mark twain, a biography, 1900-1907-第25章

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　　　　　be　glad　&　proud　to　come　back　again　after　such　a　moving　&　beautiful
　　　　　compliment　as　this　from　comrades　whom　I　have　loved　so　long。　　I　hope
　　　　　you　can　poll　the　necessary　vote；　I　know　you　will　try；　at　any　rate。　
　　　　　It　will　be　many　months　before　I　can　foregather　with　you；　for　this
　　　　　black　border　is　not　perfunctory；　not　a　convention；　it　symbolizes　the
　　　　　loss　of　one　whose　memory　is　the　only　thing　I　worship。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
　　　　　It　is　not　necessary　for　me　to　thank　you&　words　could　not　deliver
　　　　　what　I　feel；　anyway。　　I　will　put　the　contents　of　your　envelope　in
　　　　　the　small　casket　where　I　keep　the　things　which　have　become　sacred　to
　　　　　me。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　S。　L。　C。


So　the　matter　was　temporarily　held　in　abeyance　until　he　should　return。　
to　social　life。　　At　the　completion　of　his　seventieth　year　the　club　had
taken　action；　and　Mark　Twain　had　been　brought　back；　not　in　the　regular
order　of　things；　but　as　an　honorary　life　member　without　dues　or　duties。　
There　was　only　one　other　member　of　this　class；　Sir　Henry　Irving。

The　Players；　as　a　club；　does　not　give　dinners。　　Whatever　is　done　in　that
way　is　done　by　one　or　more　of　the　members　in　the　private　dining…room；
where　there　is　a　single　large　table　that　holds　twenty…five；　even　thirty
when　expanded　to　its　limit。　　That　room　and　that　table　have　mingled　with
much　distinguished　entertainment；　also　with　history。　　Henry　James　made
his　first　after…dinner　speech　there；　for　one　thingat　least　he　claimed
it　was　his　first；　though　this　is　by　the　way。

A　letter　came　to　me　which　said　that　those　who　had　signed　the　plea　for　the
Prince's　return　were　going　to　welcome　him　in　the　private　dining…room　on
the　5th　of　January。　　It　was　not　an　invitation；　but　a　gracious　privilege。　
I　was　in　New　York　a　day　or　two　in　advance　of　the　date；　and　I　think　David
Munro　was　the　first　person　I　met　at　The　Players。　　As　he　greeted　me　his
eyes　were　eager　with　something　he　knew　I　would　wish　to　hear。　　He　had　been
delegated　to　propose　the　dinner　to　Mark　Twain；　and　had　found　him　propped
up　in　bed；　and　noticed　on　the　table　near　him　a　copy　of　the　Nast　book。　　I
suspect　that　Munro　had　led　him　to　speak　of　it；　and　that　the　result　had
lost　nothing　filtered　through　that　radiant　benevolence　of　his。

The　night　of　January　5；　1906；　remains　a　memory　apart　from　other　dinners。　
Brander　Matthews　presided；　and　Gilder　was　there；　and　Frank　Millet　and
Willard　Metcalf　and　Robert　Reid；　and　a　score　of　others；　some　of　them　are
dead　now；　David　Munro　among　them。　　It　so　happened　that　my　seat　was　nearly
facing　the　guest　of　the　evening；　who；　by　custom　of　The　Players；　is　placed
at　the　side　and　not　at　the　end　of　the　long　table。　　He　was　no　longer　frail
and　thin；　as　when　I　had　first　met　him。　　He　had　a　robust；　rested　look；　his
complexion　had　the　tints　of　a　miniature　painting。　　Lit　by　the　glow　of　the
shaded　candles；　relieved　against　the　dusk　richness　of　the　walls；　he　made
a　picture　of　striking　beauty。　　One　could　not　take　his　eyes　from　it；　and
to　one　guest　at　least　it　stirred　the　farthest　memories。　　I　suddenly　saw
the　interior　of　a　farm…house　sitting…room　in　the　Middle　West；　where　I　had
first　heard　uttered　the　name　of　Mark　Twain；　and　where　night　after　night　a
group　gathered　around　the　evening　lamp　to　hear　the　tale　of　the　first
pilgrimage；　which；　to　a　boy　of　eight；　had　seemed　only　a　wonderful　poem
and　fairy　tale。　　To　Charles　Harvey　Genung；　who　sat　next　to　me；　I
whispered　something　of　this；　and　how；　during　the　thirty…six　years　since
then；　no　other　human　being　to　me　had　meant　quite　what　Mark　Twain　had
meantin　literature；　in　life；　in　the　ineffable　thing　which　means　more
than　either；　and　which　we　call　〃inspiration；〃　for　lack　of　a　truer　word。　
Now　here　he　was；　just　across　the　table。　　It　was　the　fairy　tale　come　true。

