mark twain, a biography, 1866-1875-第4节

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　　　　　myself　may　be　dead　to…morrow。

　　　　　Since　the　last　two　hours　all　laughter；　all　levity；　has　ceased　on　the
　　　　　shipa　settled　gloom　is　upon　the　faces　of　the　passengers。

By　noon　it　was　evident　that　the　minister　could　not　survive。　　He　died　at
two　o'clock　next　morning；　the　fifth　victim　in　less　than　five　days。　　The
machinery　continued　to　break　and　the　vessel　to　drag。　　The　ship's　doctor
confessed　to　Clemens　that　he　was　helpless。　　There　were　eight　patients　in
the　hospital。

But　on　January　6th　they　managed　to　make　Key　West；　and　for　some　reason
were　not　quarantined。　　Twenty…one　passengers　immediately　deserted　the
ship　and　were　heard　of　no　more。

〃I　am　glad　they　are　gone。　　Dn　them；〃　says　the　notebook。　　Apparently　he
had　never　considered　leaving；　and　a　number　of　others　remained。　　The
doctor　restocked　his　medicine…locker；　and　the　next　day　they　put　to　sea
again。　　Certainly　they　were　a　daring　lot　of　voyagers。　　On　the　8th　another
of　the　patients　died。　　Then　the　cooler　weather　seemed　to　check　the
contagion；　and　it　was　not　until　the　night　of　the　11th；　when　the　New　York
harbor　lights　were　in　view；　that　the　final　death　occurred。　　There　were　no
new　cases　by　this　time；　and　the　other　patients　were　convalescent。　　A
certificate　was　made　out　that　the　last　man　had　died　of　〃dropsy。〃　　There
would　seem　to　have　been　no　serious　difficulty　in　docking　the　vessel　and
landing　the　passengers。　　The　matter　would　probably　be　handled　differently
to…day。




LVII

OLD　FRIENDS　AND　NEW　PLANS

It　had　been　more　than　thirteen　years　since　his　first　arrival　in　New　York。
Then　he　had　been　a　youth；　green；　untraveled；　eager　to　get　away　from　home。
Now　a　veteran；　he　was　as　eager　to　return。

He　stopped　only　long　enough　in　New　York　to　see　Charles　Henry　Webb；　late
of　California；　who　had　put　together　a　number　of　the　Mark　Twain　sketches；
including　〃The　Jumping　Frog；〃　for　book　publication。　　Clemens　himself
decided　to　take　the　book　to　Carleton；　thinking　that；　having　missed　the
fame　of　the　〃Frog〃　once；　he　might　welcome　a　chance　to　stand　sponsor　for
it　now。　　But　Carleton　was　wary；　the　〃Frog〃　had　won　favor；　and　even　fame；
in　its　fugitive；　vagrant　way；　but　a　book　was　another　matter。　　Books　were
undertaken　very　seriously　and　with　plenty　of　consideration　in　those　days。
Twenty…one　years　later；　in　Switzerland；　Carleton　said　to　Mark　Twain：

〃My　chief　claim　to　immortality　is　the　distinction　of　having　declined　your
first　book。〃

Clemens　was　ready　enough　to　give　up　the　book　when　Carleton　declined　it；
but　Webb　said　he　would　publish　it　himself；　and　he　set　about　it　forthwith。
The　author　waited　no　longer　now；　but　started　for　St。　Louis；　and　was　soon
with　his　mother　and　sister；　whom　he　had　not　seen　since　that　eventful
first　year　of　the　war。　　They　thought　he　looked　old；　which　was　true
enough；　but　they　found　him　unchanged　in　his　manner：　buoyant；　full　of
banter　and　gravely　quaint　remarkshe　was　always　the　same。　　Jane　Clemens
had　grown　older；　too。　　She　was　nearly　sixty…four；　but　as　keen　and
vigorous　as　ever…proud　（even　if　somewhat　critical）　of　this　handsome；
brilliant　man　of　new　name　and　fame　who　had　been　her　mischievous；　wayward
boy。　　She　petted　him；　joked　with　him；　scolded　him；　and　inquired
searchingly　into　his　morals　and　habits。　　In　turn　he　petted；　comforted；
and　teased　her。　　She　decided　that　he　was　the　same　Sam；　and　always　would
bea　true　prophecy。

