mark twain, a biography, 1866-1875-第21部分

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Sabine〃；　Galaxy　for　February；　1871。　　The　reader　will　find　it　complete
under　Appendix　J；　at　the　end　of　last　volume。＇

The　〃　Little　Church　Around　the　Corner〃　on　Twenty…ninth　Street　received
that　happy　title　from　this　incident。

〃There　is　a　little　church　around　the　corner　that　will；　perhaps；　permit
the　service；〃　Mr。　Sabine　had　said　to　Holland's　friends。

The　little　church　did　permit　the　service；　and　there　was　conferred　upon　it
the　new　name；　which　it　still　bears。　　It　has　sheltered　a　long　line　of
actor　folk　and　their　friends　since　then；　earning　thereby　reverence；
gratitude；　and　immortal　memory。　　＇Church　of　the　Transfiguration。
Memorial　services　were　held　there　for　Joseph　Jefferson；　and　a　memorial
window；　by　John　La　Farge；　has　been　placed　there　in　memory　of　Edwin
Booth。＇

Of　the　Galaxy　contributions　a　number　are　preserved　in　Sketches　New　and
Old。　　〃How　I　Edited　an　Agricultural　Paper〃　is　one　of　the　best　of　these
an　excellent　example　of　Mark　Twain's　more　extravagant　style　of　humor。　　It
is　perennially　delightful；　in　France　it　has　been　dramatized；　and　is　still
played。

A　successful　Galaxy　feature；　also　preserved　in　the　Sketches；　was　the
〃Burlesque　Map　of　Paris；〃　reprinted　from　the　Express。　　The　Franco…
Prussian　War　was　in　progress；　and　this　travesty　was　particularly　timely。
It　creates　only　a　smile　of　amusement　to…day；　but　it　was　all　fresh　and
delightful　then。　　Schuyler　Colfax；　by　this　time　Vice…President；　wrote　to
him：　〃I　have　had　the　heartiest　possible　laugh　over　it；　and　so　have　all　my
family。　　You　are　a　wicked；　conscienceless　wag；　who　ought　to　be　punished
severely。〃

The　〃Official　Commendations；〃　which　accompany　the　map；　are　its　chief
charm。　　They　are　from　Grant；　Bismarck；　Brigham　Young；　and　others；　the
best　one　coming　from　one　J。　Smith；　who　says：

　　　　　My　wife　was　for　years　afflicted　with　freckles；　and　though　everything
　　　　　was　done　for　her　relief　that　could　be　done；　all　was　in　vain。　　But；
　　　　　sir；　since　her　first　glance　at　your　map　they　have　entirely　left　her。
　　　　　She　has　nothing　but　convulsions　now。

It　is　said　that　the　〃Map　of　Paris〃　found　its　way　to　Berlin；　where　the
American　students　in　the　beer…halls　used　to　pretend　to　quarrel　over　it
until　they　attracted　the　attention　of　the　German　soldiers　that　might　be
present。　　Then　they　would　wander　away　and　leave　it　on　the　table　and　watch
results。　　The　soldiers　would　pounce　upon　it　and　lose　their　tempers　over
it；　then　finally　abuse　it　and　revile　its　author；　to　the　satisfaction　of
everybody。

The　larger　number　of　〃Memoranda〃　sketches　have　properly　found　oblivion
to…day。　　They　were　all；　or　nearly　all；　collected　by　a　Canadian　pirate；
C。　A。　Backas；　in　a　volume　bearing　the　title　of　Memoranda；　＇Also　by　a
harpy　named　John　Camden　Hotten　（of　London）；　of　whom　we　shall　hear　again。
Hotten　had　already　pirated　The　Innocents；　and　had　it　on　the　market　before
Routledge　could　bring　out　the　authorized　edition。　　Routledge　later
published　the　〃Memoranda〃　under　the　title　of　Sketches；　including　the
contents　of　the　Jumping　Frog　book。＇　a　book　long　ago　suppressed。　　Only
about　twenty　of　the　Galaxy　contributions　found　place　in　Sketches　New　and
Old；　five　years　later；　and　some　of　these　might　have　been　spared　as
literature。　　〃To　Raise　Poultry；〃　　〃John　Chinaman　in　New　York；〃　and
〃History　Repeats　Itself〃　are　valuable　only　as　examples　of　his　work　at
that　period。　　The　reader　may　consult　them　for　himself。





