mark twain, a biography, 1866-1875-第4部分

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brilliant　man　of　new　name　and　fame　who　had　been　her　mischievous；　wayward
boy。　　She　petted　him；　joked　with　him；　scolded　him；　and　inquired
searchingly　into　his　morals　and　habits。　　In　turn　he　petted；　comforted；
and　teased　her。　　She　decided　that　he　was　the　same　Sam；　and　always　would
bea　true　prophecy。

He　went　up　to　Hannibal　to　see　old　friends。　　Many　were　married；　some　had
moved　away；　some　were　deadthe　old　story。　　He　delivered　his　lecture
there；　and　was　the　center　of　interest　and　admirationhis　welcome　might
have　satisfied　even　Tom　Sawyer。　　From　Hannibal　he　journeyed　to　Keokuk；
where　he　lectured　again　to　a　crowd　of　old　friends　and　new；　then　returned
to　St。　Louis　for　a　more　extended　visit。

It　was　while　he　was　in　St。　Louis　that　he　first　saw　the　announcement　of
the　Quaker　City　Holy　Land　Excursion；　and　was　promptly　fascinated　by　what
was　then　a　brand…new　idea　in　ocean　travela　splendid　picnica　choice
and　refined　party　that　would　sail　away　for　a　long　summer's　journeying　to
the　most　romantic　of　all　lands　and　seas；　the　shores　of　the　Mediterranean。
No　such　argosy　had　ever　set　out　before　in　pursuit　of　the　golden　fleece　of
happiness。

His　projected　trip　around　the　world　lost　its　charm　in　the　light　of　this
idyllic　dream。　　Henry　Ward　Beecher　was　advertised　as　one　of　the　party；
General　Sherman　as　another；　also　ministers；　high…class　journaliststhe
best　minds　of　the　nation。　　Anson　Burlingame　had　told　him　to　associate
with　persons　of　refinement　and　intellect。　　He　lost　no　time　in　writing　to
the　Alta；　proposing　that　they　send　him　in　this　select　company。

Noah　Brooks；　who　was　then　on　the　Alta；　states　＇In　an　article　published
in　the　Century　Magazine。＇　that　the　management　was　staggered　by　the
proposition；　but　that　Col。　John　McComb　insisted　that　the　investment　in
Mark　Twain　would　be　sound。　　A　letter　was　accordingly　sent；　stating　that　a
check　for　his　passage　would　be　forwarded　in　due　season；　and　that　meantime
he　could　contribute　letters　from　New　York　City。　　The　rate　for　all　letters
was　to　be　twenty　dollars　each。　　The　arrangement　was　a　godsend；　in　the
fullest　sense　of　the　word；　to　Mark　Twain。

It　was　now　April；　and　he　was　eager　to　get　back　to　New　York　to　arrange　his
passage。　　The　Quaker　City　would　not　sail　for　two　months　yet　（two　eventful
months）；　but　the　advertisement　said　that　passages　must　be　secured　by　the
5th；　and　he　was　there　on　that　day。　　Almost　the　first　man　he　met　was　the
chief　of　the　New　York　Alta　bureau　with　a　check　for　twelve　hundred　and
fifty　dollars　（the　amount　of　his　ticket）　and　a　telegram　saying；　〃Ship
Mark　Twain　in　the　Holy　Land　Excursion　and　pay　his　passage。〃

　　　　　＇The　following　letter；　which　bears　no　date；　was　probably　handed　to
　　　　　him　later　in　the　New　York　Alta　office　as　a　sort　of　credential：

　　　　　ALTA　CALIFORNIA　OFFICE；　42　JOHN　STREET；　NEW　YORK。

　　　　　Sam'l　Clemens；　Esq。；　New　York。

　　　　　DEAR　SIR；I　have　the　honor　to　inform　you　that　Fred'k。　MacCrellish
　　　　　&　Co。；　Proprietors　of　Alta　California；　San　Francisco；　Cal。；　desire
　　　　　to　engage　your　services　as　Special　Correspondent　on　the　pleasure
　　　　　excursion　now　about　to　proceed　from　this　City　to　the　Holy　Land。　　In
　　　　　obedience　to　their　instructions　I　have　secured　a　passage　for　you　on
　　　　　the　vessel　about　to　convey　the　excursion　party　referred　to；　and　made
　　　　　such　arrangements　as　I　hope　will　secure　your　comfort　and
　　　　　convenience。　　Your　only　instructions　are　that　you　will　continue　to
　　　　　write　at　such　times　and　from　such　places　as　you　deem　proper；　and　in
　　　　　the　same　style　that　heretofore　secured　you　the　favor　of　the　readers
　　　　　of　the　Alta　California。　　I　have　the　honor　to　remain；　with　high
　　　　　respect　and　esteem；

