mark twain, a biography, 1900-1907-第35章

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situation；　and　that　day　selected　the　spot　where　the　house　should　stand。　
Clemens　wrote　Howells　that　he　proposed　to　call　it　〃Autobiography　House；〃
as　it　was　to　be　built　out　of　the　Review　money；　and　he　said：

〃If　you　will　build　on　my　farm　and　live　there　it　will　set　Mrs。　Howells's
health　up　for　sure。　　Come　and　I'll　sell　you　the　site　for　twenty…five
dollars。　　John　will　tell　you　it　is　a　choice　place。〃

The　unusual　summer　was　near　its　close。　　In　my　notebook；　under　date　of
September　16th；　appears　this　entry：

　　　　　Windy　in　valleys　but　not　cold。　　This　veranda　is　protected。　　It　is
　　　　　peaceful　here　and　perfect；　but　we　are　at　the　summer's　end。

This　is　my　last　entry；　and　the　dictations　must　have　ceased　a　few　days
later。　　I　do　not　remember　the　date　of　the　return　to　New　York；　and
apparently　I　made　no　record　of　it；　but　I　do　not　think　it　could　have　been
later　than　the　20th。　　It　had　been　four　months　since　the　day　of　arrival；　a
long；　marvelous　summer　such　as　I　would　hardly　know　again。　　When　I　think
of　that　time　I　shall　always　hear　the　ceaseless　slippered；　shuffling　walk；
and　see　the　white　figure　with　its　rocking；　rolling　movement　passing　up
and　down　the　long　gallery；　with　that　preternaturally　beautiful　landscape
behind；　and　I　shall　hear　his　deliberate　speechalways　deliberate；　save
at　rare　intervals；　always　impressive；　whatever　the　subject　might　be；
whether　recalling　some　old　absurdity　of　youth；　or　denouncing　orthodox
creeds；　or　detailing　the　shortcomings　of　human…kind。




CCXLIX

BILLIARDS

The　return　to　New　York　marked　the　beginning　of　a　new　era　in　my　relations
with　Mark　Twain。　　I　have　not　meant　to　convey　up　to　this　time　that　there
was　between　us　anything　resembling　a　personal　friendship。　　Our　relations
were　friendly；　certainly；　but　they　were　relations　of　convenience　and
mainly　of　a　business；　or　at　least　of　a　literary　nature。　　He　was　twenty…
six　years　my　senior；　and　the　discrepancy　of　experience　and　attainments
was　not　measurable。　　With　such　conditions　friendship　must　be　a　deliberate
growth；　something　there　must　be　to　bridge　the　dividing　gulf。　　Truth
requires　the　confession　that；　in　this　case；　the　bridge　took　a　very　solid；
material　form；　it　being；　in　fact；　nothing　less　than　a　billiard…table。
＇Clemens　had　been　without　a　billiard…table　since　1891；　the　old　one　having
been　disposed　of　on　the　departure　from　Hartford。＇

It　was　a　present　from　Mrs。　Henry　H。　　Rogers；　and　had　been　intended　for
his　Christmas；　but　when　he　heard　of　it　he　could　not　wait；　and　suggested
delicately　that　if　he　had　it　〃right　now〃　he　could　begin　using　it　sooner。　
So　he　went　one　day　with　Mr。　Rogers　to　the　Balke…Collender　Company；　and
they　selected　a　handsome　combination　table　suitable　to　all　gamesthe
best　that　money　could　buy。　　He　was　greatly　excited　over　the　prospect；　and
his　former　bedroom　was　carefully　measured；　to　be　certain　that　it　was
large　enough　for　billiard　purposes。　　Then　his　bed　was　moved　into　the
study；　and　the　bookcases　and　certain　appropriate　pictures　were　placed　and
hung　in　the　billiard…room　to　give　it　the　proper　feeling。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
The　billiard…table　arrived　and　was　put　in　place；　the　brilliant　green
cloth　in　contrast　with　the　rich　red　wallpaper　and　the　bookbindings　and
pictures　making　the　room　wonderfully　handsome　and　inviting。

Meantime；　Clemens；　with　one　of　his　sudden　impulses；　had　conceived　the
notion　of　spending　the　winter　in　Egypt；　on　the　Nile。　　He　had　gone　so　far；
within　a　few　hours　after　the　idea　developed；　as　to　plan　the　time　of　his
departure；　and　to　partially　engage　a　traveling　secretary；　so　that　he
might　continue　his　dictations。　　He　was　quite　full　of　the　idea　just　at　the
moment　when　the　billiard　table　was　being　installed。　　He　had　sent　for　a
book　on　the　subjectthe　letters　of　Lady　Duff…Gordon；　whose　daughter；
Janet　Ross；　had　become　a　dear　friend　in　Florence　during　the　Viviani　days。　
He　spoke　of　this　new　purpose　on　the　morning　when　we　renewed　the　New　York
dictations；　a　month　or　more　following　the　return　from　Dublin。　　When　the
dictation　ended　he　said：

