mark twain, a biography, 1866-1875-第47节

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Howells　welcomed　this　offer　as　an　echo　of　his　own　thought。　　He　had　come
from　a　piloting　family　himself；　and　knew　the　interest　that　Mark　Twain
could　put　into　such　a　series。

Acting　promptly　under　the　new　inspiration；　Clemens　forthwith　sent　the
first　chapter　of　that　monumental；　that　absolutely　unique；　series　of
papers　on　Mississippi　River　life；　which　to…day　constitutes　one　of　his
chief　claims　to　immortality。

His　first　number　was　in　the　nature　of　an　experiment。　　Perhaps；　after　all；
the　idea　would　not　suit　the　Atlantic　readers。

〃Cut　it；　scarify　it；　reject　it；　handle　it　with　entire　freedom；〃　he　wrote；
and　awaited　the　result。

The　〃result〃　was　that　Howells　expressed　his　delight：

　　　　　The　piece　about　the　Mississippi　is　capital。　　It　almost　made　the
　　　　　water　in　our　ice…pitcher　muddy　as　I　read　it。　　I　don't　think　I　shall
　　　　　meddle　much　with　it；　even　in　the　way　of　suggestion。　　The　sketch　of
　　　　　the　low…lived　little　town　was　so　good　that　I　could　have　wished　there
　　　　　was　more　of　it。　　I　want　the　sketches；　if　you　can　make　them；　every
　　　　　month。

Mark　Twain　was　now　really　interested　in　this　new　literary　venture。　　He
was　fairly　saturated　with　memories。　　He　was　writing　on　the　theme　that　lay
nearest　to　his　heart。　　Within　ten　days　he　reported　that　he　had　finished
three　of　the　papers；　and　had　begun　the　fourth。

And　yet　I　have　spoken　of　nothing　but　piloting　as　a　science　so　far；　and　I
doubt　if　I　ever　get　beyond　that　portion　of　my　subject。　　And　I　don't　care
to。　　Any　Muggins　can　write　about　old　days　on　the　Mississippi　of　five
hundred　different　kinds；　but　I　am　the　only　man　alive　that　can　scribble
about　the　piloting　of　that　day；　and　no　man　has　ever　tried　to　scribble
about　it　yet。　　Its　newness　pleases　me　all　the　time；　and　it　is　about　the
only　new　subject　I　know　of。

He　became　so　enthusiastic　presently　that　he　wanted　to　take　Howells　with
him　on　a　trip　down　the　Mississippi；　with　their　wives　for　company；　to　go
over　the　old　ground　again　and　obtain　added　material　enough　for　a　book。
Howells　was　willing　enoughagreed　to　go；　in　factbut　found　it　hard　to
get　away。　　He　began　to　temporize　and　finally　backed　out。　　Clemens　tried
to　inveigle　Osgood　into　the　trip；　but　without　success；　also　John　Hay；　but
Hay　had　a　new　baby　at　his　house　just　then〃three　days　old；　and　with　a
voice　beyond　price；〃　he　said；　offering　it　as　an　excuse　for　non…
acceptance。　　So　the　plan　for　revisiting　the　river　and　the　conclusion　of
the　book　were　held　in　abeyance　for　nearly　seven　years。

Those　early　piloting　chapters；　as　they　appeared　in　the　Atlantic；
constituted　Mark　Twain's　best　literary　exhibit　up　to　that　time。　　In　some
respects　they　are　his　best　literature　of　any　time。　　As　pictures　of　an
intensely　interesting　phase　of　life；　they　are　so　convincing；　so　real；　and
at　the　same　time　of　such　extraordinary　charm　and　interest；　that　if　the
English　language　should　survive　a　thousand　years；　or　ten　times　as　long；
they　would　be　as　fresh　and　vivid　at　the　end　of　that　period　as　the　day
they　were　penned。　　In　them　the　atmosphere　of；　the　river　and　its
environmentits　pictures；　its　thousand　aspects　of　lifeare　reproduced
with　what　is　no　less　than　literary　necromancy。　　Not　only　does　he　make　you
smell　the　river　you　can　fairly　hear　it　breathe。　　On　the　appearance　of　the
first　number　John　Hay　wrote：

