mark twain, a biography, 1866-1875-第41节

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whereupon　his　Lordship　wrote　to　urge　him　to　be　present　at　least　at　the
finale；　when　the　welcome　would　be　〃none　the　less　hearty；〃　and　bespoke　his
attendance　for　any　future　dinners。

Clemens　lectured　steadily　at　the　Hanover　Square　Rooms　during　the　two
months　of　his　stay　in　London；　and　it　was　only　toward　the　end　of　this
astonishing　engagement　that　the　audience　began　to　show　any　sign　of
diminishing。　　Early　in　January　he　wrote　to　Twichell：

I　am　not　going　to　the　provinces　because　I　cannot　get　halls　that　are　large
enough。　　I　always　felt　cramped　in　the　Hanover　Square　Rooms；　but　I　find
that　everybody　here　speaks　with　awe　and　respect　of　that　prodigious　hall
and　wonders　that　I　could　fill　it　so　long。

I　am　hoping　to　be　back　in　twenty　days；　but　I　have　so　much　to　go　home　to
and　enjoy　with　a　jubilant　joy　that　it　hardly　seems　possible　that　it　can
come　to　pass　in　so　uncertain　a　world　as　this。

In　the　same　letter　he　speaks　of　attending　an　exhibition　of　Landseer's
paintings　at　the　Royal　Academy：

　　　　　Ah；　they　are　wonderfully　beautiful！　　There　are　such　rich　moonlights
　　　　　and　dusks　in　the　〃Challenge〃　and　the　〃Combat；〃　and　in　that　long
　　　　　flight　of　birds　across　a　lake　in　the　subdued　flush　of　sunset　（or
　　　　　sunrise；　for　no　man　can　ever　tell　t'other　from　which　in　a　picture；
　　　　　except　it　has　the　filmy　morning　mist　breathing　itself　up　from　the
　　　　　water）；　and　there　is　such　a　grave　analytical　profundity　in　the　face
　　　　　of　the　connoisseurs；　and　such　pathos　in　the　picture　of　a　fawn
　　　　　suckling　its　dead　mother　on　a　snowy　waste；　with　only　the　blood　in
　　　　　the　footprints　to　hint　that　she　is　not　asleep。　　And　the　way　that　he
　　　　　makes　animals'　flesh　and　blood；　insomuch　that　if　the　room　were
　　　　　darkened　ever　so　little；　and　a　motionless　living　animal　placed
　　　　　beside　the　painted　one；　no　man　could　tell　which　was　which。

I　interrupted　myself　here；　to　drop　a　line　to　Shirley　Brooks　and　suggest　a
cartoon　for　Punch。　　It　was　this：　in　one　of　the　Academy　saloons　（in　a
suite　where　these　pictures　are）　a　fine　bust　of　Landseer　stands　on　a
pedestal　in　the　center　of　the　room。　　I　suggested　that　some　of　Landseer's
best　known　animals　be　represented　as　having　come　down　out　of　their　frames
in　the　moonlight　and　grouped　themselves　about　the　bust　in　mourning
attitudes。

He　sailed　January　13　（1874。）；　on　the　Paythia；　and　two　weeks　later　was　at
home；　where　all　was　going　well。　　The　Gilded　Age　had　been　issued　a　day　or
two　before　Christmas；　and　was　already　in　its　third　edition。　　By　the　end
of　January　26；000　copies　had　been　sold；　a　sale　that　had　increased　to
40；000　a　month　later。　　The　new　house　was　progressing；　though　it　was　by　no
means　finished。　　Mrs。　Clemens　was　in　good　health。　　Little　Susy　was　full
of　such　American　activities　as　to　earn　the　name　of　〃The　Modoc。〃　　The
promise　of　the　year　was　bright。




