mark twain, a biography, 1866-1875-第18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！


　　　　　wedded　to　it　as　they　are。

He　declined　further　engagements　on　the　excuse　that　he　must　attend　to
getting　out　his　book。　　The　revised　proofs　were　coming　now；　and　he　and
gentle　Livy　Langdon　read　them　together。　　He　realized　presently　that　with
her　sensitive　nature　she　had　also　a　keen　literary　perception。　　What
he　lacked　in　delicacyand　his　lack　was　likely　to　be　large　enough　in　that
directionshe　detected；　and　together　they　pruned　it　away。　　She　became
his　editor　during　those　happy　courtship　daysa　position　which　she　held
to　her　death。　　The　world　owed　a　large　debt　of　gratitude　to　Mark　Twain's
wife；　who　from　the　very　beginningand　always；　so　far　as　in　her　strength
she　was　ableinspired　him　to　give　only　his　worthiest　to　the　world；
whether　in　written　or　spoken　word；　in　counsel　or　in　deed。　　Those　early
days　of　their　close　companionship；　spiritual　and　mental；　were　full　of
revelation　to　Samuel　Clemens；　a　revelation　that　continued　from　day　to
day；　and　from　year　to　year；　even　to　the　very　end。

The　letter　to　Bliss　and　the　proofs　were　full　of　suggested　changes　that
would　refine　and　beautify　the　text。　　In　one　of　them　he　settles　the
question　of　title；　which　he　says　is　to　be：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　INNOCENTS　ABROAD
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　or
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　NEW　PILGRIM'S　PROGRESS

and　we　may　be　sure　that　it　was　Olivia　Langdon's　voice　that　gave　the
deciding　vote　for　the　newly　adopted　chief　title；　which　would　take　any
suggestion　of　irreverence　out　of　the　remaining　words。

The　book　was　to　have　been　issued　in　the　spring；　but　during　his　wanderings
proofs　had　been　delayed；　and　there　was　now　considerable　anxiety　about　it；
as　the　agencies　had　become　impatient　for　the　canvass。　　At　the　end　of
April　Clemens　wrote：　〃Your　printers　are　doing　well。　　I　will　hurry　the
proofs〃；　but　it　was　not　until　the　early　part　of　June　that　the　last
chapters　were　revised　and　returned。　　Then　the　big　book；　at　last
completed；　went　to　press　on　an　edition　of　twenty　thousand；　a　large　number
for　any　new　book；　even　to…day。

In　later　years；　through　some　confusion　of　circumstance；　Mark　Twain　was
led　to　believe　that　the　publication　of　The　Innocents　Abroad　was　long　and
unnecessarily　delayed。　　But　this　was　manifestly　a　mistake。　　The　book　went
to　press　in　June。　　It　was　a　big　book　and　a　large　edition。　　The　first　copy
was　delivered　July　20　（1869）；　and　four　hundred　and　seventeen　bound
volumes　were　shipped　that　month。　　Even　with　the　quicker　mechanical
processes　of　to…day　a　month　or　more　is　allowed　for　a　large　book　between
the　final　return　of　proofs　and　the　date　of　publication。　　So　it　is　only
another　instance　of　his　remembering；　as　he　once　quaintly　put　it；　〃the
thing　that　didn't　happen。〃　＇In　an　article　in　the　North　American　Review
（September　21；　1906）　Mr。　Clemens　stated　that　he　found　it　necessary　to
telegraph　notice　that　he　would　bring　suit　if　the　book　was　not　immediately
issued。　　In　none　of　the　letters　covering　this　period　is　there　any
suggestion　of　delay　on　the　part　of　the　publishers；　and　the　date　of　the
final　return　of　proofs；　together　with　the　date　of　publication；　preclude
the　possibility　of　such　a　circumstance。　　At　some　period　of　his　life　he
doubtless　sent；　or　contemplated　sending；　such　a　message；　and　this　fact；
through　some　curious　psychology；　became　confused　in　his　mind　with　the
first　edition　of　The　Innocents　Abroad。＇




LXXI

THE　GREAT　BOOK　OF　TRAVEL

'The　Innocents　Abroad'　was　a　success　from　the　start。　　The　machinery　for
its　sale　and　delivery　was　in　full　swing　by　August　1；　and　five　thousand
one　hundred　and　seventy　copies　were　disposed　of　that　montha　number　that
had　increased　to　more　than　thirty…one　thousand　by　the　first　of　the　year。
It　was　a　book　of　travel；　its　lowest　price　was　three　and　a　half　dollars。
No　such　record　had　been　made　by　a　book　of　that　description；　none　has
equaled　it　since。　＇One　must　recall　that　this　was　the　record　only　up　to
1910。　D。W。＇

If　Mark　Twain　was　not　already　famous；　he　was　unquestionably　famous　now。
As　the　author　of　The　New　Pilgrim's　Progress　he　was　swept　into　the　domain
of　letters　as　one　riding　at　the　head　of　a　cavalcadedoors　and　windows
wide　with　welcome　and　jubilant　with　applause。　　Newspapers　chorused　their
enthusiasm；　the　public　voiced　universal　approval；　only　a　few　of　the　more
cultured　critics　seemed　hesitant　and　doubtful。

