mark twain, a biography, 1907-1910-第13部分

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of　medieval　design。　　These　distinguished　guests　were　clad　in　their
academic　robes；　and　the　procession　could　not　have　been　widely　different
from　that　one　at　Oxford　of　a　year　before。　　But　there　was　something　rather
fearsome　about　it；　too。　　A　kind　of　scaffolding　had　been　reared　in　the
center　of　the　campus　for　the　ceremonies；　and　when　those　grave　men　in
their　robes　of　state　stood　grouped　upon　it　the　picture　was　strikingly
suggestive　of　one　of　George　Cruikshank's　drawings　of　an　execution　scene
at　the　Tower　of　London。　　Many　of　the　robes　were　blackthese　would　be　the
priestsand　the　few　scarlet　ones　would　be　the　cardinals　who　might　have
assembled　for　some　royal　martyrdom。　　There　was　a　bright　May　sunlight　over
it　all；　one　of　those　still；　cool　brightnesses　which　served　to　heighten
the　weird　effect。　　I　am　sure　that　others　felt　it　besides　myself；　for
everybody　seemed　wordless　and　awed；　even　at　times　when　there　was　no
occasion　for　silence。　　There　was　something　of　another　age　about　the　whole
setting；　to　say　the　least。

We　left　the　place　in　a　motor…car；　a　crowd　of　boys　following　after。　　As
Clemens　got　in　they　gathered　around　the　car　and　gave　the　college　yell；
ending　with　〃　Twain！　　Twain！　　Twain！〃　and　added　three　cheers　for　Tom
Sawyer；　Huck　Finn；　and　Pudd'nhead　Wilson。　　They　called　for　a　speech；　but
he　only　said　a　few　words　in　apology　for　not　granting　their　request。　　He
made　a　speech　to　them　that　night　at　the　Waldorfwhere　he　proposed　for
the　City　College　a　chair　of　citizenship；　an　idea　which　met　with　hearty
applause。

In　the　same　address　he　referred　to　the　〃God　Trust〃　motto　on　the　coins；
and　spoke　approvingly　of　the　President's　order　for　its　removal。

　　　　　We　do　not　trust　in　God；　in　the　important　matters　of　life；　and　not
　　　　　even　a　minister　of　the　Gospel　will　take　any　coin　for　a　cent　more
　　　　　than　its　accepted　value　because　of　that　motto。　　If　cholera　should
　　　　　ever　reach　these　shores　we　should　probably　pray　to　be　delivered　from
　　　　　the　plague；　but　we　would　put　our　main　trust　in　the　Board　of　Health。

Next　morning；　commenting　on　the　report　of　this　speech；　he　said：

〃If　only　the　reporters　would　not　try　to　improve　on　what　I　say。　　They　seem
to　miss　the　fact　that　the　very　art　of　saying　a　thing　effectively　is　in
its　delicacy；　and　as　they　can't　reproduce　the　manner　and　intonation　in
type　they　make　it　emphatic　and　clumsy　in　trying　to　convey　it　to　the
reader。〃

I　pleaded　that　the　reporters　were　often　young　men；　eager；　and　unmellowed
in　their　sense　of　literary　art。

〃Yes；〃　he　agreed；　〃they　are　so　afraid　their　readers　won't　see　my　good
points　that　they　set　up　red　flags　to　mark　them　and　beat　a　gong。　　They
mean　well；　but　I　wish　they　wouldn't　do　it。〃

He　referred　to　the　portion　of　his　speech　concerning　the　motto　on　the
coins。　　He　had　freely　expressed　similar　sentiments　on　other　public
occasions；　and　he　had　received　a　letter　criticizing　him　for　saying　that
we　do　not　really　trust　in　God　in　any　financial　matter。

〃I　wanted　to　answer　it；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　destroyed　it。　　It　didn't　seem
worth　noticing。〃

I　asked　how　the　motto　had　originated。

〃About　1853　some　idiot　in　Congress　wanted　to　announce　to　the　world　that
this　was　a　religious　nation；　and　proposed　putting　it　there；　and　no　other
Congressman　had　courage　enough　to　oppose　it；　of　course。　　It　took　courage
in　those　days　to　do　a　thing　like　that；　but　I　think　the　same　thing　would
happen　to…day。〃