　　　　　Your　ob'dt。　　Servant；

　　　　　JOHN　J。　　MURPHY。＇


The　Alta；　it　appears；　had　already　applied　for　his　berth；　but；　not　having
been　vouched　for　by　Mr。　Beecher　or　some　other　eminent　divine；　Clemens　was
fearful　he　might　not　be　accepted。　　Quite　casually　he　was　enlightened　on
this　point。　　While　waiting　for　attention　in　the　shipping…office；　with　the
Alta　agent；　he　heard　a　newspaper　man　inquire　what　notables　were　going。
A　clerk；　with　evident　pride；　rattled　off　the　names：

〃Lieutenant…General　Sherman；　Henry　Ward　Beecher；　and　Mask　Twain；　also
probably　General　Banks。〃

So　he　was　billed　as　an　attraction。　　It　was　his　first　surreptitious　taste
of　fame　on　the　Atlantic　coast；　and　not　without　its　delight。　　The　story
often　told　of　his　being　introduced　by　Ned　House；　of　the　Tribune；　as　a
minister；　though　often　repeated　by　Mark　Twain　himself；　was　in　the　nature
of　a　joke；　and　mainly　apocryphal。　　Clemens　was　a　good　deal　in　House's
company　at　the　time；　for　he　had　made　an　arrangement　to　contribute
occasional　letters　to　the　Tribune；　and　House　no　doubt　introduced　him
jokingly　as　one　of　the　Quaker　City　ministers。




LVIII

A　NEW　BOOK　AND　A　LECTURE

Webb；　meantime；　had　pushed　the　Frog　book　along。　　The　proofs　had　been　read
and　the　volume　was　about　ready　for　issue。　　Clemens　wrote　to　his　mother
April　15th：

　　　　　My　book　will　probably　be　in　the　bookseller's　hands　in　about　two
　　　　　weeks。　　After　that　I　shall　lecture。　　Since　I　have　been　gone；　the
　　　　　boys　have　gotten　up　a　〃call〃　on　me　signed　by　two　hundred
　　　　　Californians。

The　lecture　plan　was　the　idea　of　Frank　Fuller；　who　as　acting　Governor　of
Utah　had　known　Mark　Twain　on　the　Comstock；　and　prophesied　favorably　of
his　future　career。　　Clemens　had　hunted　up　Fuller　on　landing　in　New　York
in　January；　and　Fuller　had　encouraged　the　lecture　then；　but　Clemens　was
doubtful。

〃I　have　no　reputation　with　the　general　public　here；〃　he　said。　　〃We
couldn't　get　a　baker's　dozen　to　hear　me。〃

But　Fuller　was　a　sanguine　person；　with　an　energy　and　enthusiasm　that　were
infectious。　　He　insisted　that　the　idea　was　sound。　　It　would　solidify　Mark
Twain's　reputation　on　the　Atlantic　coast；　he　declared；　insisting　that　the
largest　house　in　New　York；　Cooper　Union；　should　be　taken。　　Clemens　had
partially　consented；　and　Fuller　had　arranged　with　all　the　Pacific　slope
people　who　had　come　East；　headed　by　ex…Governor　James　W。　Nye　（by　this
time　Senator　at　Washington）；　to　sign　a　call　for　the　〃Inimitable　Mark
Twain〃　to　appear　before　a　New　York　audience。　　Fuller　made　Nye　agree　to　be
there　and　introduce　the　lecturer；　and　he　was　burningly　busy　and　happy　in
the　prospect。

But　Mark　Twain　was　not　happy。　　He　looked　at　that　spacious　hall　and
imagined　the　little　crowd　of　faithful　Californian　stragglers　that　might
gather　in　to　hear　him；　and　the　ridicule　of　the　papers　next　day。　　He
begged　Fuller　to　take　a　smaller　hall；　the　smallest　he　could　get。　　But
only　the　biggest　hall　in　New　York　would　satisfy　Fuller。　　He　would　have
taken　a　larger　one　if　he　could　have　found　it。　　The　lecture　was　announced
for　May　6th。　　Its　subject　was　〃Kanakadom；　or　the　Sandwich　Islands〃
tickets　fifty　cents。　　Fuller　timed　it　to　follow　a　few　days　after　Webb's
book　should　appear；　so　that　one　event　might　help　the　other。