LXXVIII

THE　PRIMROSE　PATH

But　we　are　losing　sight　of　more　important　things。　　From　the　very
beginning　Mark　Twain's　home　meant　always　more　to　him　than　his　work。　　The
life　at　472　Delaware　Avenue　had　begun　with　as　fair　a　promise　as　any
matrimonial　journey　ever　undertaken：　There　seemed　nothing　lacking：　a
beautiful　home；　sufficient　income；　bright　prospectsthese　things；　with
health　and　love；　constitute　married　happiness。　　Mrs。　Clemens　wrote　to　her
sister；　Mrs。　Crane；　at　the　end　of　February：　〃Sue；　we　are　two　as　happy
people　as　you　ever　saw。　　Our　days　seem　to　be　made　up　of　only　bright
sunlight；　with　no　shadow　in　them。〃　　In　the　same　letter　the　husband　added：
〃Livy　pines　and　pines　every　day　for　you；　and　I　pine　and　pine　every　day
for　you；　and　when　we　both　of　us　are　pining　at　once　you　would　think　it　was
a　whole　pine　forest　let　loose。〃

To　Redpath；　who　was　urging　lecture　engagements　for　the　coming　season；　he
wrote：

　　　　　DEAR　RED；I　am　not　going　to　lecture　any　more　forever。　　I　have　got
　　　　　things　ciphered　down　to　a　fraction　now。　　I　know　just　about　what　it
　　　　　will　cost　to　live；　and　I　can　make　the　money　without　lecturing。
　　　　　Therefore；　old　man；　count　me　out。

And　still　later；　in　May：

　　　　　I　guess　I　am　out　of　the　field　permanently。　　Have　got　a　lovely　wife；
　　　　　a　lovely　house；　bewitchingly　furnished；　a　lovely　carriage；　and　a
　　　　　coachman　whose　style　and　dignity　are　simply　awe…in…spiring；　nothing
　　　　　less；　and　I　am　making　more　money　than　necessary；　by　considerable；
　　　　　and　therefore　why　crucify　myself　nightly　on　the　platform？　　The
　　　　　subscriber　will　have　to　be　excused　for　the　present　season　at　least。

So　they　were　very　happy　during　those　early　months；　acquiring　pleasantly
the　education　which　any　matrimonial　experience　is　sure　to　furnish；
accustoming　themselves　to　the　uses　of　housekeeping；　to　life　in
partnership；　with　all　the　discoveries　and　mental　and　spiritual
adaptations　that　belong　to　the　close　association　of　marriage。　　They　were
far；　very　far；　apart　on　many　subjects。　　He　was　unpolished；　untrained；
impulsive；　sometimes　violent。　　Twichell　remembers　that　in　the　earlier
days　of　their　acquaintance　he　wore　a　slouch　hat　pulled　down　in　front；　and
smoked　a　cigar　that　sometimes　tilted　up　and　touched　the　brim　of　it。　　The
atmosphere　and　customs　of　frontier　life；　the　Westernisms　of　that　day；
still　clung　to　him。　　Mrs。　Clemens；　on　the　other　hand；　was　conservative；
dainty；　cultured；　spiritual。　　He　adored　her　as　little　less　than　a　saint；
and　she　became；　indeed；　his　saving　grace。　　She　had　all　the　personal
refinement　which　he　lacked；　and　she　undertook　the　work　of　polishing　and
purifying　her　life　companion。　　She　had　no　wish　to　destroy　his
personality；　to　make　him　over；　but　only　to　preserve　his　best；　and　she　set
about　it　in　the　right　waygently；　and　with　a　tender　gratitude　in　each
achievement。

She　did　not　entirely　approve　of　certain　lines　of　his　reading；　or；　rather；
she　did　not　understand　them　in　those　days。　　That　he　should　be　fond　of
history　and　the　sciences　was　natural　enough；　but　when　the　Life　of　P。　T。
Barnum；　Written　by　Himself；　appeared；　and　he　sat　up　nights　to　absorb　it；
and　woke　early　and　lighted　the　lamp　to　follow　the　career　of　the　great
showman；　she　was　at　a　loss　to　comprehend　this　particular　literary
passion；　and　indeed　was　rather　jealous　of　it。　　She　did　not　realize　then
his　vast　interest　in　the　study　of　human　nature；　or　that　such　a　book
contained　what　Mr。　Howells　calls　〃the　root　of　the　human　matter；〃　the
inner　revelation　of　the　human　being　at　first　hand。

