mark twain, a biography, 1866-1875-第33部分

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the　novels　in　which　their　wives　were　finding　entertainment。　　The　wives
naturally　retorted　that　the　proper　thing　for　the　husbands　to　do　was　to
furnish　the　American　people　with　better　ones。　　This　was　regarded　in　the
nature　of　a　challenge；　and　as　such　was　acceptedmutually　accepted：　that
is　to　say；　in　partnership。　　On　the　spur　of　the　moment　Clemens　and　Warner
agreed　that　they　would　do　a　novel　together；　that　they　would　begin　it
immediately。　　This　is　the　whole　story　of　the　book's　origin；　so　far；　at
least；　as　the　collaboration　is　concerned。　　Clemens；　in　fact；　had　the
beginning　of　a　story　in　his　mind；　but　had　been　unwilling　to　undertake　an
extended　work　of　fiction　alone。　　He　welcomed　only　too　eagerly；　therefore；
the　proposition　of　joint　authorship。　　His　purpose　was　to　write　a　tale
around　that　lovable　character　of　his　youth；　his　mother's　cousin；　James
Lamptonto　let　that　gentle　visionary　stand　as　the　central　figure　against
a　proper　background。　　The　idea　appealed　to　Warner；　and　there　was　no　delay
in　the　beginning。　　Clemens　immediately　set　to　work　and　completed　399
pages　of　the　manuscript；　the　first　eleven　chapters　of　the　book；　before
the　early　flush　of　enthusiasm　waned。

Warner　came　over　then；　and　Clemens　read　it　aloud　to　him。　　Warner　had　some
plans　for　the　story；　and　took　it　up　at　this　point；　and　continued　it
through　the　next　twelve　chapters；　and　so　they　worked　alternately；　〃in　the
superstition；〃　as　Mark　Twain　long　afterward　declared；　〃that　we　were
writing　one　coherent　yarn；　when　I　suppose；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　we　were
writing　two　incoherent　ones。〃　　＇The　reader　may　be　interested　in　the
division　of　labor。　　Clemens　wrote　chapters　I　to　XI；　also　chapters　XXIV；
XXV；　XXVII；　XXVIII；　XXX；　XXXII；　XXXIII；　XXXIV；　XXXVI；　XXXVII；　XLII；
XLIII；　XLV；　LI；　LII；　LIII；　LVII；　LIX；　LX；　LXI；　LXII；　and　portions　of
chapters　XXXV；　XLIX；　LVI。　　Warner　wrote　chapters　XII　to　XXIII；　also
chapters　XXVI；　XXIX；　XXXI；　XXXVIII；　XXXIX；　XL；　XLI；　XLIV；　XLVI；　XLVII；
XLVITT；　L；　LIV；　LV；　LVIII；　LXIII；　and　portions　of　chapters　XXXV；　XLIX；
and　LVI。　　The　work　was　therefore　very　evenly　divided。

There　was　another　co…worker　on　The　Gilded　Age　before　the　book　was　finally
completed。　　This　was　J。　　Hammond　Trumbull；　who　prepared　the　variegated；
marvelous　cryptographic　chapter　headings：　Trumbull　was　the　most　learned
man　that　ever　lived　in　Hartford。　　He　was　familiar　with　all　literary　and
scientific　data；　and　according　to　Clemens　could　swear　in　twenty…seven
languages。　　It　was　thought　to　be　a　choice　idea　to　get　Trumbull　to　supply
a　lingual　medley　of　quotations　to　precede　the　chapters　in　the　new　book；
the　purpose　being　to　excite　interest　and　possibly　to　amuse　the　readera
purpose　which　to　some　extent　appears　to　have　miscarried。＇

The　book　was　begun　in　February　and　finished　in　April；　so　the　work　did　not
lag。　　The　result；　if　not　highly　artistic；　made　astonishingly　good
reading。　　Warner　had　the　touch　of　romance；　Clemens；　the　gift　of　creating；
or　at　least　of　portraying；　human　realities。　　Most　of　his　characters
reflected　intimate　personalities　of　his　early　life。　　Besides　the
apotheosis　of　James　Lampton　into　the　immortal　Sellers；　Orion　became
Washington　Hawkins；　Squire　Clemens　the　judge；　while　Mark　Twain's　own
personality；　in　a　greater　or　lesser　degree；　is　reflected　in　most　of　his
creations。　　As　for　the　Tennessee　land；　so　long　a　will…o'the…wisp　and　a
bugbear；　it　became　tangible　property　at　last。　　Only　a　year　or　two　before
Clemens　had　written　to　Orion：