Genung　said：

〃You　should　write　his　life。〃

His　remark　seemed　a　pleasant　courtesy；　and　was　put　aside　as　such。　　When
he　persisted　I　attributed　it　to　the　general　bloom　of　the　occasion；　and　a
little　to　the　wine；　maybe；　for　the　dinner　was　in　its　sweetest　stage　just
thenthat　happy；　early　stage　when　the　first　glass　of　champagne；　or　the
second；　has　proved　its　quality。　　He　urged；　in　support　of　his　idea；　the
word　that　Munro　had　brought　concerning　the　Nast　book；　but　nothing　of　what
he　said　kindled　any　spark　of　hope。　　I　could　not　but　believe　that　some　one
with　a　larger　equipment　of　experience；　personal　friendship；　and　abilities
had　already　been　selected　for　the　task。　　By　and　by　the　speaking　began
delightful；　intimate　speaking　in　that　restricted　circleand　the　matter
went　out　of　my　mind。

When　the　dinner　had　ended；　and　we　were　drifting　about　the　table　in
general　talk；　I　found　an　opportunity　to　say　a　word　to　the　guest　of　the
evening　about　his　Joan　of　Arc；　which　I　had　recently　re…read。　　To　my
happiness；　he　detained　me　while　he　told　me　the　long…ago　incident　which
had　led　to　his　interest；　not　only　in　the　martyred　girl；　but　in　all
literature。　　I　think　we　broke　up　soon　after；　and　descended　to　the　lower
rooms。　　At　any　rate；　I　presently　found　the　faithful　Charles　Genung
privately　reasserting　to　me　the　proposition　that　I　should　undertake　the
biography　of　Mark　Twain。　　Perhaps　it　was　the　brief　sympathy　established
by　the　name　of　Joan　of　Arc；　perhaps　it　was　only　Genung's　insistent
purposehis　faith；　if　I　may　be　permitted　the　word。　　Whatever　it　was；
there　came　an　impulse；　in　the　instant　of　bidding　good…by　to　our　guest　of
honor；　which　prompted　me　to　say：

〃May　I　call　to　see　you；　Mr。　Clemens；　some　day？〃

And　somethingdating　from　the　primal　atom；　I　supposeprompted　him　to
answer：

〃Yes；　come　soon。〃

This　was　on　Wednesday　night；　or　rather　on　Thursday　morning；　for　it　was
past　midnight；　and　a　day　later　I　made　an　appointment　with　his　secretary
to　call　on　Saturday。

I　can　say　truly　that　I　set　out　with　no　more　than　the　barest　hope　of
success；　and　wondering　if　I　should　have　the　courage；　when　I　saw　him；　even
to　suggest　the　thought　in　my　mind。　　I　know　I　did　not　have　the　courage　to
confide　in　Genung　that　I　had　made　the　appointmentI　was　so　sure　it　would
fail。　　I　arrived　at　21　Fifth　Avenue　and　was　shown　into　that　long　library
and　drawing…room　combined；　and　found　a　curious　and　deep　interest　in　the
books　and　ornaments　along　the　shelves　as　I　waited。　　Then　I　was　summoned；
and　I　remember　ascending　the　stairs；　wondering　why　I　had　come　on　so
futile　an　errand；　and　trying　to　think　of　an　excuse　to　offer　for　having
come　at　all。

He　was　propped　up　in　bedin　that　stately　bed…sitting；　as　was　his　habit；
with　his　pillows　placed　at　the　foot；　so　that　he　might　have　always　before
him　the　rich；　carved　beauty　of　its　headboard。　　He　was　delving　through　a
copy　of　Huckleberry　Finn；　in　search　of　a　paragraph　concerning　which　some
random　correspondent　had　asked　explanation。　　He　was　commenting
unfavorably　on　this　correspondent　and　on　miscellaneous　letter…writing　in
general。　　He　pushed　the　cigars　toward　me；　and　the　talk　of　these　matters
ran　along　and　blended　into　others　more　or　less　personal。　　By　and　by　I
told　him　what　so　many　thousands　had　told　him　before：　what　he　had　meant　to
me；　recalling　the　childhood　impressions　of　that　large；　black…and…gilt…
covered　book　with　its　wonderful　pictures　and　adventuresthe
Mediterranean　pilgrimage。　　Very　likely　it　bored　himhe　had　heard　it　so
oftenand　he　was　willing　enough；　I　dare　say；　to　let　me　change　the
subject　and　thank　him　for　the　kindly　word　which　David　Munro　had　brought。　
I　do　not　remember　what　he　said　then；　but　I　suddenly　found　myself
suggesting　that　out　of　his　encouragement　had　grown　a　hopethough
certainly　it　was　something　lessthat　I　might　some　day　undertake　a　book
about　himself。　　I　expected　the　chapter　to　end　at　this　point；　and　his
silence　which　followed　seemed　long　and　ominous。

