mark twain, a biography, 1866-1875-第20节

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read　that　review　of　yours；　I　felt　like　the　woman　who　was　so　glad　her　baby
had　come　white。〃＇

His　manner；　his　humor；　his　quaint　colloquial　forms　all　delighted　Howells
more；　in　fact；　than　the　opulent　sealskin　overcoat　which　he　affected　at
this　perioda　garment　astonishing　rather　than　esthetic；　as　Mark　Twain's
clothes　in　those　days　of　his　first　regeneration　were　likely　to　be
startling　enough；　we　may　believe；　in　the　conservative　atmosphere　of　the
Atlantic　rooms。　　And　Howellsgentle；　genial；　sincerefilled　with　the
early　happiness　of　his　calling；　won　the　heart　of　Mark　Twain　and　never
lost　it；　and；　what　is　still　more　notable；　won　his　absolute　and　unvarying
confidence　in　all　literary　affairs。　　It　was　always　Mark　Twain's　habit　to
rely　on　somebody；　and　in　matters　pertaining　to　literature　and　to　literary
people　in　general　he　laid　his　burden　on　William　Dean　Howells　from　that
day。　　Only　a　few　weeks　after　that　first　visit　we　find　him　telegraphing　to
Howells；　asking　him　to　look　after　a　Californian　poet；　then　ill　and
friendless　in　Brooklyn。　　Clemens　states　that　he　does　not　know　the　poet；
but　will　contribute　fifty　dollars　if　Howells　will　petition　the　steamboat
company　for　a　pass；　and　no　doubt　Howells　complied；　and　spent　a　good　deal
more　than　fifty　dollars'　worth　of　time　to　get　the　poet　relieved　and
started；　it　would　be　like　him。




LXXIV

THE　WEDDING…DAY

The　wedding　was　planned；　at　first；　either　for　Christmas　or　New…Year's
Day；　but　as　the　lecture　engagements　continued　into　January　it　was　decided
to　wait　until　these　were　filled。　　February　2d；　a　date　near　the
anniversary　of　the　engagement；　was　agreed　upon；　also　a　quiet　wedding　with
no　〃tour。〃　　The　young　people　would　go　immediately　to　Buffalo；　and　take　up
a　modest　residence；　in　a　boardinghouse　as　comfortable；　even　as　luxurious；
as　the　husband's　financial　situation　justified。　　At　least　that　was　Samuel
Clemens's　understanding　of　the　matter。　　He　felt　that　he　was　heavily　in
debtthat　his　first　duty　was　to　relieve　himself　of　that　obligation。

There　were　other　plans　in　Elmira；　but　in　the　daily　and　happy　letters　he
received　there　was　no　inkling　of　any　new　purpose。

He　wrote　to　J。　D。　F。　Slee；　of　Buffalo；　who　was　associated　in　business
with　Mr。　Langdon；　and　asked　him　to　find　a　suitable　boarding…place；　one
that　would　be　sufficiently　refined　for　the　woman　who　was　to　be　his　wife；
and　sufficiently　reasonable　to　insure　prosperity。　　In　due　time　Slee
replied　that；　while　boarding　was　a　〃miserable　business　anyhow；〃　he　had
been　particularly　fortunate　in　securing　a　place　on　one　of　the　most
pleasant　streets〃the　family　a　small　one　and　choice　spirits；　with　no
predilection　for　taking　boarders；　and　consenting　to　the　present
arrangement　only　because　of　the　anticipated　pleasure　of　your　company。〃
The　price；　Slee　added；　would　be　reasonable。　　As　a　matter　of　fact　a　house
on　Delaware　Avenuestill　the　fine　residence　street　of　Buffalohad　been
bought　and　furnished　throughout　as　a　present　to　the　bride　and　groom。　　It
stands　to…day　practically　unchangedbrick　and　mansard　without；　Eastlake
within；　a　type　then　much　in　voguespacious　and　handsome　for　that　period。
It　was　completely　appointed。　　Diagrams　of　the　rooms　had　been　sent　to
Elmira　and　Miss　Langdon　herself　had　selected　the　furnishings。　　Everything
was　put　in　readiness；　including　linen；　cutlery；　and　utensils。　　Even　the
servants　had　been　engaged　and　the　pantry　and　cellar　had　been　stocked。

