mark twain, a biography, 1907-1910-第6部分

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Americanhe　called　her　Francescapaid　many　calls。　　It　took　the
dreariness　out　of　that　social　function　to　perform　it　in　that　way。　　With　a
list　of　the　calls　they　were　to　make　they　drove　forth　each　day　to　cancel
the　social　debt。　　They　paid　calls　in　every　walk　of　life。　　His　young
companion　was　privileged　to　see　the　inside　of　London　homes　of　almost
every　class；　for　he　showed　no　partiality；　he　went　to　the　homes　of　the
poor　and　the　rich　alike。　　One　day　they　visited　the　home　of　an　old
bookkeeper　whom　he　had　known　in　1872　as　a　clerk　in　a　large　establishment；
earning　a　salary　of　perhaps　a　pound　a　week；　who　now　had　risen　mightily；
for　he　had　become　head　bookkeeper　in　that　establishment　on　a　salary　of
six　pounds　a　week；　and　thought　it　great　prosperity　and　fortune　for　his
old　age。

He　sailed　on　July　13th　for　home；　besought　to　the　last　moment　by　a　crowd
of　autograph…seekers　and　reporters　and　photographers；　and　a　multitude　who
only　wished　to　see　him　and　to　shout　and　wave　good…by。　　He　was　sailing
away　from　them　for　the　last　time。　　They　hoped　he　would　make　a　speech；　but
that　would　not　have　been　possible。　　To　；the　reporters　he　gave　a　farewell
message：　〃It　has　been　the　most　enjoyable　holiday　I　have　ever　had；　and　I
am　sorry　the　end　of　it　has　come。　　I　have　met　a　hundred；　old　friends；　and
I　have　made　a　hundred　new　ones。　　It　is　a　good　kind　of　riches　to　have；
there　is　none　better；　I　think。〃　　And　the　London　Tribune　declared　that
〃the　ship　that　bore　him　away　had　difficulty　in　getting　clear；　so　thickly
was　the　water　strewn　with　the　bay…leaves　of　his　triumph。　　For　Mark　Twain
has　triumphed；　and　in　his　all…too…brief　stay　of　a　month　has　done　more　for
the　cause　of　the　world's　peace　than　will　be　accomplished　by　the　Hague
Conference。　　He　has　made　the　world　laugh　again。〃

His　ship　was　the　Minnetonka；　and　there　were　some　little　folks　aboard　to
be　adopted　as　grandchildren。　　On　July　5th；　in　a　fog；　the　Minnetonka
collided　with　the　bark　Sterling；　and　narrowly　escaped　sinking　her。　　On
the　whole；　however；　the　homeward　way　was　clear；　and　the　vessel　reached
New　York　nearly　a　day　in　advance　of　their　schedule。　　Some　ceremonies　of
welcome　had　been　prepared　for　him；　but　they　were　upset　by　the　early
arrival；　so　that　when　he　descended　the　gang…plank　to　his　native　soil　only
a　few　who　had　received　special　information　were　there　to　greet　him。　　But
perhaps　he　did　not　notice　it。　　He　seldom　took　account　of　the　absence　of
such　things。　　By　early　afternoon；　however；　the　papers　rang　with　the
announcement　that　Mark　Twain　was　home　again。

It　is　a　sorrow　to　me　that　I　was　not　at　the　dock　to　welcome　him。　　I　had
been　visiting　in　Elmira；　and　timed　my　return　for　the　evening　of　the　a　2d；
to　be　on　hand　the　following　morning；　when　the　ship　was　due。　　When　I　saw
the　announcement　that　he　had　already　arrived　I　called　a　greeting　over　the
telephone；　and　was　told　to　come　down　and　play　billiards。　　I　confess　I
went　with　a　certain　degree　of　awe；　for　one　could　not　but　be　overwhelmed
with　the　echoes　of　the　great　splendor　he　had　so　recently　achieved；　and　I
prepared　to　sit　a　good　way　off　in　silence；　and　hear　something　of　the　tale
of　this　returning　conqueror；　but　when　I　arrived　he　was　already　in　the
billiard…room　knocking　the　balls　abouthis　coat　off；　for　it　was　a　hot
night。　　As　I　entered　he　said：

