mark twain, a biography, 1866-1875-第13部分

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report　by　telegraph。　　By　the　same　medium　he　protested；　but　to　no　purpose。
Then　he　wrote　a　letter　and　sat　down　to　wait。　　He　reported　his　troubles　to
Orion：

　　　　　I　have　made　a　superb　contract　for　a　book；　and　have　prepared　the
　　　　　first　ten　chapters　of　the　sixty　or　eighty；　but　I　will　bet　it　never
　　　　　sees　the　light。　　Don't　you　let　the　folks　at　home　hear　that。　　That
　　　　　thieving　Alta　copyrighted　the　letters；　and　now　shows　no　disposition
　　　　　to　let　me　use　them。　　I　have　done　all　I　can　by　telegraph；　and　now
　　　　　await　the　final　result　by　mail。　　I　only　charged　them　for　50　letters
　　　　　what　（even　in）　greenbacks　would　amount　to　less　than　two　thousand
　　　　　dollars；　intending　to　write　a　good　deal　for　high…priced　Eastern
　　　　　papers；　and　now　they　want　to　publish　my　letters　in　book　form
　　　　　themselves　to　get　back　that　pitiful　sum。

Orion　was　by　this　time　back　from　Nevada；　setting　type　in　St。　Louis。　　He
was　full　of　schemes；　as　usual；　and　his　brother　counsels　him　freely。　　Then
he　says：

　　　　　We　chase　phantoms　half　the　days　of　our　lives。　　It　is　well　if　we
　　　　　learn　wisdom　even　then；　and　save　the　other　half。

　　　　　I　am　in　for　it。　　I　must　go　on　chasing　them；　until　I　marry；　then　I　am
　　　　　done　with　literature　and　all　other　boshthat　is；　literature
　　　　　wherewith　to　please　the　general　public。

　　　　　I　shall　write　to　please　myself　then。

He　closes　by　saying　that　he　rather　expects　to　go　with　Anson　Burlingame　on
the　Chinese　embassy。　　Clearly　he　was　pretty　hopeless　as　to　his　book
prospects。

His　first　meeting　with　General　Grant　occurred　just　at　this　time。　　In　one
of　his　home　letters　he　mentions；　rather　airily；　that　he　will　drop　in
someday　on　the　General　for　an　interview；　and　at　last；　through　Mrs。　Grant；
an　appointment　was　made　for　a　Sunday　evening　when　the　General　would　be　at
home。　　He　was　elated　with　the　prospect　of　an　interview；　but　when　he
looked　into　the　imperturbable；　square；　smileless　face　of　the　soldier　he
found　himself；　for　the　first　time　in　his　life；　without　anything
particular　to　say。　　Grant　nodded　slightly　and　waited。　　His　caller　wished
something　would　happen。　　It　did。　　His　inspiration　returned。

〃General；〃　he　said；　〃I　seem　to　be　a　little　embarrassed。　　Are　you？〃

That　broke　the　ice。　　There　were　no　further　difficulties。　　＇Mark　Twain
has　variously　related　this　incident。　　It　is　given　here　in　accordance　with
the　letters　of　the　period。＇




LXVI

BACK　TO　SAN　FRANCISCO

Reply　came　from　the　Alta；　but　it　was　not　promising。　　It　spoke　rather
vaguely　of　prior　arrangements　and　future　possibilities。　　Clemens　gathered
that　under　certain　conditions　he　might　share　in　the　profits　of　the
venture。　　There　was　but　one　thing　to　do；　he　knew　those　peoplesome　of
themColonel　McComb　and　a　Mr。　McCrellish　intimately。　　He　must　confer
with　them　in　person。

He　was　weary　of　Washington；　anyway。　　The　whole　pitiful　machinery　of
politics　disgusted　him。　　In　his　notebook　he　wrote：

　　　　　Whiskey　is　taken　into　the　committee　rooms　in　demijohns　and　carried
　　　　　out　in　demagogues。

And　in　a　letter：

　　　　　This　is　a　place　to　get　a　poor　opinion　of　everybody　in。　　There　are
　　　　　some　pitiful　intellects　in　this　Congress！　　There　isn't　one　man　in
　　　　　Washington　in　civil　office　who　has　the　brains　of　Anson　Burlingame；
　　　　　and　I　suppose　if　China　had　not　seized　and　saved　his　great　talents　to
　　　　　the　world　this　government　would　have　discarded　him　when　his　time　was
　　　　　up。　　＇Anson　Burlingame　had　by　this　time　become　China's　special
　　　　　ambassador　to　the　nations。＇