He　went　up　to　Hannibal　to　see　old　friends。　　Many　were　married；　some　had
moved　away；　some　were　deadthe　old　story。　　He　delivered　his　lecture
there；　and　was　the　center　of　interest　and　admirationhis　welcome　might
have　satisfied　even　Tom　Sawyer。　　From　Hannibal　he　journeyed　to　Keokuk；
where　he　lectured　again　to　a　crowd　of　old　friends　and　new；　then　returned
to　St。　Louis　for　a　more　extended　visit。

It　was　while　he　was　in　St。　Louis　that　he　first　saw　the　announcement　of
the　Quaker　City　Holy　Land　Excursion；　and　was　promptly　fascinated　by　what
was　then　a　brand…new　idea　in　ocean　travela　splendid　picnica　choice
and　refined　party　that　would　sail　away　for　a　long　summer's　journeying　to
the　most　romantic　of　all　lands　and　seas；　the　shores　of　the　Mediterranean。
No　such　argosy　had　ever　set　out　before　in　pursuit　of　the　golden　fleece　of
happiness。

His　projected　trip　around　the　world　lost　its　charm　in　the　light　of　this
idyllic　dream。　　Henry　Ward　Beecher　was　advertised　as　one　of　the　party；
General　Sherman　as　another；　also　ministers；　high…class　journaliststhe
best　minds　of　the　nation。　　Anson　Burlingame　had　told　him　to　associate
with　persons　of　refinement　and　intellect。　　He　lost　no　time　in　writing　to
the　Alta；　proposing　that　they　send　him　in　this　select　company。

Noah　Brooks；　who　was　then　on　the　Alta；　states　＇In　an　article　published
in　the　Century　Magazine。＇　that　the　management　was　staggered　by　the
proposition；　but　that　Col。　John　McComb　insisted　that　the　investment　in
Mark　Twain　would　be　sound。　　A　letter　was　accordingly　sent；　stating　that　a
check　for　his　passage　would　be　forwarded　in　due　season；　and　that　meantime
he　could　contribute　letters　from　New　York　City。　　The　rate　for　all　letters
was　to　be　twenty　dollars　each。　　The　arrangement　was　a　godsend；　in　the
fullest　sense　of　the　word；　to　Mark　Twain。

It　was　now　April；　and　he　was　eager　to　get　back　to　New　York　to　arrange　his
passage。　　The　Quaker　City　would　not　sail　for　two　months　yet　（two　eventful
months）；　but　the　advertisement　said　that　passages　must　be　secured　by　the
5th；　and　he　was　there　on　that　day。　　Almost　the　first　man　he　met　was　the
chief　of　the　New　York　Alta　bureau　with　a　check　for　twelve　hundred　and
fifty　dollars　（the　amount　of　his　ticket）　and　a　telegram　saying；　〃Ship
Mark　Twain　in　the　Holy　Land　Excursion　and　pay　his　passage。〃

　　　　　＇The　following　letter；　which　bears　no　date；　was　probably　handed　to
　　　　　him　later　in　the　New　York　Alta　office　as　a　sort　of　credential：

