mark twain, a biography, 1907-1910-第15部分

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the　Thomas　Bailey　Aldrich　Memorial　Museum；　which　the　poet's　wife　had
established　there　in　the　old　Aldrich　homestead。　　It　was　hot　weather。
We　were　obliged　to　take　a　rather　poor　train　from　South　Norwalk；　and
Clemens　was　silent　and　gloomy　most　of　the　way　to　Boston。　　Once　there；
however；　lodged　in　a　cool　and　comfortable　hotel；　matters　improved。
He　had　brought　along　for　reading　the　old　copy　of　Sir　Thomas　Malory's
Arthur　Tales；　and　after　dinner　he　took　off　his　clothes　and　climbed　into
bed　and　sat　up　and　read　aloud　from　those　stately　legends；　with　comments
that　I　wish　I　could　remember　now；　only　stopping　at　last　when　overpowered
with　sleep。

We　went　on　a　special　train　to　Portsmouth　next　morning　through　the　summer
heat；　and　assembled；　with　those　who　were　to　speak；　in　the　back　portion　of
the　opera…house；　behind　the　scenes：　Clemens　was　genial　and　good…natured
with　all　the　discomfort　of　it；　and　he　liked　to　fancy；　with　Howells；　who
had　come　over　from　Kittery　Point；　how　Aldrich　must　be　amused　at　the　whole
circumstance　if　he　could　see　them　punishing　themselves　to　do　honor　to　his
memory。　　Richard　Watson　Gilder　was　there；　and　Hamilton　Mabie；　also
Governor　Floyd　of　New　Hampshire；　Colonel　Higginson；　Robert　Bridges；　and
other　distinguished　men。　　We　got　to　the　more　open　atmosphere　of　the　stage
presently；　and　the　exercises　began。　　Clemens　was　last　on　the　program。

The　others　had　all　said　handsome；　serious　things；　and　Clemens　himself　had
mentally　prepared　something　of　the　sort；　but　when　his　turn　came；　and　he
rose　to　speak；　a　sudden　reaction　must　have　set　in；　for　he　delivered　an
address　that　certainly　would　have　delighted　Aldrich　living；　and　must　have
delighted　him　dead；　if　he　could　hear　it。　　It　was　full　of　the　most
charming　humor；　delicate；　refreshing；　and　spontaneous。　　The　audience；
that　had　been　maintaining　a　proper　gravity　throughout；　showed　its
appreciation　in　ripples　of　merriment　that　grew　presently　into　genuine
waves　of　laughter。　　He　spoke　out　his　regret　for　having　worn　black
clothes。　　It　was　a　mistake；　he　said；　to　consider　this　a　solemn　time
Aldrich　would　not　have　wished　it　to　be　so　considered。　　He　had　been　a　man
who　loved　humor　and　brightness　and　wit；　and　had　helped　to　make　life　merry
and　delightful。　　Certainly；　if　he　could　know；　he　would　not　wish　this
dedication　of　his　own　home　to　be　a　lugubrious；　smileless　occasion。
Outside；　when　the　services　were　ended；　the　venerable　juvenile　writer；
J。　T。　Trowbridge；　came　up　to　Clemens　with　extended　hand。　　Clemens　said：
〃Trowbridge；　are　you　still　alive？　　You　must　be　a　thousand　years　old。　
Why；　I　listened　to　your　stories　while　I　was　being　rocked　in　the　cradle。〃
Trowbridge　said：

〃Mark；　there's　some　mistake。　　My　earliest　infant　smile　was　wakened　with
one　of　your　jokes。〃

They　stood　side　by　side　against　a　fence　in　the　blazing　sun　and　were
photographedan　interesting　picture。

We　returned　to　Boston　that　evening。　　Clemens　did　not　wish　to　hurry　in　the
summer　heat；　and　we　remained　another　day　quietly　sight…seeing；　and
driving　around　and　around　Commonwealth　Avenue　in　a　victoria　in　the　cool
of　the　evening。　　Once；　remembering　Aldrich；　he　said：

〃I　was　just　planning　Tom　Sawyer　when　he　was　beginning　the　'Story　of　a　Bad
Boy'。　　When　I　heard　that　he　was　writing　that　I　thought　of　giving　up　mine；
but　Aldrich　insisted　that　it　would　be　a　foolish　thing　to　do。　　He　thought
my　Missouri　boy　could　not　by　any　chance　conflict　with　his　boy　of　New
England；　and　of　course　he　was　right。〃