〃It　is　perfect；　no　more　nor　less。　　I　don't　see　how　you　do　it；〃　and　added；
〃you　know　what　my　opinion　is　of　time　not　spent　with　you。〃

Howells　wrote：

　　　　　You　are　doing　the　science　of　piloting　splendidly。　　Every　word
　　　　　interesting；　and　don't　you　drop　the　series　till　you've　got　every　bit
　　　　　of　anecdote　and　reminiscence　into　it。

He　let　Clemens　write　the　articles　to　suit　himself。　　Once　he　said：

　　　　　If　I　might　put　in　my　jaw　at　this　point　I　should　say；　stick　to　actual
　　　　　fact　and　character　in　the　thing　and　give　things　in　detail。　　All　that
　　　　　belongs　to　the　old　river　life　is　novel；　and　is　now　mostly
　　　　　historical。　　Don't　write　at　any　supposed　Atlantic　audience；　but　yarn
　　　　　it　off　as　if　into　my　sympathetic　ear。

Clemens　replied　that　he　had　no　dread　of　the　Atlantic　audience；　he
declared　it　was　the　only　audience　that　did　not　require　a　humorist　to
〃paint　himself　striped　and　stand　on　his　head　to　amuse　it。〃

The　〃Old　Times〃　papers　ran　through　seven　numbers　of　the　Atlantic。　　They
were　reprinted　everywhere　by　the　newspapers；　who　in　that　day　had　little
respect　for　magazine　copyrights；　and　were　promptly　pirated　in　book　form
in　Canada。　　They　added　vastly　to　Mark　Twain's　literary　capital；　though
Howells　informs　us　that　the　Atlantic　circulation　did　not　thrive
proportionately；　for　the　reason　that　the　newspapers　gave　the　articles　to
their　readers　from　advanced　sheets　of　the　magazine；　even　before　the
latter　could　be　placed　on　sale。　　It　so　happened　that　in　the　January
Atlantic；　which　contained　the　first　of　the　Mississippi　papers；　there
appeared　Robert　Dale　Owen's　article　on　〃Spiritualism；〃　which　brought　such
humility　both　to　author　and　publisher　because　of　the　exposure　of　the
medium　Katie　King；　which　came　along　while　the　magazine　was　in　press。
Clemens　has　written　this　marginal　note　on　the　opening　page　of　the　copy　at
Quarry　Farm：

While　this　number　of　the　Atlantic　was　being　printed　the　Katie　King
manifestations　were　discovered　to　be　the　cheapest；　wretchedest　shams　and
frauds；　and　were　exposed　in　the　newspapers。　　The　awful　humiliation　of　it
unseated　Robert　Dale　Owen's　reason；　and　he　died　in　the　madhouse。




XCIX

A　TYPEWRITER；　AND　A　JOKE　ON　ALDRICH

It　was　during　the　trip　to　Boston　with　Twichell　that　Mark　Twain　saw　for
the　first　time　what　was　thena　brand…new　invention；　a　typewriter；　or　it
may　have　been　during　a　subsequent　visit；　a　week　or　two　later。　　At　all
events；　he　had　the　machine　and　was　practising　on　it　December　9；　1874；　for
he　wrote　two　letters　on　it　that　day；　one　to　Howells　and　the　other　to
Orion　Clemens。　　In　the　latter　he　says：

　　　　　I　am　trying　to　get　the　hang　of　this　new…fangled　writing…machine；　but
　　　　　am　not　making　a　shining　success　of　it。　　However；　this　is　the　first
　　　　　attempt　I　ever　have　made；　and　yet　I　perceive　that　I　shall　soon
　　　　　easily　acquire　a　fine　facility　in　its　use。　　I　saw　the　thing　in
　　　　　Boston　the　other　day　and　was　greatly　taken　with　it。

