mark twain, a biography, 1907-1910-第14部分

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have　been　a　pity　if　they　had　done　so。　　A　noise；　and　the　illusion　would
have　been　shattered。

His　carriage　led　away　on　the　three…mile　drive　to　the　house　on　the
hilltop；　and　the　floral　turnout　fell　in　behind。　　No　first　impression　of　a
fair　land　could　have　come　at　a　sweeter　time。　　Hillsides　were　green；
fields　were　white　with　daisies；　dog…wood　and　laurel　shone　among　the
trees。　　And　over　all　was　the　blue　sky；　and　everywhere　the　fragrance　of
June。

He　was　very　quiet　as　we　drove　along。　　Once　with　gentle　humor；　looking
over　a　white　daisy　field；　he　said：

〃That　is　buckwheat。　　I　always　recognize　buckwheat　when　I　see　it。　　I　wish
I　knew　as　much　about　other　things　as　I　know　about　buckwheat。　　It　seems　to
be　very　plentiful　here；　it　even　grows　by　the　roadside。〃　　And　a　little
later：　〃This　is　the　kind　of　a　road　I　like；　a　good　country　road　through
the　woods。〃

The　water　was　flowing　over　the　mill…dam　where　the　road　crosses　the
Saugatuck；　and　he　expressed　approval　of　that　clear；　picturesque　little
river；　one　of　those　charming　Connecticut　streams。　　A　little　farther　on　a
brook　cascaded　down　the　hillside；　and　he　compared　it　with　some　of　the
tiny　streams　of　Switzerland；　I　believe　the　Giessbach。　　The　lane　that　led
to　the　new　home　opened　just　above；　and　as　he　entered　the　leafy　way　he
said；　〃This　is　just　the　kind　of　a　lane　I　like；〃　thus　completing　his
acceptance　of　everything　but　the　house　and　the　location。

The　last　of　the　procession　had　dropped　away　at　the　entrance　of　the　lane；
and　he　was　alone　with　those　who　had　most　anxiety　for　his　verdict。　　They
had　not　long　to　wait。　　As　the　carriage　ascended　higher　to　the　open　view
he　looked　away；　across　the　Saugatuck　Valley　to　the　nestling　village　and
church…spire　and　farm…houses；　and　to　the　distant　hills；　and　declared　the
land　to　be　a　good　land　and　beautifula　spot　to　satisfy　one's　soul。　　Then
came　the　housesimple　and　severe　in　its　architecturean　Italian　villa；
such　as　he　had　known　in　Florence；　adapted　now　to　American　climate　and
needs。　　The　scars　of　building　had　not　all　healed　yet；　but　close　to　the
house　waved　green　grass　and　blooming　flowers　that　might　have　been　there
always。　　Neither　did　the　house　itself　look　new。　　The　soft；　gray　stucco
had　taken　on　a　tone　that　melted　into　the　sky　and　foliage　of　its
background。　　At　the　entrance　his　domestic　staff　waited　to　greet　him；　and
then　he　stepped　across　the　threshold　into　the　wide　hall　and　stood　in　his
own　home　for　the　first　time　in　seventeen　years。　　It　was　an　anxious
moment；　and　no　one　spoke　immediately。　　But　presently　his　eye　had　taken　in
the　satisfying　harmony　of　the　place　and　followed　on　through　the　wide
doors　that　led　to　the　dining…roomon　through　the　open　French　windows　to
an　enchanting　vista　of　tree…tops　and　distant　farmside　and　blue　hills。　　He
said；　very　gently：

〃How　beautiful　it　all　is？　　I　did　not　think　it　could　be　as　beautiful　as
this。〃

He　was　taken　through　the　rooms；　the　great　living…room　at　one　end　of　the
halla　room　on　the　walls　of　which　there　was　no　picture；　but　only　color…
harmonyand　at　the　other　end　of　the　hall；　the　splendid；　glowing
billiard…room；　where　hung　all　the　pictures　in　which　he　took　delight。　
Then　to　the　floor　above；　with　its　spacious　apartments　and　a　continuation
of　colorwelcome　and　concord；　the　windows　open　to　the　pleasant　evening
hills。　　When　he　had　seen　it　allthe　natural　Italian　garden　below　the
terraces；　the　loggia；　whose　arches　framed　landscape　vistas　and　formed　a
rare　picture…gallery；　when　he　had　completed　the　round　and　stood　in　the
billiard…roomhis　especial　domainonce　more　he　said；　as　a　final
verdict：

