mark twain, a biography, 1866-1875-第39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！


　　　　　If　your　genuine　stories　can　die　I　wonder　by　what　right　old　Walter
　　　　　Scott's　artificialities　shall　continue　to　live。

At　other　times　he　found　comfort　in　the　society　of　Theodore　Crane。　　These
two　were　always　fond　of　each　other；　and　often　read　together　the　books　in
which　they　were　mutually　interested。　　They　had　portable…hammock
arrangements；　which　they　placed　side　by　side　on　the　lawn；　and　read　and
discussed　through　summer　afternoons。　　The　'Mutineers　of　the　Bounty'　was
one　of　the　books　they　liked　best；　and　there　was　a　story　of　an　Iceland
farmer；　a　human　document；　that　had　an　unfading　interest。　　Also　there　were
certain　articles　in　old　numbers　of　the　Atlantic　that　they　read　and
reread。　　'Pepys'　Diary'；　'Two　Years　Before　the　Mast'；　and　a　book　on　the
Andes　were　reliable　favorites。　　Mark　Twain　read　not　so　many　books；　but
read　a　few　books　often。　　Those　named　were　among　the　literature　he　asked
for　each　year　of　his　return　to　Quarry　Farm。　　Without　them；　the　farm　and
the　summer　would　not　be　the　same。

Then　there　was　'Lecky's　History　of　European　Morals'；　there　were　periods
when　they　read　Lecky　avidly　and　discussed　it　in　original　and　unorthodox
ways。　　Mark　Twain　found　an　echo　of　his　own　philosophies　in　Lecky。　　He
made　frequent　marginal　notes　along　the　pages　of　the　world's　moral
historynotes　not　always　quotable　in　the　family　circle。　　Mainly；
however；　they　were　short；　crisp　interjections　of　assent　or　disapproval。
In　one　place　Lecky　refers　to　those　who　have　undertaken　to　prove　that　all
our　morality　is　a　product　of　experience；　holding　that　a　desire　to　obtain
happiness　and　to　avoid　pain　is　the　only　possible　motive　to　action；　the
reason；　and　the　only　reason；　why　we　should　perform　virtuous　actions　being
〃that　on　the　whole　such　a　course　will　bring　us　the　greatest　amount　of
happiness。〃　　Clemens　has　indorsed　these　philosophies　by　writing　on　the
margin；　〃　Sound　and　true。〃　　It　was　the　philosophy　which　he　himself　would
always　hold　（though；　apparently；　never　live　by）；　and　in　the　end　would
embody　a　volume　of　his　own。＇What　Is　Man？　　Privately　printed　in　1906。＇
In　another　place　Lecky；　himself　speaking；　says：

　　　　　Fortunately　we　are　all　dependent　for　many　of　our　pleasures　on
　　　　　others。　　Co…operation　and　organization　are　essential　to　our
　　　　　happiness；　and　these　are　impossible　without　some　restraint　being
　　　　　placed　upon　our　appetites。　　Laws　are　made　to　secure　this　restraint；
　　　　　and　being　sustained　by　rewards；　and　punishments　they　make　it　the
　　　　　interest　of　the　individual　to　regard　that　of　the　community。

〃Correct！〃　comments　Clemens。　　〃He　has　proceeded　from　unreasoned
selfishness　to　reasoned　selfishness。　　All　our　acts；　reasoned　and
unreasoned；　are　selfish。〃　　It　was　a　conclusion　he　logically　never
departed　from；　not　the　happiest　one；　it　would　seem；　at　first　glance；　but
one　easier　to　deny　than　to　disprove。

On　the　back　of　an　old　envelope　Mark　Twain　set　down　his　literary
declaration　of　this　period。

〃I　like　history；　biography；　travels；　curious　facts　and　strange
happenings；　and　science。　　And　I　detest　novels；　poetry；　and　theology。〃

But　of　course　the　novels　of　Howells　would　be　excepted；　Lecky　was　not
theology；　but　the　history　of　it；　his　taste　for　poetry　would　develop
later；　though　it　would　never　become　a　fixed　quantity；　as　was　his　devotion
to　history　and　science。　　His　interest　in　these　amounted　to　a　passion。