He　goes　on　to　explain　the　new　wonder；　and　on　the　whole　his　first　attempt
is　a　very　creditable　performance。　　With　his　usual　enthusiasm　over　an
innovation；　he　believes　it　is　going　to　be　a　great　help　to　him；　and
proclaims　its　advantages。

This　is　the　letter　to　Howells；　with　the　errors　preserved：

　　　　　You　needn't　answer　this；　I　am　only　practicing　to　get　three；　anothe
　　　　　slip…up　there；　only　practici？ng　ti　get　the　hang　of　the　thing。　　I
　　　　　notice　I　miss　fire　&　get　in　a　good　many　unnecessary　letters　&
　　　　　punctuation　marks。　　I　am　simply　using　you　for　a　target　to　bang　at。
　　　　　Blame　my　cats；　but　this　thing　requires　genius　in　order　to　work　it
　　　　　just　right。

In　an　article　written　long　after　he　tells　how　he　was　with　Nasby　when　he
first　saw　the　machine　in　Boston　through　a　window；　and　how　they　went　in　to
see　it　perform。　　In　the　same　article　he　states　that　he　was　the　first
person　in　the　world　to　apply　the　type…machine　to　literature；　and　that　he
thinks　the　story　of　Tom　Sawyer　was　the　first　type…copied　manuscript。
＇Tom　Sawyer　was　not　then　complete；　and　had　been　laid　aside。　　The　first
type…copied　manuscript　was　probably　early　chapters　of　the　Mississippi
story；　two　discarded　typewritten　pages　of　which　still…　exist＇

The　new　enthusiasm　ran　its　course　and　died。　　Three　months　later；　when　the
Remington　makers　wrote　him　for　a　recommendation　of　the　machine；　he
replied　that　he　had　entirely　stopped　using　it。　　The　typewriter　was　not
perfect　in　those　days；　and　the　keys　did　not　always　respond　readily。
He　declared　it　was　ruining　his　moralsthat　it　made　him　〃want　to　swear。〃
He　offered　it　to　Howells　because；　he　said；　Howells　had　no　morals　anyway。
Howells　hesitated；　so　Clemens　traded　the　machine　to　Bliss　for　a　side…
saddle。　　But　perhaps　Bliss　also　became　afraid　of　its　influence；　for　in
due　time　he　brought　it　back。　　Howells；　again　tempted；　hesitated；　and　this
time　was　lost。　　What　eventually　became　of　the　machine　is　not　history。

One　of　those；　happy　Atlantic　dinners　which　Howells　tells　of　came　about
the　end　of　that　year。　　It　was　at　the　Parker　House；　and　Emerson　was　there；
and　Aldrich；　and　the　rest　of　that　group。

〃Don't　you　dare　to　refuse　the　invitation；〃　said　Howells；　and　naturally
Clemens　didn't；　and　wrote　back：

　　　　　I　want　you　to　ask　Mrs。　Howells　to　let　you　stay　all　night　at　the
　　　　　Parker　House　and　tell　lies　and　have　an　improving　time；　and　take
　　　　　breakfast　with　me　in　the　morning。　　I　will　have　a　good　room　for　you
　　　　　and　a　fire。　　Can't　you　tell　her　it　always　makes　you　sick　to　go　home
　　　　　late　at　night　or　something　like　that？　　That　sort　of　thing　arouses
　　　　　Mrs。　Clemens's　sympathies　easily。

Two　memories　of　that　old　dinner　remain　to…day。　　Aldrich　and　Howells　were
not　satisfied　with　the　kind　of　neckties　that　Mark　Twain　wore　（the　old…
fashioned　black　〃string〃　tie；　a　Western　survival）；　so　they　made　him　a
present　of　two　cravats　when　he　set　out　on　his　return　for　Hartford。　　Next
day　he　wrote：

　　　　　You　and　Aldrich　have　m