Furthermore；　he　was　down　on　the　climate　of　Washington。　　He　decided　to　go
to　San　Francisco　and　see　〃those　Alta　thieves　face　to　face。〃　　Then；　if　a
book　resulted；　he　could　prepare　it　there　among　friends。　　Also；　he　could
lecture。

He　had　been　anxious　to　visit　his　people　before　sailing；　but　matters　were
too　urgent　to　permit　delay。　　He　obtained　from　Bliss　an　advance　of　royalty
and　took　passage；　by　way　of　Aspinwall；　on　the　sidewheel　steamer　Henry
Chauncey；　a　fine　vessel　for　those　days。　　The　name　of　Mark　Twain　was
already　known　on　the　isthmus；　and　when　it　was　learned　he　had　arrived　on
the　Chauncey　a　delegation　welcomed　him　on　the　wharf；　and　provided　him
with　refreshments　and　entertainment。　　Mr。　Tracy　Robinson；　a　poet；　long　a
resident　of　that　southern　land；　was　one　of　the　group。　　Beyond　the　isthmus
Clemens　fell　in　again　with　his　old　captain；　Ned　Wakeman；　who　during　the
trip　told　him　the　amazing　dream　that　in　due　time　would　become　Captain
Stormfield's　Visit　to　Heaven。　　He　made　the　first　draft　of　this　story　soon
after　his　arrival　in　San　Francisco；　as　a　sort　of　travesty　of　Elizabeth
Stuart　Phelps's　Gates　Ajar；　then　very　popular。　　Clemens；　then　and　later；
had　a　high　opinion　of　Capt。　Ned　Wakeman's　dream；　but　his　story　of　it
would　pass　through　several　stages　before　finally　reaching　the　light　of
publication。　　＇Mr。　John　P。　　Vollmer；　now　of　Lewiston；　Idaho；　a
companion　of　that　voyage；　writes　of　a　card　game　which　took　place　beyond
the　isthmus。　　The　notorious　crippled　gambler；　〃Smithy；〃　figured　in　it；
and　it　would　seem　to　have　furnished　the　inspiration　for　the　exciting
story　in　Chapter　XXXVI　of　the　Mississippi　book。＇

In　San　Francisco　matters　turned　out　as　he　had　hoped。　　Colonel　McComb　was
his　stanch　friend；　McCrellish　and　Woodward；　the　proprietors；　presently
conceded　that　they　had　already　received　good　value　for　the　money　paid。
The　author　agreed　to　make　proper　acknowledgments　to　the　Alta　in　his
preface；　and　the　matter　was　settled　with　friendliness　all　around。

The　way　was　now　clear；　the　book　assured。　　First；　however；　he　must　provide
himself　with　funds。　　He　delivered　a　lecture；　with　the　Quaker　City
excursion　as　his　subject。　　On　the　5th　of　May　he　wrote　to　Bliss：

I　lectured　here　on　the　trip　the　other　night；　over　1；600　in　gold　in　the
house；　every　seat　taken　and　paid　for　before　night。

He　reports　that　he　is　steadily　at　work；　and　expects　to　start　East　with
the　completed　manuscript　about　the　middle　of　June。

But　this　was　a　miscalculation。　　Clemens　found　that　the　letters　needed
more　preparation　than　he　had　thought。　　His　literary　vision　and　equipment
had　vastly　altered　since　the　beginning　of　that　correspondence。　　Some　of
the　chapters　he　rewrote；　others　he　eliminated　entirely。　　It　required　two
months　of　fairly　steady　work　to　put　the　big　manuscript　together。

Some　of　the　new　chapters　he　gave　to　Bret　Harte　for　the　Overland　Monthly；
then　recently　established。　　Harte　himself　was　becoming　a　celebrity　about
this　time。　　His　〃Luck　of　Roaring　Camp〃　and　〃The　Outcasts　of　Poker　Flat；〃
published　in　early　numbers　of　the　Overland；　were　making　a　great　stir　in
the　East；　arousing　there　a　good　deal　more　enthusiasm　than　in　the　magazine
office　or　the　city　of　their　publication。　　That　these　two　friends；　each
supreme　in　his　own　field；　should　have　entered　into　their　heritage　so
nearly　at　the　same　moment；　is　one　of　the　many　seemingly　curious
coincidences　of　literary　history。