He　spoke　of　how　great　literary　minds　usually　came　along　in　company。　　He
said：

〃Now　and　then；　on　the　stream　of　time；　small　gobs　of　that　thing　which　we
call　genius　drift　down；　and　a　few　of　these　lodge　at　some　particular
point；　and　others　collect　about　them　and　make　a　sort　of　intellectual
islanda　towhead；　as　they　say　on　the　riversuch　an　accumulation　of
intellect　we　call　a　group；　or　school；　and　name　it。

〃Thirty　years　ago　there　was　the　Cambridge　group。　　Now　there's　been　still
another；　which　included　Aldrich　and　Howells　and　Stedman　and　Cable。　　It
will　soon　be　gone。　　I　suppose　they　will　have　to　name　it　by　and　by。〃

He　pointed　out　houses　here　and　there　of　people　he　had　known　and　visited
in　other　days。　　The　driver　was　very　anxious　to　go　farther；　to　other　and
more　distinguished　sights。　　Clemens　mildly　but　firmly　refused　any
variation　of　the　program；　and　so　we　kept　on　driving　around　and　around　the
shaded　loop　of　Beacon　Street　until　dusk　fell　and　the　lights　began　to
twinkle　among　the　trees。




CCLXXI

DEATH　OF　〃SAM〃　MOFFETT

Clemens'　next　absence　from　Redding　came　on　August　1；　1908；　when　the
sudden　and　shocking　news　was　received　of　the　drowning　of　his　nephew；
Samuel　E。　Moffett；　in　the　surf　of　the　Jersey　shore。　　Moffett　was　his
nearest　male　relative；　and　a　man　of　fine　intellect　and　talents。　　He　was
superior　in　those　qualities　which　men　lovehe　was　large…minded　and
large…hearted；　and　of　noble　ideals。　　With　much　of　the　same　sense　of　humor
which　had　made　his　uncle's　fame；　he　had　what　was　really　an　abnormal
faculty　of　acquiring　and　retaining　encyclopedic　data。　　Once　as　a　child　he
had　visited　Hartford　when　Clemens　was　laboring　over　his　history　game。　
The　boy　was　much　interested；　and　asked　permission　to　help。　　His　uncle
willingly　consented；　and　referred　him　to　the　library　for　his　facts。　　But
he　did　not　need　to　consult　the　books；　he　already　had　English　history
stored　away；　and　knew　where　to　find　every　detail　of　it。　　At　the　time　of
his　death　Moffett　held　an　important　editorial　position　on　Collier's
Weekly。

Clemens　was　fond　and　proud　of　his　nephew。　　Returning　from　the　funeral；　he
was　much　depressed；　and　a　day　or　two　later　became　really　ill。　　He　was　in
bed　for　a　few　days；　resting；　he　said；　after　the　intense　heat　of　the
journey。　　Then　he　was　about　again　and　proposed　billiards　as　a　diversion。　
We　were　all　alone　one　very　still；　warm　August　afternoon　playing；　when　he
suddenly　said：

〃I　feel　a　little　dizzy；　I　will　sit　down　a　moment。〃

I　brought　him　a　glass　of　water　and　he　seemed　to　recover；　but　when　he　rose
and　started　to　play　I　thought　he　had　a　dazed　look。　　He　said：

〃I　have　lost　my　memory。　　I　don't　know　which　is　my　ball。　　I　don't　know
what　game　we　are　playing。〃

But　immediately　this　condition　passed；　and　we　thought　little　of　it；
considering　it　merely　a　phase　of　biliousness　due　to　his　recent　journey。　
I　have　been　told　since；　by　eminent　practitioners；　that　it　was　the　first
indication　of　a　more　serious　malady。

He　became　apparently　quite　himself　again　and　showed　his　usual　vigor…light
of　step　and　movement；　able　to　skip　up　and　down　stairs　as　heretofore。　　In
a　letter　to　Mrs。　Crane；　August　12th；　he　spoke　of　recent　happenings：

