mark twain, a biography, 1866-1875-第33节

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which　it　was　in　his　nature　to　resent。

When　'Roughing　It'　had　been　ready　for　issue　he　agreed　with　Bliss　that
they　should　try　the　experiment　of　copyrighting　it　in　England；　and　see　how
far　the　law　would　protect　them　against　the　voracious　little　publisher；
who　thus　far　had　not　only　snapped　up　everything　bearing　Mark　Twain's
signature；　but　had　included　in　a　volume　of　Mark　Twain　sketches　certain
examples　of　very　weak　humor　with　which　Mark　Twain　had　been　previously
unfamiliar。

Whatever　the　English　pirate's　opinion　of　the　copyright　protection　of
'Roughing　It'　may　have　been；　he　did　not　attempt　to　violate　it。　　This　was
gratifying。　　Clemens　came　to　regard　England　as　a　friendly　power。　　He
decided　to　visit　it　and　spy　out　the　land。　　He　would　make　the　acquaintance
of　its　people　and　institutions　and　write　a　book；　which　would　do　these
things　justice。

He　gave　out　no　word　of　his　real　purpose。　　He　merely　said　that　he　was
going　over　to　see　his　English　publishers；　and　perhaps　to　arrange　for　a
few　lectures。　　He　provided　himself　with　some　stylographic　note…books；　by
which　he　could　produce　two　copies　of　his　daily　memorandaone　for　himself
and　one　to　mail　to　Mrs。　Clemensand　sailed　on　the　Scotia　August　21；
1872。

Arriving　in　Liverpool　he　took　train　for　London；　and　presently　the
wonderful　charm　of　that　old；　finished　country　broke　upon　him。　　His　〃first
hour　in　England　was　an　hour　of　delight；〃　he　records；　〃of　rapture　and
ecstasy。　　These　are　the　best　words　I　can　find；　but　they　are　not　adequate；
they　are　not　strong　enough　to　convey　the　feeling　which　this　first　vision
of　rural　England　brought　me。〃　　Then　he　noticed　that　the　gentleman
opposite　in　his　compartment　paid　no　attention　to　the　scenery；　but　was
absorbed　in　a　green…covered　volume。　　He　was　so　absorbed　in　it　that；　by
and　by；　Clemens's　curiosity　was　aroused。　　He　shifted　his　position　a
little　and　his　eye　caught　the　title。　　It　was　the　first　volume　of　the
English　edition　of　The　Innocents　Abroad。　　This　was　gratifying　for　a
moment；　then　he　remembered　that　the　man　had　never　laughed；　never　even
smiled　during　the　hour　of　his　steady　reading。　　Clemens　recalled　what　he
had　heard　of　the　English　lack　of　humor。　　He　wondered　if　this　was　a　fair
example　of　it；　and　if　the　man　could　be　really　taking　seriously　every　word
he　was　reading。　　Clemens　could　not　look　at　the　scenery　any　more　for
watching　his　fellow…passenger；　waiting　with　a　fascinated　interest　for　the
paragraph　that　would　break　up　that　iron…clad　solemnity。　　It　did　not　come。
During　all　the　rest　of　the　trip　to　London　the　atmosphere　of　the
compartment　remained　heavy　with　gloom。

He　drove　to　the　Langham　Hotel；　always　popular　with　Americans；　established
himself；　and　went　to　look　up　his　publishers。　　He　found　the　Routledges
about　to　sit　down　to　luncheon　in　a　private　room；　up…stairs；　in　their
publishing　house。　　He　joined　them；　and　not　a　soul　stirred　from　that　table
again　until　evening。　　The　Routledges　had　never　heard　Mark　Twain　talk
before；　never　heard　any　one　talk　who　in　the　least　resembled　him。　　Various
refreshments　were　served　during　the　afternoon；　came　and　went；　while　this
marvelous　creature　talked　on　and　they　listened；　reveling；　and　wondering
if　America　had　any　more　of　that　sort　at　home。　　By　and　by　dinner　was
served；　then　after　a　long　time；　when　there　was　no　further　excuse　for
keeping　him　there；　they　took　him　to　the　Savage　Club；　where　there　were　yet
other　refreshments　and　a　gathering　of　the　clans　to　welcome　this　new
arrival　as　a　being　from　some　remote　and　unfamiliar　star。

Tom　Hood；　the　younger；　was　there；　and　Harry　Lee；　and　Stanley　the
explorer；　who　had　but　just　returned　from　finding　Livingstone；　and　Henry
Irving；　and　many　another　whose　name　remains；　though　the　owners　of　those
names　are　all　dead　now；　and　their　laughter　and　their　good…fellowship　are
only　a　part　of　that　intangible　fabric　which　we　call　the　past。'　＇Clemens
had　first　known　Stanley　as　a　newspaper　man。　　〃I　first　met　him　when　he
reported　a　lecture　of　mine　in　St。　Louis；〃　he　said　once　in　a　conversation
where　the　name　of　Stanley　was　mentioned。＇




LXXXVI

ENGLAND

》From　that　night　Mark　Twain's　stay　in　England　could　not　properly　be　called
a　gloomy　one。