It　must　have　been　hard　for　Olivia　Langdon　to　keep　this　wonderful　surprise
out　of　those　daily　letters。　　A　surprise　like　that　is　always　watching　a
chance　to　slip　out　unawares；　especially　when　one　is　eagerly　impatient　to
reveal　it。

However；　the　traveler　remained　completely　in　the　dark。　　He　may　have
wondered　vaguely　at　the　lack　of　enthusiasm　in　the　boarding　idea；　and
could　he　have　been　certain　that　the　sales　of　the　book　would　continue；　or
that　his　newspaper　venture　would　yield　an　abundant　harvest；　he　might　have
planned　his　domestic　beginning　on　a　more　elaborate　scale。　　If　only　the
Tennessee　land　would　yield　the　long…expected　fortune　now！　　But　these　were
all　incalculable　things。　　All　that　he　could　be　sure　of　was　the　coming　of
his　great　happiness；　in　whatever　environment；　and　of　the　dragging　weeks
between。

At　last　the　night　of　the　final　lecture　came；　and　he　was　off　for　Elmira
with　the　smallest　possible　delay。　　Once　there；　the　intervening　days　did
not　matter。　　He　could　join　in　the　busy　preparations；　he　could　write
exuberantly　to　his　friends。　　To　Laura　Hawkins；　long　since　Laura　Frazer　he
sent　a　playful　line；　to　Jim　Gillis；　still　digging　and　washing　on　the
slopes　of　the　old　Tuolumne　hills；　he　wrote　a　letter　which　eminently
belongs　here：


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Elmira；　N。　Y。；　January　26；　1870。

　　　　　DEAR　Jim；I　remember　that　old　night　just　as　well！　　And　somewhere
　　　　　among　my　relics　I　have　your　remembrance　stored　away。　　It　makes　my
　　　　　heart　ache　yet　to　call　to　mind　some　of　those　days。　　Still　it
　　　　　shouldn't；　for　right　in　the　depths　of　their　poverty　and　their
　　　　　pocket…hunting　vagabondage　lay　the　germ　of　my　coming　good　fortune。
　　　　　You　remember　the　one　gleam　of　jollity　that　shot　across　our　dismal
　　　　　sojourn　in　the　rain　and　mud　of　Angel's　CampI　mean　that　day　we　sat
　　　　　around　the　tavern　stove　and　heard　that　chap　tell　about　the　frog　and
　　　　　how　they　filled　him　with　shot。　　And　you　remember　how　we　quoted　from
　　　　　the　yarn　and　laughed　over　it　out　there　on　the　hillside　while　you　and
　　　　　dear　old　Stoker　panned　and　washed。　　I　jotted　the　story　down　in　my
　　　　　note…book　that　day；　and　would　have　been　glad　to　get　ten　or　fifteen
　　　　　dollars　for　itI　was　just　that　blind。　　But　then　we　were　so　hard　up。
　　　　　I　published　that　story；　and　it　became　widely　known　in　America；
　　　　　India；　China；　England；　and　the　reputation　it　made　for　me　has　paid　me
　　　　　thousands　and　thousands　of　dollars　since。　　Four　or　five　months　ago　I
　　　　　bought　into　the　Express　（I　have　ordered　it　sent　to　you　as　long　as
　　　　　you　live；　and　if　the　bookkeeper　sends　you　any　bills　you　let　me　hear
　　　　　of　it）。　　I　went　heavily　in　debtnever　could　have　dared　to　do　that；
　　　　　Jim；　if　we　hadn't　heard　the　jumping　Frog　story　that　day。

