mark twain, a biography, 1907-1910-第17部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


a　definite　something　to　love；　honor；　reverently　look　up　to　and　obey；　a
God　and　King；　for　example。　　The　second　reason　is；　that　while　little
republics　have　lasted　long；　protected　by　their　poverty　and
insignificance；　great　ones　have　not。　　And　the　condition　is；　vast　power
and　wealth；　which　breed　commercial　and　political　corruptions；　and　incite
public　favorites　to　dangerous　ambitions。〃

He　repeated　what　I　had　heard　him　say　before；　that　in　one　sense　we　already
had　a　monarchy；　that　is　to　say；　a　ruling　public　and　political　aristocracy
which　could　create　a　Presidential　succession。　　He　did　not　say　these
things　bitterly　now；　but　reflectively　and　rather　indifferently。

He　was　inclined　to　speak　unhopefully　of　the　international　plans　for
universal　peace；　which　were　being　agitated　rather　persistently。

〃The　gospel　of　peace；〃　he　said；　〃is　always　making　a　deal　of　noise；　always
rejoicing　in　its　progress　but　always　neglecting　to　furnish　statistics。　
There　are　no　peaceful　nations　now。　　All　Christendom　is　a　soldier…camp。　
The　poor　have　been　taxed　in　some　nations　to　the　starvation　point　to
support　the　giant　armaments　which　Christian　governments　have　built　up；
each　to　protect　itself　from　the　rest　of　the　Christian　brotherhood；　and
incidentally　to　snatch　any　scrap　of　real　estate　left　exposed　by　a　weaker
owner。　　King　Leopold　II。　of　Belgium；　the　most　intensely　Christian
monarch；　except　Alexander　VI。；　that　has　escaped　hell　thus　far；　has　stolen
an　entire　kingdom　in　Africa；　and　in　fourteen　years　of　Christian　endeavor
there　has　reduced　the　population　from　thirty　millions　to　fifteen　by
murder　and　mutilation　and　overwork；　confiscating　the　labor　of　the
helpless　natives；　and　giving　them　nothing　in　return　but　salvation　and　a
home　in　heaven；　furnished　at　the　last　moment　by　the　Christian　priest。

〃Within　the　last　generation　each　Christian　power　has　turned　the　bulk　of
its　attention　to　finding　out　newer　and　still　newer　and　more　and　more
effective　ways　of　killing　Christians；　and；　incidentally；　a　pagan　now　and
then；　and　the　surest　way　to　get　rich　quickly　in　Christ's　earthly　kingdom
is　to　invent　a　kind　of　gun　that　can　kill　more　Christians　at　one　shot　than
any　other　existing　kind。　　All　the　Christian　nations　are　at　it。　　The　more
advanced　they　are；　the　bigger　and　more　destructive　engines　of　war　they
create。〃

Once；　speaking　of　battles　great　and　small；　and　how　important　even　a　small
battle　must　seem　to　a　soldier　who　had　fought　in　no　other；　he　said：

〃To　him　it　is　a　mighty　achievement；　an　achievement　with　a　big　A；　when　to
a　wax…worn　veteran　it　would　be　a　mere　incident。　　For　instance；　to　the
soldier　of　one　battle；　San　Juan　Hill　was　an　Achievement　with　an　A　as　big
as　the　Pyramids　of　Cheops；　whereas；　if　Napoleon　had　fought　it；　he　would
have　set　it　down　on　his　cuff　at　the　time　to　keep　from　forgetting　it　had
happened。　　But　that　is　all　natural　and　human　enough。　　We　are　all　like
that。〃

The　curiosities　and　absurdities　of　religious　superstitions　never　failed
to　furnish　him　with　themes　more　or　less　amusing。　　I　remember　one　Sunday；
when　he　walked　down　to　have　luncheon　at　my　house；　he　sat　under　the　shade
and　fell　to　talking　of　Herod's　slaughter　of　the　innocents；　which　he　said
could　not　have　happened。

