time；　for　in　the
letter　telling　of　these　things　Samuel　Clemens　said：　〃Henry　Ward　Beecher
is　a　brick。〃




LXV

A　CONTRACT　WITH　ELISHA　BLISS；　JR。

He　returned　to　Washington　without　seeing　Miss　Langdon　again；　though　he
would　seem　to　have　had　permission　to　writefriendly　letters。　　A　little
later　（it　was　on　the　evening　of　January　9th）　he　lectured　in　Washington
on　very　brief　notice　indeed。　　The　arrangement　for　his　appearance　had　been
made　by　a　friend　during　his　absence〃a　friend；〃　Clemens　declared
afterward；　〃not　entirely　sober　at　the　time。〃　　To　his　mother　he　wrote：

I　scared　up　a　doorkeeper　and　was　ready　at　the　proper　time；　and　by　pure
good　luck　a　tolerably　good　house　assembled　and　I　was　saved。　　I　hardly
knew　what　I　was　going　to　talk　about；　but　it　went　off　in　splendid　style。

The　title　of　the　lecture　delivered　was　〃The　Frozen　Truth〃〃more　truth　in
the　title　than　in　the　lecture；〃　according　to　his　own　statement。　　What　it
dealt　with　is　not　remembered　now。　　It　had　to　do　with　the　Quaker　City
trip；　perhaps；　and　it　seems　to　have　brought　a　financial　return　which　was
welcome　enough。　　Subsequently　he　delivered　it　elsewhere；　though　just　how
far　the　tour　extended　cannot　be　learned　from　the　letters；　and　he　had　but
little　memory　of　it　in　later　years。

There　was　some　further　correspondence　with　Bliss；　then　about　the　21st　of
January　（1868）　Clemens　made　a　trip　to　Hartford　to　settle　the　matter。
Bliss　had　been　particularly　anxious　to　meet　him；　personally　and　was　a
trifle　disappointed　with　his　appearance。　　Mark　Twain's　traveling　costume
was　neither　new　nor　neat；　and　he　was　smoking　steadily　a　pipe　of　power。
His　general　make…up　was　hardly　impressive。

Bliss's　disturbance　was　momentary。　　Once　he　began　to　talk　the　rest　did
not　matter。　　He　was　the　author　of　those　letters；　and　Bliss　decided　that
personally　he　was　even　greater　than　they。　　The　publisher；　confined　to　his
home　with　illness；　offered　him　the　hospitality　of　his　household。　　Also；
he　made　him　two　propositions：　he　would　pay　him　ten　thousand　dollars　cash
for　his　copyright；　or　he　would　pay　five　per　cent。　royalty；　which　was　a
fourth　more　than　Richardson　had　received。　　He　advised　the　latter
arrangement。

Clemens　had　already　taken　advice　and　had　discussed　the　project　a　good
deal　with　Richardson。　　The　ten　thousand　dollars　was　a　heavy　temptation；
but　he　withstood　it　and　closed　on　the　royalty　basis〃the　best　business
judgment　I　ever　displayed；〃　he　was　wont　to　declare。　　A　letter　written　to
his　mother　and　sister　near　the　end　of　this　Hartford　stay　is　worth　quoting
pretty　fully　here；　for　the　information　and　〃character〃　it　contains。　　It
bears　date　of　January　24th。

　　　　　This　is　a　good　week　for　me。　　I　stopped　in　the　Herald　office；　as　I
　　　　　came　through　New　York；　to　see　the　boys　on　the　staff；　and　young　James
　　　　　Gordon　Bennett　asked　me　to　write　twice　a　week；　impersonally；　for　the
　　　　　Herald；　and　said　if　I　would　I　might　have　full　swing；　and　about
　　　　　anybody　and　everything　I　wanted　to。　　I　said　I　must　have　the　very
　　　　　fullest　possible　swing；　and　he　said；　〃All　right。〃　　I　said；　〃It's　a
　　　　　contract〃　and　that　settled　that　matter。

　　　　　I'll　make　it　a　point　to　write　one　letter　a　week　anyhow。　　But　the
　　　　　best　thing　that　has　happened　is　here。　　This　great　American
　　　　　Publishing　Company　kept　on　trying　to　bargain　with　me　for　a　book　till
　　　　　I　thought　I　would　cut　the　matter　short　by　coming　up　for　a　talk。　　I
　　　　　met　Henry　Ward　Beecher　in　Brooklyn；　and　with　his　usual　whole…souled
　　　　　way　of　dropping　his　own　work　to　give　other　people　a　lift　when　he
　　　　　gets　a　chance；　he　said：　〃Now；　here；　you　are　one　of　the　talented　men
　　　　　of　the　agenobody　is　going　to　deny　thatbut　in　matters　of　business
　　　　　I　don't　suppose　you　know　more　than　enough　to　come　in　when　it　rains。
　　　　　I'll　tell　you　what　to　do　and　how　to　do　it。〃　　And　he　did。

　　　　　And　I　listened　well；　and　then　came　up　here　and　made　a　splendid
　　　　　contract　for　a　Quaker　City　book　of　5　or　600　large　pages；　with
　　　　　illustrations；　the　manuscript　to　be　placed　in　the　publisher's　hands
　　　　　by　the　middle　of　July。　　＇The　contract　was　not　a　formal　one。　　There
　　　　　was　an　exchange　of　letters　agreeing　to　the　terms；　but　no　joint
　　　　　document　was　dra