mark twain, a biography, 1866-1875-第17节

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A　number　of　his　engagements　were　in　the　central　part　of　New　York；　at
points　not　far　distant　from　Elmira。　　He　had　a　standing　invitation　to
visit　the　Langdon　home；　and　he　made　it　convenient　to　avail　himself　of
that　happiness。

His　was　not　an　unruffled　courtship。　　When　at　last　he　reached　the　point　of
proposing　for　the　daughter　of　the　house；　neither　the　daughter　nor　the
household　offered　any　noticeable　encouragement　to　his　suit。　　Many　absurd
anecdotes　have　been　told　of　his　first　interview　with　Mr。　Langdon　on　the
subject；　but　they　are　altogether　without　foundation。　　It　was　a　proper　and
dignified　discussion　of　a　very　serious　matter。　　Mr。　Langdon　expressed
deep　regard　for　him　and　friendship　but　he　was　not　inclined　to　add　him　to
the　family；　the　young　lady　herself；　in　a　general　way；　accorded　with　these
views。　　The　applicant　for　favor　left　sadly　enough；　but　he　could　not
remain　discouraged　or　sad。　　He　lectured　at　Cleveland　with　vast　success；
and　the　news　of　it　traveled　quickly　to　Elmira。　　He　was　referred　to　by
Cleveland　papers　as　a　〃lion〃　and　〃the　coming　man　of　the　age。〃　　Two　days
later；　in　Pittsburgh　（November　19th）；　he　〃played〃　against　Fanny　Kemble；
the　favorite　actress　of　that　time；　with　the　result　that　Miss　Kemble　had
an　audience　of　two　hundred　against　nearly　ten　times　the　number　who
gathered　to　hear　Mark　Twain。　　The　news　of　this　went　to　Elmira；　too。　　It
was　in　the　papers　there　next　morning；　surely　this　was　a　conquering　hero
a　gay　Lochinvar　from　out　of　the　Westand　the　daughter　of　the　house　must
be　guarded　closely；　that　he　did　not　bear　her　away。　　It　was　on　the　second
morning　following　the　Pittsburgh　triumph；　when　the　Langdon　family　were
gathered　at　breakfast；　that　a　bushy　auburn　head　poked　fearfully　in　at　the
door；　and　a　low；　humble　voice　said：

〃The　calf　has　returned；　may　the　prodigal　have　some　breakfast？〃

No　one　could　be　reserved　or　reprovingly　distant；　or　any　of　those
unfriendly　things　with　a　person　like　that；　certainly　not　Jervis　Langdon；
who　delighted　in　the　humor　and　the　tricks　and　turns　and　oddities　of　this
eccentric　visitor。　　Giving　his　daughter　to　him　was　another　matter；　but
even　that　thought　was　less　disturbing　than　it　had　been　at　the　start。　　In
truth；　the　Langdon　household　had　somehow　grown　to　feel　that　he　belonged
to　them。　　The　elder　sister's　husband；　Theodore　Crane；　endorsed　him　fully。
He　had　long　before　read　some　of　the　Mark　Twain　sketches　that　had　traveled
eastward　in　advance　of　their　author；　and　had　recognized；　even　in　the
crudest　of　them；　a　classic　charm。　　As　for　Olivia　Langdon's　mother　and
sister；　their　happiness　lay　in　hers。　　Where　her　heart　went　theirs　went
also；　and　it　would　appear　that　her　heart；　in　spite　of　herself；　had　found
its　rightful　keeper。　　Only　young　Langdon　was　irreconciled；　and　eventually
set　out　for　a　voyage　around　the　world　to　escape　the　situation。

