mark twain, a biography, 1866-1875-第16节

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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　back
seat；　with　both　passengers；　described　a　half…circle　and　came　down　with
force　on　the　cobbled　street。　　Neither　passenger　was　seriously　hurt；
Clemens　not　at　allonly　dazed　a　little　for　a　moment。　　Then　came　an
inspiration；　here　was　a　chance　to　prolong　his　visit。　　Evidently　it　was
not　intended　that　he　should　take　that　train。　　When　the　Langdon　household
gathered　around　with　restoratives　he　did　not　recover　too　quickly。　　He
allowed　them　to　support　or　carry　him　into　the　house　and　place　him　in　an
arm…chair　and　apply　remedies。　　The　young　daughter　of　the　house　especially
showed　anxiety　and　attention。　　This　was　pure　happiness。　　He　was　perjuring
himself；　of　course；　but　they　say　Jove　laughs　at　such　things。

He　recovered　in　a　day　or　two；　but　the　wide　hospitality　of　the　handsome
Langdon　home　was　not　only　offered　now；　it　was　enforced。　　He　was　still
there　two　weeks　later；　after　which　he　made　a　trip　to　Cleveland　to　confide
in　Mrs。　Fairbanks　how　he　intended　to　win　Livy　Langdon　for　his　wife。




LXVIII

THE　REV。　〃JOE〃　TWICHELL

He　returned　to　Hartford　to　look　after　the　progress　of　his　book。　　Some　of
it　was　being　put　into　type；　and　with　his　mechanical　knowledge　of　such
things　he　was　naturally　interested　in　the　process。

He　made　his　headquarters　with　the　Blisses；　then　living　at　821　Asylum
Avenue；　and　read　proof　in　a　little　upper　room；　where　the　lamp　was　likely
to　be　burning　most　of　the　time；　where　the　atmosphere　was　nearly　always
blue　with　smoke；　and　the　window…sill　full　of　cigar　butts。　　Mrs。　Bliss
took　him　into　the　quiet　social　life　of　the　neighborhoodto　small　church
receptions；　society　gatherings　and　the　likeall　of　which　he　seemed　to
enjoy。　　Most　of　the　dwellers　in　that　neighborhood　were　members　of　the
Asylum　Hill　Congregational　Church；　then　recently　completed；　all　but　the
spire。　　It　was　a　cultured　circle；　well…off　in　the　world's　goods；　its　male
members；　for　the　most　part；　concerned　in　various　commercial　ventures。

The　church　stood　almost　across　the　way　from　the　Bliss　home；　and　Mark
Twain；　with　his　picturesque　phrasing；　referred　to　it　as　the　〃stub…tailed
church；〃　on　account　of　its　abbreviated　spire；　also；　later；　with　a
knowledge　of　its　prosperous　membership；　as　the　〃Church　of　the　Holy
Speculators。〃　　He　was　at　an　evening　reception　in　the　home　of　one　of　its
members　when　he　noticed　a　photograph　of　the　unfinished　building　framed
and　hanging　on　the　wall。

〃Why；　yes；〃　he　commented；　in　his　slow　fashion；　〃this　is　the　'　Church　of
the　Holy　Speculators。'〃

〃Sh；〃　cautioned　Mrs。　Bliss。　　〃Its　pastor　is　just　behind　you。　　He　knows
your　work　and　wants　to　meet　you。〃　　Turning；　she　said：　〃Mr。　Twichell；　this
is　Mr。　Clemens。　　Most　people　know　him　as　Mark　Twain。〃

And　so；　in　this　casual　fashion；　he　met　the　man　who　was　presently　to
become　his　closest　personal　friend　and　counselor；　and　would　remain　so　for
more　than　forty　years。

