mark twain, a biography, 1866-1875-第44节

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habit；　Auntie　Cord　came　around　to　say　good　night；　and　Clemens　engaged　her
in　conversation。　　He　led　up　to　her　story；　and　almost　before　she　knew　it
she　was　seated　at　his　feet　telling　the　strange　tale　in　almost　the　exact
words　in　which　it　was　set　down　by　him　next　morning。　　It　gave　Mark　Twain　a
chance　to　exercise　two　of　his　chief　giftstranscription　and　portrayal。
He　was　always　greater　at　these　things　than　at　invention。　　Auntie　Cord's
story　is　a　little　masterpiece。

He　wished　to　do　more　with　Auntie　Cord　and　her　associates　of　the　farm；　for
they　were　extraordinarily　interesting。　　Two　other　negroes　on　the　place；
John　Lewis　and　his　wife　（we　shall　hear　notably　of　Lewis　later）；　were　not
always　on　terms　of　amity　with　Auntie　Cord。　　They　disagreed　on　religion；
and　there　were　frequent　battles　in　the　kitchen。　　These　depressed　the
mistress　of　the　house；　but　they　gave　only　joy　to　Mark　Twain。　　His
Southern　raising　had　given　him　an　understanding　of　their　humors；　their
native　emotions　which　made　these　riots　a　spiritual　gratification。　　He
would　slip　around　among　the　shrubbery　and　listen　to　the　noise　and　strife
of　battle；　and　hug　himself　with　delight。　　Sometimes　they　resorted　to
missiles　stones；　tinwareeven　dressed　poultry　which　Auntie　Cord　was
preparing　for　the　oven。　　Lewis　was　very　black；　Auntie　Cord　was　a　bright
mulatto；　Lewis's'　wife　several　shades　lighter。　　Wherever　the　discussion
began　it　promptly　shaded　off　toward　the　color…line　and　insult。　　Auntie
Cord　was　a　Methodist；　Lewis　was　a　Dunkard。　　Auntie　Cord　was　ignorant　and
dogmatic；　Lewis　could　read　and　was　intelligent。　　Theology　invariably　led
to　personality；　and　eventually　to　epithets；　crockery；　geology；　and
victuals。　　How　the　greatest　joker　of　the　age　did　enjoy　that　summer
warfare！

The　fun　was　not　all　one…sided。　　An　incident　of　that　summer　probably
furnished　more　enjoyment　for　the　colored　members　of　the　household　than　it
did　for　Mark　Twain。　　Lewis　had　some　fowls；　and　among　them　was　a
particularly　pestiferous　guinea…hen　that　used　to　get　up　at　three　in　the
morning　and　go　around　making　the　kind　of　a　noise　that　a　guinea…hen　must
like　and　is　willing　to　get　up　early　to　hear。　　Mark　Twain　did　not　care　for
it。　　He　stood　it　as　long　as　he　could　one　morning；　then　crept　softly　from
the　house　to　stop　it。

It　was　a　clear；　bright　night；　locating　the　guinea…hen；　he　slipped　up
stealthily　with　a　stout　stick。　　The　bird　was　pouring　out　its　heart；
tearing　the　moonlight　to　tatters。　　Stealing　up　close；　Clemens　made　a
vicious　swing　with　his　bludgeon；　but　just　then　the　guinea　stepped　forward
a　little；　and　he　missed。　　The　stroke　and　his　explosion　frightened　the
fowl；　and　it　started　to　run。　　Clemens；　with　his　mind　now　on　the　single
purpose　of　revenge；　started　after　it。　　Around　the　trees；　along　the　paths；
up　and　down　the　lawn；　through　gates　and　across　the　garden；　out　over　the
fields；　they　raced；　〃pursuer　and　pursued。〃　　The　guinea　nor　longer　sang；
and　Clemens　was　presently　too　exhausted　to　swear。　　Hour　after　hour　the
silent；　deadly　hunt　continued；　both　stopping　to　rest　at　intervals；　then
up　again　and　away。　　It　was　like　something　in　a　dream。　　It　was　nearly
breakfast…time　when　he　dragged　himself　into　the　house　at　last；　and　the
guinea　was　resting　and　panting　under　a　currant…bush。　　Later　in　the　day
Clemens　gave　orders　to　Lewis　to　〃kill　and　eat　that　guinea…hen；〃　which
Lewis　did。　　Clemens　himself　had　then　never　eaten　a　guinea；　but　some　years
later；　in　Paris；　when　the　delicious　breast　of　one　of　those　fowls　was
served　him；　he　remembered　and　said：

