mark twain, a biography, 1866-1875-第40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！


up　again　and　away。　　It　was　like　something　in　a　dream。　　It　was　nearly
breakfast…time　when　he　dragged　himself　into　the　house　at　last；　and　the
guinea　was　resting　and　panting　under　a　currant…bush。　　Later　in　the　day
Clemens　gave　orders　to　Lewis　to　〃kill　and　eat　that　guinea…hen；〃　which
Lewis　did。　　Clemens　himself　had　then　never　eaten　a　guinea；　but　some　years
later；　in　Paris；　when　the　delicious　breast　of　one　of　those　fowls　was
served　him；　he　remembered　and　said：

〃And　to　think；　after　chasing　that　creature　all　night；　John　Lewis　got　to
eat　him　instead　of　me。〃

The　interest　in　Tom　and　Huck；　or　the　inspiration　for　their　adventures；
gave　out　at　last；　or　was　superseded　by　a　more　immediate　demand。　　As　early
as　May；　Goodman；　in　San　Francisco；　had　seen　a　play　announced　there；
presenting　the　character　of　Colonel　Sellers；　dramatized　by　Gilbert　S。
Densmore　and　played　by　John　T。　　Raymond。　　Goodman　immediately　wrote
Clemens；　also　a　letter　came　from　Warner；　in　Hartford；　who　had　noticed　in
San　Francisco　papers　announcements　of　the　play。　　Of　course　Clemens　would
take　action　immediately；　he　telegraphed；　enjoining　the　performance。　　Then
began　a　correspondence　with　the　dramatist　and　actor。　　This　in　time
resulted　in　an　amicable　arrangement；　by　which　the　dramatist　agreed　to
dispose　of　his　version　to　Clemens。　　Clemens　did　not　wait　for　it　to
arrive；　but　began　immediately　a　version　of　his　own。　　Just　how　much　or　how
little　of　Densmore's　work　found　its　way　into　the　completed　play；　as
presented　by　Raymond　later；　cannot　be　known　now。　　Howells　conveys　the
impression　that　Clemens　had　no　hand　in　its　authorship　beyond　the
character　of　Sellers　as　taken　from　the　book。　　But　in　a　letter　still
extant；　which　Clemens　wrote　to　Howells　at　the　time；　he　says：

　　　　　I　worked　a　month　on　my　play；　and　launched　it　in　New　York　last
　　　　　Wednesday。　　I　believe　it　will　go。　　The　newspapers　have　been
　　　　　complimentary。　　It　is　simply　a　setting　for　one　character；　Colonel
　　　　　Sellers。　　As　a　play　I　guess　it　will　not　bear　critical　assault　in
　　　　　force。

The　Warners　are　as　charming　as　ever。　　They　go　shortly　to　the　devil　for　a
yearthat　is；　to　Egypt。

Raymond；　in　a　letter　which　he　wrote　to　the　Sun；　November　3；　1874；
declared　that　〃not　one　line〃　of　Densmore's　dramatization　was　used；
〃except　that　which　was　taken　bodily　from　The　Gilded　Age。　　During　the
newspaper　discussion　of　the　matter；　Clemens　himself　prepared　a　letter　for
the　Hartford　Post。　　This　letter　was　suppressed；　but　it　still　exists。　　In
it　he　says：

　　　　　I　entirely　rewrote　the　play　three　separate　and　distinct　times。　　I
　　　　　had　expected　to　use　little　of　his　＇Densmore's＇　language　and　but
　　　　　little　of　his　plot。　　I　do　not　think　there　are　now　twenty　sentences
　　　　　of　Mr。　Densmore's　in　the　play；　but　I　used　so　much　of　his　plot　that　I
　　　　　wrote　and　told　him　that　I　should　pay　him　about　as　much　more　as　I　had
　　　　　already　paid　him　in　case　the　play　proved　a　success。　　I　shall　keep　my
　　　　　word。

This　letter；　written　while　the　matter　was　fresh　in　his　mind；　is
undoubtedly　in　accordance　with　the　facts。　　That　Densmore　was　fully
satisfied　may　be　gathered　from　an　acknowledgment；　in　which　he　says：　〃Your
letter　reached　me　on　the　ad；　with　check。　　In　this　place　permit　me　to
thank　you　for　the　very　handsome　manner　in　which　you　have　acted　in　this
matter。〃