〃Get　your　cue。　　I　have　been　inventing　a　new　game。〃　　And　I　think　there
were　scarcely　ten　words　exchanged　before　we　were　at　it。　　The　pageant　was
over；　the　curtain　was　rung　down。　　Business　was　resumed　at　the　old　stand。




CCLX

MATTERS　PSYCHIC　AND　OTHERWISE

He　returned　to　Tuxedo　and　took　up　his　dictations；　and　mingled　freely　with
the　social　life；　but　the　contrast　between　his　recent　London　experience
and　his　semi…retirement　must　have　been　very　great。　　When　I　visited　him
now　and　then；　he　seemed　to　me　lonelynot　especially　for　companionship；
but　rather　for　the　life　that　lay　behind　himthe　great　career　which　in　a
sense　now　had　been　completed　since　he　had　touched　its　highest　point。　
There　was　no　billiard…table　at　Tuxedo；　and　he　spoke　expectantly　of
getting　back　to　town　and　the　games　there；　also　of　the　new　home　which　was
then　building　in　Redding；　and　which　would　have　a　billiard…room　where　we
could　assemble　dailymy　own　habitation　being　not　far　away。　　Various
diversions　were　planned　for　Redding；　among　them　was　discussed　a　possible
school　of　philosophy；　such　as　Hawthorne　and　Emerson　and　Alcott　had
established　at　Concord。

He　spoke　quite　freely　of　his　English　experiences；　but　usually　of　the　more
amusing　phases。　　He　almost　never　referred　to　the　honors　that　had　been
paid　to　him；　yet　he　must　have　thought　of　them　sometimes；　and　cherished
them；　for　it　had　been　the　greatest　national　tribute　ever　paid　to　a
private　citizen；　he　must　have　known　that　in　his　heart。　　He　spoke
amusingly　of　his　visit　to　Marie　Corelli；　in　Stratford；　and　of　the　Holy
Grail　incident；　ending　the　latter　by　questioningin　words　at　leastall
psychic　manifestations。　　I　said　to　him：

〃But　remember　your　own　dream；　Mr。　Clemens；　which　presaged　the　death　of
your　brother。〃

He　answered：　〃I　ask　nobody　to　believe　that　it　ever　happened。　　To　me　it　is
true；　but　it　has　no　logical　right　to　be　true；　and　I　do　not　expect　belief
in　it。〃　　Which　I　thought　a　peculiar　point　of　view；　but　on　the　whole
characteristic。

He　was　invited　to　be　a　special　guest　at　the　Jamestown　Exposition　on
Fulton　Day；　in　September；　and　Mr。　Rogers　lent　him　his　yacht　in　which　to
make　the　trip。　　It　was　a　break　in　the　summer's　monotonies；　and　the
Jamestown　honors　must　have　reminded　him　of　those　in　London。　　When　he
entered　the　auditorium　where　the　services　were　to　be　held　there　was　a
demonstration　which　lasted　more　than　five　minutes。　　Every　person　in　the
hall　rose　and　cheered；　waving　handkerchiefs　and　umbrellas。　　He　made　them
a　brief；　amusing　talk　on　Fulton　and　other　matters；　then　introduced
Admiral　Harrington；　who　delivered　a　masterly　address　and　was　followed　by
Martin　W。　Littleton；　the　real　orator　of　the　day。　　Littleton　acquitted
himself　so　notably　that　Mark　Twain　conceived　for　him　a　deep　admiration；
and　the　two　men　quickly　became　friends。　　They　saw　each　other　often　during
the　remainder　of　the　Jamestown　stay；　and　Clemens；　learning　that　Littleton
lived　just　across　Ninth　Street　from　him　in　New　York；　invited　him　to　come
over　when　he　had　an　evening　to　spare　and　join　the　billiard　games。

So　it　happened；　somewhat　later；　when　every　one　was　back　in　town；　Mr。　and
Mrs。　Littleton　frequently　came　over　for　billiards；　and　the　games　became
three…handed　with　an　audiencevery　pleasant　games　played　in　that　way。　
Clemens　sometimes　set　himself　up　as　umpire；　and　became　critic　and　gave
advice；　while　Littleton　and　I　played。　　He　had　a　favorite　shot　that　he
frequently　used　himself　and　was　always　wanting　us　to　try；　which　was　to
drive　the　ball　to　the　cushion　at　the　beginning　of　the　shot。