〃Still　the　country　has　become　broader。　　It　took　a　brave　man　before　the
Civil　War　to　confess　he　had　read　the　'Age　of　Reason'。〃

〃So　it　did；　and　yet　that　seems　a　mild　book　now。　　I　read　it　first　when　I
was　a　cub　pilot；　read　it　with　fear　and　hesitation；　but　marveling　at　its
fearlessness　and　wonderful　power。　　I　read　it　again　a　year　or　two　ago；　for　
some　reason；　and　was　amazed　to　see　how　tame　it　had　become。　　It　seemed
that　Paine　was　apologizing　everywhere　for　hurting　the　feelings　of　the
reader。〃

He　drifted；　naturally；　into　a　discussion　of　the　Knickerbocker　Trust
Company's　suspension；　which　had　tied　up　some　fifty…five　thousand　dollars
of　his　capital；　and　wondered　how　many　were　trusting　in　God　for　the　return
of　these　imperiled　sums。　　Clemens　himself；　at　this　time；　did　not　expect
to　come　out　whole　from　that　disaster。　　He　had　said　very　little　when　the
news　came；　though　it　meant　that　his　immediate　fortunes　were　locked　up；
and　it　came　near　stopping　the　building　activities　at　Redding。　　It　was
only　the　smaller　things　of　life　that　irritated　him。　　He　often　met　large
calamities　with　a　serenity　which　almost　resembled　indifference。　　In　the
Knickerbocker　situation　he　even　found　humor　as　time　passed；　and　wrote　a
number　of　gay　letters；　some　of　which　found　their　way　into　print。

It　should　be　added　that　in　the　end　there　was　no　loss　to　any　of　the
Knickerbocker　depositors。




CCLXVIII

REDDING

The　building　of　the　new　home　at　Redding　had　been　going　steadily　forward
for　something　more　than　a　year。　　John　Mead　Howells　had　made　the　plans；
W。　W。　Sunderland　and　his　son　Philip；　of　Danbury；　Connecticut；　were　the
builders；　and　in　the　absence　of　Miss　Clemens；　then　on　a　concert　tour；
Mark　Twain's　secretary；　Miss　I。　V。　Lyon；　had　superintended　the
furnishing。

〃Innocence　at　Home；〃　as　the　place　was　originally　named；　was　to　be　ready
for　its　occupant　in　June；　with　every　detail　in　place；　as　he　desired。　　He
had　never　visited　Redding；　he　had　scarcely　even　glanced　at　the　plans　or
discussed　any　of　the　decorations　of　the　new　home。　　He　had　required　only
that　there　should　be　one　great　living…room　for　the　orchestrelle；　and
another　big　room　for　the　billiard…table；　with　plenty　of　accommodations
for　guests。　　He　had　required　that　the　billiard…room　be　red；　for　something
in　his　nature　answered　to　the　warm　luxury　of　that　color；　particularly　in
moments　of　diversion。　　Besides；　his　other　billiard…rooms　had　been　red；
and　such　association　may　not　be　lightly　disregarded。　　His　one　other
requirement　was　that　the　place　should　be　complete。

〃I　don't　want　to　see　it；〃　he　said；　〃until　the　cat　is　purring　on　the
hearth。〃

Howells　says：

〃He　had　grown　so　weary　of　change；　and　so　indifferent　to　it；　that　he　was
without　interest。〃

But　it　was　rather；　I　think；　that　he　was　afraid　of　losing　interest　by
becoming　wearied　with　details　which　were　likely　to　exasperate　him；　also；
he　wanted　the　dramatic　surprise　of　walking　into　a　home　that　had　been
conjured　into　existence　as　with　a　word。

It　was　expected　that　the　move　would　be　made　early　in　the　month；　but　there
were　delays；　and　it　was　not　until　the　18th　of　June　that　he　took
possession。

