mark twain, a biography, 1866-1875-第21节

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strongly　admired　him；　and　had　espoused　his　cause　in　an　article　signed
〃S'cat！〃　in　the　Elmira　Advertiser；　when　he　（Beecher）　had　been　assailed　by
the　more　orthodox　Elmira　clergy。　　For　the　〃S'cat〃　article　see　Appendix　I；
at　the　end　of　last　volume。＇

It　was　the　next　afternoon　when　they　set　out　for　Buffalo；　accompanied　by
the　bride's　parents；　the　groom's　relatives；　the　Beechers；　and　perhaps　one
or　two　others　of　that　happy　company。　　It　was　nine　o'clock　at　night　when
they　arrived；　and　found　Mr。　Slee　waiting　at　the　station　with　sleighs　to
convey　the　party　to　the　〃boarding…house〃　he　had　selected。　　They　drove　and
drove；　and　the　sleigh　containing　the　bride　and　groom　got　behind　and
apparently　was　bound　nowhere　in　particular；　which　disturbed　the　groom　a
good　deal；　for　he　thought　it　proper　that　they　should　arrive　first；　to
receive　their　guests。　　He　commented　on　Slee's　poor　judgment　in　selecting
a　house　that　was　so　hard　to　find；　and　when　at　length　they　turned　into
fashionable　Delaware　Avenue；　and　stopped　before　one　of　the　most
attractive　places　in　the　neighborhood；　he　was　beset　with　fear　concerning
the　richness　of　the　locality。

They　were　on　the　steps　when　the　doors　opened；　and　a　perfect　fairyland　of
lights　and　decoration　was　revealed　within。　　The　friends　who　had　gone
ahead　came　out　with　greetings；　to　lead　in　the　bride　and　groom。　　Servants
hurried　forward　to　take　bags　and　wraps。　　They　were　ushered　inside；　they
were　led　through　beautiful　rooms；　all　newly　appointed　and　garnished。　　The
bridegroom　was　dazed；　unable　to　understand　the　meaning　of　things；　the
apparent　ownership　and　completeness　of　possession。

At　last　the　young　wife　put　her　hand　upon　his　arm：

〃Don't　you　understand；　Youth；〃　she　said；　that　was　always　her　name　for
him。　　〃Don't　you　understand？　　It　is　ours；　all　ourseverythinga　gift
from　father！〃

But　even　then　he　could　not　grasp　it；　not　at　first；　not　until　Mr。　Langdon
brought　a　little　box　and；　opening　it；　handed　them　the　deeds。

Nobody　quite　remembers　what　was　the　first　remark　that　Samuel　Clemens　made
then；　but　either　then　or　a　little　later　he　said：

〃Mr。　Langdon；　whenever　you　are　in　Buffalo；　if　it's　twice　a　year；　come
right　here。　　Bring　your　bag　and　stay　overnight　if　you　want　to。　　It
sha'n't　cost　you　a　cent！〃

They　went　in　to　supper　then；　and　by　and　by　the　guests　were　gone　and　the
young　wedded　pair　were　alone。

Patrick　McAleer；　the　young　coachman；　who　would　grow　old　in　their　employ；
and　Ellen；　the　cook；　came　in　for　their　morning　orders；　and　were　full　of
Irish　delight　at　the　inexperience　and　novelty　of　it　all。　　Then　they　were
gone；　and　only　the　lovers　in　their　new　house　and　their　new　happiness
remained。

And　so　it　was　they　entered　the　enchanted　land。




LXXV

AS　TO　DESTINY

If　any　reader　has　followed　these　chapters　thus　far；　he　may　have　wondered；
even　if　vaguely；　at　the　seeming　fatality　of　events。　　Mark　Twain　had　but
to　review　his　own　life　for　justification　of　his　doctrine　of　inevitability
an　unbroken　and　immutable　sequence　of　cause　and　effect　from　the
beginning。　　Once　he　said：

〃When　the　first　living　atom　found　itself　afloat　on　the　great　Laurentian
sea　the　first　act　of　that　first　atom　led　to　the　second　act　of　that　first
atom；　and　so　on　down　through　the　succeeding　ages　of　all　life；　until；　if
the　steps　could　be　traced；　it　would　be　shown　that　the　first　act　of　that
first　atom　has　led　inevitably　to　the　act　of　my　standing　here　in　my
dressing…gown　at　this　instant　talking　to　you。〃

It　seemed　the　clearest　presentment　ever　offered　in　the　matter　of
predestined　circumstancepredestined　from　the　instant　when　that　primal
atom　felt　the　vital　thrill。　　Mark　Twain's　early　life；　however　imperfectly
recorded；　exemplifies　this　postulate。　　If　through　the　years　still　ahead
of　us　the　course　of　destiny　seems　less　clearly　defined；　it　is　only
because　thronging　events　make　the　threads　less　easy　to　trace。　　The　web
becomes　richer；　the　pattern　more　intricate　and　confusing；　but　the　line　of
fate　neither　breaks　nor　falters；　to　the　end。




LXXVI

ON　THE　BUFFALO　〃EXPRESS〃

With　the　beginning　of　life　in　Buffalo；　Mark　Twain　had　become　already　a
world　charactera　man　of　large　consequence　and　events。　　He　had　no　proper
realization　of　this；　no　real　sense　of　the　size　of　his　conquest；　he　still
regarded　himself　merely　as　a　lecturer　and　journalist；　temporarily
popular；　but　with　no　warrant　to　a　permanent　seat　in　the　world's　literary
congress。　　He　thought　his　success　something　of　an　accident。　　The　fact
that　he　was　prepared　to　settle　down　as　an　editorial　contributor　to　a
newspaper　in　what　was　then　only　a　big　village　is　the　best　evidence　of　a
modest　estimate　of　his　talents。