　　　　　Oh；　here！　　I　don't　want　to　be　consulted　at　all　about　Tennessee。　　I
　　　　　don't　want　it　even　mentioned　to　me。　　When　I　make　a　suggestion　it　is
　　　　　for　you　to　act　upon　it　or　throw　it　aside；　but　I　beseech　you　never　to
　　　　　ask　my　advice；　opinion；　or　consent　about　that　hated　property。

But　it　came　in　good　play　now。　　It　is　the　important　theme　of　the　story。

Mark　Twain　was　well　qualified　to　construct　his　share　of　the　tale。　　He
knew　his　characters；　their　lives；　and　their　atmospheres　perfectly。
Senator　Dilworthy　（otherwise　Senator　Pomeroy；　of　Kansas；　then　notorious
for　attempted　vote…buying）　was　familiar　enough。　　That　winter　in
Washington　had　acquainted　Clemens　with　the　life　there；　its　political
intrigues；　and　the　disrepute　of　Congress。　　Warner　was　equally　well
qualified　for　his　share　of　the　undertaking；　and　the　chief　criticism　that
one　may　offer　is　the　one　stated　by　Clemens　himselfthat　the　divisions　of
the　tale　remain　divisions　rather　than　unity。

As　for　the　story　itselfthe　romance　and　tragedy　of　itthe　character　of
Laura　in　the　hands　of　either　author　is　one　not　easy　to　forget。　　Whether
this　means　that　the　work　is　well　done；　or　only　strikingly　done；　the
reader　himself　must　judge。　　Morally；　the　character　is　not　justified。
Laura　was　a　victim　of　circumstance　from　the　beginning。　　There　could　be　no
poetic　justice　in　her　doom。　　To　drag　her　out　of　a　steamer　wreck；　only　to
make　her　the　victim　of　a　scoundrel；　later　an　adventuress；　and　finally　a
murderess；　all　may　be　good　art；　but　of　a　very　bad　kind。　　Laura　is　a　sort
of　American　Becky　Sharp；　but　there　is　retributive　justice　in　Becky's
fate；　whereas　Laura's　doom　is　warranted　only　by　the　author's　whim。　　As
for　her　end；　whatever　the　virtuous　public　of　that　day　might　have　done；　a
present…day　audience　would　not　have　pelted　her　from　the　stage；　destroyed
her　future；　taken　away　her　life。

The　authors　regarded　their　work　highly　when　it　was　finished；　but　that　is
nothing。　　Any　author　regards　his　work　highly　at　the　moment　of　its
completion。　　In　later　years　neither　of　them　thought　very　well　of　their
production；　but　that　also　is　nothing。　　The　author　seldom　cares　very
deeply　for　his　offspring　once　it　is　turned　over　to　the　public　charge。
The　fact　that　the　story　is　still　popular；　still　delights　thousands　of
readers；　when　a　myriad　of　novels　that　have　been　written　since　it　was
completed　have　lived　their　little　day　and　died　so　utterly　that　even　their
names　have　passed　out　of　memory；　is　the　best　verdict　as　to　its　worth。




LXXXIX

PLANNING　A　NEW　HOME

Clemens　and　his　wife　bought　a　lot　for　the　new　home　that　winter；　a　fine；
sightly　piece　of　land　on　Farmington　Avenuetable…land；　slopingdown　to　a
pretty　stream　that　wound　through　the　willows　and　among　the　trees。　　They
were　as　delighted　as　children　with　their　new　purchase　and　the　prospect　of
building。　　To　her　sister　Mrs。　Clemens　wrote：

　　　　　Mr。　Clemens　seems　to　glory　in　his　sense　of　possession；　he　goes　daily
　　　　　into　the　lot；　has　had　several　falls　trying　to　lay　off　the　land　by
　　　　　sliding　around　on　his　feet。。。。