XCV

AN　〃ATLANTIC〃　STORY　AND　A　PLAY

The　reference　to　〃Auntie　Cord〃　in　the　letter　to　Dr。　Brown　brings　us　to
Mark　Twain's　first　contribution　to　the　Atlantic　Monthly。　　Howells　in　his
Recollections　of　his　Atlantic　editorship；　after　referring　to　certain
Western　contributors；　says：

　　　　　Later　came　Mark　Twain；　originally　of　Missouri；　but　then
　　　　　provisionally　of　Hartford；　and　now　ultimately　of　the　solar　system；
　　　　　not　to　say　the　universe。　　He　came　first　with　〃A　True　Story；〃　one　of
　　　　　those　noble　pieces　of　humanity　with　which　the　South　has　atoned
　　　　　chiefly；　if　not　solely；　through　him　for　all　its　despite　to　the
　　　　　negro。

Clemens　had　long　aspired　to　appear　in　the　Atlantic；　but　such　was　his　own
rating　of　his　literature　that　he　hardly　hoped　to　qualify　for　its　pages。
Twichell　remembers　his　〃mingled　astonishment　and　triumph〃　when　he　was
invited　to　send　something　to　the　magazine。

He　was　obliged　to　〃send　something〃　once　or　twice　before　the　acceptance　of
〃A　True　Story；〃　the　narrative　of　Auntie　Cord；　and　even　this　acceptance
brought　with　it　the　return　of　a　fable　which　had　accompanied　it；　with　the
explanation　that　a　fable　like　that　would　disqualify　the　magazine　for
every　denominational　reader；　though　Howells　hastened　to　express　his　own
joy　in　it；　having　been　particularly　touched　by　the　author's　reference　to
Sisyphus　and　Atlas　as　ancestors　of　the　tumble…bug。　　The　〃True　Story；〃　he
said；　with　its　〃realest　king　of　black　talk；〃　won　him；　and　a　few　days
later　he　wrote　again：　〃This　little　story　delights　me　more　and　more。　　I
wish　you　had　about　forty　of　'em。〃

And　so；　modestly　enough；　as　became　him；　for　the　story　was　of　the
simplest；　most　unpretentious　sort；　Mark　Twain　entered　into　the　school　of
the　elect。

In　his　letter　to　Howells；　accompanying　the　MS。；　the　author　said：

　　　　　I　inclose　also　〃A　True　Story；〃　which　has　no　humor　in　it。　　You　can
　　　　　pay　as　lightly　as　you　choose　for　that　if　you　want　it；　for　it　is
　　　　　rather　out　of　my　line。　　I　have　not　altered　the　old　colored　woman's
　　　　　story；　except　to　begin　it　at　the　beginning；　instead　of　the　middle；
　　　　　as　she　didand　traveled　both　ways。

Howells　in　his　Recollections　tells　of　the　business　anxiety　in　the
Atlantic　office　in　the　effort　to　estimate　the　story's　pecuniary　value。
Clemens　and　Harte　had　raised　literary　rates　enormously；　the　latter　was
reputed　to　have　received　as　much　as　five　cents　a　word　from　affluent
newspapers！　　But　the　Atlantic　was　poor；　and　when　sixty　dollars　was
finally　decided　upon　for　the　three　pages　（about　two　and　a　half　cents　a
word）　the　rate　was　regarded　as　handsomewithout　precedent　in　Atlantic
history。　　Howells　adds　that　as　much　as　forty　times　this　amount　was
sometimes　offered　to　Mark　Twain　in　later　years。　　Even　in　'74　he　had
received　a　much　higher　rate　than　that　offered　by　the　Atlantic；but　no
acceptance；　then；　or　later；　ever　made　him　happier；　or　seemed　more　richly
rewarded。

