mark twain, a biography, 1866-1875-第15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！



He　was　invited　to　the　Twichell　home；　where　he　met　the　young　wife　and　got
a　glimpse　of　the　happiness　of　that　sweet　and　peaceful　household。　　He　had
a　neglected；　lonely　look；　and　he　loved　to　gather　with　them　at　their
fireside。　　He　expressed　his　envy　of　their　happiness；　and　Mrs。　Twichell
asked　him　why；　since　his　affairs　were　growing　prosperous；　he　did　not
establish　a　household　of　his　own。　　Long　afterward　Mr。　Twichell　wrote：

　　　　　Mark　made　no　answer　for　a　little；　but；　with　his　eyes　bent　on　the
　　　　　floor；　appeared　to　be　deeply　pondering。　　Then　he　looked　up；　and　said
　　　　　slowly；　in　a　voice　tremulous　with　earnestness　（with　what　sympathy　he
　　　　　was　heard　may　be　imagined）：　〃I　am　taking　thought　of　it。　　I　am　in
　　　　　love　beyond　all　telling　with　the　dearest　and　best　girl　in　the　whole
　　　　　world。　　I　don't　suppose　she　will　marry　me。　　I　can't　think　it
　　　　　possible。　　She　ought　not　to。　　But　if　she　doesn't　I　shall　be　sure
　　　　　that　the　best　thing　I　ever　did　was　to　fall　in　love　with　her；　and
　　　　　proud　to　have　it　known　that　I　tried　to　win　her！〃

It　was　only　a　brief　time　until　the　Twichell　fireside　was　home　to　him。　　He
came　and　went；　and　presently　it　was　〃Mark〃　and　〃Joe；〃　as　by　and　by　it
would　be　〃Livy〃　and　〃Harmony；〃　and　in　a　few　years　〃Uncle　Joe〃　and　〃Uncle
Mark；〃　　〃Aunt　Livy〃　and　〃Aunt　Harmony；〃　and　so　would　remain　until　the
end。




LXIX

A　LECTURE　TOUR

James　Redpath；　proprietor　of　the　Boston　Lyceum　Bureau；　was　the　leading
lecture　agent　of　those　days；　and　controlled　all；　or　nearly　all；　of　the
platform　celebrities。　　Mark　Twain's　success　at　the　Cooper　Union　the　year
before　had　interested　Redpath。　　He　had　offered　engagements　then　and
later；　but　Clemens　had　not　been　free　for　the　regular　circuit。　　Now　there
was　no　longer　a　reason　for　postponement　of　a　contract。　　Redpath　was　eager
for　the　new　celebrity；　and　Clemens　closed　with　him　for　the　season　of
1868…9。　　With　his　new　lecture；　〃The　Vandal　Abroad；〃　he　was　presently
earning　a　hundred　dollars　and　more　a　night；　and　making　most　of　the　nights
count。

This　was　affluence　indeed。　　He　had　become　suddenly　a　person　of　substance…
an　associate　of　men　of　consequence；　with　a　commensurate　income。　　He　could
help　his　mother　lavishly　now；　and　he　did。

His　new　lecture　was　immensely　popular。　　It　was　a　resume　of　the　'Quaker
City'　lettersa　foretaste　of　the　book　which　would　presently　follow。
Wherever　he　went；　he　was　hailed　with　eager　greetings。　　He　caught　such
drifting　exclamations　as；　〃There　he　is！　　There　goes　Mark　Twain！〃　　People
came　out　on　the　street　to　see　him　pass。　　That　marvelous　miracle　which　we
variously　call　〃notoriety；〃　〃popularity；〃　〃fame；〃　had　come　to　him。　　In
his　notebook　he　wrote；　〃Fame　is　a　vapor；　popularity　an　accident；　the
only；　earthly　certainty　oblivion。〃

The　newspapers　were　filled　with　enthusiasm　both　as　to　his　matter　and
method。　　His　delivery　was　described　as　a　〃long；　monotonous　drawl；　with
the　fun　invariably　coming　in　at　the　end　of　a　sentenceafter　a　pause。〃
His　appearance　at　this　time　is　thus　set　down：

　　　　　Mark　Twain　is　a　man　of　medium　height；　about　five　feet　ten；　sparsely
　　　　　built；　with　dark　reddish…brown　hair　and　mustache。　　His　features　are
　　　　　fair；　his　eyes　keen　and　twinkling。　　He　dresses　in　scrupulous　evening
　　　　　attire。　　In　lecturing　he　hangs　about　the　desk；　leaning　on　it　or
　　　　　flirting　around　the　corners　of　it；　then　marching　and　countermarching
　　　　　in　the　rear　of　it。　　He　seldom　casts　a　glance　at　his　manuscript。

