mark twain, a biography, 1866-1875-第26节

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　　　　　it　is　a　secret；　because　I　may　possibly　change　it。　　But　as　it　stands
　　　　　I　propose　to　do　up　Nevada　and　California；　beginning　with　the　trip
　　　　　across　the　country　in　the　stage。　　Have　you　a　memorandum　of　the　route
　　　　　we　took；　or　the　names　of　any　of　the　stations　we　stopped　at？　　Do　you
　　　　　remember　any　of　the　scenes；　names；　incidents；　or　adventures　of　the
　　　　　coach　trip？for　I　remember　next　to　nothing　about　the　matter。　　Jot
　　　　　down　a　foolscap　page　of　items　for　me。　　I　wish　I　could　have　two　days'
　　　　　talk　with　you。

　　　　　I　suppose　I　am　to　get　the　biggest　copyright　this　time　ever　paid　on　a
　　　　　subscription　book　in　this　country。

The　work　so　promptly　begun　made　little　progress。　　Hard　days　of　illness
and　sorrow　followed；　and　it　was　not　until　September　that　it　was　really
under　way。　　His　natural　enthusiasm　over　any　new　undertaking　possessed
him。　　On　the　4th　he　wrote　Bliss：

During　the　past　week　I　have　written　the　first　four　chapters　of　the　book；
and　I　tell　you　'The　Innocents　Abroad'　will　have　to　get　up　early　to　beat
it。　　It　will　be　a　book　that　will　jump　straight　into　continental　celebrity
the　first　month　it　is　issued。

He　prophesied　a　sale　of　90；000　copies　during　the　first　twelve　months　and
declared；　〃I　see　the　capabilities　of　the　subject。〃

But　further　disasters；　even　then　impending；　made　continued　effort
impossible；　the　prospect　of　the　new　book　for　a　time　became　gloomy；　the
idea　of　it　less　inspiring。　　Other　plans　presented　themselves；　and　at　one
time　he　thought　of　letting　the　Galaxy　publishers　get　out　a　volume　of　his
sketches。　　In　October　he　wrote　Bliss　that　he　was　〃driveling　along
tolerably　fair　on　the　book；　getting　off　from　twelve　to　twenty　pages　of
manuscript　a　day。〃　　Bliss　naturally　discouraged　the　Galaxy　idea；　and
realizing　that　the　new　book　might　be　long　delayed；　agreed　to　get　out　a
volume　of　miscellany　sufficiently　large　and　important　for　subscription
sales。　　He　was　doubtful　of　the　wisdom　of　this　plan；　and　when　Clemens
suddenly　proposed　a　brand…new　scheme　his　publisher　very　readily　agreed　to
hold　back　the　publication　of　Sketches　indefinitely。

The　new　book　was　to　be　adventures　in　the　diamond　mines　of　South　Africa；
then　newly　opened　and　of　wide　public　interest。　　Clemens　did　not　propose
to　visit　the　mines　himself；　but　to　let　another　man　do　the　traveling；　make
the　notes；　and　write　or　tell　him　the　story；　after　which　Clemens　would
enlarge　and　elaborate　it　in　his　own　fashion。　　His　adaptation　of　the
letters　of　Professor　Ford；　a　year　earlier；　had　convinced　him　that　his
plan　would　work　out　successfully　on　a　larger　scale；　he　fixed　upon　his　old
friend；　J。　H。　Riley；　of　Washington　＇Riley…Newspaper　Correspondent。〃
See　Sketches。＇　　（earlier　of　San　Francisco）；　as　the　proper　person　to　do
the　traveling。　　At　the　end　of　November　he　wrote　Bliss：

　　　　　I　have　put　my　greedy　hands　upon　the　best　man　in　America　for　my
　　　　　purpose；　and　shall　start　him　to　the　diamond　field　in　South　Africa
　　　　　within　a　fortnight　at　my　expense　。　　。　　。　　that　the　book　will　have　a
　　　　　perfectly　beautiful　sale。

He　suggested　that　Bliss　advance　Riley's　expense　money；　the　amount　to　be
deducted　from　the　first　royalty　returns；　also　he　proposed　an　increased
royalty；　probably　in　view　of　the　startling　splendor　of　the　new　idea。
Bliss　was　duly　impressed；　and　the　agreement　was　finally　made　on　a　basis
of　eight　and　one…half　per　cent。；　with　an　advance　of　royalty　sufficient　to
see　Riley　to　South　Africa　and　return。

Clemens　had　not　yet　heard　from　Riley　definitely　when　he　wrote　his　glowing
letter　to　Bliss。　　He　took　it　for　granted　that　Riley；　always　an
adventurous　sort；　would　go。　　When　Riley　wrote　him　that　he　felt　morally
bound　to　the　Alta；　of　which　he　was　then　Washington　correspondent；　also　in
certain　other　directions　till　the　end　of　the　session；　Clemens　wrote　him
at　great　length；　detailing　his　scheme　in　full　and　urging　him　to　write
instantly　to　the　Alta　and　others；　asking　a　release　on　the　ground　of　being
offered　a　rare　opportunity　to　improve　his　fortunes。

You　know　right　well　that　I　would　not　have　you　depart　a　hair　from　any
obligation　for　any　money。　　The；　boundless　confidence　that　I　have　in　you
is　born　of　a　conviction　of　your　integrity　in　small　as　well　as　in　great
things。　　I　know　plenty　of　men　whose　integrity　I　would　trust　to　here；　but
not　off　yonder　in　Africa。

His　proposal；　in　brief；　to　Riley　was　that　the　latter　should　make　the　trip
to　Africa　without　expense　to　himself；　collect　memoranda；　and　such　diamond
mines　as　might　be　found　lying　about　handy。　　Upon　his　return　he　was　to
take　up　temporary　residence　in　the　Clemens　household　until　the　book　was
finished；　after　which　large　benefits　were　to　accrue　to　everybody
concerned。　　In　the　end　Riley　obtained　a　release　from　his　obligations　and
was　off　for　the　diamond　mines　and　fortune。