〃And　to　think；　after　chasing　that　creature　all　night；　John　Lewis　got　to
eat　him　instead　of　me。〃

The　interest　in　Tom　and　Huck；　or　the　inspiration　for　their　adventures；
gave　out　at　last；　or　was　superseded　by　a　more　immediate　demand。　　As　early
as　May；　Goodman；　in　San　Francisco；　had　seen　a　play　announced　there；
presenting　the　character　of　Colonel　Sellers；　dramatized　by　Gilbert　S。
Densmore　and　played　by　John　T。　　Raymond。　　Goodman　immediately　wrote
Clemens；　also　a　letter　came　from　Warner；　in　Hartford；　who　had　noticed　in
San　Francisco　papers　announcements　of　the　play。　　Of　course　Clemens　would
take　action　immediately；　he　telegraphed；　enjoining　the　performance。　　Then
began　a　correspondence　with　the　dramatist　and　actor。　　This　in　time
resulted　in　an　amicable　arrangement；　by　which　the　dramatist　agreed　to
dispose　of　his　version　to　Clemens。　　Clemens　did　not　wait　for　it　to
arrive；　but　began　immediately　a　version　of　his　own。　　Just　how　much　or　how
little　of　Densmore's　work　found　its　way　into　the　completed　play；　as
presented　by　Raymond　later；　cannot　be　known　now。　　Howells　conveys　the
impression　that　Clemens　had　no　hand　in　its　authorship　beyond　the
character　of　Sellers　as　taken　from　the　book。　　But　in　a　letter　still
extant；　which　Clemens　wrote　to　Howells　at　the　time；　he　says：

　　　　　I　worked　a　month　on　my　play；　and　launched　it　in　New　York　last
　　　　　Wednesday。　　I　believe　it　will　go。　　The　newspapers　have　been
　　　　　complimentary。　　It　is　simply　a　setting　for　one　character；　Colonel
　　　　　Sellers。　　As　a　play　I　guess　it　will　not　bear　critical　assault　in
　　　　　force。

The　Warners　are　as　charming　as　ever。　　They　go　shortly　to　the　devil　for　a
yearthat　is；　to　Egypt。

Raymond；　in　a　letter　which　he　wrote　to　the　Sun；　November　3；　1874；
declared　that　〃not　one　line〃　of　Densmore's　dramatization　was　used；
〃except　that　which　was　taken　bodily　from　The　Gilded　Age。　　During　the
newspaper　discussion　of　the　matter；　Clemens　himself　prepared　a　letter　for
the　Hartford　Post。　　This　letter　was　suppressed；　but　it　still　exists。　　In
it　he　says：

　　　　　I　entirely　rewrote　the　play　three　separate　and　distinct　times。　　I
　　　　　had　expected　to　use　little　of　his　＇Densmore's＇　language　and　but
　　　　　little　of　his　plot。　　I　do　not　think　there　are　now　twenty　sentences
　　　　　of　Mr。　Densmore's　in　the　play；　but　I　used　so　much　of　his　plot　that　I
　　　　　wrote　and　told　him　that　I　should　pay　him　about　as　much　more　as　I　had
　　　　　already　paid　him　in　case　the　play　proved　a　success。　　I　shall　keep　my
　　　　　word。