He　said；　at　last；　that　at　various　times　through　his　life　he　had　been
preparing　some　autobiographical　matter；　but　that　he　had　tired　of　the
undertaking；　and　had　put　it　aside。　　He　added　that　he　had　hoped　his
daughters　would　one　day　collect　his　letters；　but　that　a　biography
a　detailed　story　of　personality　and　performance；　of　success　and　failure
was　of　course　another　matter；　and　that　for　such　a　work　no　arrangement　had
been　made。　　He　may　have　added　one　or　two　other　general　remarks；　then；
turning　those　piercing　agate…blue　eyes　directly　upon　me；　he　said：

〃When　would　you　like　to　begin？〃

There　was　a　dresser　with　a　large　mirror　behind　him。　　I　happened　to　catch
my　reflection　in　it；　and　I　vividly　recollect　saying　to　it　mentally：　〃This
is　not　true；　it　is　only　one　of　many　similar　dreams。〃　　But　even　in　a　dream
one　must　answer；　and　I　said：

〃Whenever　you　like。　　I　can　begin　now。〃

He　was　always　eager　in　any　new　undertaking。

〃Very　good；〃　he　said。　　〃The　sooner；　then；　the　better。　　Let's　begin　while
we　are　in　the　humor。　　The　longer　you　postpone　a　thing　of　this　kind　the
less　likely　you　are　ever　to　get　at　it。〃

This　was　on　Saturday；　as　I　have　stated。　　I　mentioned　that　my　family　was
still　in　the　country；　and　that　it　would　require　a　day　or　two　to　get
established　in　the　city。　　I　asked　if　Tuesday；　January　9th；　would　be　too
soon　to　begin。　　He　agreed　that　Tuesday　would　do；　and　inquired　something
about　my　plan　of　work。　　Of　course　I　had　formed　nothing　definite；　but　I
said　that　in　similar　undertakings　a　part　of　the　work　had　been　done　with　a
stenographer；　who　had　made　the　notes　while　I　prompted　the　subject　to
recall　a　procession　of　incidents　and　episodes；　to　be　supplemented　with
every　variety　of　material　obtainableletters　and　other　documentary
accumulations。　　Then　he　said：

〃I　think　I　should　enjoy　dictating　to　a　stenographer；　with　some　one　to
prompt　me　and　to　act　as　audience。　　The　room　adjoining　this　was　fitted　up
for　my　study。　　My　manuscripts　and　notes　and　private　books　and　many　of　my
letters　are　there；　and　there　are　a　trunkful　or　two　of　such　things　in　the
attic。　　I　seldom　use　the　room　myself。　　I　do　my　writing　and　reading　in
bed。　　I　will　turn　that　room　over　to　you　for　this　work。　　Whatever　you　need
will　be　brought　to　you。　　We　can　have　the　dictation　here　in　the　morning；　
and　you　can　put　in　the　rest　of　the　day　to　suit　yourself。　　You　can　have　a
key　and　come　and　go　as　you　please。〃

That　was　always　his　way。　　He　did　nothing　by　halves；　nothing　without
unquestioning　confidence　and　prodigality。　　He　got　up　and　showed　me　the
lovely　luxury　of　the　study；　with　its　treasures　of　material。　　I　did　not
believe　it　true　yet。　　It　had　all　the　atmosphere　of　a　dream；　and　I　have　no
distinct　recollection　of　how　I　came　away。　　When　I　returned　to　The　Players
and　found　Charles　Harvey　Genung　there；　and　told　him　about　it；　it　is　quite
certain　that　he　perjured　himself　when　he　professed　to　believe　it　true　and
pretended　that　he　was　not　surprised。




CCXXXIX

WORKING　WITH　MARK　TWAIN

On　Tuesday；　January　9；　1906；　I　was　on　hand　with　a　capable　stenographer
Miss　Josephine　Hobby；　who　had　successively；　and　successfully；　held
secretarial　positions　with　Charles　Dudley　Warner　and　Mrs。　Mary　Mapes
Dodge；　and　was　therefore　peculiarly　qualified　for　the　work　in　hand。

Clemens；　meantime；　had　been　revolving　our　plans　and　adding　some　features
of　his　own。　　He　proposed　to　double　the　value　and　interest　of　our
employment　by　letting　his　dictations　continue　the　form　of　those