〃It　is　a　perfect　houseperfect；　so　far　as　I　can　see；　in　every　detail。　
It　might　have　been　here　always。〃

He　was　at　home　there　from　that　momentabsolutely；　marvelously　at　home；
for　he　fitted　the　setting　perfectly；　and　there　was　not　a　hitch　or　flaw　in
his　adaptation。　　To　see　him　over　the　billiard…table；　five　minutes　later；
one　could　easily　fancy　that　Mark　Twain；　as　well　as　the　house；　had　〃been　；
there　always。〃　　Only　the　presence　of　his　daughters　was　needed　now　to
complete　his　satisfaction　in　everything。

There　were　guests　that　first　eveninga　small　home　dinner…partyand　so
perfect　were　the　appointments　and　service；　that　one　not　knowing　would
scarcely　have　imagined　it　to　be　the　first　dinner　served　in　that　lovely
room。　　A　little　later；　at　the　foot　of　the　garden　of　bay　and　cedar；
neighbors；　inspired　by　Dan　Beard；　who　had　recently　located　near　by；　set
off　some　fireworks。　Clemens　stepped　out　on　the　terrace　and　saw　rockets
climbing　through　the　summer　sky　to　announce　his　arrival。

〃I　wonder　why　they　all　go　to　so　much　trouble　for　me；〃　he　said；　softly。
〃I　never　go　to　any　trouble　for　anybody〃a　statement　which　all　who　heard
it；　and　all　his　multitude　of　readers　in　every　land；　stood　ready　to　deny。

That　first　evening　closed　with　billiardsboisterous；　triumphant
billiardsand　when　with　midnight　the　day　ended　and　the　cues　were　set　in
the　rack；　there　was　none　to　say　that　Mark　Twain's　first　day　in　his　new
home　had　not　been　a　happy　one。




CCLXIX

FIRST　DAYS　AT　STORMFIELD

I　went　up　next　afternoon；　for　I　knew　how　he　dreaded　loneliness。　　We
played　billiards　for　a　time；　then　set　out　for　a　walk；　following　the　long
drive　to　the　leafy　lane　that　led　to　my　own　property。　　Presently　he　said：

〃In　one　way　I　am　sorry　I　did　not　see　this　place　sooner。　　I　never　want　to
leave　it　again。　　If　I　had　known　it　was　so　beautiful　I　should　have　vacated
the　house　in　town　and　moved　up　here　permanently。〃

I　suggested　that　he　could　still　do　so；　if　he　chose；　and　he　entered
immediately　into　the　idea。　　By　and　by　we　turned　down　a　deserted　road；
grassy　and　beautiful；　that　ran　along　his　land。　　At　one　side　was　a　slope
facing　the　west；　and　dotted　with　the　slender；　cypress…like　cedars　of　New
England。　　He　had　asked　if　that　were　part　of　his　land；　and　on　being　told
it　was　he　said：

〃I　would　like　Howells　to　have　a　house　there。　　We　must　try　to　give　that　to
Howells。〃

At　the　foot　of　the　hill　we　came　to　a　brook　and　followed　it　into　a　meadow。　
I　told　him　that　I　had　often　caught　fine　trout　there；　and　that　soon　I
would　bring　in　some　for　breakfast。　　He　answered：

〃Yes；　I　should　like　that。　　I　don't　care　to　catch　them　any　more　myself。　　I
like　them　very　hot。〃

We　passed　through　some　woods　and　came　out　near　my　own　ancient　little
house。　　He　noticed　it　and　said：

〃The　man　who　built　that　had　some　memory　of　Greece　in　his　mind　when　he　put
on　that　little　porch　with　those　columns。〃

My　second　daughter；　Frances；　was　coming　from　a　distant　school　on　the
evening　train；　and　the　carriage　was　starting　just　then　to　bring　her。　　I
suggested　that　perhaps　he　would　find　it　pleasant　to　make　the　drive。

〃Yes；〃　he　agreed；　〃I　should　enjoy　that。〃

So　I　took　the　reins；　and　he　picked　up　little　Joy；　who　came　running　out
just　then；　and　climbed　into　the　back　seat。　　It　was　another　beautiful
evening；　and　he　was　in　a　talkative　humor。　　Joy　pointed　out　a　small　turtle
in　the　road；　and　he　said：