This　letter；　written　while　the　matter　was　fresh　in　his　mind；　is
undoubtedly　in　accordance　with　the　facts。　　That　Densmore　was　fully
satisfied　may　be　gathered　from　an　acknowledgment；　in　which　he　says：　〃Your
letter　reached　me　on　the　ad；　with　check。　　In　this　place　permit　me　to
thank　you　for　the　very　handsome　manner　in　which　you　have　acted　in　this
matter。〃

Warner；　meantime；　realizing　that　the　play　was　constructed　almost　entirely
of　the　Mark　Twain　chapters　of　the　book；　agreed　that　his　collaborator
should　undertake　the　work　and　financial　responsibilities　of　the　dramatic
venture　and　reap　such　rewards　as　might　result。　　Various　stories　have　been
told　of　this　matter；　most　of　them　untrue。　　There　was　no　bitterness
between　the　friends；　no　semblance　of　an　estrangement　of　any　sort。　　Warner
very　generously　and　promptly　admitted　that　he　was　not　concerned　with　the
play；　its　authorship；　or　its　profits；　whatever　the　latter　might　amount
to。　　Moreover；　Warner　was　going　to　Egypt　very　soon；　and　his　labors　and
responsibilities　were　doubly　sufficient　as　they　stood。

Clemens's　estimate　of　the　play　as　a　dramatic　composition　was　correct
enough；　but　the　public　liked　it；　and　it　was　a　financial　success　from　the
start。　　He　employed　a　representative　to　travel　with　Raymond；　to　assist　in
the　management　and　in　the　division　of　spoil。　　The　agent　had　instructions
to　mail　a　card　every　day；　stating　the　amount　of　his　share　in　the　profits。
Howells　once　arrived　in　Hartford　just　when　this　postal　tide　of　fortune
was　at　its　flood：

One　hundred　and　fifty　dollarstwo　hundred　dollarsthree　hundred　dollars
were　the　gay　figures　which　they　bore；　and　which　he　flaunted　in　the　air；
before　he　sat　down　at　the　table；　or　rose　from　it　to　brandish；　and　then；
flinging　his　napkin　in　the　chair；　walked　up　and　down　to　exult　in。

Once；　in　later　years；　referring　to　the　matter；　Howells　said
〃He　was　never　a　man　who　cared　anything　about　money　except　as　a　dream；　and
he　wanted　more　and　more　of　it　to　fill　out　the　spaces　of　this　dream。〃
Which　was　a　true　word。　　Mark　Twain　with　money　was　like　a　child　with　a
heap　of　bright　pebbles；　ready　to　pile　up　more　and　still　more；　then
presently　to　throw　them　all　away　and　begin　gathering　anew。




XCVI

THE　NEW　HOME

The　Clemenses　returned　to　Hartford　to　find　their　new　house　〃ready；〃
though　still　full　of　workmen；　decorators；　plumbers；　and　such　other
minions　of　labor　as　make　life　miserable　to　those　with　ambitions　for　new
or　improved　habitations。　　The　carpenters　were　still　on　the　lower　floor；
but　the　family　moved　in　and　camped　about　in　rooms　up…stairs　that　were
more　or　less　free　from　the　invader。　　They　had　stopped　in　New　York　ten
days　to　buy　carpets　and　furnishings；　and　these　began　to　arrive；　with　no
particular　place　to　put　them；　but　the　owners　were　excited　and　happy　with
it　all；　for　it　was　the　pleasant　season　of　the　year；　and　all　the　new
features　of　the　house　were　fascinating；　while　the　daily　progress　of　the
decorators　furnished　a　fresh　surprise　when　they　roamed　through　the　rooms
at　evening。　　Mrs。　Clemens　wrote　home：

　　　　　We　are　perfectly　delighted　with　everything　here　and　do　so　want　you
　　　　　all　to　see　it。

Her　husband；　as　he　was　likely　to　do；　picked　up　the