mark twain, a biography, 1866-1875-第15节

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had　vastly　altered　since　the　beginning　of　that　correspondence。　　Some　of
the　chapters　he　rewrote；　others　he　eliminated　entirely。　　It　required　two
months　of　fairly　steady　work　to　put　the　big　manuscript　together。

Some　of　the　new　chapters　he　gave　to　Bret　Harte　for　the　Overland　Monthly；
then　recently　established。　　Harte　himself　was　becoming　a　celebrity　about
this　time。　　His　〃Luck　of　Roaring　Camp〃　and　〃The　Outcasts　of　Poker　Flat；〃
published　in　early　numbers　of　the　Overland；　were　making　a　great　stir　in
the　East；　arousing　there　a　good　deal　more　enthusiasm　than　in　the　magazine
office　or　the　city　of　their　publication。　　That　these　two　friends；　each
supreme　in　his　own　field；　should　have　entered　into　their　heritage　so
nearly　at　the　same　moment；　is　one　of　the　many　seemingly　curious
coincidences　of　literary　history。

Clemens　now　concluded　to　cover　his　lecture　circuit　of　two　years　before。
He　was　assured　that　it　would　be　throwing　away　a　precious　opportunity　not
to　give　his　new　lecture　to　his　old　friends。　　The　result　justified　that
opinion。　　At　Virginia；　at　Carson；　and　elsewhere　he　was　received　like　a
returned　conqueror。　　He　might　have　been　accorded　a　Roman　triumph　had
there　been　time　and　paraphernalia。　　Even　the　robbers　had　reformed；　and
entire　safety　was　guaranteed　him　on　the　Divide　between　Virginia　and　Gold
Hill。　　At　Carson　he　called　on　Mrs。　Curry；　as　in　the　old　days；　and　among
other　things　told　her　how　snow　from　the　Lebanon　Mountains　is　brought　to
Damascus　on　the　backs　of　camels。

〃Sam；〃　she　said；　〃that's　just　one　of　your　yarns；　and　if　you　tell　it　in
your　lecture　to…night　I'll　get　right　up　and　say　so。〃

But　he　did　tell　it；　for　it　was　a　fact；　and　though　Mrs。　Curry　did　not　rise
to　deny　it　she　shook　her　finger　at　him　in　a　way　he　knew。

He　returned　to　San　Francisco　and　gave　one　more　lecture；　the　last　he　would
ever　give　in　California。　　His　preparatory　advertising　for　that　occasion
was　wholly　unique；　characteristic　of　him　to　the　last　degree。　　It　assumed
the　form　of　a　handbill　of　protest；　supposed　to　have　been　issued　by　the
foremost　citizens　of　San　Francisco；　urging　him　to　return　to　the　States
without　inflicting　himself　further　upon　them。　　As　signatures　he　made　free
with　the　names　of　prominent　individuals；　followed　by　those　of
organizations；　institutions；　〃Various　Benevolent　Societies；　Citizens　on
Foot　and　Horseback；　and　fifteen　hundred　in　the　Steerage。〃

Following　this　（on　the　same　bill）　was　his　reply；　〃To　the　fifteen　hundred
and　others；〃　in　which　he　insisted　on　another　hearing：

　　　　　I　will　torment　the　people　if　I　want　to。。。。　　It　only　costs　the　people
　　　　　1　apiece；　and　if　they　can't　stand　it　what　do　they　stay　here　for？。。。
　　　　　My　last　lecture　was　not　as　fine　as　I　thought　it　was；　but　I　have
　　　　　submitted　this　discourse　to　several　able　critics；　and　they　have
　　　　　pronounced　it　good。　　Now；　therefore；　why　should　I　withhold　it？

He　promised　positively　to　sail　on　the　6th　of　July　if　they　would　let　him
talk　just　this　once。　　Continuing；　the　handbill　presented　a　second
protest；　signed　by　the　various　clubs　and　business　firms；　also　others
bearing　variously　the　signatures　of　the　newspapers；　and　the　clergy；
ending　with　the　brief　word：

