mark twain, a biography, 1866-1875-第49节

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Dr。　Parker；　Rev。　Dr。　Burton；　Charles　H。　Clark；　of　the　Courant；　Warner；
and　Twichell；　with　others　of　their　kind。　　Clemens　had　been　elected　after
his　first　sojourn　in　England　（February；　1873）；　and　had　then　read　a　paper
on　the　〃License　of　the　Press。〃　　The　club　met　alternate　Mondays；　from
October　to　May。　　There　was　one　paper　for　each　evening；　and；　after　the
usual　fashion　of　such　clubs；　the　reading　was　followed　by　discussion。
Members　of　that　time　agree　that　Mark　Twain's　association　with　the　club
had　a　tendency　to　give　it　a　life；　or　at　least　an　exhilaration；　which　it
had　not　previously　known。　　His　papers　were　serious　in　their　purpose　he
always　preferred　to　be　seriousbut　they　evidenced　the　magic　gift　which
made　whatever　he　touched　turn　to　literary　jewelry。

Psychic　theories　and　phenomena　always　attracted　Mark　Twain。　　In　thought…
transference；　especially；　he　had　a　frank　interestan　interest　awakened
and　kept　alive　by　certain　phenomenapsychic　manifestations　we　call　them
now。　　In　his　association　with　Mrs。　Clemens　it　not　infrequently　happened
that　one　spoke　the　other's　thought；　or　perhaps　a　long…procrastinated
letter　to　a　friend　would　bring　an　answer　as　quickly　as　mailed；　but　these
are　things　familiar　to　us　all。　　A　more　startling　example　of　thought…
communication　developed　at　the　time　of　which　we　are　writing；　an　example
which　raised　to　a　fever…point　whatever　interest　he　may　have　had　in　the
subject　before。　　（He　was　always　having　these　vehement　interestsrages　we
may　call　them；　for　it　would　be　inadequate　to　speak　of　them　as　fads；
inasmuch　as　they　tended　in　the　direction　of　human　enlightenment；　or
progress；　or　reform。）

Clemens　one　morning　was　lying　in　bed　when；　as　he　says；　suddenly　a　red…hot
new　idea　came　whistling　down　into　my　camp。〃　　The　idea　was　that　the　time
was　ripe　for　a　book　that　would　tell　the　story　of　the　Comstock…of　the
Nevada　silver　mines。　　It　seemed　to　him　that　the　person　best　qualified　for
the　work　was　his　old　friend　William　WrightDan　de　Quille。　　He　had　not
heard　from　Dan；　or　of　him；　for　a　long　time；　but　decided　to　write　and　urge
him　to　take　up　the　idea。　　He　prepared　the　letter；　going　fully　into　the
details　of　his　plan；　as　was　natural　for　him　to　do；　then　laid　it　aside
until　he　could　see　Bliss　and　secure　his　approval　of　the　scheme　from　a
publishing　standpoint。　　Just　a　week　later；　it　was　the　9th　of　March；　a
letter　camea　thick　letter　bearing　a　Nevada　postmark；　and　addressed　in　a
handwriting　which　he　presently　recognized　as　De　Quille's。　　To　a　visitor
who　was　present　he　said：

〃Now　I　will　do　a　miracle。　　I　will　tell　you　everything　this　letter
containsdate；　signature；　and　all　without　breaking　the　seal。〃

He　stated　what　he　believed　was　in　the　letter。　　Then　he　opened　it　and
showed　that　he　had　correctly　given　its　contents；　which　were　the　same　in
all　essential　details　as　those　of　his　own　letter；　not　yet　mailed。

In　an　article　on　〃Mental　Telegraphy〃　（he　invented　the　name）　he　relates
this　instance；　with　others；　and　in　'Following　the　Equator'　and　elsewhere
he　records　other　such　happenings。　　It　was　one　of　the　〃mysteries〃　in　which
he　never　lost　interest；　though　his　concern　in　it　in　time　became　a　passive
one。