〃Tacitus　makes　no　mention　of　it；〃　he　said；　〃and　he　would　hardly　have
overlooked　a　sweeping　order　like　that；　issued　by　a　petty　ruler　like
Herod。　　Just　consider　a　little　king　of　a　corner　of　the　Roman　Empire
ordering　the　slaughter　of　the　first…born　of　a　lot　of　Roman　subjects。　
Why；　the　Emperor　would　have　reached　out　that　long　arm　of　his　and
dismissed　Herod。　　That　tradition　is　probably　about　as　authentic　as　those
connected　with　a　number　of　old　bridges　in　Europe　which　are　said　to　have
been　built　by　Satan。　　The　inhabitants　used　to　go　to　Satan　to　build
bridges　for　them；　promising　him　the　soul　of　the　first　one　that　crossed
the　bridge；　then；　when　Satan　had　the　bridge　done；　they　would　send　over　a
rooster　or　a　jackassa　cheap　jackass；　that　was　for　Satan；　and　of　course
they　could　fool　him　that　way　every　time。　　Satan　must　have　been　pretty
simple；　even　according　to　the　New　Testament；　or　he　wouldn't　have　led
Christ　up　on　a　high　mountain　and　offered　him　the　world　if　he　would　fall
down　and　worship　him。　　That　was　a　manifestly　absurd　proposition；　because
Christ；　as　the　Son　of　God；　already　owned　the　world；　and；　besides；　what
Satan　showed　him　was　only　a　few　rocky　acres　of　Palestine。　　It　is　just　as
if　some　one　should　try　to　buy　Rockefeller；　the　owner　of　all　the　Standard
Oil　Company；　with　a　gallon　of　kerosene。〃

He　often　spoke　of　the　unseen　forces　of　creation；　the　immutable　laws　that
hold　the　planet　in　exact　course　and　bring　the　years　and　the　seasons
always　exactly　on　schedule　time。　　〃The　Great　Law〃　was　a　phrase　often　on
his　lips。　　The　exquisite　foliage；　the　cloud　shapes；　the　varieties　of
color　everywhere：　these　were　for　him　outward　manifestations　of　the　Great
Law；　whose　principle　I　understood　to　be　unityexact　relations　throughout
all　nature；　and　in　this　I　failed　to　find　any　suggestion　of　pessimism；　but
only　of　justice。　　Once　he　wrote　on　a　card　for　preservation：

　　　　　From　everlasting　to　everlasting；　this　is　the　law：　the　sum　of　wrong　&
　　　　　misery　shall　always　keep　exact　step　with　the　sum　of　human
　　　　　blessedness。

　　　　　No　〃civilization；〃　no　〃advance；〃　has　ever　modified　these　proportions
　　　　　by　even　the　shadow　of　a　shade；　nor　ever　can；　while　our　race　endures。




CCLXIV

CITIZEN　AND　FARMER

The　procession　of　guests　at　Stormfield　continued　pretty　steadily。　
Clemens　kept　a　book　in　which　visitors　set　down　their　names　and　the　dates
of　arrival　and　departure；　and　when　they　failed　to　attend　to　these　matters
he　diligently　did　it　himself　after　they　were　gone。

Members　of　the　Harper　Company　came　up　with　their　wives；　〃angel…fish〃　swam
in　and　out　of　the　aquarium；　Bermuda　friends　came　to　see　the　new　home；
Robert　Collier；　the　publisher；　and　his　wife〃Mrs。　Sally；〃　as　Clemens
liked　to　call　herpaid　their　visits；　Lord　Northcliffe；　who　was　visiting
America；　came　with　Colonel　Harvey；　and　was　so　impressed　with　the
architecture　of　Stormfield　that　he　adopted　its　plans　for　a　country…place
he　was　about　to　build　in　Newfoundland。　　Helen　Keller；　with　Mr。　and　Mrs。
Macy；　came　up　for　a　week…end　visit。　　Mrs。　Crane　came　over　from　Elmira；
and；　behold！　one　day　came　the　long…ago　sweetheart　of　his　childhood；
little　Laura　HawkinsLaura　Frazer　now；　widowed　and　in　the　seventies；
with　a　granddaughter　already　a　young　lady　quite　grown　up。

That　Mark　Twain　was　not　wearying　of　the　new　conditions　we　may　gather　from
a　letter　written　to　Mrs。　Rogers　in　October：

　　　　　I've　grown　young　in　these　months　of　dissipation　here。　　And　I　have
　　　　　left　off　drinkingit　isn't　necessary　now。　　Society　&　theology　are
　　　　　sufficient　for　me。