　　　　　You　had　better　go。　　　　Yours；　　　　CHIEF　OF　POLICE。

All　of　which　drollery　concluded　with　his　announcement　of　place　and　date
of　his　lecture；　with　still　further　gaiety　at　the　end。　　Nothing　short　of　a
seismic　cataclysman　earthquake；　in　factcould　deter　a　San　Francisco
audience　after　that。　　Mark　Twain's　farewell　address；　given　at　the
Mercantile　Library　July　2　（1868）；　doubtless　remains　today　the　leading
literary　event　in　San　Francisco's　history。　　＇Copy　of　the　lecture
announcement；　complete；　will　be　found　in　Appendix　H；　at　the　end　of　last
volume。＇

He　sailed　July　6th　by　the　Pacific　mail　steamer　Montana　to　Acapulco；
caught　the　Henry　Chauncey　at　Aspinwall；　reached　New　York　on　the　28th；　and
a　day　or　two　later　had　delivered　his　manuscript　at　Hartford。

But　a　further　difficulty　had　arisen。　　Bliss　was　having　troubles　himself；
this　time；　with　his　directors。　　Many　reports　of　Mark　Twain's　new　book　had
been　traveling　the　rounds　of　the　press；　some　of　which　declared　it　was　to
be　irreverent；　even　blasphemous；　in　tone。　　The　title　selected；　The　New
Pilgrim's　Progress；　was　in　itself　a　sacrilege。　　Hartford　was　a
conservative　place；　the　American　Publishing　Company　directors　were　of
orthodox　persuasion。　　They　urged　Bliss　to　relieve　the　company　of　this
impending　disaster　of　heresy。　　When　the　author　arrived　one　or　more　of
them　labored　with　him　in　person；　without　avail。　　As　for　Bliss；　he　was
stanch；　he　believed　in　the　book　thoroughly；　from　every　standpoint。　　He
declared　if　the　company　refused　to　print　it　he　would　resign　the
management　and　publish　the　book　himself。　　This　was　an　alarming　suggestion
to　the　stockholders。　　Bliss　had　returned　dividendsa　boon　altogether　too
rare　in　the　company's　former　history。　　The　objectors　retired　and　were
heard　of　no　more。　　The　manuscript　was　placed　in　the　hands　of　Fay　and　Cox；
illustrators；　with　an　order　for　about　two　hundred　and　fifty　pictures。

Fay　and　Cox　turned　it　over　to　True　Williams；　one　of　the　well…known
illustrators　of　that　day。　　Williams　was　a　man　of　great　talentof　fine
imagination　and　sweetness　of　spiritbut　it　was　necessary　to　lock　him　in
a　room　when　industry　was　required；　with　nothing　more　exciting　than　cold
water　as　a　beverage。　　Clemens　himself　aided　in　the　illustrating　by
obtaining　of　Moses　S。　Beach　photographs　from　the　large　collection　he　had
brought　home。




LXVII

A　VISIT　TO　ELMIRA

Meantime　he　had　skilfully　obtained　a　renewal　of　the　invitation　to　spend　a
week　in　the　Langdon　home。

He　meant　to　go　by　a　fast　train；　but；　with　his　natural　gift　for
misunderstanding　time…tables；　of　course　took　a　slow　one；　telegraphing　his
approach　from　different　stations　along　the　road。　　Young　Langdon　concluded
to　go　down　the　line　as　far　as　Waverly　to　meet　him。　　When　the　New　York
train　reached　there　the　young　man　found　his　guest　in　the　smoking…car；
travel…stained　and　distressingly　clad。　　Mark　Twain　was　always
scrupulously　neat　and　correct　of　dress　in　later　years；　but　in　that
earlier　day　neatness　and　style　had　not　become　habitual　and　did　not　give
him　comfort。　　Langdon　greeted　him　warmly　but　with　doubt。　　Finally　he
summoned　courage　to　say；　hesitatingly