The　result　of　the　De　Quille　manifestation；　however；　he　has　not　recorded。
Clemens　immediately　wrote；　urging　Dan　to　come　to　Hartford　for　an　extended
visit。　　De　Quille　came；　and　put　in　a　happy　spring　in　his　old　comrade's
luxurious　home；　writing　'The　Big　Bonanza'；　which　Bliss　successfully
published　a　year　later。

Mark　Twain　was　continually　inviting　old　friends　to　share　his　success　with
him。　　Any　comrade　of　former　days　found　welcome　in　his　home　as　often　as　he
would　come；　and　for　as　long　as　he　would　stay。　　Clemens　dropped　his　own
affairs　to　advise　in　their　undertakings；　and　if　their　undertakings　were
literary　he　found　them　a　publisher。　　He　did　this　for　Joaquin　Miller　and
for　Bret　Harte；　and　he　was　always　urging　Goodman　to　make　his　house　a
home。

The　Beecher…Tilton　trial　was　the　sensation　of　the　spring　of　1875；　and
Clemens；　in　common　with　many　others；　was　greatly　worked　up　over　it。　　The
printed　testimony　had　left　him　decidedly　in　doubt　as　to　Beecher's
innocence；　though　his　blame　would　seem　to　have　been　less　for　the　possible
offense　than　because　of　the　great　leader's　attitude　in　the　matter。　　To
Twichell　he　said：

〃His　quibbling　was　fatal。　　Innocent　or　guilty；　he　should　have　made　an
unqualified　statement　in　the　beginning。〃

Together　they　attended　one　of　the　sessions；　on　a　day　when　Beecher　himself
was　on　the　witness…stand。　　The　tension　was　very　great；　the　excitement　was
painful。　　Twichell　thought　that　Beecher　appeared　well　under　the　stress　of
examination　and　was　deeply　sorry　for　him；　Clemens　was　far　from　convinced。

The　feeling　was　especially　strong　in　Hartford；　where　Henry　Ward　Beecher's
relatives　were　prominent；　and　animosities　grew　out　of　it。　　They　are　all
forgotten　now；　most　of　those　who　cherished　bitterness　are　dead。　　Any
feeling　that　Clemens　had　in　the　matter　lasted　but　a　little　while。
Howells　tells　us　that　when　he　met　him　some　months　after　the　trial　ended；
and　was　tempted　to　mention　it；　Clemens　discouraged　any　discussion　of　the
event。　　Says　Howells：

　　　　　He　would　only　say　the　man　had　suffered　enough；　as　if　the　man　had
　　　　　expiated　his　wrong；　and　he　was　not　going　to　do　anything　to　renew　his
　　　　　penalty。　　I　found　that　very　curious；　very　delicate。　　His　continued
　　　　　blame　could　not　come　to　the　sufferer's　knowledge；　but　he　felt　it　his
　　　　　duty　to　forbear　it。

It　was　one　hundred　years；　that　19th　of　April；　since　the　battles　of
Lexington　and　Concord；　and　there　was　to　be　a　great　celebration。　　The
Howellses　had　visited　Hartford　in　March；　and　the　Clemenses　were　invited
to　Cambridge　for　the　celebration。　　Only　Clemens　could　go；　which　in　the
event　proved　a　good　thing　perhaps；　for　when　Clemens　and　Howells　set　out
for　Concord　they　did　not　go　over　to　Boston　to　take　the　train；　but　decided
to　wait　for　it　at　Cambridge。　　Apparently　it　did　not　occur　to　them　that
the　train　would　be　jammed　the　moment　the　doors　were　opened　at　the　Boston
station；　but　when　it　came　along　they　saw　how　hopeless　was　their　chance。
They　had　special　invitations　and　passage　from　Boston；　but　these　were　only
mockeries　now。　　It　yeas　cold　and　chilly；　and　they　forlornly　set　out　in
search　of　some　sort　of　a　conveyance。　　They　tramped　around　in　the　mud　and
raw　wind；　but　vehicles　were　either　filled　or　engaged；　and　drivers　and
occupants　were　inclined　to　jeer　at　them。　　Clemens　was　taken　with　an　acute
attack　of　indigestion；　which　made　him　rather　dismal　and　savage。　　Their
effort　finally　ended　with　his　trying　to　run　down　a　tally…ho　which　was
empty　inside　and　had　a　party　of　Harvard　students　riding　atop。　　The
students；　who　did　not　recognize　their　would…be　fare；　enjoyed　the　race。
They　encouraged　their　pursuer；　and　perhaps　their　driver；　with　merriment
and　cheers。　　Clemens　was　handicapped　by　having　to　run　in　the　slippery
mud；　and　soon　〃dropped　by　the　wayside。〃