　　　　　ALTA　CALIFORNIA　OFFICE；　42　JOHN　STREET；　NEW　YORK。

　　　　　Sam'l　Clemens；　Esq。；　New　York。

　　　　　DEAR　SIR；I　have　the　honor　to　inform　you　that　Fred'k。　MacCrellish
　　　　　&　Co。；　Proprietors　of　Alta　California；　San　Francisco；　Cal。；　desire
　　　　　to　engage　your　services　as　Special　Correspondent　on　the　pleasure
　　　　　excursion　now　about　to　proceed　from　this　City　to　the　Holy　Land。　　In
　　　　　obedience　to　their　instructions　I　have　secured　a　passage　for　you　on
　　　　　the　vessel　about　to　convey　the　excursion　party　referred　to；　and　made
　　　　　such　arrangements　as　I　hope　will　secure　your　comfort　and
　　　　　convenience。　　Your　only　instructions　are　that　you　will　continue　to
　　　　　write　at　such　times　and　from　such　places　as　you　deem　proper；　and　in
　　　　　the　same　style　that　heretofore　secured　you　the　favor　of　the　readers
　　　　　of　the　Alta　California。　　I　have　the　honor　to　remain；　with　high
　　　　　respect　and　esteem；

　　　　　Your　ob'dt。　　Servant；

　　　　　JOHN　J。　　MURPHY。＇


The　Alta；　it　appears；　had　already　applied　for　his　berth；　but；　not　having
been　vouched　for　by　Mr。　Beecher　or　some　other　eminent　divine；　Clemens　was
fearful　he　might　not　be　accepted。　　Quite　casually　he　was　enlightened　on
this　point。　　While　waiting　for　attention　in　the　shipping…office；　with　the
Alta　agent；　he　heard　a　newspaper　man　inquire　what　notables　were　going。
A　clerk；　with　evident　pride；　rattled　off　the　names：

〃Lieutenant…General　Sherman；　Henry　Ward　Beecher；　and　Mask　Twain；　also
probably　General　Banks。〃

So　he　was　billed　as　an　attraction。　　It　was　his　first　surreptitious　taste
of　fame　on　the　Atlantic　coast；　and　not　without　its　delight。　　The　story
often　told　of　his　being　introduced　by　Ned　House；　of　the　Tribune；　as　a
minister；　though　often　repeated　by　Mark　Twain　himself；　was　in　the　nature
of　a　joke；　and　mainly　apocryphal。　　Clemens　was　a　good　deal　in　House's
company　at　the　time；　for　he　had　made　an　arrangement　to　contribute
occasional　letters　to　the　Tribune；　and　House　no　doubt　introduced　him
jokingly　as　one　of　the　Quaker　City　ministers。




LVIII

A　NEW　BOOK　AND　A　LECTURE

Webb；　meantime；　had　pushed　the　Frog　book　along。　　The　proofs　had　been　read
and　the　volume　was　about　ready　for　issue。　　Clemens　wrote　to　his　mother
April　15th：

　　　　　My　book　will　probably　be　in　the　bookseller's　hands　in　about　two
　　　　　weeks。　　After　that　I　shall　lecture。　　Since　I　have　been　gone；　the
　　　　　boys　have　gotten　up　a　〃call〃　on　me　signed　by　two　hundred
　　　　　Californians。

The　lecture　plan　was　the　idea　of　Frank　Fuller；　who　as　acting　Governor　of
Utah　had　known　Mark　Twain　on　the　Comstock；　and　prophesied　favorably　of
his　future　career。　　Clemens　had　hunted　up　Fuller　on　landing　in　New　York
in　January；　and　Fuller　had　encouraged　the　lecture　then；　but　Clemens　was
doubtful。

〃I　have　no　reputation　with　the　general　public　here；〃　he　said。　　〃We
couldn't　get　a　baker's　dozen　to　hear　me。〃

But　Fuller　was　a　sanguine　person；　with　an　energy　and　enthusiasm　that　were
infectious。　　He　insisted　that　the　idea　was　sound。　　It　would　solidify　Mark
Twain's　reputation　on　the　Atlantic　coast；　he　declared；　insisting　that　the
largest　house　in　New　York；　Cooper　Union；　should　be　taken。　　Clemens　had
partially　consented；　and　Fuller　had　arranged　with　all　the　Pacific　slope
people　who　had　come　East；　headed　by　ex…Governor　James　W。　Nye　（by　this
time　Senator　at　Washington）；　to　sign　a　call　for　the　〃Inimitable　Mark
Twain〃　to　appear　before　a　New