XCIII

THE　REAL　COLONEL　SELLERS…GOLDEN　DAYS

There　are　bound　to　be　vexations；　flies　in　the　ointment；　as　we　say。　　It
was　Warner　who　conferred　the　name　of　Eschol　Sellers　on　the　chief　figure
of　the　collaborated　novel。　　Warner　had　known　it　as　the　name　of　an　obscure
person；　or　perhaps　he　had　only　heard　of　it。　　At　all　events；　it　seemed　a
good　one　for　the　character　and　had　been　adopted。　　But　behold；　the　book
had　been　issued　but　a　little　while　when　there　rose　〃out　of　the　vasty
deeps〃　a　genuine　Eschol　Sellers；　who　was　a　very　respectable　person。　　He
was　a　stout；　prosperous…looking　man；　gray　and　about　fifty…five　years　old。
He　came　into　the　American　Publishing　Company　offices　and　asked　permission
to　look　at　the　book。　　Mr。　Bliss　was　out　at　the　moment；　but　presently
arrived。　　The　visitor　rose　and　introduced　himself。

〃My　name　is　Eschol　Sellers；〃　he　said。　　〃You　have　used　it　in　one　of　your
publications。　　It　has　brought　upon　me　a　lot　of　ridicule。　　My　people　wish
me　to　sue　you　for　10；000　damages。〃

He　had　documents　to　prove　his　identity；　and　there　was　only　one　thing　to
be　done；　he　must　be　satisfied。　　Bliss　agreed　to　recall　as　many　of　the
offending　volumes　as　possible　and　change　the　name　on　the　plates。　　He
contacted　the　authors；　and　the　name　Beriah　was　substituted　for　the
offending　Eschol。　　It　turned　out　that　the　real　Sellers　family　was　a　large
one；　and　that　the　given　name　Eschol　was　not　uncommon　in　its　several
branches。　　This　particular　Eschol　Sellers；　curiously　enough；　was　an
inventor　and　a　promoter；　though　of　a　much　more　substantial　sort　than　his
fiction　namesake。　　He　was　also　a　painter　of　considerable　merit；　a　writer
and　an　antiquarian。　　He　was　said　to　have　been　a　grandson　of　the　famous
painter；　Rembrandt　Peale。

Clemens　vowed　that　he　would　not　lecture　in　America　that　winter。　　The
irrepressible　Redpath　besieged　him　as　usual；　and　at　the　end　of　January
Clemens　telegraphed　him；　as　he　thought；　finally。　　Following　it　with　a
letter　of　explanation；　he　added：

〃I　said　to　her；　'There　isn't　money　enough　in　America　to　hire　me　to　leave
you　for　one　day。'〃

But　Redpath　was　a　persistent　devil。　　He　used　arguments　and　held　out
inducements　which　even　Mrs。　Clemens　thought　should　not　be　resisted；　and
Clemens　yielded　from　time　to　time；　and　gave　a　lecture　here　and　there
during　February。　　Finally；　on　the　3d　of　March　（187q。）　he　telegraphed　his
tormentor：

〃Why　don't　you　congratulate　me？　　I　never　expect　to　stand　on　a　lecture
platform　again　after　Thursday　night。〃

Howells　tells　delightfully　of　a　visit　which　he　and　Aldrich　paid　to
Hartford　just　at　this　period。　　Aldrich　went　to　visit　Clemens　and　Howells
to　visit　Charles　Dudley　Warner；　Clemens　coming　as　far　as　Springfield　to
welcome　them。

　　　　　In　the　good…fellowship　of　that　cordial　neighborhood　we　had　two　such
　　　　　days　as　the　aging　sun　no　longer　shines　on　in　his　round。　　There　was
　　　　　constant　running　in　and　out　of　friendly　houses　where　the　lively
　　　　　hosts　and　guests　called　one　another　by　their　Christian　names　or
　　　　　nicknames；　and　no　such　vain　ceremony　as　knocking　or　ringing　at
　　　　　doors。　　Clemens　was　then　building　the　stately　mansion　in　which　he
　　　　　satisfied　his　love　of　magnificence　as　if　it　had　been　another
　　　　　sealskin　coat；　and　he　was　at　the　crest　of　the　prosperity　which
　　　　　enabled　him　to　humor　every　whim　or　extravagance。