〃Have　you　any　special　place　to　lunch　to…day？〃

I　replied　that　I　had　not。

〃Lunch　here；〃　he　said；　〃and　we'll　try　the　new　billiard…table。〃

I　said　what　was　eminently　truethat　I　could　not　playthat　I　had　never
played　more　〃than　a　few　games　of　pool；　and　those　very　long　ago。

〃No　matter；〃　he　answered；　〃the　poorer　you　play；　the　better　I　shall　like
it。〃

So　I　remained　for　luncheon　and　we　began；　November　2d；　the　first　game　ever
played　on　the　Christmas　table。　　We　played　the　English　game；　in　which
caroms　and　pockets　both　count。　　I　had　a　beginner's　luck；　on　the　whole；
and　I　remember　it　as　a　riotous；　rollicking　game；　the　beginning　of　a
closer　understanding　between　usof　a　distinct　epoch　in　our　association。　
When　it　was　ended　he　said：

〃I'm　not　going　to　Egypt。　　There　was　a　man　here　yesterday　afternoon　who
said　it　was　bad　for　bronchitis；　and；　besides；　it's　too　far　away　from　this
billiard…table。〃

He　suggested　that　I　come　back　in　the　evening　and　play　some　more。　　I　did
so；　and　the　game　lasted　until　after　midnight。　　He　gave　me　odds；　of
course；　and　my　〃nigger　luck；〃　as　he　called　it；　continued。　　It　kept　him
sweating　and　swearing　feverishly　to　win。　　Finally；　once　I　made　a　great
flukea　carom；　followed　by　most　of　the　balls　falling　into　the　pockets。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃when　you　pick　up　that　cue　this　damn　table　drips　at
every　pore。〃

After　that　the　morning　dictations　became　a　secondary　interest。　　Like　a
boy；　he　was　looking　forward　to　the　afternoon　of　play；　and　it　never　seemed
to　come　quick　enough　to　suit　him。　　I　remained　regularly　for　luncheon；　and
he　was　inclined　to　cut　the　courses　short；　that　he　might　the　sooner　get
up…stairs　to　the　billiard…room。　　His　earlier　habit　of　not　eating　in　the
middle　of　the　day　continued；　but　he　would　get　up　and　dress；　and　walk
about　the　dining…room　in　his　old　fashion；　talking　that　marvelous；
marvelous　talk　which　I　was　always　trying　to　remember；　and　with　only
fractional　success　at　best。　　To　him　it　was　only　a　method　of　killing　time。　
I　remember　once；　when　he　had　been　discussing　with　great　earnestness　the
Japanese　question；　he　suddenly　noticed　that　the　luncheon　was　about
ending；　and　he　said：

〃Now　we'll　proceed　to　more　serious　mattersit's　yourshot。〃　　And　he　was
quite　serious；　for　the　green　cloth　and　the　rolling　balls　afforded　him　a
much　larger　interest。

To　the　donor　of　his　new　possession　Clemens　wrote：

　　　　　DEAR　MRS。　　ROGERS；　The　billiard…table　is　better　than　the　doctors。　
　　　　　I　have　a　billiardist　on　the　premises；　&　walk　not　less　than　ten　miles
　　　　　every　day　with　the　cue　in　my　hand。　　And　the　walking　is　not　the　whole
　　　　　of　the　exercise；　nor　the　most　health　giving　part　of　it；　I　think。　
　　　　　Through　the　multitude　of　the　positions　and　attitudes　it　brings　into
　　　　　play　every　muscle　in　the　body　&　exercises　them　all。

　　　　　The　games　begin　right　after　luncheons；　daily；　&　continue　until
　　　　　midnight；　with　2　hours'　intermission　for　dinner　&　music。　　And　so　it
　　　　　is　9　hours'　exercise　per　day　&　10　or　12　on　Sunday。　　Yesterday　&　last
　　　　　night　it　was　12&　I　slept　until　8　this　morning　without　waking。　　The
　　　　　billiard…table　as　a　Sabbath…breaker　can　beat　any　coal…breaker　in
　　　　　Pennsylvania　&　give　it　30　in　the　game。　　If　Mr。　Rogers　will　take　to
　　　　　daily　billiards　he　can　do　without　the　doctors　&　the　massageur；　I
　　　　　think。