There　was　only　a　provisional　engagement　at　first。　　Jervis　Langdon
suggested；　and　Samuel　Clemens　agreed　with　him；　that　it　was　proper　to　know
something　of　his　past；　as　well　as　of　his　present；　before　the　official
parental　sanction　should　be　given。　　When　Mr。　Langdon　inquired　as　to　the
names　of　persons　of　standing　to　whom　he　might　write　for　credentials；
Clemens　pretty　confidently　gave　him　the　name　of　the　Reverend　Stebbins　and
others　of　San　Francisco；　adding　that　he　might　write　also　to　Joe　Goodman
if　he　wanted　to；　but　that　he　had　lied　for　Goodman　a　hundred　times　and
Goodman　would　lie　for　him　if　necessary；　so　his　testimony　would　be　of　no
value。　　The　letters　to　the　clergy　were　written；　and　Mr。　Langdon　also
wrote　one　on　his　own　account。

It　was　a　long　mail…trip　to　the　Coast　and　back　in　those　days。　　It　might　be
two　months　before　replies　would　come　from　those　ministers。　　The　lecturer
set　out　again　on　his　travels；　and　was　radiantly　and　happily　busy。　　He
went　as　far　west　as　Illinois；　had　crowded　houses　in　Chicago；　visited
friends　and　kindred　in　Hannibal；　St。　Louis；　and　Keokuk；　carrying　the
great　news；　and　lecturing　in　old　familiar　haunts。




LXX

INNOCENTS　AT　HOMEAND　〃THE　INNOCENTS　ABROAD〃

He　was　in　Jacksonville；　Illinois；　at　the　end　of　January　（1869）；　and　in　a
letter　to　Bliss　states　that　he　will　be　in　Elmira　two　days　later；　and　asks
that　proofs　of　the　book　be　sent　there。　　He　arrived　at　the　Langdon　home；
anxious　to　hear　the　reports　that　would　make　him；　as　the　novels　might　say；
〃the　happiest　or　the　most　miserable　of　men。〃　　Jervis　Langdon　had　a　rather
solemn　look　when　they　were　alone　together。　　Clemens　asked：

〃You've　heard　from　those　gentlemen　out　there？〃

〃Yes；　and　from　another　gentleman　I　wrote　concerning　you。〃

〃They　don't　appear　to　have　been　very　enthusiastic；　from　your　manner。〃

〃Well；　yes；　some　of　them　were。〃

〃I　suppose　I　may　ask　what　particular　form　their　emotion　took？〃

〃Oh　yes；　yes；　they　agree　unanimously　that　you　are　a　brilliant；　able　man；
a　man　with　a　future；　and　that　you　would　make　about　the　worst　husband　on
record。〃

The　applicant　for　favor　had　a　forlorn　look。

〃There's　nothing　very　evasive　about　that；〃　he　said：

There　was　a　period　of　reflective　silence。　　It　was　probably　no　more　than　a
few　seconds；　but　it　seemed　longer。

〃Haven't　you　any　other　friend　that　you　could　suggest？〃　Langdon　said。

〃Apparently　none　whose　testimony　would　be　valuable。〃

Jervis　Langdon　held　out　his　hand。　　〃You　have　at　least　one；〃　he　said。
〃I　believe　in　you。　　I　know　you　better　than　they　do。〃

And　so　came　the　crown　of　happiness。　　The　engagement　of　Samuel　Langhorne
Clemens　and　Olivia　Lewis　Langdon　was　ratified　next　day；　February　4；　1869。

But　if　the　friends　of　Mark　Twain　viewed　the　idea　of　the　carnage　with
scant　favor；　the　friends　of　Miss　Langdon　regarded　it　with　genuine　alarm。
Elmira　was　a　conservative　placea　place　of　pedigree　and　family
tradition；　that　a　stranger；　a　former　printer；　pilot；　miner；　wandering
journalist　and　lecturer；　was　to　carry　off　the　daughter　of　one　of　the
oldest　and　wealthiest　families；　was　a　thing　not　to　be　lightly　permitted。
The　fact　that　he　had　achieved　a　national　fame　did　not　count　against　other
considerations。　　The　social　protest　amounted　almost　to　insurrection；　but
it　was　not　availing。　　The　Langdon　family　had　their　doubts　too；　though　of
a　different　sort。　　Their　doubts　lay　in　the　fear　that　one；　reared　as　their
daughter　had　been；　might　be　unable　to　hold　a　place　as　the　wife　of　this
intellectual　giant；　whom　they　felt　that　the　world　was　preparing　to　honor。
That　this　delicate；　sheltered　girl　could　have　the　strength　of　mind　and
body　for　her　position　seemed　hard　to　believe。　　Their　faith　overbore　such
questionings；　and　the　future　years　proved　how　fully　it　was　justified。