〃That　is　a　wild　turtle。　　Do　you　think　you　could　teach　it　arithmetic？〃

Joy　was　uncertain。

〃Well；〃　he　went　on；　〃you　ought　to　get　an　arithmetica　little　ten…cent
arithmeticand　teach　that　turtle。〃

We　passed　some　swampy　woods；　rather　dim　and　junglelike。

〃Those；〃　he　said；　〃are　elephant　woods。〃

But　Joy　answered：

〃They　are　fairy　woods。　　The　fairies　are　there；　but　you　can't　see　them
because　they　wear　magic　cloaks。〃

He　said：　　〃I　wish　I　had　one　of　those　magic　cloaks；　sometimes。　　I　had　one
once；　but　it　is　worn　out　now。〃

Joy　looked　at　him　reverently；　as　one　who　had　once　been　the　owner　of　a
piece　of　fairyland。

It　was　a　sweet　drive　to　and　from　the　village。　　There　are　none　too　many
such　evenings　in　a　lifetime。　　Colonel　Harvey's　little　daughter；　Dorothy；
came　up　a　day　or　two　later；　and　with　my　daughter　Louise　spent　the　first
week　with　him　in　the　new　home。　　They　were　created　〃Angel…Fishes〃the
first　in　the　new　aquarium；　that　is　to　say；　the　billiard…room；　where　he
followed　out　the　idea　by　hanging　a　row　of　colored　prints　of　Bermuda
fishes　in　a　sort　of　frieze　around　the　walls。　　Each　visiting　member　was
required　to　select　one　as　her　particular　patron　fish　and　he　wrote　her
name　upon　it。　　It　was　his　delight　to　gather　his　juvenile　guests　in　this
room　and　teach　them　the　science　of　billiard　angles；　but　it　was　so
difficult　to　resist　taking　the　cue　and　making　plays　himself　that　he　was
required　to　stand　on　a　little　platform　and　give　instruction　just　out　of
reach。　　His　snowy　flannels　and　gleaming　white　hair；　against　those　rich
red　walls；　with　those　small；　summer…clad　players；　made　a　pretty　picture。

The　place　did　not　retain　its　original　name。　　He　declared　that　it　would
always　be　〃Innocence　at　Home〃　to　the　angel…fish　visitors；　but　that　the
title　didn't　remain　continuously　appropriate。　　The　money　which　he　had
derived　from　Captain　Stormfield's　Visit　to　Heaven　had　been　used　to　build
the　loggia　wing；　and　he　considered　the　name　of　〃Stormfield〃　as　a
substitute。　　When；　presently；　the　summer　storms　gathered　on　that　rock…
bound；　open　hill；　with　its　wide　reaches　of　vine　and　shrub…wild；　fierce
storms　that　bent　the　birch　and　cedar；　and　strained　at　the　bay　and
huckleberry；　with　lightning　and　turbulent　wind　and　thunder；　followed　by
the　charging　rainthe　name　seemed　to　become　peculiarly　appropriate。　
Standing　with　his　head　bared　to　the　tumult；　his　white　hair　tossing　in　the
blast；　and　looking　out　upon　the　wide　splendor　of　the　spectacle；　he
rechristened　the　place；　and　〃Stormfield〃　it　became　and　remained。

The　last　day　of　Mark　Twain's　first　week　in　Redding；　June　25th；　was
saddened　by　the　news　of　the　death　of　Grover　Cleveland　at　his　home　in
Princeton；　New　Jersey。　　Clemens　had　always　been　an　ardent　Cleveland
admirer；　and　to　Mrs。　Cleveland　now　he　sent　this　word　of　condolence

　　　　　Your　husband　was　a　man　I　knew　and　loved　and　honored　for　twenty…five
　　　　　years。　　I　mourn　with　you。

And　once　during　the　evening　he　said：

〃He　was　one　of　our　two　or　three　real　Presidents。　　There　is　none　to　take
his　place。〃




CCLXX

THE　ALDRICH　MEMORIAL

At　the　end　of　June　came　the　dedication　at　Portsmouth；　New　Hampshire；　of
the　Thomas　Bailey　Aldrich　Memorial　Museum；　which　the　poet's　wife　had
established　there　in　the　old　Aldrich　homestea