　　　　　We　are　really　going　to　build　a　house　on　my　farm；　an　hour　&　a　half
　　　　　from　New　York。　　It　is　decided。

　　　　　With　love　&　many　thanks。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　S。　L。　C。

Naturally　enough；　with　continued　practice　I　improved　my　game；　and　he
reduced　my　odds　accordingly。　　He　was　willing　to　be　beaten；　but　not　too
often。　　Like　any　other　boy；　he　preferred　to　have　the　balance　in　his
favor。　　We　set　down　a　record　of　the　games；　and　he　went　to　bed　happier　if
the　tally…sheet　showed　him　winner。

It　was　natural；　too；　that　an　intimacy　of　association　and　of　personal
interest　should　grow　under　such　conditionsto　me　a　precious　boonand　I
wish　here　to　record　my　own　boundless　gratitude　to　Mrs。　Rogers　for　her
gift；　which；　whatever　it　meant　to　him；　meant　so　much　more　to　me。　　The
disparity　of　ages　no　longer　existed；　other　discrepancies　no　longer
mattered。　　The　pleasant　land　of　play　is　a　democracy　where　such　things　do
not　count。

To　recall　all　the　humors　and　interesting　happenings　of　those　early
billiard…days　would　be　to　fill　a　large　volume。　　I　can　preserve　no　more
than　a　few　characteristic　phases。

He　was　not　an　even…tempered　player。　　When　the　balls　were　perverse　in
their　movements　and　his　aim　unsteady；　he　was　likely　to　become　short　with
his　opponentcritical　and　even　fault…finding。　　Then　presently　a　reaction
would　set　in；　and　he　would　be　seized　with　remorse。　　He　would　become
unnecessarily　gentle　and　kindlyeven　attentiveplacing　the　balls　as　I
knocked　them　into　the　pockets；　hurrying　from　one　end　of　the　table　to
render　this　service；　endeavoring　to　show　in　every　way　except　by　actual
confession　in　words　that　he　was　sorry　for　what　seemed　to　him；　no　doubt；
an　unworthy　display　of　temper；　unjustified　irritation。

Naturally；　this　was　a　mood　that　I　enjoyed　less　than　that　which　had
induced　it。　　I　did　not　wish　him　to　humble　himself；　I　was　willing　that　he
should　be　severe；　even　harsh；　if　he　felt　so　inclined；　his　age；　his
position；　his　genius　entitled　him　to　special　privileges；　yet　I　am　glad；
as　I　remember　it　now；　that　the　other　side　revealed　itself；　for　it
completes　the　sum　of　his　great　humanity。

Indeed；　he　was　always　not　only　human；　but　superhuman；　not　only　a　man；　but
superman。　　Nor　does　this　term　apply　only　to　his　psychology。　　In　no　other
human　being　have　I　ever　seen　such　physical　endurance。　　I　was
comparatively　a　young　man；　and　by　no　means　an　invalid；　but　many　a　time；
far　in　the　night；　when　I　was　ready　to　drop　with　exhaustion；　he　was　still
as　fresh　and　buoyant　and　eager　for　the　game　as　at　the　moment　of
beginning。　　He　smoked　and　smoked　continually；　and　followed　the　endless
track　around　the　billiard…table　with　the　light　step　of　youth。　　At　three
or　four　o'clock　in　the　morning　he　would　urge　just　one　more　game；　and
would　taunt　me　for　my　weariness。　　I　can　truthfully　testify　that　never
until　the　last　year　of　his　life　did　he　willingly　lay　down　the　billiard…
cue；　or　show　the　least　suggestion　of　fatigue。

He　played　always　at　high　pressure。　　Now　and　then；　in　periods　of
adversity；　he　would　fly　into　a　perfect　passion　with　things　in　general。　
But；　in　the　end；　it　was　a　sham　battle；　and　he　saw　the　uselessness　and
humor　of　it；　even　in　the　moment　of　his　climax。　　Once；　when　he　found　it
impossible　to　make　any　of　his　favorite　shots；　he　became　more　and　more
restive；　the　lightning　became　vividly　picturesque　as　the　clouds
blackened。　　Finally；　with　a　regular　thunder…blast；　he　seized　the　cue　with
both　hands　and　literally　mowed　the　balls　across　the　table；　landing　one　or
two　of　them　on　the　floor。　　I　do　not　recall　his　exact　remarks　during　the
performance；　I　was　chiefly　concerned　in　getting　out　of　the　way；　and　those
sublime　utterances　were　lost。　　I　gathered　up　the　balls　and　we　went　on
playing　as　if　nothing　had　happened；　only　he　was　very　gentle　and　sweet；
like　the　sun　on　the　meadows　after　the　storm　has　passed　by。　　Af