He　〃worked　like　a　horse；〃　is　the　verdict　of　those　who　were　closely
associated　with　him　on　the　Express。　　His　hours　were　not　regular；　but　they
were　long。　　Often　he　was　at　his　desk　at　eight　in　the　morning；　and
remained　there　until　ten　or　eleven　at　night。

His　working　costume　was　suited　to　comfort　rather　than　show。　　With　coat；
vest；　collar；　and　tie　usually　removed　（sometimes　even　his　shoes）；　he
lounged　in　his　chair；　in　any　attitude　that　afforded　the　larger　ease；
pulling　over　the　exchanges；　scribbling　paragraphs；　editorials；　humorous
skits；　and　what　not；　as　the　notion　came　upon　him。　　J。　L。　Lamed；　his　co…
worker　（he　sat　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　same　table）；　remembers　that
Mark　Twain　enjoyed　his　work　as　he　went　alongthe　humor　of　itand　that
he　frequently　laughed　as　some　whimsicality　or　new　absurdity　came　into　his
mind。

〃I　doubt；〃　writes　Lamed；　〃if　he　ever　enjoyed　anything　more　than　the
jackknife　engraving　that　he　did　on　a　piece　of　board　of　a　military　map　of
the　siege　of　Paris；　which　was　printed　in　the　Express　from　his　original
plate；　with　accompanying　explanations　and　comments。　　His　half…day　of
whittling　and　laughter　that　went　with　it　are　something　that　I　find
pleasant　to　remember。　　Indeed；　my　whole　experience　of　association　with
him　is　a　happy　memory；　which　I　am　fortunate　in　having。。。。　　What　one　saw
of　him　was　always　the　actual　Mark　Twain；　acting　out　of　his　own　nature
simply；　frankly；　without　pretense；　and　almost　without　reserve。　　It　was
that　simplicity　and　naturalness　in　the　man　which　carried　his　greatest
charm。〃

Lamed；　like　many　others；　likens　Mark　Twain　to　Lincoln　in　various　of　his
characteristics。　　The　two　worked　harmoniously　together：　Lamed　attending
to　the　political　direction　of　the　journal；　Clemens　to　the　literary；　and
what　might　be　termed　the　sentimental　side。　　There　was　no　friction　in　the
division　of　labor；　never　anything　but　good　feeling　between　them。　　Clemens
had　a　poor　opinion　of　his　own　comprehension　of　politics；　and　perhaps　as
little　regard　for　Lamed's　conception　of　humor。　　Once　when　the　latter
attempted　something　in　the　way　of　pleasantry　his　associate　said：

〃Better　leave　the　humor　on　this　paper　to　me；　Lamed〃；　and　once　when　Lamed
was　away　attending　the　Republican　State　Convention　at　Saratoga；　and　some
editorial　comment　seemed　necessary；　Clemens　thought　it　best　to　sign　the
utterance；　and　to　make　humor　of　his　shortcomings。

　　　　　I　do　not　know　much　about　politics；　and　am　not　sitting　up　nights　to
　　　　　learn　。　　。　　。　　。

　　　　　I　am　satisfied　that　these　nominations　are　all　right　and　sound；　and
　　　　　that　they　are　the　only　ones　that　can　bring　peace　to　our　distracted
　　　　　country　（the　only　political　phrase　I　am　perfectly　familiar　with　and
　　　　　competent　to　hurl　at　the　public　with　fearless　confidencethe　other
　　　　　editor　is　full　of　them）；　but　being　merely　satisfied　is　not　enough。
　　　　　I　always　like　to　know　before　I　shout。　　But　I　go　for　Mr。　Curtis　with
　　　　　all　my　strength！　　Being　certain　of　him；　I　hereby　shout　all　I　know
　　　　　how。　　But　the　others　may　be　a　split　ticket；　or　a　scratched　ticket；
　　　　　or　whatever　you　call　it。

　　　　　I　will　let　it　alone　for　the　present。　　It　will　keep。　　The　other　young
　　　　　man　will　be　back　to…morrow；　and　he　will　shout　for　it；　split　or　no
　　　　　split；　rest　assured　of　that。　　He　will　prance　into　this　political
　　　　　ring　with　his　tomahawk　and　his　war…whoop；　and　then　you　will　hear　a
　　　　　crash　and　see　the　scalps　fly。　　He　has　none　of　my　diffidence。　　He
　　　　　knows　all　about　these　nominees；　and　if　he　don't　he　will　let　on　to　in
　　　　　such　a　natural　way　as　to　deceive　the　most　critical。　　He　knows
　　　　　everythinghe　knows　more　than　Webster's　Unabridged　and　the　American
　　　　　Encyclopediabut　whether　he　knows　anything　about　a　subject　or　not
　　　　　he　is　perfectly　willing　to　discuss　it。　　When　he　gets　back　he　will
　　　　　tell　you　all　about　these　candidates　as　serenely　as　if　he　had　been
　　　　　acquainted　with　them　a　hundred　years；　though；　speaking
　　　　　confidentially；　I　doubt　if　he　ever　heard　of　any　of　them　till　to…day。
　　　　　I　am　right　well　satisfied　it　is　a　good；　sound；　sensible　ticket；　and
　　　　　a　ticket　to　win；　but　wait　till　he　comes。

　　　　　In　the　mean　time　I　go　for　George　William　Curtis　and　take　the
　　　　　chances。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　MARK　TWAIN。

He　had　become　what　Mr。　Howells　calls　entirely　〃deSouthernized〃　by　this
time。　　From　having　been　of　slaveholding　stock；　and　a　Confederate　soldier；
he　had　become　a　most　positive　Republican；　a　rampant　abolitionisthad
there　been　anything　left　to　abolish。　　His　sympathy　had　been　always　wit