〃A　True　Story；　Repeated　Word　for　Word　as　I　Heard　It　〃　was　precisely　what
it　claimed　to　be。　＇Atlantic　Monthly　for　November；　1874；　also　included
in　Sketches　New　and　Old。＇　Auntie　Cord；　the　Auntie　Rachel　of　that　tale；
cook　at　Quarry　Farm；　was　a　Virginia　negress　who　had　been　twice　sold　as　a
slave；　and　was　proud　of　the　fact；　particularly　proud　that　she　had　brought
1；000　on　the　block。　　All　her　children　had　been　sold　away　from　her；　but
it　was　a　long　time　ago；　and　now　at　sixty　she　was　fat　and　seemingly
without　care。　　She　had　told　her　story　to　Mrs。　Crane；　who　had　more　than
once　tried　to　persuade　her　to　tell　it　to　Clemens；　but　Auntie　Cord　was
reluctant。　　One　evening；　however；　when　the　family　sat　on　the　front
veranda　in　the　moonlight；　looking　down　on　the　picture　city；　as　was　their
habit；　Auntie　Cord　came　around　to　say　good　night；　and　Clemens　engaged　her
in　conversation。　　He　led　up　to　her　story；　and　almost　before　she　knew　it
she　was　seated　at　his　feet　telling　the　strange　tale　in　almost　the　exact
words　in　which　it　was　set　down　by　him　next　morning。　　It　gave　Mark　Twain　a
chance　to　exercise　two　of　his　chief　giftstranscription　and　portrayal。
He　was　always　greater　at　these　things　than　at　invention。　　Auntie　Cord's
story　is　a　little　masterpiece。

He　wished　to　do　more　with　Auntie　Cord　and　her　associates　of　the　farm；　for
they　were　extraordinarily　interesting。　　Two　other　negroes　on　the　place；
John　Lewis　and　his　wife　（we　shall　hear　notably　of　Lewis　later）；　were　not
always　on　terms　of　amity　with　Auntie　Cord。　　They　disagreed　on　religion；
and　there　were　frequent　battles　in　the　kitchen。　　These　depressed　the
mistress　of　the　house；　but　they　gave　only　joy　to　Mark　Twain。　　His
Southern　raising　had　given　him　an　understanding　of　their　humors；　their
native　emotions　which　made　these　riots　a　spiritual　gratification。　　He
would　slip　around　among　the　shrubbery　and　listen　to　the　noise　and　strife
of　battle；　and　hug　himself　with　delight。　　Sometimes　they　resorted　to
missiles　stones；　tinwareeven　dressed　poultry　which　Auntie　Cord　was
preparing　for　the　oven。　　Lewis　was　very　black；　Auntie　Cord　was　a　bright
mulatto；　Lewis's'　wife　several　shades　lighter。　　Wherever　the　discussion
began　it　promptly　shaded　off　toward　the　color…line　and　insult。　　Auntie
Cord　was　a　Methodist；　Lewis　was　a　Dunkard。　　Auntie　Cord　was　ignorant　and
dogmatic；　Lewis　could　read　and　was　intelligent。　　Theology　invariably　led
to　personality；　and　eventually　to　epithets；　crockery；　geology；　and
victuals。　　How　the　greatest　joker　of　the　age　did　enjoy　that　summer
warfare！

The　fun　was　not　all　one…sided。　　An　incident　of　that　summer　probably
furnished　more　enjoyment　for　the　colored　members　of　the　household　than　it
did　for　Mark　Twain。　　Lewis　had　some　fowls；　and　among　them　was　a
particularly　pestiferous　guinea…hen　that　used　to　get　up　at　three　in　the
morning　and　go　around　making　the　kind　of　a　noise　that　a　guinea…hen　must
like　and　is　willing　to　get　up　early　to　hear。　　Mark　Twain　did　not　care　for
it。　　He　stood　it　as　long　as　he　could　one　morning；　then　crept　softly　from
the　house　to　stop　it。

It　was　a　clear；　bright　night；　locating　the　guinea…hen；　he　slipped　up
stealthily　with　a　stout　stick。　　The　bird　was　pouring　out　its　heart；
tearing　the　moonlight　to　tatters。　　Stealing　up　close；　Clemens　made　a
vicious　swing　with　his　bludgeon；　but　just　then　the　guinea　stepped　forward
a　little；　and　he　missed。　　The　stroke　and　his　explosion　frightened　the
fowl；　and　it　started　to　run。　　Clemens；　with　his　mind　now　on　the　single
purpose　of　revenge；　started　after　it。　　Around　the　trees；　along　the　paths；
up　and　down　the　lawn；　through　gates　and　across　the　garden；　out　over　the
fields；　they　raced；　〃pursuer　and　pursued。〃　　The　guinea　nor　longer　sang；
and　Clemens　was　presently　too　exhausted　to　swear。　　Hour　after　hour　the
silent；　deadly　hunt　continued；　both　stopping　to　rest　at　intervals；　then
up　again　and　away。　　It　was　like　something　in　a　dream。　　It　was　nearly
breakfast…time　when　he　dragge