Routledge；　Hood；　Lee；　and；　in　fact；　all　literary　London；　set　themselves
the　task　of　giving　him　a　good　time。　　Whatever　place　of　interest　they
could　think　of　he　was　taken　there；　whatever　there　was　to　see　he　saw　it。
Dinners；　receptions；　and　assemblies　were　not　complete　without　him。　　The
White　Friars'　Club　and　others　gave　banquets　in　his　honor。　　He　was　the
sensation　of　the　day。　　When　he　rose　to　speak　on　these　occasions　he　was
greeted　with　wild　cheers。　　Whatever　he　said　they　eagerly　applaudedtoo
eagerly　sometimes；　in　the　fear　that　they　might　be　regarded　as　insensible
to　American　humor。　　Other　speakers　delighted　in　chaffing　him　in　order　to
provoke　his　retorts。　　When　a　speaker　humorously　referred　to　his　American
habit　of　carrying　a　cotton　umbrella；　his　reply　that　he　followed　this
custom　because　a　cotton　umbrella　was　the　only　kind　of　an　umbrella　that　an
Englishman　wouldn't　steal；　was　all　over　England　next　day；　and　regarded　as
one　of　the　finest　examples　of　wit　since　the　days　of　Swift。

The　suddenness　and　completeness　of　his　acceptance　by　the　great　ones　of
London　rather　overwhelmed　and　frightened　him　made　him　timid。　　Joaquin
Miller　writes：

　　　　　He　was　shy　as　a　girl；　although　time　was　already　coyly　flirting　white
　　　　　flowers　at　his　temples；　and　could　hardly　be　coaxed　to　meet　the
　　　　　learned　and　great　who　wanted　to　take　him　by　the　hand。

Many　came　to　call　on　him　at　his　hotel；　among　them　Charles　Reade　and　Canon
Kingsley。　　Kingsley　came　twice　without　finding　him；　then　wrote；　asking
for　an　appointment。　　Reade　invited　his　assistance　on　a　novel。　　Indeed；　it
was　in　England　that　Mark　Twain　was　first　made　to　feel　that　he　had　come
into　his　rightful　heritage。　　Whatever　may　have　been　the　doubts　concerning
him　in　America；　there　was　no　question　in　England。　　Howells　says：

　　　　　In　England　rank；　fashion；　and　culture　rejoiced　in　him。　　Lord　mayors；
　　　　　lord　chief　justices；　and　magnates　of　many　kinds　were　his　hosts；　he
　　　　　was　desired　in　country　houses；　and　his　bold　genius　captivated　the
　　　　　favor　of　periodicals　which　spurned　the　rest　of　our　nation。

After　that　first　visit　of　Mark　Twain's；　when　Americans　in　England；
referring　to　their　great　statesmen；　authors；　and　the　like；　naturally
mentioned　the　names　of　Seward；　Webster；　Lowell；　or　Holmes；　the　English
comment　was　likely　to　be：　〃Never　mind　those。　　We　can　turn　out　academic
Sewards　by　the　dozen；　and　cultured　humorists　like　Lowell　and　Holmes　by
the　score。　　Tell　us　of　Lincoln；　Artemus　Ward；　and　Mark　Twain。　　We　cannot
match　these；　they　interest　us。〃　　And　it　was　true。　　History　could　not
match　them；　for　they　were　unique。

Clemens　would　have　been　more　than　human　if　in　time　he　had　not　realized
the　fuller　meaning　of　this　triumph；　and　exulted　in　it　a　little　to　the
folks　at　home。　　There　never　lived　a　more　modest；　less　pretentious；　less
aggressive　man　than　Mark　Twain；　but　there　never　lived　a　man　who　took　a
more　childlike　delight　in　genuine　appreciation；　and；　being　childlike；　it
was　only　human　that　he　should　wish　those　nearest　to　him　to　share　his
happiness。　　After　one　memorable　affair　he　wrote：

　　　　　I　have　been　received　in　a　sort　of　tremendous　way　to…night　by　the
　　　　　brains　of　London；　assembled　at　the　annual　dinner　of　the　sheriffs　of
　　　　　London；　mine　being　（between　you　and　me）　a　name　which　was　received
　　　　　with　a　thundering　outburst　of　spontaneous　applause　when　the　long
　　　　　list　of　guests　was　called。

I　might　have　perished　on　the　spot　but　for　the　friendly　support　and
assistance　of　my　excellent　friend；　Sir　John　Bennett。

This　letter　does　not　tell　all　of　the　incident　or　the　real　reason　why　he
might　have　perished　on　the　spot。　　During　the　long　roll…call　of　guests　he
had　lost　interest　a　little；　and　was　conversing　in　whispers　with　his
〃excellent　friend；〃　Sir　John　Bennett；　stopping　to　applaud　now　and　then
when　the　applause　of　the　others　indicated　that　some　distinguished　name
had　been　pronounced。　　All　at　once　the　applause　broke　out　with　great
vehemence。　　This　must　be　some　very　distinguished　person　indeed。　　He
joined　in　it　with　great　enthusiasm。　　When　it　was　over　he　whispered　to　Sir
John：

〃Whose　name　was　that　we　were　just　applauding？〃

〃Mark　Twain's。〃

Whereupon　the　support　was　needed。

Poor　little　pirate　Hotten　did　not　have　a　happy　time　during　this　visit。
He　had　reveled　in　the　prospect　at　first；　for　he　anticipated　a　large
increase　to　be　derived　from　his　purloined　property；　but　suddenly；　one
morning；　he　was　aghast　to　find　in　the　Spectator　a　signed　letter　from　Mark
Twain；　in　which　he　was　repudiated；　referred　to　as　〃John　Camden
Hottentot；〃　an　unsavory　person　generally。　　Hotten　also　sent　a　letter　to
the　Spectator；　in　which　he　attempted　to　justify　himself；　but　it　was　a
feeble　performance。　　Clemens　prepared　two　other　communications；　each
worse　than　the　other　and　both　more　destructive　than　the　first　one。　　But
these　were　only　to　relieve　his　mind。　　He　did　not　print　them。　　In　one　of
them　he　pursued　the　fancy　of　John　Camden　Hottentot；　whom　he　offers　as　a
specimen　to　the　Zoological　Gardens。

It　is　not　a　bird。