Warner；　meantime；　realizing　that　the　play　was　constructed　almost　entirely
of　the　Mark　Twain　chapters　of　the　book；　agreed　that　his　collaborator
should　undertake　the　work　and　financial　responsibilities　of　the　dramatic
venture　and　reap　such　rewards　as　might　result。　　Various　stories　have　been
told　of　this　matter；　most　of　them　untrue。　　There　was　no　bitterness
between　the　friends；　no　semblance　of　an　estrangement　of　any　sort。　　Warner
very　generously　and　promptly　admitted　that　he　was　not　concerned　with　the
play；　its　authorship；　or　its　profits；　whatever　the　latter　might　amount
to。　　Moreover；　Warner　was　going　to　Egypt　very　soon；　and　his　labors　and
responsibilities　were　doubly　sufficient　as　they　stood。

Clemens's　estimate　of　the　play　as　a　dramatic　composition　was　correct
enough；　but　the　public　liked　it；　and　it　was　a　financial　success　from　the
start。　　He　employed　a　representative　to　travel　with　Raymond；　to　assist　in
the　management　and　in　the　division　of　spoil。　　The　agent　had　instructions
to　mail　a　card　every　day；　stating　the　amount　of　his　share　in　the　profits。
Howells　once　arrived　in　Hartford　just　when　this　postal　tide　of　fortune
was　at　its　flood：

One　hundred　and　fifty　dollarstwo　hundred　dollarsthree　hundred　dollars
were　the　gay　figures　which　they　bore；　and　which　he　flaunted　in　the　air；
before　he　sat　down　at　the　table；　or　rose　from　it　to　brandish；　and　then；
flinging　his　napkin　in　the　chair；　walked　up　and　down　to　exult　in。

Once；　in　later　years；　referring　to　the　matter；　Howells　said
〃He　was　never　a　man　who　cared　anything　about　money　except　as　a　dream；　and
he　wanted　more　and　more　of　it　to　fill　out　the　spaces　of　this　dream。〃
Which　was　a　true　word。　　Mark　Twain　with　money　was　like　a　child　with　a
heap　of　bright　pebbles；　ready　to　pile　up　more　and　still　more；　then
presently　to　throw　them　all　away　and　begin　gathering　anew。




XCVI

THE　NEW　HOME

The　Clemenses　returned　to　Hartford　to　find　their　new　house　〃ready；〃
though　still　full　of　workmen；　decorators；　plumbers；　and　such　other
minions　of　labor　as　make　life　miserable　to　those　with　ambitions　for　new
or　improved　habitations。　　The　carpenters　were　still　on　the　lower　floor；
but　the　family　moved　in　and　camped　about　in　rooms　up…stairs　that　were
more　or　less　free　from　the　invader。　　They　had　stopped　in　New　York　ten
days　to　buy　carpets　and　furnishings；　and　these　began　to　arrive；　with　no
particular　place　to　put　them；　but　the　owners　were　excited　and　happy　with
it　all；　for　it　was　the　pleasant　season　of　the　year；　and　all　the　new
features　of　the　house　were　fascinating；　while　the　daily　progress　of　the
decorators　furnished　a　fresh　surprise　when　they　roamed　through　the　rooms
at　evening。　　Mrs。　Clemens　wrote　home：

　　　　　We　are　perfectly　delighted　with　everything　here　and　do　so　want　you
　　　　　all　to　see　it。

Her　husband；　as　he　was　likely　to　do；　picked　up　the　letter　and　finished
it：

　　　　　Livy　appoints　me　to　finish　this；　but　how　can　a　headless　man　perform
　　　　　an　intelligent　function？　　I　have　been　bully…ragged　all　day　by　the
　　　　　builder；　by　his　foreman；　by　the　architect；　by　the　tapestry　devil　who
　　　　　is　to　upholster　the　furniture；　by　the　idiot　who　is　putting　down　the
　　　　　carpets；　by　the　scoundrel　who　is　setting　up　the　billiard…table　（and
　　　　　has　left　the　balls　in　New　York）；　by　the　wildcat　who　is　sodding　the
　　　　　ground　and　finishing　the　driveway　（after　the　sun　went　down）；　by　a
　　　　　book　agent；　whose　body　is　in　the　back　yard　and　the　coroner　notified。
　　　　　Just　think　of　this　thing　going　on　the　whole　day　long；　and　I　a　man
　　　　　who　loathes　details　with　all　his　heart！　　But　I　haven't　lost　my
　　　　　temper；　and　I've　made　Livy　lie　down　most　of　the　time；　could　anybody
　　　　　make　her　lie　down　all　the　time？