Mark　Twain's　first　book；　'The　Celebrated　Jumping　Frog　of　Calaveyas
County；　and　Other　Sketches'；　was　scheduled　for　May　1st；　and　did；　in　fact；
appear　on　that　date；　but　to　the　author　it　was　no　longer　an　important
event。　　Jim　Smiley's　frog　as　standard…bearer　of　his　literary　procession
was　not　an　interesting　object；　so　far　as　he　was　concernednot　with　that
vast；　empty　hall　in　the　background　and　the　insane　undertaking　of　trying
to　fill　it。　　The　San　Francisco　venture　had　been　as　nothing　compared　with
this。　　Fuller　was　working　night　and　day　with　abounding　joy；　while　the
subject　of　his　labor　felt　as　if　he　were　on　the　brink　of　a　fearful
precipice；　preparing　to　try　a　pair　of　wings　without　first　learning　to
fly。　　At　one　instant　he　was　cold　with　fright；　the　next　glowing　with　an
infection　of　Fuller's　faith。　　He　devised　a　hundred　schemes　for　the　sale
of　seats。　　Once　he　came　rushing　to　Fuller；　saying：

〃Send　a　lot　of　tickets　down　to　the　Chickering　Piano　Company。　　I　have
promised　to　put　on　my　programme；　'The　piano　used　at　this　entertainment　is
manufactured　by　Chickering。〃'

〃But　you　don't　want　a　piano；　Mark；〃　said　Fuller；　〃do　you？〃

〃No；　of　course　not；　but　they　will　distribute　the　tickets　for　the　sake　of
the　advertisement；　whether　we　have　the　piano　or　not。〃

Fuller　got　out　a　lot　of　handbills　and　hung　bunches　of　them　in　the　stages；
omnibuses；　and　horse…cars。　　Clemens　at　first　haunted　these　vehicles　to
see　if　anybody　noticed　the　bills。　　The　little　dangling　bunches　seemed
untouched。　　Finally　two　men　came　in；　one　of　them　pulled　off　a　bill　and
glanced　at　it。　　His　friend　asked：

〃Who's　Mark　Twain？〃

〃God　knows；　I　don't！〃

The　lecturer　could　not　ride　any　more。　　He　was　desperate。

〃Fuller；〃　he　groaned；　〃there　isn't　a　signa　ripple　of　interest。〃

Fuller　assured　him　that　everything　was　working　all　right　〃working
underneath；〃　Fuller　saidbut　the　lecturer　was　hopeless。　　He　reported　his
impressions　to　the　folks　at　home：

　　　　　Everything　looks　shady；　at　least；　if　not　dark；　I　have　a　good　agent；
　　　　　but　now；　after　we　have　hired　the　Cooper　Institute；　and　gone　to　an
　　　　　expense　in　one　way　or　another　of　500；　it　comes　out　that　I　have　got
　　　　　to　play　against　Speaker　Colfax　at　Irving　Hall；　Ristori；　and　also　the
　　　　　double　troop　of　Japanese　jugglers；　the　latter　opening　at　the　great
　　　　　Academy　of　Musicand　with　all　this　against　me　I　have　taken　the
　　　　　largest　house　in　New　York　and　cannot　back　water。

He　might　have　added　that　there　were　other　rival　entertainments：　〃The
Flying　Scud〃　was　at　Wallack's；　the　〃Black　Crook〃　was　at　Niblo's；　John
Brougham　at　the　Olympic；　and　there　were　at　least　a　dozen　lesser
attractions。　　New　York　was　not　the　inexhaustible　city　in　those　days；
these　things　could　gather　in　the　public　to　the　last　man。　　When　the　day
drew　near；　and　only　a　few　tickets　had　been　sold；　Clemens　was　desperate。

〃Fuller；〃　he　said；　〃there'll　be　nobody　in　the　Cooper　Union　that　night　but
you　and　me。　　I　am　on　the　verge　of　suicide。　　I　would　commit　suicide　if　I
had　the　pluck　and　the　outfit。　　You　must　paper　the　house；　Fuller。　　You
must　send　out　a　flood　of　complementaries。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　Fuller；　〃what　we　want　this　time　is　reputation　anyway
money　is　secondary。　　I'll　put　you　before　the　choicest；　most　intelligent
audience　that　ever　was　gathered　in　New　York　City。　　I　will　bring