The　plan；　at　this　time；　was　only　to　use　the　Redding　place　as　a　summer
residence；　and　the　Fifth　Avenue　house　was　not　dismantled。　　A　few　days
before　the　18th　the　servants；　with　one　exception；　were　taken　up　to　the
new　house；　Clemens　and　myself　remaining　in　the　loneliness　of　No。　21；
attending　to　the　letters　in　the　morning　and　playing　billiards　the　rest　of
the　time；　waiting　for　the　appointed　day　and　train。　　It　was　really　a
pleasant　three　days。　　He　invented　a　new　game；　and　we　were　riotous　and
laughed　as　loudly　as　we　pleased。　　I　think　he　talked　very　little　of　the
new　home　which　he　was　so　soon　to　see。　　It　was　referred　to　no　oftener　than
once　or　twice　a　day；　and　then　I　believe　only　in　connection　with　certain
of　the　billiard…room　arrangements。　　I　have　wondered　since　what　picture　of
it　he　could　have　had　in　his　mind；　for　he　had　never　seen　a　photograph。
He　had　a　general　idea　that　it　was　built　upon　a　hill；　and　that　its
architecture　was　of　the　Italian　villa　order。　　I　confess　I　had　moments　of
anxiety；　for　I　had　selected　the　land　for　him；　and　had　been　more　or　less
accessory　otherwise。　　I　did　not　really　worry；　for　I　knew　how　beautiful
and　peaceful　it　all　was；　also　something　of　his　taste　and　needs。

It　had　been　a　dry　spring；　and　country　roads　were　dusty；　so　that　those　who
were　responsible　had　been　praying　for　rain；　to　be　followed　by　a　pleasant
day　for　his　arrival。　　Both　petitions　were　granted；　June　18th　would　fall
on　Thursday；　and　Monday　night　there　came　a　good；　thorough；　and　refreshing
shower　that　washed　the　vegetation　clean　and　laid　the　dust。　　The　morning
of　the　18th　was　bright　and　sunny　and　cool。　　Clemens　was　up　and　shaved　by
six　o'clock　in　order　to　be　in　time；　though　the　train　did　not　leave　until
four　in　the　afternoonan　express　newly　timed　to　stop　at　Reddingits
first　trip　scheduled　for　the　day　of　Mark　Twain's　arrival。

We　were　still　playing　billiards　when　word　was　brought　up　that　the　cab　was
waiting。　　My　daughter；　Louise；　whose　school　on　Long　Island　had　closed
that　day；　was　with　us。　　Clemens　wore　his　white　flannels　and　a　Panama　hat；
and　at　the　station　a　group　quickly　collected；　reporters　and　others；　to
interview　him　and　speed　him　to　his　new　home。　　He　was　cordial　and
talkative；　and　quite　evidently　full　of　pleasant　anticipation。　　A　reporter
or　two　and　a　special　photographer　came　along；　to　be　present　at　his
arrival。

The　new；　quick　train；　the　green；　flying　landscape；　with　glimpses　of　the
Sound　and　white　sails；　the　hillsides　and　clear　streams　becoming　rapidly
steeper　and　dearer　as　we　turned　northward：　all　seemed　to　gratify　him；　and
when　he　spoke　at　all　it　was　approvingly。　　The　hour　and　a　half　required　to
cover　the　sixty　miles　of　distance　seemed　very　short。　　As　the　train　slowed
down　for　the　Redding　station；　he　said：

〃We'll　leave　this　box　of　candy〃he　had　bought　a　large　box　on　the　way
〃those　colored　porters　sometimes　like　candy；　and　we　can　get　some　more。〃

He　drew　out　a　great　handful　of　silver。

〃Give　them　somethinggive　everybody　liberally　that　does　any　service。〃

There　was　a　sort　of　open…air　reception　in　waiting。　　Redding　had
recognized　the　occasion　as　historic。　　A　varied　assemblage　of　vehicles
festooned　with　flowers　had　gathered　to　offer　a　gallant　country　welcome。

It　was　now　a　little　before　six　o'clock　of　that　long　June　day；　still　and
dreamlike；　and　to　the　people　assembled　there　may　have　been　something
which　was　not　quite　reality　in　the　scene。　　There　was　a　tendency　to　be
very　still。　　They　nodded；　waved　their　hands　to　him；　smiled；　and　looked
their　fill；　but　a　spell　lay　upon　them；　and　they　did　not　cheer。　　It　would
have　been　a　pity　if　they　had　done　so。　　A　noise；　and　the　illusion　would
have　been　shattered。

His　carria