mark twain, a biography, 1866-1875-第45节

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　　　　　all　to　see　it。

Her　husband；　as　he　was　likely　to　do；　picked　up　the　letter　and　finished
it：

　　　　　Livy　appoints　me　to　finish　this；　but　how　can　a　headless　man　perform
　　　　　an　intelligent　function？　　I　have　been　bully…ragged　all　day　by　the
　　　　　builder；　by　his　foreman；　by　the　architect；　by　the　tapestry　devil　who
　　　　　is　to　upholster　the　furniture；　by　the　idiot　who　is　putting　down　the
　　　　　carpets；　by　the　scoundrel　who　is　setting　up　the　billiard…table　（and
　　　　　has　left　the　balls　in　New　York）；　by　the　wildcat　who　is　sodding　the
　　　　　ground　and　finishing　the　driveway　（after　the　sun　went　down）；　by　a
　　　　　book　agent；　whose　body　is　in　the　back　yard　and　the　coroner　notified。
　　　　　Just　think　of　this　thing　going　on　the　whole　day　long；　and　I　a　man
　　　　　who　loathes　details　with　all　his　heart！　　But　I　haven't　lost　my
　　　　　temper；　and　I've　made　Livy　lie　down　most　of　the　time；　could　anybody
　　　　　make　her　lie　down　all　the　time？

Warner　wrote　from　Egypt　expressing　sympathy　for　their　unfurnished　state
of　affairs；　but　added；　〃I　would　rather　fit　out　three　houses　and　fill　them
with　furniture　than　to　fit　out　one　'dahabiyeh'。〃　　Warner　was　at　that
moment　undertaking　his　charmingly　remembered　trip　up　the　Nile。

The　new　home　was　not　entirely　done　for　a　long　time。　　One　never　knows　when
a　big　house　like　thator　a　little　house；　for　that　matters　done。　　But
they　were　settled　at　last；　with　all　their　beautiful　things　in　place；　and
perhaps　there　have　been　richer　homes；　possibly　more　artistic　ones；　but
there　has　never　been　a　more　charming　home；　within　or　without；　than　that
one。

So　many　frequenters　have　tried　to　express　the　charm　of　that　household。
None　of　them　has　quite　succeeded；　for　it　lay　not　so　much　in　its
arrangement　of　rooms　or　their　decorations　or　their　outlook；　though　these
were　all　beautiful　enough；　but　rather　in　the　personality；　the　atmosphere；
and　these　are　elusive　things　to　convey　in　words。　　We　can　only　see　and
feel　and　recognize；　we　cannot　translate　them。　　Even　Howells；　with　his
subtle　touch；　can　present　only　an　aspect　here　and　there；　an　essence；　as
it　were；　from　a　happy　garden；　rather　than　the　fullness　of　its　bloom。

As　Mark　Twain　was　unlike　any　other　man　that　ever　lived；　so　his　house　was
unlike　any　other　house　ever　built。　　People　asked　him　why　he　built　the
kitchen　toward　the　street；　and　he　said：

〃So　the　servants　can　see　the　circus　go　by　without　running　out　into　the
front　yard。〃

But　this　was　probably　an　after…thought。　　The　kitchen　end　of　the　house
extended　toward　Farmington　Avenue；　but　it　was　by　no　means　unbeautiful。
It　was　a　pleasing　detail　of　the　general　scheme。　　The　main　entrance　faced
at　right　angles　with　the　street　and　opened　to　a　spacious　hall。　　In　turn；
the　hall　opened　to　a　parlor；　where　there　was　a　grand　piano；　and　to　the
dining…room　and　library；　and　the　library　opened　to　a　little　conservatory；
semicircular　in　form；　of　a　design　invented　by　Harriet　Beecher　Stowe。
Says　Howells：

　　　　　The　plants　were　set　in　the　ground；　and　the　flowering　vines　climbed
　　　　　up　the　sides　and　overhung　the　roof　above　the　silent　spray　of　the
　　　　　fountain　companied　by　Callas　and　other　waterloving　lilies。　　There；
　　　　　while　we　breakfasted；　Patrick　came　in　from　the　barn　and　sprinkled
　　　　　the　pretty　bower；　which　poured　out　its　responsive　perfume　in　the
　　　　　delicate　accents　of　its　varied　blossoms。

In　the　library　was　an　old　carved　mantel　which　Clemens　and　his　wife　had
bought　in　Scotland；　salvage　from　a　dismantled　castle；　and　across　the　top
of　the　fireplace　a　plate　of　brass　with　the　motto；　〃The　ornament　of　a
house　is　the　friends　that　frequent　it；〃　surely　never　more　appropriately
inscribed。

There　was　the　mahogany　room；　a　large　bedroom　on　the　ground　floor；　and
upstairs　were　other　spacious　bedrooms　and　many　baths；　while　everywhere
were　Oriental　rugs　and　draperies；　and　statuary　and　paintings。　　There　was
a　fireplace　under　a　window；　after　the　English　pattern；　so　that　in　winter…
time　one　could　at　the　same　moment　watch　the　blaze　and　the　falling　snow。
The　library　windows　looked　out　over　the　valley　with　the　little　stream　in
it；　and　through　and　across　the　tree…tops。　　At　the　top　of　the　house　was
what　became　Clemens's　favorite　retreat；　the　billiard…room；　and　here　and
there　were　unexpected　little　balconies；　which　one　could　step　out　upon　for
the　view。

Below　was　a　wide；　covered　veranda；　the　〃ombra；〃　as　they　called　it；
secluded　from　the　public　eyea　favorite　family　gathering…place　on
pleasant　days。