No　doubt　this　fairly　presents　Mark　Twain；　the　lecturer　of　that　day。　　It
was　a　new　figure　on　the　platform；　a　man　with　a　new　method。　　As　to　his
manuscript；　the　item　might　have　said　that　he　never　consulted　it　at　all。
He　learned　his　lecture；　what　he　consulted　was　merely　a　series　of
hieroglyphics；　a　set　of　crude　pictures　drawn　by　himself；　suggestive　of
the　subject…matter　underneath　new　head。　　Certain　columns　represented　the
Parthenon；　the　Sphinx　meant　Egypt；　and　so　on。　　His　manuscript　lay　there
in　case　of　accident；　but　the　accident　did　not　happen。

A　number　of　his　engagements　were　in　the　central　part　of　New　York；　at
points　not　far　distant　from　Elmira。　　He　had　a　standing　invitation　to
visit　the　Langdon　home；　and　he　made　it　convenient　to　avail　himself　of
that　happiness。

His　was　not　an　unruffled　courtship。　　When　at　last　he　reached　the　point　of
proposing　for　the　daughter　of　the　house；　neither　the　daughter　nor　the
household　offered　any　noticeable　encouragement　to　his　suit。　　Many　absurd
anecdotes　have　been　told　of　his　first　interview　with　Mr。　Langdon　on　the
subject；　but　they　are　altogether　without　foundation。　　It　was　a　proper　and
dignified　discussion　of　a　very　serious　matter。　　Mr。　Langdon　expressed
deep　regard　for　him　and　friendship　but　he　was　not　inclined　to　add　him　to
the　family；　the　young　lady　herself；　in　a　general　way；　accorded　with　these
views。　　The　applicant　for　favor　left　sadly　enough；　but　he　could　not
remain　discouraged　or　sad。　　He　lectured　at　Cleveland　with　vast　success；
and　the　news　of　it　traveled　quickly　to　Elmira。　　He　was　referred　to　by
Cleveland　papers　as　a　〃lion〃　and　〃the　coming　man　of　the　age。〃　　Two　days
later；　in　Pittsburgh　（November　19th）；　he　〃played〃　against　Fanny　Kemble；
the　favorite　actress　of　that　time；　with　the　result　that　Miss　Kemble　had
an　audience　of　two　hundred　against　nearly　ten　times　the　number　who
gathered　to　hear　Mark　Twain。　　The　news　of　this　went　to　Elmira；　too。　　It
was　in　the　papers　there　next　morning；　surely　this　was　a　conquering　hero
a　gay　Lochinvar　from　out　of　the　Westand　the　daughter　of　the　house　must
be　guarded　closely；　that　he　did　not　bear　her　away。　　It　was　on　the　second
morning　following　the　Pittsburgh　triumph；　when　the　Langdon　family　were
gathered　at　breakfast；　that　a　bushy　auburn　head　poked　fearfully　in　at　the
door；　and　a　low；　humble　voice　said：

〃The　calf　has　returned；　may　the　prodigal　have　some　breakfast？〃

No　one　could　be　reserved　or　reprovingly　distant；　or　any　of　those
unfriendly　things　with　a　person　like　that；　certainly　not　Jervis　Langdon；
who　delighted　in　the　humor　and　the　tricks　and　turns　and　oddities　of　this
eccentric　visitor。　　Giving　his　daughter　to　him　was　another　matter；　but
even　that　thought　was　less　disturbing　than　it　had　been　at　the　start。　　In
truth；　the　Langdon　household　had　somehow　grown　to　feel　that　he　belonged
to　them。　　The　elder　sister's　husband；　Theodore　Crane；　endorsed　him　fully。
He　had　long　before　read　some　of　the　Mark　Twain　sketches　that　had　traveled
eastward　in　advance　of　their　author；　and　had　recognized；　even　in　the
crudest　of　them；　a　classic　charm。　　As　for　Olivia　Langdon's　mother　and
sister；　their　happiness　lay　in　hers。　　Where　her　heart　went　theirs　went
also；　and　it　would　appear　that　her　heart；　in　spite　of　herself；　had　found
its　rightful　keeper。　　Only　young　Langdon　was　irreconciled；　and　eventually
set　out　for　a　voyage　around　the　world　to　escape　the　situation。