Howells　tells　how　Clemens　dilated　on　the　advantages　of　subscription　sale
over　the　usual　methods　of　publication；　and　urged　the　two　Boston　authors
to　prepare　something　which　canvassers　could　handle。

〃Why；　any　other　means　of　bringing　out　a　book　is　privately　printing　it；〃
he　declared；　and　added　that　his　subscription　books　in　Bliss's　hands　sold
right　along；　〃just　like　the　Bible。〃

On　the　way　back　to　Boston　Howells　and　Aldrich　planned　a　subscription　book
which　would　sell　straight　along；　like　the　Bible。　　It　was　to　be　called
〃Twelve　Memorable　Murders。〃　　They　had　dreamed　two　or　three　fortunes　by
the　time　they　had　reached　Boston；　but　the　project　ended　there。

〃We　never　killed　a　single　soul；〃　Howells　said　once　to　the　writer　of　this
memoir。

Clemens　was　always　urging　Howells　to　visit　him　after　that。　　He　offered
all　sorts　of　inducements。

　　　　　You　will　find　us　the　most　reasonable　people　in　the　world。　　We　had
　　　　　thought　of　precipitating　upon　you；　George　Warner　and　his　wife　one
　　　　　day；　Twichell　and　his　jewel　of　a　wife　another　day；　and　Charles
　　　　　Perkins　and　wife　another。　　Only　thosesimply　members　of　our　family
　　　　　they　are。　　But　I'll　close　the　door　against　them　all；　which　will
　　　　　〃fix〃　all　of　the　lot　except　Twichell；　who　will　no　more　hesitate　to
　　　　　climb　in　the　back　window　than　nothing。

　　　　　And　you　shall　go　to　bed　when　you　please；　get　up　when　you　please；
　　　　　talk　when　you　please；　read　when　you　please。

A　little　later　he　was　urging　Howells　or　Aldrich；　or　both　of　them；　to　come
to　Hartford　to　live。

　　　　　Mr。　Hall；　who　lives　in　the　house　next　to　Mrs。　Stowe's　（just　where　we
　　　　　drive　in　to　go　to　our　new　house）；　will　sell　for　16；000　or　17；000。
　　　　　You　can　do　your　work　just　as　well　here　as　in　Cambridge；　can't　you？
　　　　　Come！　　Will　one　of　you　boys　buy　that　house？　　Now；　say　yes。

Certainly　those　were　golden；　blessed　days；　and　perhaps；　as　Howells　says；
the　sun　does　not　shine　on　their　like　any　morenot　in　Hartford；　at　least；
for　the　old　group　that　made　them　no　longer　assembles　there。　　Hartford
about　this　time　became　a　sort　of　shrine　for　all　literary　visitors；　and
for　other　notables　as　well；　whether　of　America　or　from　overseas。　　It　was
the　half…way　place　between　Boston　and　New　York；　and　pilgrims　going　in
either　direction　rested　there。　　It　is　said　that　travelers　arriving　in
America；　were　apt　to　remember　two　things　they　wished　to　see：　Niagara
Falls　and　Mark　Twain。　　But　the　Falls　had　no　such　recent　advertising
advantage　as　that　spectacular　success　in　London。　　Visitors　were　apt　to
begin　in　Hartford。

Howells　went　with　considerable　frequency　after　that；　or　rather　with
regularity；　twice　a　year；　or　oftener；　and　his　coming　was　always　hailed
with　great　rejoicing。　　They　visited　and　ate　around　at　one　place　and
another　among　that　pleasant　circle　of　friends。　　But　they　were　happiest
afterward　together；　Clemens　smoking　continually；　〃soothing　his　tense
nerves　with　a　mild　hot　Scotch；〃　says　Howells；　〃while　we　both　talked；　and
talked；　and　tasked　of　everything　in　the　heavens　and　on　the　earth；　and　the