To　Helen　Allen；　a　Bermuda　〃Angel…Fish；〃　he　wrote：

　　　　　We　have　good　times　here　in　this　soundless　solitude　on　the　hilltop。　
　　　　　The　moment　I　saw　the　house　I　was　glad　I　built　it；　&　now　I　am　gladder
　　　　　&　gladder　all　the　time。　　I　was　not　dreaming　of　living　here　except　in
　　　　　the　summer…timethat　was　before　I　saw　this　region　&　the　house；　you
　　　　　seebut　that　is　all　changed　now；　I　shall　stay　here　winter　&　summer
　　　　　both　&　not　go　back　to　New　York　at　all。　　My　child；　it's　as　tranquil　&
　　　　　contenting　as　Bermuda。　　You　will　be　very　welcome　here；　dear。

He　interested　himself　in　the　affairs　and　in　the　people　of　Redding。　　Not
long　after　his　arrival　he　had　gathered　in　all　the　inhabitants　of　the
country…side；　neighbors　of　every　quality；　for　closer　acquaintance；　and
threw　open　to　them　for　inspection　every　part　of　the　new　house。　　He
appointed　Mrs。　Lounsbury；　whose　acquaintance　was　very　wide；　a　sort　of
committee　on　reception；　and　stood　at　the　entrance　with　her　to　welcome
each　visitor　in　person。

It　was　a　sort　of　gala　day；　and　the　rooms　and　the　grounds　were　filled　with
the　visitors。　　In　the　dining…room　there　were　generous　refreshments。　
Again；　not　long　afterward；　he　issued　a　special　invitation　to　all　of
those…architects；　builders；　and　workmen　who　had　taken　any　part；　however
great　or　small；　in　the　building　of　his　home。　　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Littleton　were
visiting　Stormfield　at　this　time；　and　both　Clemens　and　Littleton　spoke　to
these　assembled　guests　from　the　terrace；　and　made　them　feel　that　their
efforts　had　been　worth　while。

Presently　the　idea　developed　to　establish　something　that　would　be　of
benefit　to　his　neighbors；　especially　to　those　who　did　not　have　access　to
much　reading…matter。　　He　had　been　for　years　flooded　with　books　by　authors
and　publishers；　and　there　was　a　heavy　surplus　at　his　home　in　the　city。　
When　these　began　to　arrive　he　had　a　large　number　of　volumes　set　aside　as
the　nucleus　of　a　public　library。　　An　unused　chapel　not　far　awayit　could
be　seen　from　one　of　his　windowswas　obtained　for　the　purpose；　officers
were　elected；　a　librarian　was　appointed；　and　so　the　Mark　Twain　Library　of
Redding　was　duly　established。　　Clemens　himself　was　elected　its　first
president；　with　the　resident　physician；　Dr。　Ernest　H。　Smith；　vice…
president；　and　another　resident；　William　E。　Grumman；　librarian。　　On　the
afternoon　of　its　opening　the　president　made　a　brief　address。　　He　said：

　　　　　I　am　here　to　speak　a　few　instructive　words　to　my　fellow…farmers。
　　　　　I　suppose　you　are　all　farmers：　I　am　going　to　put　in　a　crop　next
　　　　　year；　when　I　have　been　here　long　enough　and　know　how。　　I　couldn't
　　　　　make　a　turnip　stay　on　a　tree　now　after　I　had　grown　it。　　I　like　to
　　　　　talk。　　It　would　take　more　than　the　Redding　air　to　make　me　keep
　　　　　still；　and　I　like　to　instruct　people。　　It's　noble　to　be　good；　and
　　　　　it's　nobler　to　teach　others　to　be　good；　and　less　trouble。　　I　am　glad
　　　　　to　help　this　library。　　We　get　our　morals　from　books。　　I　didn't　get
　　　　　mine　from　books；　but　I　know　that　morals　do　come　from　books
　　　　　theoretically　at　least。　　Mr。　Beard　or　Mr。　Adams　will　give　some　land；
　　　　　and　by　and　by　we　are　going　to　have　a　building　of　our　own。

This　statement　was　news　to　both　Mr。　Beard　and　Mr。　Adams　and　an
inspiration　of　the　moment；　but　Mr。　Theodore　Adams；　who　owned　a　most
desirable　site；　did　in　fact　promptly　resolve　to　donate　it　for　library
purposes。　　Clemens　continued：

　　　　　I　am　going　to　help　build　that　library　with　con