There　was　only　a　provisional　engagement　at　first。　　Jervis　Langdon
suggested；　and　Samuel　Clemens　agreed　with　him；　that　it　was　proper　to　know
something　of　his　past；　as　well　as　of　his　present；　before　the　official
parental　sanction　should　be　given。　　When　Mr。　Langdon　inquired　as　to　the
names　of　persons　of　standing　to　whom　he　might　write　for　credentials；
Clemens　pretty　confidently　gave　him　the　name　of　the　Reverend　Stebbins　and
others　of　San　Francisco；　adding　that　he　might　write　also　to　Joe　Goodman
if　he　wanted　to；　but　that　he　had　lied　for　Goodman　a　hundred　times　and
Goodman　would　lie　for　him　if　necessary；　so　his　testimony　would　be　of　no
value。　　The　letters　to　the　clergy　were　written；　and　Mr。　Langdon　also
wrote　one　on　his　own　account。

It　was　a　long　mail…trip　to　the　Coast　and　back　in　those　days。　　It　might　be
two　months　before　replies　would　come　from　those　ministers。　　The　lecturer
set　out　again　on　his　travels；　and　was　radiantly　and　happily　busy。　　He
went　as　far　west　as　Illinois；　had　crowded　houses　in　Chicago；　visited
friends　and　kindred　in　Hannibal；　St。　Louis；　and　Keokuk；　carrying　the
great　news；　and　lecturing　in　old　familiar　haunts。




LXX

INNOCENTS　AT　HOMEAND　〃THE　INNOCENTS　ABROAD〃

He　was　in　Jacksonville；　Illinois；　at　the　end　of　January　（1869）；　and　in　a
letter　to　Bliss　states　that　he　will　be　in　Elmira　two　days　later；　and　asks
that　proofs　of　the　book　be　sent　there。　　He　arrived　at　the　Langdon　home；
anxious　to　hear　the　reports　that　would　make　him；　as　the　novels　might　say；
〃the　happiest　or　the　most　miserable　of　men。〃　　Jervis　Langdon　had　a　rather
solemn　look　when　they　were　alone　together。　　Clemens　asked：

〃You've　heard　from　those　gentlemen　out　there？〃

〃Yes；　and　from　another　gentleman　I　wrote　concerning　you。〃

〃They　don't　appear　to　have　been　very　enthusiastic；　from　your　manner。〃

〃Well；　yes；　some　of　them　were。〃

〃I　suppose　I　may　ask　what　particular　form　their　emotion　took？〃

〃Oh　yes；　yes；　they　agree　unanimously　that　you　are　a　brilliant；　able　man；
a　man　with　a　future；　and　that　you　would　make　about　the　worst　husband　on
record。〃

The　applicant　for　favor　had　a　forlorn　look。

〃There's　nothing　very　evasive　about　that；〃　he　said：

There　was　a　period　of　reflective　silence。　　It　was　probably　no　more　than　a
few　seconds；　but　it　seemed　longer。

〃Haven't　you　any　other　friend　that　you　could　suggest？〃　Langdon　said。

〃Apparently　none　whose　testimony　would　be　valuable。〃

Jervis　Langdon　held　out　his　hand。　　〃You　have　at　least　one；〃　he　said。
〃I　believe　in　you。　　I　know　you　better　than　they　do。〃

And　so　came　the　crown　of　happiness。　　The　engagement　of　Samuel　Langhorne
Clemens　and　Olivia　Lewis　Langdon　was　ratified　next　day；　February　4；　1869。

But　if　the　friends　of　Mark　Twain　viewed　the　idea　of　the　carnage　with
scant　favor；　the　friends　of　Miss　Langdon　regarded　it　with　genuine　alarm。
Elmira　was　a　conservative　placea　place　of　pedigree　and　family
tradition；　that　a　stranger；　a　former　printer；　pilot；　miner；　wandering
journalist　and　lecturer；　was　to　carry　off　the　daughter　of　one　of　the
oldest　and　wealthiest　families；　was　a　thing　not　to　be　lightly　permitted。
The　fact　that　he　had　achieved　a　national　fame　did　not　count　against　other
considerations。　　The　social　protest　amounted　almost　to　insurrection；　but
it　was　not　availing。　　The　Langdon　family　had　their　doubts　too；　though　of
a　different　sort。　　Their　doubts　lay　in　the　fear　t