Concerning　his　religious　observances　her　task　in　the　beginning　was　easy
enough。　　Clemens　had　not　at　that　time　formulated　any　particular　doctrines
of　his　own。　　His　natural　kindness　of　heart；　and　especially　his　love　for
his　wife；　inclined　him　toward　the　teachings　and　customs　of　her　Christian
faithunorthodox　but　sincere；　as　Christianity　in　the　Langdon　family　was
likely　to　be。　　It　took　very　little　persuasion　on　his　wife's　part　to
establish　family　prayers　in　their　home；　grace　before　meals；　and　the
morning　reading　of　a　Bible　chapter。　　Joe　Goodman；　who　made　a　trip　East；
and　visited　them　during　the　early　days　of　their　married　life；　was
dumfounded　to　see　Mark　Twain　ask　a　blessing　and　join　in　family　worship。
Just　how　long　these　forms　continued　cannot　be　known　to…day；　the　time　of
their　abandonment　has　perished　from　the　recollection　of　any　one　now
living。

It　would　seem　to　have　been　the　Bible…reading　that　wrought　the　change。
The　prayer　and　the　blessing　were　to　him　sincere　and　gracious；　but　as　the
readings　continued　he　realized　that　he　had　never　before　considered　the
Bible　from　a　doctrinal　point　of　view；　as　a　guide　to　spiritual　salvation。
To　his　logical　reasoning　mind；　a　large　portion　of　it　seemed　absurd：　a
mass　of　fables　and　traditions；　mere　mythology。　　From　such　material
humanity　had　built　its　mightiest　edifice　of　hope；　the　doctrines　of　its
faith。　　After　a　little　while　he　could　stand　it　no　longer。

〃Livy；〃　he　said　one　day；　〃you　may　keep　this　up　if　you　want　to；　but　I　must
ask　you　to　excuse　me　from　it。　　It　is　making　me　a　hypocrite。　　I　don't
believe　in　this　Bible。　　It　contradicts　my　reason。　　I　can't　sit　here　and
listen　to　it；　letting　you　believe　that　I　regard　it；　as　you　do；　in　the
light　of　gospel；　the　word　of　God。〃

He　was　moved　to　write　an　article　on　the　human　idea　of　God；　ancient　and
modern。　　It　contained　these　paragraphs：

　　　　　The　difference　in　importance；　between　the　God　of　the　Bible　and　the
　　　　　God　of　the　present　day；　cannot　be　described；　it　can　only　be　vaguely
　　　　　and　inadequately　figured　to　the　mind　。　　。　　。　　。　　If　you　make　figures
　　　　　to　represent　the　earth　and　moon；　and　allow　a　space　of　one　inch
　　　　　between　them；　to　represent　the　four　hundred　thousand　miles　of
　　　　　distance　which　lies　between　the　two　bodies；　the　map　will　have　to　be
　　　　　eleven　miles　long　in　order　to　bring　in　the　nearest　fixed　star。　
　　　　　＇His　figures　were　far　too　small。　　A　map　drawn　on　the　scale　of
　　　　　400；000　miles　to　the　inch　would　need　to　be　1；100　miles　long　to　take
　　　　　in　both　the　earth　and　the　nearest　fixed　star。　　On　such　a　map　the
　　　　　earth　would　be　one…fiftieth　of　an　inch　in　diameterthe　size　of　a
　　　　　small　grain　of　sand。＇　　So　one　cannot　put　the　modern　heavens　on　a
　　　　　map；　nor　the　modern　God；　but　the　Bible　God　and　the　Bible　heavens　can
　　　　　be　set　down　on　a　slate　and　yet　not　be　discommoded　。　　。　　。　　。

　　　　　The　difference　between　that　universe　and　the　modern　one　revealed　by
　　　　　science　is　as　the　difference　between　a　dust…flecked　ray　in　a　barn
　　　　　and　the　sublime　arch　of　the　Milky　Way　in　the　skies。　　Its　God　was
　　　　　strictly　proportioned　to　its　dimensions。　　His　sole　solicitude　was
　　　　　about　a　handful　of　truculent　nomads。　　He　worried　and　fretted　over
　　　　　them　in　a　peculiarly　and　distractingly　human　way。　　One　day　he　coaxed
　　　　　and　p