〃You've　got　some　other　clothes；　haven't　you？〃

The　arriving　guest　was　not　in　the　least　disturbed。

〃Oh　yes；〃　he　said　with　enthusiasm；　〃　I've　got　a　fine　brand…new　outfit　in
this　bag；　all　but　a　hat。　　It　will　be　late　when　we　get　in；　and　I　won't　see
any　one　to…night。　　You　won't　know　me　in　the　morning。　　We'll　go　out　early
and　get　a　hat。〃

This　was　a　large　relief　to　the　younger　man；　and　the　rest　of　the　journey
was　happy　enough。　　True　to　promise；　the　guest　appeared　at　daylight
correctly；　even　elegantly　clad；；　and　an　early　trip　to　the　shops　secured
the　hat。　　A　gay　and　happy　week　followeda　week　during　which　Samuel
Clemens　realized　more　fully　than　ever　that　in　his　heart　there　was　room
for　only　one　woman　in　all　the　world：　Olivia　Langdon〃Livy；〃　as　they　all
called　herand　as　the　day　of　departure　drew　near　it　may　be　that　the
gentle　girl　had　made　some　discoveries；　too。

No　word　had　passed　between　them。　　Samuel　Clemens　had　the　old…fashioned
Southern　respect　for　courtship　conventions；　and　for　what；　in　that　day　at
least；　was　regarded　as　honor。　　On　the　morning　of　the　final　day　he　said　to
young　Langdon：

〃Charley；　my　week　is　up；　and　I　must　go　home。〃

The　young　man　expressed　a　regret　which　was　genuine　enough；　though　not
wholly　unqualified。　　His　older　sister；　Mrs。　Crane；　leaving　just　then　for
a　trip　to　the　White　Mountains；　had　said：

〃Charley；　I　am　sure　Mr。　Clemens　is　after　our　Livy。　　You　mustn't　let　him
carry　her　off　before　our　return。〃

The　idea　was　a　disturbing　one。　　The　young　man　did　not　urge　his　guest　to
prolong　his…visit。　　He　said：

〃We'll　have　to　stand　it；　I　guess；　but　you　mustn't　leave　before　to…night。〃

〃I　ought　to　go　by　the　first　train；〃　Clemens　said；　gloomily。　　〃I　am　in
love。〃

〃In　what！〃

〃In　love…with　your　sister；　and　I　ought　to　get　away　from　here。〃

The　young　man　was　now　very　genuinely　alarmed。　　To　him　Mark　Twain　was　a
highly　gifted；　fearless；　robust　mana　man's　manand　as　such　altogether
admirablelovable。　　But　OliviaLivyshe　was　to　him　little　short　of　a
saint。　　No　man　was　good　enough　for　her；　certainly　not　this　adventurous
soldier　of　letters　from　the　West。　　Delightful　he　was　beyond　doubt；
adorable　as　a　companion；　but　not　a　companion　for　Livy。

〃Look　here；　Clemens；〃　he　said；　when　he　could　get　his　voice。　　〃There's　a
train　in　half　an　hour。　　I'll　help　you　catch　it。　　Don't　wait　till　to…
night。　　Go　now。〃

Clemens　shook　his　head。

〃No；　Charley；〃　he　said；　in　his　gentle　drawl；　〃I　want　to　enjoy　your
hospitality　a　little　longer。　　I　promise　to　be　circumspect；　and　I'll　go
to…night。〃

That　night；　after　dinner；　when　it　was　time　to　take　the　New　York　train；　a
light　two…seated　wagon　was　at　the　gate。　　The　coachman　was　in　front；　and
young　Langdon　and　his　guest　took　the　back　seat。　　For　some　reason　the　seat
had　not　been　locked　in　its　place；　and　when；　after　the　good…bys；　the
coachman　touched　the　horse　it　made　a　quick　spring　forward；　and　the　b