They　applaudedmost　of　thembut　with　reservation。　　Doctor　Holland
regarded　Mark　Twain　as　a　mere　fun　maker　of　ephemeral　popularity；　and　was
not　altogether　pleasant　in　his　dictum。　　Doctor　Holmes；　in　a　letter　to　the
author；　speaks　of　the　〃frequently　quaint　and　amusing　conceits；〃　but　does
not　find　it　in　his　heart　to　refer　to　the　book　as　literature。　　It　was
naturally　difficult　for　the　East　to　concede　a　serious　value　to　one　who
approached　his　subject　with　such　militant　aboriginality；　and　occasionally
wrote　〃those　kind。〃　　William　Dean　Howells　reviewed　the　book　in　the
Atlantic；　which　was　of　itself　a　distinction；　whether　the　review　was
favorable　or　otherwise。　　It　was　favorable　on　the　whole；　favorable　to　the
humor　of　the　book；　its　〃delicious　impudence；〃　the　charm　of　its　good…
natured　irony。　　The　review　closed：

　　　　　It　is　no　business　of　ours　to　fix　his　rank　among　the　humorists
　　　　　California　has　given　us；　but　we　think　he　is；　in　an　entirely
　　　　　different　way　from　all　the　others；　quite　worthy　of　the　company　of
　　　　　the　best。

This　is　praise；　but　not　of　an　intemperate　sort；　nor　very　inclusive。　　The
descriptive；　the　poetic；　the　more　pretentious　phases　of　the　book　did　not
receive　attention。　　Mr。　Howells　was　perhaps　the　first　critic　of　eminence
to　recognize　in　Mark　Twain　not　only　the　humorist；　but　the　supreme　genius…
the　〃Lincoln　of　our　literature。〃　　This　was　later。　　The　publicthe　silent
publicwith　what　Howells　calls　〃the　inspired　knowledge　of　the　simple…
hearted　multitude；〃　reached　a　similar　verdict　forthwith。　　And　on
sufficient　evidence：　let　the　average　unprejudiced　person　of　to…day　take
up　the　old　volume　and　read　a　few　chapters　anywhere　and　decide　whether　it
is　the　work　of　a　mere　humorist；　or　also　of　a　philosopher；　a　poet；　and　a
seer。　　The　writer　well　remembers　a　little　group　of　〃the　simple…hearted
multitude〃　who　during　the　winter　of　'69　and　'70　gathered　each　evening　to
hear　the　Innocents　read　aloud；　and　their　unanimous　verdict　that　it　was
the　〃best　book　of　modern　times。〃

It　was　the　most　daring　book　of　its　day。　　Passages　of　it　were　calculated
to　take　the　breath　of　the　orthodox　reader；　only；　somehow；　it　made　him
smile；　too。　　It　was　all　so　good…natured；　so　openly　sincere。　　Without
doubt　it　preached　heresythe　heresy　of　viewing　revered　landmarks　and
relics　joyously；　rather　than　lugubriously；　reverentially；　when　they
inspired　reverence；　satirically；　when　they　invited　ridicule；　and　with
kindliness　always。

The　Innocents　Abroad　is　Mark　Twain's　greatest　book　of　travel。　　The
critical　and　the　pure　in　speech　may　object　to　this　verdict。　　Brander
Matthews　regards　it　second　to　A　Tramp　Abroad；　the　natural　viewpoint　of
the　literary　technician。　　The　'Tramp'　contains　better　usage　without
doubt；　but　it　lacks　the　〃color〃　which　gives　the　Innocents　its　perennial
charm。　　In　the　Innocents　there　is　a　glow；　a　fragrance；　a　romance　of
touch；　a　subtle　something　which　is　idyllic；　something　which　is　not　quite
of　reality；　in　the　tale　of　that　little　company　that　so　long　ago　sailed
away　to　the　harbors　of　their　illusions　beyond　the　sea；　and；　wandered
together　through　old　palaces　and　galleries；　and　among　the　tombs　of　the
saints；　and　down　through　ancient　lands。　　There　is　an　atmosphere　about　it
all；　a　dream…like　quality　that　lies　somewhere　in　the　telling；　maybe；　or
in　the　tale；　at　all　events　it　is　there；　and　the　world　has　felt　it　ever
since。　　Perhaps　it　could　be　defined　in　a　single　word；　perhaps　that　word
would　be　〃youth。〃　　That　the　artist；　poor　True　Williams；　felt　its
inspiration　is　certain。　　We　may　believe　that　Williams　was　not　a　great
draftsman；　but　no　artist　ever　caught　more　perfectly　the　light　and　spirit
of　the　author's　text。　　Crude　some　of　the　pictures　are；　no　doubt；　but　they
convey　the　very　essence　of　the　story；　they　belong　to　it；　they　are　a　part
of　it；　and　they　ought　never　to　perish。　　'A　Tramp　Abroad'　is　a　rare　book；
but　it　cannot　rank　with　its　great　predecessor　in　human　charm。　　The
public；　which　in　the　long　run　makes　mistakes；　has　rendered　that　verdict。
The　Innocents　by　far　outsells　the　Tramp；　and；　for　that　matter；　any　other
book　of　travel。


THE　PURCHASE　OF　A　PAPER

It　is　curious　to　reflect　that　Mark　Twain　still　did　not　regard　himself　as
a　literary　man。　　He　had　no　literary　plans　for　the　future；　he　scarcely
looked　forward　to　the　publication　of　another　book。　　He　considered　himself
a　journalist；　his　ambition　lay　in　the　direction　of　retirement　in　some
prosperous　newspaper　enterprise；　with　the　comforts　and　companionship　of　a
home。　　During　his　travels　he　had　already　been　casting　about　for　a
congenial　and　substantial　association　in　newspaperdom；　and　had　at　one
time　considered　the　purchase　of　an　interest　in　the　Cleveland　Herald。　　But
Buffalo　was　nearer　Elmira；　and　when　an　opportunity　offered；　by　which　he
could　acquire　a　third　interest　in　the　Buffalo　Express　for　25；000；　the
purchase　was　decided　upon。　　His　lack