　　　　　DEAR　AUNT　SUE；It　was　a　most　moving；　a　most　heartbreaking　sight；
　　　　　the　spectacle　of　that　stunned　&　crushed　&　inconsolable　family。　　I
　　　　　came　back　here　in　bad　shape；　&　had　a　bilious　collapse；　but　I　am　all
　　　　　right　again；　though　the　doctor　from　New　York　has　given　peremptory
　　　　　orders　that　I　am　not　to　stir　from　here　before　frost。　　O　fortunate
　　　　　Sam　Moffett！　fortunate　Livy　Clemens！　doubly　fortunate　Susy！　　Those
　　　　　swords　go　through　&　through　my　heart；　but　there　is　never　a　moment
　　　　　that　I　am　not　glad；　for　the　sake　of　the　dead；　that　they　have
　　　　　escaped。

　　　　　How　Livy　would　love　this　place！　　How　her　very　soul　would　steep
　　　　　itself　thankfully　in　this　peace；　this　tranquillity；　this　deep
　　　　　stillness；　this　dreamy　expanse　of　woodsy　hill　&　valley！　　You　must
　　　　　come；　Aunt　Sue；　&　stay　with　us　a　real　good　visit。　　Since　June　26　we
　　　　　have　had　21　guests；　&　they　have　all　liked　it　and　said　they　would
　　　　　come　again。

To　Howells；　on　the　same　day；　he　wrote：

　　　　　Won't　you　&　Mrs。　Howells　&　Mildred　come　&　give　us　as　many　days　as
　　　　　you　can　spare　&　examine　John's　triumph？　　It　is　the　most　satisfactory
　　　　　house　I　am　acquainted　with；　&　the　most　satisfactorily　situated　。　　。　
　　　　　。　　。　　I　have　dismissed　my　stenographer；　&　have　entered　upon　a
　　　　　holiday　whose　other　end　is　the　cemetery。




CCLXXII

STORMFIELD　ADVENTURES

Clemens　had　fully　decided；　by　this　time；　to　live　the　year　round　in　the
retirement　at　Stormfield；　and　the　house　at　21　Fifth　Avenue　was　being
dismantled。　　He　had　also；　as　he　said；　given　up　his　dictations　for　the
time；　at　least；　after　continuing　them；　with　more　or　less　regularity；　for
a　period　of　two　and　a　half　years；　during　which　he　had　piled　up　about　half
a　million　words　of　comment　and　reminiscence。　　His　general　idea　had　been
to　add　portions　of　this　matter　to　his　earlier　books　as　the　copyrights
expired；　to　give　them　new　life　and　interest；　and　he　felt　that　he　had
plenty　now　for　any　such　purpose。

He　gave　his　time　mainly　to　his　guests；　his　billiards；　and　his　reading；
though　of　course　he　could　not　keep　from　writing　on　this　subject　and　that
as　the　fancy　moved　him；　and　a　drawer　in　one　of　his　dressers　began　to
accumulate　fresh　though　usually　fragmentary　manuscripts。　。　。　　He　read　the
daily　paper；　but　he　no　longer　took　the　keen；　restless　interest　in　public
affairs。　　New　York　politics　did　not　concern　him　any　more；　and　national
politics　not　much。　　When　the　Evening　Post　wrote　him　concerning　the
advisability　of　renominating　Governor　Hughes　he　replied：

　　　　　If　you　had　asked　me　two　months　ago　my　answer　would　have　been　prompt
　　　　　&　loud　&　strong：　yes；　I　want　Governor　Hughes　renominated。　　But　it　is
　　　　　too　late；　&　my　mouth　is　closed。　　I　have　become　a　citizen　&　taxpayer
　　　　　of　Connecticut；　&　could　not　now；　without　impertinence；　meddle　in
　　　　　matters　which　are　none　of　my　business。　　I　could　not　do　it　with
　　　　　impertinence　without　trespassing　on　the　monopoly　of　another。

Howells　speaks　of　Mark　Twain's　〃absolute　content〃　with　his　new　home；　and
these　are　the　proper　words'　to　express　it。　　He　was　like　a　storm…beaten
ship　that　had　drifted　at　last　into　a　serene　South　Sea　haven。

The　days　began　and　ended　in　tranquillity。　　There　were　no　special　morning
regulations：　One　could　have　his　breakfast　at　any　time　and　at　almost　any
place。　　He　could　have　it　in　bed　if　he　liked；　or　in　the　loggia　or
livingroom；　or　billiard…room。　　He　might　even　have　it　in　the　diningroom；
or　on　the　terrace；　just　outside。　　Gueststhere　were　usually　guests
might　suit　their　convenience　in　this　matteralso　as　to　the　f