〃I　am　glad；〃　says　Howells；　〃I　cannot　recall　what　he　said　when　he　came
back　to　me。〃

They　hung　about　a　little　longer；　then　dragged　themselves　home；　slipped
into　the　house；　and　built　up　a　fine；　cheerful　fire　on　the　hearth。　　They
proposed　to　practise　a　deception　on　Mrs。　Howells　by　pretending　they　had
been　to　Concord　and　returned。　　But　it　was　no　use。　　Their　statements　were
flimsy；　and　guilt　was　plainly　written　on　their　faces。　　Howells　recalls
this　incident　delightfully；　and　expresses　the　belief　that　the　humor　of
the　situation　was　finally　a　greater　pleasure　to　Clemens　than　the　actual
visit　to　Concord　would　have　been。

Twichell　did　not　have　any　such　trouble　in　attending　the　celebration。　　He
had　adventures　（he　was　always　having　adventures）；　but　they　were　of　a　more
successful　kind。　　Clemens　heard　the　tale　of　them　when　he　returned　to
Hartford。　　He　wrote　it　to　Howells：

　　　　　Joe　Twichell　preached　morning　and　evening　here　last　Sunday；　took
　　　　　midnight　train　for　Boston；　got　an　early　breakfast　and　started　by
　　　　　rail　at　7。30　A。M。　　for　Concord；　swelled　around　there　until　1　P。M。；
　　　　　seeing　everything；　then　traveled　on　top　of　a　train　to　Lexington；　saw
　　　　　everything　there；　traveled　on　top　of　a　train　to　Boston　（with
　　　　　hundreds　in　company）；　deluged　with　dust；　smoke；　and　cinders；　yelled
　　　　　and　hurrahed　all　the　way　like　a　school…boy；　lay　flat　down；　to　dodge
　　　　　numerous　bridges；　and　sailed　into　the　depot　howling　with　excitement
　　　　　and　as　black　as　a　chimneysweep；　got　to　Young's　Hotel　at　7　P。M。；　sat
　　　　　down　in　the　reading…room　and　immediately　fell　asleep；　was　promptly
　　　　　awakened　by　a　porter；　who　supposed　he　was　drunk；　wandered　around　an
　　　　　hour　and　a　half；　then　took　9　P。M。　　train；　sat　down　in　a　smoking…car；
　　　　　and　remembered　nothing　more　until　awakened　by　conductor　as　the　train
　　　　　came　into　Hartford　at　1。30　A。M。　　Thinks　he　had　simply　a　glorious
　　　　　time；　and　wouldn't　have　missed　the　Centennial　for　the　world。　　He
　　　　　would　have　run　out　to　see　us　a　moment　at　Cambridge　but　he　was　too
　　　　　dirty。　　I　wouldn't　have　wanted　him　there；　his　appalling　energy　would
　　　　　have　been　an　insufferable　reproach　to　mild　adventurers　like　you　and
　　　　　me。




CI

CONCLUDING　〃TOM　SAWYER〃MARK　TWAIN's　〃EDITORS〃

Meantime　t