Joseph　Hopkins　Twichell　was　a　man　about　his　own　age；　athletic　and
handsome；　a　student　and　a　devout　Christian；　yet　a　man　familiar　with　the
world；　fond　of　sports；　with　an　exuberant　sense　of　humor　and　a　wide
understanding　of　the　frailties　of　humankind。　　He　had　been　〃port　waist
oar〃　at　Yale；　and　had　left　college　to　serve　with　General　〃Dan〃　Sickles　as
a　chaplain　who　had　followed　his　duties　not　only　in　the　camp；　but　on　the
field。

Mention　has　already　been　made　of　Mark　Twain's　natural　leaning　toward
ministers　of　the　gospel；　and　the　explanation　of　it　is　easier　to　realize
than　to　convey。　　He　was　hopelessly　unorthodoxrankly　rebellious　as　to
creeds。　　Anything　resembling　cant　or　the　curtailment　of　mental　liberty
roused　only　his　resentment　and　irony。　　Yet　something　in　his　heart　always
warmed　toward　any　laborer　in　the　vineyard；　and　if　we　could　put　the
explanation　into　a　single　sentence；　perhaps　we　might　say　it　was　because
he　could　meet　them　on　that　wide；　common　ground　sympathy　with　mankind。
Mark　Twain's　creed；　then　and　always；　may　be　put　into　three　words；
〃liberty；　justice；　humanity。〃　　It　may　be　put　into　one　word；　〃humanity。〃

Ministers　always　loved　Mark　Twain。　　They　did　not　always　approve　of　him；
but　they　adored　him：　The　Rev。　Mr。　Rising；　of　the　Comstock；　was　an　early
example　of　his　ministerial　friendships；　and　we　have　seen　that　Henry　Ward
Beecher　cultivated　his　company。　　In　a　San　Francisco　letter　of　two　years
before；　Mark　Twain　wrote　his　mother；　thinking　it　would　please　her：

I　am　as　thick　as　thieves　with　the　Reverend　Stebbins。　　I　am　laying　for　the
Reverend　Scudder　and　the　Reverend　Doctor　Stone。　　I　am　running　on
preachers　now　altogether；　and　I　find　them　gay。

So　it　may　be　that　his　first　impulse　toward　Joseph　Twichell　was　due　to　the
fact　that　he　was　a　young　member　of　that　army　whose　mission　is　to　comfort
and　uplift　mankind。　　But　it　was　only　a　little　time　till　the　impulse　had
grown　into　a　friendship　that　went　beyond　any　profession　or　doctrine；　a
friendship　that　ripened　into　a　permanent　admiration　and　love　for　〃Joe〃
Twichell　himself；　as　one　of　the　noblest　specimens　of　his　race。

He　was　invited　to　the　Twichell　home；　where　he　met　the　young　wife　and　got
a　glimpse　of　the　happiness　of　that　sweet　and　peaceful　household。　　He　had
a　neglected；　lonely　look；　and　he　loved　to　gather　with　them　at　their
fireside。　　He　expressed　his　envy　of　their　happiness；　and　Mrs。　Twichell
asked　him　why；　since　his　affairs　were　growing　prosperous；　he　did　not
establish　a　household　of　his　own。　　Long　afterward　Mr。　Twichell　wrote：

　　　　　Mark　made　no　answer　for　a　little；　but；　with　his　eyes　bent　on　the
　　　　　floor；　appeared　to　be　deeply　pondering。　　Then　he　looked　up；　and　said
　　　　　slowly；　in　a　voice　tremulous　with　earnestness　（with　what　sympathy　he
　　　　　was　heard　may　be　imagined）：　〃I　am　taking　thought　of　it。　　I　am　in
　　　　　love　beyond　all　telling　with　the　dearest　and　best　girl　in　the　whole
　　　　　world。　　I　don't　suppose　she　will　marry　me。　　I　can't　think　it
　　　　　possible。　　She　ought　not　to。　　But　if　she　doesn't　I　shall　be　sure
　　　　　that　the　best　thing　I　ever　did　was　to　fall　in　love　with　her；　and
　　　　　proud　to　have　it　known　that　I　tried　to　win　her！〃