Warner　wrote　from　Egypt　expressing　sympathy　for　their　unfurnished　state
of　affairs；　but　added；　〃I　would　rather　fit　out　three　houses　and　fill　them
with　furniture　than　to　fit　out　one　'dahabiyeh'。〃　　Warner　was　at　that
moment　undertaking　his　charmingly　remembered　trip　up　the　Nile。

The　new　home　was　not　entirely　done　for　a　long　time。　　One　never　knows　when
a　big　house　like　thator　a　little　house；　for　that　matters　done。　　But
they　were　settled　at　last；　with　all　their　beautiful　things　in　place；　and
perhaps　there　have　been　richer　homes；　possibly　more　artistic　ones；　but
there　has　never　been　a　more　charming　home；　within　or　without；　than　that
one。

So　many　frequenters　have　tried　to　express　the　charm　of　that　household。
None　of　them　has　quite　succeeded；　for　it　lay　not　so　much　in　its
arrangement　of　rooms　or　their　decorations　or　their　outlook；　though　these
were　all　beautiful　enough；　but　rather　in　the　personality；　the　atmosphere；
and　these　are　elusive　things　to　convey　in　words。　　We　can　only　see　and
feel　and　recognize；　we　cannot　translate　them。　　Even　Howells；　with　his
subtle　touch；　can　present　only　an　aspect　here　and　there；　an　essence；　as
it　were；　from　a　happy　garden；　rather　than　the　fullness　of　its　bloom。

As　Mark　Twain　was　unlike　any　other　man　that　ever　lived；　so　his　house　was
unlike　any　other　house　ever　built。　　People　asked　him　why　he　built　the
kitchen　toward　the　street；　and　he　said：

〃So　the　servants　can　see　the　circus　go　by　without　running　out　into　the
front　yard。〃

But　this　was　probably　an　after…thought。　　The　kitchen　end　of　the　house
extended　toward　Farmington　Avenue；　but　it　was　by　no　means　unbeautiful。
It　was　a　pleasing　detail　of　the　general　scheme。　　The　main　entrance　faced
at　right　angles　with　the　street　and　opened　to　a　spacious　hall。　　In　turn；
the　hall　opened　to　a　parlor；　where　there　was　a　grand　piano；　and　to　the
dining…room　and　library；　and　the　library　opened　to　a　little　conservatory；
semicircular　in　form；　of　a　design　invented　by　Harriet　Beecher　Stowe。
Says　Howells：

　　　　　The　plants　were　set　in　the　ground；　and　the　flowering　vines　climbed
　　　　　up　the　sides　and　overhung　the　roof　above　the　silent　spray　of　the
　　　　　fountain　companied　by　Callas　and　other　waterloving　lilies。　　There；
　　　　　while　we　breakfasted；　Patrick　came　in　from　the　barn　and　sprinkled
　　　　　the　pretty　bower；　which　poured　out　its　responsive　perfume　in　the
　　　　　delicate　accents　of　its　varied　blossoms。

In　the　library　was　an　old　carved　mantel　which　Clemens　and　his　wife　had
bought　in　Scotland；　salvage　from　a　dismantled　castle；　and　across　the　top
of　the　fireplace　a　plate　of　brass　with　the　motto；　〃The　ornament　of　a
house　is　the　friends　that　frequent　it；〃　surely　never　more　appropriately
inscribed。

There　was　the　mahogany　room；　a　large　bedroom　on　the　ground　floor；　and
upstairs　were　other　spacious　bedrooms　and　many　baths；　while　everywhere
were　Oriental　rugs　and　draperies；　and　statuary　and　paintings。　　There　was
a　fireplace　under　a　window；　after　the　English　pattern；　so　that　in　winter…
time　one　could　at　the　same　moment　watch　the　blaze　and　the　falling　snow。
The　library　windows　looked　out　over　the　valley　with　the　little　stream　in
it；　and　through　and　across　the　tree…tops。　　At　the　top　of　the　house　wa