Poor　fellow！　　He　was　faithful　in　his　mission；　and　it　is　said　that　he
really　located　a　mining　claim　that　would　have　made　him　and　his
independent　for　all　time　to　come；　but　returning　home　with　his　precious
memoranda　and　the　news　of　good　fortune；　he　accidentally　wounded　himself
with　a　fork　while　eating；　blood…poisoning　set　in　（they　called　it　cancer
then）；　and　he　was　only　able　to　get　home　to　die。　　His　memoranda　were　never
used；　his　mining　claim　was　never　identified。　　Certainly；　death　was
closely　associated　with　Mark　Twain's　fortunes　during　those　earlier　days
of　his　married　life。

On　the　whole　the　Buffalo　residence　was　mainly　a　gloomy　one；　its　ventures
were　attended　by　ill…fortune。　　For　some　reason　Mark　Twain's　connection
with　the　Express；　while　it　had　given　the　paper　a　wide　reputation；　had　not
largely　increased　its　subscription。　　Perhaps　his　work　on　it　was　too
varied　and　erratic。　　Nasby；　who　had　popularized　the　Toledo　Blade；　kept
steadily　to　one　line。　　His　farmer　public　knew　always　just　what　to　expect
when　their　weekly　edition　arrived。

Clemens　and　his　wife　dreamed　of　a　new　habitation；　and　new　faces　and
surroundings。　　They　agreed　to　offer　their　home　and　his　interests　in　the
Express　for　sale。　　They　began　to　talk　of　Hartford；　where　Twichell　lived；
and　where　Orion　Clemens　and　his　wife　had　recently　located。

Mark　Twain's　new　fortunes　had　wrought　changes　in　the　affairs　of　his
relatives。　　Already；　before　his　marriage；　he　had　prospected　towns　here
and　there　with　a　view　to　finding　an　Eastern　residence　for　his　mother　and
sister；　and　he　had　kept　Orion's　welfare　always　in　mind。　　When　Pamela　and
her　daughter　came　to　his　wedding　he　told　them　of　a　little　city　by　the
name　of　Fredonia　（New　York）；　not　far　from　Buffalo；　where　he　thought　they
might　find　a　pleasant　home。

〃I　went　in　there　by　night　and　out　by　night；〃　he　said；　〃so　I　saw　none　of
it；　but　I　had　an　intelligent；　attractive　audience。　　Prospect　Fredonia　and
let　me　know　what　it　is　like。　　Try　to　select　a　place　where　a　good　many
funerals　pass。　　Ma　likes　funerals。　　If　you　can　pick　a　good　funeral　corner
she　will　be　happy。〃

It　was　in　her　later　life　that　Jane　Clemens　had　developed　this　particular
passion。　　She　would　consult　the　morning　paper　for　any　notice　of　obsequies
and　attend　those　that　were　easy　of　access。　　Watching　the　processions　go
by　gave　her　a　peculiar　joy。　　Mrs。　Moffett　and　her　daughter　did　go　to
Fredonia　immediately　following　the　wedding。　　They　found　it　residentially
attractive；　and　rented　a　house　before　returning　to　St。　Louis；　a
promptness　that　somewhat　alarmed　the　old　lady；　who　did　not　altogether
fancy　the　idea　of　being　suddenly　set　down　in　a　strange　house；　in　a
strange　land；　even　though　it　would　be　within　hailing　distance　of　Sam　and
his　new　wife。　　Perhaps　the　Fredonia　funerals　were　sufficiently　numerous
and　attractive；　for　she　soon　became　attached　to　the　place；　and　entered
into　the　spirit　of　the　life　there；　joining　its　temperance　crusades；　and
the　like；　with　zest　and　enjoyment。

Onion　remained　in　St。　Louis；　but　when　Bliss　established　a　paper　called
The　Publisher；　and　wanted　an　editor；　he　was　chosen　for　the　place；
originally　offered　to　his　brother；　the　latter；　writing　to　Onion；　said：

If　you　take　the　place　with　an　air　of　perfect　confidence　in　yourself；
never　once　letting　anything　show　in　your　bearing　but　a　quiet；　modest；
entire；　and　perfect　confidence　in　your　ability　to　do　pretty　much　anything
in　the　world；　Bliss　will　think　you　are　the　very　man　he　needs；　but　don't
show　any　shadow　of　timidity　or　unsoldierly　diffidence；　for　that　sort　of
thing　is　fatal　to　advancement。

I　warn　you　thus　because　you　are　naturally　given　to　knocking　your　pot　over
in　this　way；　when　a　little　judicious　conduct　would　make　it　boil。




LXXXI

SOME　FURTHER　LITERARY　MATTERS

Meantime　The　Innocents　Abroad　had　continued　to　prosper。　　Its　author
ranked　mainly　as　a　humorist；　but　of　such　colossal　proportions　that　his
contemporaries　had　seemed　to　dwindle；　the　mighty　note　of　the　〃Frog　of
Calaveras〃　had　dwarfed　a　score　of　smaller　peepers。　　At　the　end　of　a　year
from　its　date　of　publication　the　book　had　sold　up　to　67；000　and　was
continuing　at　the　rate　of　several　thousand　monthly。

〃You　are　running　it　in　staving；　tiptop；　first…class　style；〃　Clemens　wrote
to　Bliss。　　〃On　the　average　ten　people　a　day　come　and　hunt　me　up　to　tell
me　I　am　a　benefactor！　　I　guess　that　is　a　part　of　the　program　we　didn't
expect；　in　the