It　was　only　a　brief　time　until　the　Twichell　fireside　was　home　to　him。　　He
came　and　went；　and　presently　it　was　〃Mark〃　and　〃Joe；〃　as　by　and　by　it
would　be　〃Livy〃　and　〃Harmony；〃　and　in　a　few　years　〃Uncle　Joe〃　and　〃Uncle
Mark；〃　　〃Aunt　Livy〃　and　〃Aunt　Harmony；〃　and　so　would　remain　until　the
end。




LXIX

A　LECTURE　TOUR

James　Redpath；　proprietor　of　the　Boston　Lyceum　Bureau；　was　the　leading
lecture　agent　of　those　days；　and　controlled　all；　or　nearly　all；　of　the
platform　celebrities。　　Mark　Twain's　success　at　the　Cooper　Union　the　year
before　had　interested　Redpath。　　He　had　offered　engagements　then　and
later；　but　Clemens　had　not　been　free　for　the　regular　circuit。　　Now　there
was　no　longer　a　reason　for　postponement　of　a　contract。　　Redpath　was　eager
for　the　new　celebrity；　and　Clemens　closed　with　him　for　the　season　of
1868…9。　　With　his　new　lecture；　〃The　Vandal　Abroad；〃　he　was　presently
earning　a　hundred　dollars　and　more　a　night；　and　making　most　of　the　nights
count。

This　was　affluence　indeed。　　He　had　become　suddenly　a　person　of　substance…
an　associate　of　men　of　consequence；　with　a　commensurate　income。　　He　could
help　his　mother　lavishly　now；　and　he　did。

His　new　lecture　was　immensely　popular。　　It　was　a　resume　of　the　'Quaker
City'　lettersa　foretaste　of　the　book　which　would　presently　follow。
Wherever　he　went；　he　was　hailed　with　eager　greetings。　　He　caught　such
drifting　exclamations　as；　〃There　he　is！　　There　goes　Mark　Twain！〃　　People
came　out　on　the　street　to　see　him　pass。　　That　marvelous　miracle　which　we
variously　call　〃notoriety；〃　〃popularity；〃　〃fame；〃　had　come　to　him。　　In
his　notebook　he　wrote；　〃Fame　is　a　vapor；　popularity　an　accident；　the
only；　earthly　certainty　oblivion。〃

The　newspapers　were　filled　with　enthusiasm　both　as　to　his　matter　and
method。　　His　delivery　was　described　as　a　〃long；　monotonous　drawl；　with
the　fun　invariably　coming　in　at　the　end　of　a　sentenceafter　a　pause。〃
His　appearance　at　this　time　is　thus　set　down：

　　　　　Mark　Twain　is　a　man　of　medium　height；　about　five　feet　ten；　sparsely
　　　　　built；　with　dark　reddish…brown　hair　and　mustache。　　His　features　are
　　　　　fair；　his　eyes　keen　and　twinkling。　　He　dresses　in　scrupulous　evening
　　　　　attire。　　In　lecturing　he　hangs　about　the　desk；　leaning　on　it　or
　　　　　flirting　around　the　corners　of　it；　then　marching　and　countermarching
　　　　　in　the　rear　of　it。　　He　seldom　casts　a　glance　at　his　manuscript。

No　doubt　this　fairly　presents　Mark　Twain；　the　lecturer　of　that　day。　　It
was　a　new　figure　on　the　platform；　a　man　with　a　new　method。　　As　to　his
manuscript；　the　item　might　have　said　that　he　never　consulted　it　at　all。
He　learned　his　lecture；　what　he　consulted　was　merely　a　series　of
hieroglyphics；　a　set　of　crude　pictures　drawn　by　himself；　suggestive　of
the　subject…matter　underneath　new　head。　　Certain　columns　represented　the
Parthenon；　the　Sphinx　meant　Egypt；　and　so　on。　　His　manuscript　lay　there
in　case　of　accident；　but　the　accident　did　not　happen。

A　number　of　his　engagements　were　in　the　central　part　of　New　York；　at
points　not　far　distant　from