To　his　mother　Samuel　Clemens　wrote：

　　　　　She　is　only　a　little　body；　but　she　hasn't　her　peer　in　Christendom。
　　　　　I　gave　her　only　a　plain　gold　engagement　ring；　when　fashion
　　　　　imperatively　demands　a　two…hundred…dollar　diamond　one；　and　told　her
　　　　　it　was　typical　of　her　future　life…namely；　that　she　would　have　to
　　　　　flourish　on　substance；　rather　than　luxuries　（but　you　see　I　know　the
　　　　　girlshe　don't　care　anything　about　luxuries）。。。。　　She　spends　no
　　　　　money　but　her　astral　year's　allowance；　and　spends　nearly　every　cent
　　　　　of　that　on　other　people。　　She　will　be　a　good；　sensible　little　wife；
　　　　　without　any　airs　about　her。　　I　don't　make　intercession　for　her
　　　　　beforehand；　and　ask　you　to　love　her；　for　there　isn't　any　use　in
　　　　　thatyou　couldn't　help　it　if　you　were　to　try。　　I　warn　you　that
　　　　　whoever　comes　within　the　fatal　influence　of　her　beautiful　nature　is
　　　　　her　willing　slave　forevermore。

To　Mrs。　Crane；　absent　in　March；　her　father　wrote：

　　　　　DEAR　SUE；I　received　your　letter　yesterday　with　a　great　deal　of
　　　　　pleasure；　but　the　letter　has　gone　in　pursuit　of　one　S。　L。　Clemens；
　　　　　who　has　been　giving　us　a　great　deal　of　trouble　lately。　　We　cannot
　　　　　have　a　joy　in　our　family　without　a　feeling；　on　the　part　of　the
　　　　　little　incorrigible　in　our　family；　that　this　wanderer　must　share　it；
　　　　　so；　as　soon　as　read；　into　her　pocket　and　off　upstairs　goes　your
　　　　　letter；　and　in　the　next　two　minutes　into　the　mail；　so　it　is
　　　　　impossible　for　me　now　to　refer　to　it；　or　by　reading　it　over　gain　an
　　　　　inspiration　in　writing　you。　　。　　。

Clemens　closed　his　lecture　tour　in　March；　acid　went　immediately　to
Elmira。　　He　had　lectured　between　fifty　and　sixty　times；　with　a　return　of
something　more　than　8；000；　not　a　bad　aggregate　for　a　first　season　on　the
circuit。　　He　had　planned　to　make　a　spring　tour　to　California；　but　the
attraction　at　Elmira　was　of　a　sort　that　discouraged　distant　travel。
Furthermore；　he　disliked　the　platform；　then　and　always。　　It　was　always　a
temptation　to　him　because　of　its　quick　and　abundant　return；　but　it　was
none　the　less　distasteful。　　In　a　letter　of　that　spring　he　wrote：

　　　　　I　most　cordially　hate　the　lecture　field。　　And　after　all；　I　shudder
　　　　　to　think　I　may　never　get　out　of　it。　　In　all　conversation　with　Gough；
　　　　　and　Anna　Dickinson；　Nasby；　Oliver　Wendell　Holmes；　Wendell　Phillips；
　　　　　and　the　other　old　stagers；　I　could　not　observe　that　they　ever
　　　　　expected　or　hoped　to　get　out　of　the　business。　　I　don't　want　to　get
　　　　　wedded　to　it　as　they　are。

He　declined　further　engagements　on　the　excuse　that　he　must　attend　to