　　　　　For　three　days　the　ice　has　covered　the　trees；　and　they　have　been
　　　　　glorious。　　We　could　do　nothing　but　watch　the　beauty　outside；　if　you
　　　　　looked　at　the　trees　as　the　sun　struck　them；　with　your　back　toward
　　　　　the　sun；　they　were　covered　with　jewels。　　If　you　looked　toward　the
　　　　　sun　it　was　all　crystal　whiteness；　a　perfect　fairy…land。　　Then　the
　　　　　nights　were　moonlight；　and　that　was　a　great　beauty；　the　moon　giving
　　　　　us　the　same　prismatic　effect。

This　was　the　storm　of　which　Mark　Twain　wrote　his　matchless　description；
given　first　in　his　speech　on　New　England　weather；　and　later　preserved　in
'Following　the　Equator'；　in　more　extended　form。　　In　that　book　he　likens
an　ice…storm　to　his　impressions　derived　from　reading　descriptions　of　the
Taj　Mahal；　that　wonderful　tomb　of　a　fair　East　Indian　queen。　　It　is　a
marvelous　bit　of　word…paintinghis　description　of　that　majestic　vision：
〃When　every　bough　and　twig　is　strung　with　ice…beads；　frozen　dewdrops；　and
the　whole　tree　sparkles　cold　and　white；　like　the　Shah　of　Persia's　diamond
plume。〃　　It　will　pay　any　one　to　look　up　that　description　and　read　it　all；
though　it　has　been　said；　by　the　fortunate　one　or　two　who　heard　him　first
give　it　utterance　as　an　impromptu　outburst；　that　in　the　subsequent
process　of　writing　the　bloom　of　its　original　magnificence　was　lost。

The　plans　for　the　new　house　were　drawn　forthwith　by　that　gentle　architect
Edward　Potter；　whose　art　to…day　may　be　considered　open　to　criticism；　but
not　because　of　any　lack　of　originality。　　Hartford　houses　of　that　period
were　mainly　of　the　goods…box　form　of　architecture；　perfectly　square；
typifying　the　commercial　pursuits　of　many　of　their　owners。　　Potter　agreed
to　get　away　from　this　idea；　and　a　radical　and　even　frenzied　departure　was
the　result。　　Certainly　his　plans　presented　beautiful　pictures；　and　all
who　saw　them　were　filled　with　wonder　and　delight。　　Architecture　has
lavished　itself　in　many　florescent　forms　since　then；　but　we　may　imagine
that　Potter's　〃English　violet〃　order　of　design；　as　he　himself　designated
it；　startled；　dazzled；　and　captivated　in　a　day；　when　most　houses　were
mere　habitations；　built　with　a　view　to　economy　and　the　largest　possible
amount　of　room。

Workmen　were　put　on　the　ground　without　delay；　to　prepare　for　the
builders；　and　work　was　rapidly　pushed　along。　　Then　in　May　the　whole
matter　was　left　in　the　hands　of　the　architect　and　the　carpenters　（with
Lawyer　Charles　E。　Perkins　to　stand　between　Potter　and　the　violent
builder；　who　roared　at　Potter　and　frightened　him　when　he　wanted　changes）；
while　the　Clemens　household；　with　Clara　Spaulding；　a　girlhood　friend　of
Mrs。　Clemens；　sailed　away　to　England　for　a　half…year　holiday。




XC

A　LONG　ENGLISH　HOLIDAY

They　sailed　on　the　Batavia；　and　with　them　went　a　young　man　named
Thompson；　a　theological　student　whom　Clemens　had　consented　to　take　as　an
amanuensis。　　There　is　a　pathetic　incident　connected　with　this　young　man；
and　it　may　as　well　be　set　down　here。　　Clemens　found；　a　few　weeks　after
his　arrival　in　England；　that　so　great　was　the　tax　upon　his　time　that　he
could　make　no　use　of　Thompson's　services。　　He　gave　Thompson　fifty
dollars；　and　upon　the　possibility　of　the　young　man's　desiring　to　return
to　America；　advanced　him　another　fifty　dollars；　saying　that　he　could
return　it　some　day；　and　never　thought　of　it　again。　　But　the　young　man
remembered　it；　and　one　day；　thirty…six　years　later；　after　a　life　of
hardship　and　struggle；　such　as　the　life　of　a　country　minister　is　apt　to
be；　he　wrote　and　inclosed　a　money…order；　a　payment　on　his　debt。　　That
letter　and　its　inclosure　brought　only　sorrow　to　Mark　Twain。　　He　felt　that
it　laid　upon　him　the　accumulated　burden　of　the　weary　thirty…si