But　a　house　might　easily　have　all　these　things　without　being　more　than
usually　attractive；　and　a　house　with　a　great　deal　less　might　have　been　as
full　of　charm；　only　it　seemed　just　the　proper　setting　for　that　particular
household；　and　undoubtedly　it　acquired　the　personality　of　its　occupants。

Howells　assures　us　that　there　never　was　another　home　like　it；　and　we　may
accept　his　statement。　　It　was　unique。　　It　was　the　home　of　one　of　the　most
unusual　and　unaccountable　personalities　in　the　world；　yet　was　perfectly
and　serenely　ordered。　　Mark　Twain　was　not　responsible　for　this　blissful
condition。　　He　was　its　beacon…light；　it　was　around　Mrs。　Clemens　that　its
affairs　steadily　revolved。

If　in　the　four　years　and　more　of　marriage　Clemens　had　made　advancement　in
culture　and　capabilities；　Olivia　Clemens　also　had　become　something　more
than　the　half…timid；　inexperienced　girl　he　had　first　known。　　In　a　way　her
education　had　been　no　less　notable　than　his。　　She　had　worked　and　studied；
and　her　half…year　of　travel　and　entertainment　abroad　had　given　her
opportunity　for　acquiring　knowledge　and　confidence。　　Her　vision　of　life
had　vastly　enlarged；　her　intellect　had　flowered；　her　grasp　of
practicalities　had　become　firm　and　sure。

In　spite　of　her　delicate　physical　structure；　her　continued　uncertainty　of
health；　she　capably　undertook　the　management　of　their　large　new　house；
and　supervised　its　economies。　　Any　one　of　her　undertakings　was　sufficient
for　one　woman；　but　she　compassed　them　all。　　No　children　had　more　careful
direction　than　hers。　　No　husband　had　more　devoted　attendance　and
companionship。　　No　household　was　ever　directed　with　a　sweeter　and　gentler
grace；　or　with　greater　perfection　of　detail。　　When　the　great　ones　of　the
world　came　to　visit　America's　most　picturesque　literary　figure　she　gave
welcome　to　them　all；　and　filled　her　place　at　his　side　with　such　sweet　and
capable　dignity　that　those　who　came　to　pay　their　duties　to　him　often
returned　to　pay　even　greater　devotion　to　his　companion。　　Says　Howells：

　　　　　She　was；　in　a　way；　the　loveliest　person　I　have　ever　seenthe
　　　　　gentlest；　the　kindest；　without　a　touch　of　weakness；　she　united
　　　　　wonderful　tact　with　wonderful　truth；　and　Clemens　not　only　accepted
　　　　　her　rule　implicitly；　but　he　rejoiced；　he　gloried　in　it。

And　once；　in　an　interview　with　the　writer　of　these　chapters；　Howells
declared：　〃She　was　not　only　a　beautiful　soul；　but　a　woman　of　singular
intellectual　power。　　I　never　knew　any　one　quite　like　her。〃　　Then　he
added：　〃Words　cannot　express　Mrs。　Clemensher　fineness；　her　delicate；
her　wonderful　tact　with　a　man　who　was　in　some　respects；　and　wished　to　be；
the　most　outrageous　creature　that　ever　breathed。〃

Howells　meant　a　good　many　things　by　that；　no　doubt：　Clemens's　violent
methods；　for　one　thing；　his　sudden；　savage　impulses；　which　sometimes
worked　injustice　and　hardship　for　others；　though　he　was　first　to　discover
the　wrong　and　to　repair　it　only　too　fully。　　Then；　too；　Howells　may　have
meant　his　boyish　teasing　tendency　to　disturb　Mrs。　Clemens's　exquisite
sense　of　decorum。

Once　I　remember　seeing　him　come　into　his　drawing…room　at　Hartford　in　a
pair　of　white　cowskin　slippers　with　the　hair　out；　and　do　a　crippled
colored　uncle；　to　the　joy　of　all　beholders。　　I　must　not　say　all；　for　I
remember　also　the　dismay　of　Mrs。　Clemens；　and　her　low；　despairing　cry　of
〃Oh；　Youth！〃

He　was　continually　doing　such　things　as　the　〃crippled　colored　uncle；〃；
partly　for　the　very　joy　of　the　performance；　but　partly；　too；　to　disturb
her　serenity；　to　incur　her　reproof；　to　shiver　her　a　little〃shock〃　would
be　too　strong　a　word。　　And　he　liked　to　fancy　her　in　a　spirit　and　attitude
of　belligerence；　to　present　that　fancy　to　those　who　knew　the　measure　of
her　gentle　nature。　　Writing　to　Mrs。　Howells　of　a　picture　of　herself　in　a
group；　he　said：

　　　　　You　look　exactly　as　Mrs。　Clemens　does　after　she　has　said：　〃Indeed；　I
　　　　　do　not　wonder　that　you　can　frame　no　reply；　for　you　know　only　too
　　　　　well　that　your　conduct　admits　of　no　excuse；　palliation；　or　argument…
　　　　　none！〃

Clemens　would　pretend　to　a　visitor　that　she　had　been　violently　indignant
over　some　offense　of　his；　perhaps　he　would　say：

〃Well　I　contradicted　her　just　now；　and　the　crockery　will　begin　to　fly
pretty　soon。〃

She　could　never　quite　get　used　to　this　pleasantry；　and　a　faint　glow　would
steal　over　her　face。　　He　liked　to　produce　that　glow。　　Yet　always　his
manner　toward　her　was　tenderness　itself。　　He　regarded　her　as　some　dainty
bit　of　porcelain；　and　it　was　said　that　he　was　always　following　her　about
with　a　chair。　　Their　union　has　been　regarded　as　ideal。　　That　is
Twichell's　opinion　and　Howells's。　　The　latter　sums　up：

　　　　　Marriages　are　what　the　parties　to　them　alone　really　know　them　to　b