Clemens　now　concluded　to　cover　his　lecture　circuit　of　two　years　before。
He　was　assured　that　it　would　be　throwing　away　a　precious　opportunity　not
to　give　his　new　lecture　to　his　old　friends。　　The　result　justified　that
opinion。　　At　Virginia；　at　Carson；　and　elsewhere　he　was　received　like　a
returned　conqueror。　　He　might　have　been　accorded　a　Roman　triumph　had
there　been　time　and　paraphernalia。　　Even　the　robbers　had　reformed；　and
entire　safety　was　guaranteed　him　on　the　Divide　between　Virginia　and　Gold
Hill。　　At　Carson　he　called　on　Mrs。　Curry；　as　in　the　old　days；　and　among
other　things　told　her　how　snow　from　the　Lebanon　Mountains　is　brought　to
Damascus　on　the　backs　of　camels。

〃Sam；〃　she　said；　〃that's　just　one　of　your　yarns；　and　if　you　tell　it　in
your　lecture　to…night　I'll　get　right　up　and　say　so。〃

But　he　did　tell　it；　for　it　was　a　fact；　and　though　Mrs。　Curry　did　not　rise
to　deny　it　she　shook　her　finger　at　him　in　a　way　he　knew。

He　returned　to　San　Francisco　and　gave　one　more　lecture；　the　last　he　would
ever　give　in　California。　　His　preparatory　advertising　for　that　occasion
was　wholly　unique；　characteristic　of　him　to　the　last　degree。　　It　assumed
the　form　of　a　handbill　of　protest；　supposed　to　have　been　issued　by　the
foremost　citizens　of　San　Francisco；　urging　him　to　return　to　the　States
without　inflicting　himself　further　upon　them。　　As　signatures　he　made　free
with　the　names　of　prominent　individuals；　followed　by　those　of
organizations；　institutions；　〃Various　Benevolent　Societies；　Citizens　on
Foot　and　Horseback；　and　fifteen　hundred　in　the　Steerage。〃

Following　this　（on　the　same　bill）　was　his　reply；　〃To　the　fifteen　hundred
and　others；〃　in　which　he　insisted　on　another　hearing：

　　　　　I　will　torment　the　people　if　I　want　to。。。。　　It　only　costs　the　people
　　　　　1　apiece；　and　if　they　can't　stand　it　what　do　they　stay　here　for？。。。
　　　　　My　last　lecture　was　not　as　fine　as　I　thought　it　was；　but　I　have
　　　　　submitted　this　discourse　to　several　able　critics；　and　they　have
　　　　　pronounced　it　good。　　Now；　therefore；　why　should　I　withhold　it？

He　promised　positively　to　sail　on　the　6th　of　July　if　they　would　let　him
talk　just　this　once。　　Continuing；　the　handbill　presented　a　second
protest；　signed　by　the　various　clubs　and　business　firms；　also　others
bearing　variously　the　signatures　of　the　newspapers；　and　the　clergy；
ending　with　the　brief　word：

　　　　　You　had　better　go。　　　　Yours；　　　　CHIEF　OF　POLICE。

All　of　which　drollery　concluded　with　his　announcement　of　place　and　date
of　his　lecture；　with　still　further　gaiety　at　the　end。　　Nothing　short　of　a
seismic　cataclysman　earthquake；　in　factcould　deter　a　San　Francisco
audience　after　that。　　Mark　Twain's　farewell　address；　given　at　the
Mercantile　Library　July　2　（1868）；　doubtless　remains　today　the　leading
literary　event　in　San　Francisco's　history。　　＇Copy　of　the　lecture
announcement；　complete；　will　be　found　in　Appendix　H；　at　the　end　of　last
volume。＇

He　sailed　July　6th　by　the　Pacific　mail　steamer　Montana　to　Acapulco；
caught　the　Henry　Chauncey　at　Aspinwall；　reached　New　York　on　the　28th；　and
a　day　or　two　later　had　delivered　his　manuscript　at　Hartford。

But　a　further　difficulty　had　arisen。　　Bliss　was　having　troubles　himself；
this　time；　with　his　directors。　　Many　reports　of　Mark　Twain's　new　book　had
been　traveling　the　rounds　of　the　press；　s