He　played　it　with　a　good　deal　of　success；　and　achieved　unexpected　results
with　it。　　He　was　even　inspired　to　write　a　poem　on　the　subject。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃CUSHION　FIRST〃

　　　　　　　　　　When　all　your　days　are　dark　with　doubt；　
　　　　　　　　　　And　dying　hope　is　at　its　worst；　
　　　　　　　　　　When　all　life's　balls　are　scattered　wide；　
　　　　　　　　　　With　not　a　shot　in　sight；　to　left　or　right；　
　　　　　　　　　　Don't　give　it　up；　
　　　　　　　　　　Advance　your　cue　and　shut　your　eyes；　
　　　　　　　　　　And　take　the　cushion　first。

The　Harry　Thaw　trial　was　in　progress　just　then；　and　Littleton　was　Thaw's
chief　attorney。　　It　was　most　interesting　to　hear　from　him　direct　the
day's　proceedings　and　his　views　of　the　situation　and　of　Thaw。

Littleton　and　billiards　recall　a　curious　thing　which　happened　one
afternoon。　　I　had　been　absent　the　evening　before；　and　Littleton　had　been
over。　　It　was　after　luncheon　now；　and　Clemens　and　I　began　preparing　for
the　customary　games。　　We　were　playing　then　a　game　with　four　balls；　two
white　and　two　red。　　I　began　by　placing　the　red　balls　on　the　table；　and
then　went　around　looking　in　the　pockets　for　the　two　white　cue…balls。　
When　I　had　made　the　round　of　the　table　I　had　found　but　one　white　ball。　　I
thought　I　must　have　overlooked　the　other；　and　made　the　round　again。　　Then
I　said：

〃There　is　one　white　ball　missing。〃

Clemens；　to　satisfy　himself；　also　made　the　round　of　the　pockets；　and
said：

〃It　was　here　last　night。〃　　He　felt　in　the　pockets　of　the　little　white…
silk　coat　which　he　usually　wore；　thinking　that　he　might　unconsciously
have　placed　it　there　at　the　end　of　the　last　game；　but　his　coat　pockets
were　empty。

He　said：　〃I'll　bet　Littleton　carried　that　ball　home　with　him。

Then　I　suggested　that　near　the　end　of　the　game　it　might　have　jumped　off
the　table；　and　I　looked　carefully　under　the　furniture　and　in　the　various
corners；　but　without　success。　　There　was　another　set　of　balls；　and　out　of
it　I　selected　a　white　one　for　our　play；　and　the　game　began。　　It　went
along　in　the　usual　way；　the　balls　constantly　falling　into　the　pockets；
and　as　constantly　being　replaced　on　the　table。　　This　had　continued　for
perhaps　half　an　hour；　there　being　no　pocket　that　had　not　been　frequently
occupied　and　emptied　during　that　time；　but　then　it　happened　that　Clemens
reached　into　the　middle　pocket；　and　taking　out　a　white　ball　laid　it　in
place；　whereupon　we　made　the　discovery　that　three　white　balls　lay　upon
the　table。　　The　one　just　taken　from　the　pocket　was　the　missing　ball。　　We
looked　at　each　other；　both　at　first　too　astonished　to　say　anything　at
all。　　No　one　had　been　in　the　room　since　we　began　to　play；　and　at　no　time
during　the　play　had　there　been　more　than　two　white　balls　in　evidence；
though　the　pockets　had　been　emptied　at　the　end　of　each　shot。　　The　pocket
from　which　the　missing　ball　had　been　taken　had　been　filled　and　emptied
again　and　again。　　Then　Clemens　said：

〃We　must　be　dreaming。〃

We　stopped　the　game　for　a　while　to　discuss　it；　but　we　could　devise　no
material　explanation。　　I　suggested　the　koboldthat　mischievous　invisible
which　is　supposed　to　play　pranks　by　carrying　off　such　things　as　pencils；
letters；　and　the　like；　and　suddenly　restoring　them　almost　before　one's
eyes。　　Clemens；　who；　in　spite　of　his　material　logic；　was　always　a　mystic
at　heart；　said：

〃But　that；　so　far　as　I　know；　has　never　happened　to　more　than　one　person
at　a　time；　and　has　been