　　　　　And　wouldn't　I　love　to　take　old　Stoker　by　the　hand；　and　wouldn't　I
　　　　　love　to　see　him　in　his　great　specialty；　his　wonderful　rendition　of
　　　　　Rinalds　in　the　〃Burning　Shame！〃　　Where　is　Dick　and　what　is　he　doing？
　　　　　Give　him　my　fervent　love　and　warm　old　remembrances。

　　　　　A　week　from　to…day　I　shall　be　married…to　a　girl　even　better　and
　　　　　lovelier　than　the　peerless　〃Chapparal　Quails。〃　　You　can't　come　so
　　　　　far；　Jim；　but　still　I　cordially　invite　you　to　come　anyhow；　and　I
　　　　　invite　Dick　too。　　And　if　you　two　boys　were　to　land　here　on　that
　　　　　pleasant　occasion　we　would　make　you　right　royally　welcome。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Truly　your　friend；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SAML。　L。　CLEMENS。

　　　　　P。S。…California　plums　are　good。　　Jim；　particularly　when　they　are
　　　　　stewed。

It　had　been　only　five　years　beforethat　day　in　Angel's　Campbut　how
long　ago　and　how　far　away　it　seemed　to　him　now！　　So　much　had　happened
since　then；　so　much　of　which　that　was　the　beginningso　little　compared
with　the　marvel　of　the　years　ahead；　whose　threshold　he　was　now　about　to
cross；　and　not　alone。

A　day　or　two　before　the　wedding　he　was　asked　to　lecture　on　the　night　of
February　2d。　　He　replied　that　he　was　sorry　to　disappoint　the　applicant；
but　that　he　could　not　lecture　on　the　night　of　February　2d；　for　the　reason
that　he　was　going　to　marry　a　young　lady　on　that　evening；　and　that　he
would　rather　marry　that　young　lady　than　deliver　all　the　lectures　in　the
world。

And　so　came　the　wedding…day。　　It　began　pleasantly；　the　postman　brought　a
royalty　check　that　morning　of　4；000；　the　accumulation　of　three　months'
sales；　and　the　Rev。　Joseph　Twichell　and　Harmony；　his　wife；　came　from
HartfordTwichell　to　join　with　the　Rev。　Thomas　K。　　Beecher　in
solemnizing　the　marriage。　　Pamela　Moffett；　a　widow　now；　with　her　daughter
Annie；　grown　to　a　young　lady；　had　come　all　the　way　from　St。　Louis；　and
Mrs。　Fairbanks　from　Cleveland。

Yet　the　guests　were　not　numerous；　not　more　than　a　hundred　at　most；　so　it
was　a　quiet　wedding　there　in　the　Langdon　parlors；　those　dim；　stately
rooms　that　in　the　future　would　hold　so　much　of　his　historyso　much　of
the　story　of　life　and　death　that　made　its　beginning　there。

The　wedding…service　was　about　seven　o'clock；　for　Mr。　Beecher　had　a
meeting　at　the　church　soon　after　that　hour。　　Afterward　followed　the
wedding…supper　and　dancing；　and　the　bride's　father　danced　with　the　bride。
To　the　interested　crowd　awaiting　him　at　the　church　Mr。　Beecher　reported
that　the　bride　was　very　beautiful；　and　had　on　the　longest　white　gloves　he
had　ever　seen；　he　declared　they　reached　to　her　shoulders。　＇Perhaps　for
a　younger　generation　it　should　be　said　that　Thomas　K。　Beecher　was　a
brother　of　Henry　Ward　Beecher。　　He　lived　and　died　in　Elmira；　the　almost
worshiped　pastor　of　the　Park　Congregational　Church。　　He　was　a　noble；
unorthodox　teacher。　　Samuel　Clemens　at　the　time　of　his　marriage　already
strongly　admired　him；　and　had　espoused　his　cause　in　an　article　signed
〃S'cat！〃　in　the　Elmira　Advertiser；　when　he　（Bee