mark twain, a biography, 1900-1907-第37章

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truth；　but　I　believe　he　did　not　even　think　it。　　He　listened　to　any　one
for　whom　he　had　respect；　and　was　grateful　for　any　effort　in　his　behalf。
One　morning　he　read　aloud　a　lecture　given　in　London　by　George　Bernard
Shaw　on　religion；　commenting　as　he　read。　　He　said：

〃This　letter　is　a　frank　breath　of　expression　＇and　his　comments　were
equally　frank＇。　　There　is　no　such　thing　as　morality；　it　is　not　immoral
for　the　tiger　to　eat　the　wolf；　or　the　wolf　the　cat；　or　the　cat　the　bird；
and　so　on　down；　that　is　their　business。　　There　is　always　enough　for　each
one　to　live　on。　　It　is　not　immoral　for　one　nation　to　seize　another　nation
by　force　of　arms；　or　for　one　man　to　seize　another　man's　property　or　life
if　he　is　strong　enough　and　wants　to　take　it。　　It　is　not　immoral　to　create
the　human　specieswith　or　without　ceremony；　nature　intended　exactly
these　things。〃

At　one　place　in　the　lecture　Shaw　had　said：　〃No　one　of　good　sense　can
accept　any　creed　to…day　without　reservation。〃

〃Certainly　not；〃　commented　Clemens；　〃the　reservation　is　that　he　is　a　dd
fool　to　accept　it　at　all。〃

He　was　in　one　of　his　somber　moods　that　morning。　　I　had　received　a　print
of　a　large　picture　of　Thomas　Nastthe　last　one　taken。　　The　face　had　a
pathetic　expression　which　told　the　tragedy　of　his　last　years。　　Clemens
looked　at　the　picture　several　moments　without　speaking。　　Then　he　broke
out：

〃Why　can't　a　man　die　when　he's　had　his　tragedy？　　I　ought　to　have　died
long　ago。〃　　And　somewhat　later：　〃Once　Twichell　heard　me　cussing　the　human
race；　and　he　said；　'Why；　Mark；　you　are　the　last　person　in　the　world　to　do
thatone　selected　and　set　apart　as　you　are。'　　I　said　'Joe；　you　don't
know　what　you　are　talking　about。　　I　am　not　cussing　altogether　about　my
own　little　troubles。　　Any　one　can　stand　his　own　misfortunes；　but　when　I
read　in　the　papers　all　about　the　rascalities　and　outrages　going　on　I
realize　what　a　creature　the　human　animal　is。　　Don't　you　care　more　about
the　wretchedness　of　others　than　anything　that　happens　to　you？'　Joe　said
he　did；　and　shut　up。〃

It　occurred　to　me　to　suggest　that　he　should　not　read　the　daily　papers。
〃No　difference；〃　he　said。　　〃I　read　books　printed　two　hundred　years　ago；
and　they　hurt　just　the　same。〃

〃Those　people　are　all　dead　and　gone；〃　I　objected。

〃They　hurt　just　the　same；〃　he　maintained。

I　sometimes　thought　of　his　inner　consciousness　as　a　pool　darkened　by　his
tragedies；　its　glassy　surface；　when　calm；　reflecting　all　the　joy　and
sunlight　and　merriment　of　the　world；　but　easilyso　easilytroubled　and
stirred　even　to　violence。　　Once　following　the　dictation；　when　I　came　to
the　billiard…room　he　was　shooting　the　balls　about　the　table；　apparently
much　depressed。　　He　said：

〃I　have　been　thinking　it　outif　I　live　two　years　more　I　will　put　an　end
to　it　all。　　I　will　kill　myself。〃

〃You　have　much　to　live　for〃

〃But　I　am　so　tired　of　the　eternal　round；〃　he　interrupted；　〃so　tired。〃
And　I　knew　he　meant　that　he　was　ill　of　the　great　loneliness　that　had　come
to　him　that　day　in　Florence；　and　would　never　pass　away。

I　referred　to　the　pressure　of　social　demands　in　the　city；　and　the　relief
he　would　find　in　his　country　home。　　He　shook　his　head。

〃The　country　home　I　need；〃　he　said；　fiercely；　〃is　a　cemetery。〃

Yet　the　mood　changed　quickly　enough　when　the　play　began。　　He　was　gay　and
hilarious　presently；　full　of　the　humors　and　complexities　of　the　game。
H。　H。　Rogers　came　in　with　a　good　deal　of　frequency；　seldom　making　very
long　calls；　but　never　seeming　to　have　that　air　of　being　hurried　which　one
might　expect　to　find　in　a　man　whose　day　was　only　twenty…four　hours　long；
and　whose　interests　were　so　vast　and　innumerable。　　He　would　come　in　where
we　were　playing；　and　sit　down　and　watch　the　game；　or　perhaps　would　pick
up　a　book　and　read；　exchanging　a　remark　now　and　then。　　More　often；
however；　he　sat　in　the　bedroom；　for　his　visits　were　likely　to　be　in　the
morning。　　They　were　seldom　business　calls；　or　if　they　were；　the　business
was　quickly　settled；　and　then　followed　gossip；　humorous　incident；　or
perhaps　Clemens　would　read　aloud　something　he　had　written。　　But　once；
after　greetings；　he　began：

〃Well；　Rogers；　I　don't　know　what　you　think　of　it；　but　I　think　I　have　had
about　enough　of　this　world；　and　I　wish　I　were　out　of　it。〃

Mr。　Rogers　replied；　〃I　don't　say　much　about　it；　but　that　expresses　my
view。〃

This　from　the　foremost　man　of　letters　and　one　of　the　foremost　financiers
of　the　time　was　impressive。　　Each　at　the　mountain…top　of　his　career；　they
agreed　that　the　journey　was　not　worth　whilethat　what　the　world　had
still　to　give　was　not　attractive　enough　to　tempt　them　to　prevent　a　desire
to　experiment　with　the　next　stage。　　One　could　remember　a　thousand　poor
and　obscure　men　who　were　perfectly　willing　to　go　on　struggling　and
starving；　postponing　the　day　of　settlement　as　long　as　possible；　but
perhaps；　when　one　has　had　all　the　world　has　to　give；　when　there　are　no
new　worlds　in　sight　to　conquer；　one　has　a　different　feeling。

Well；　the　realization　lay　not　so　far　ahead　for　either　of　them；　though　at
that　moment　they　both　seemed　full　of　life　and　vigorfull　of　youth。　　One
could　not　imagine　the　day　when　for　them　it　would　all　be　over。




CCLI

A　LOBBYING　EXPEDITION

Clara　Clemens　came　home　now　and　then　to　see　how　matters　were　progressing；
and　very　properly；　for　Clemens　was　likely　to　become　involved　in　social
intricacies　which　required　a　directing　hand。　　The　daughter　inherited　no
little　of　the　father's　characteristics　of　thought　and　phrase；　and　it　was
always　a　delight　to　see　them　together　when　one　could　be　just　out　of　range
of　the　crossfire。　　I　remember　soon　after　her　return；　when　she　was　making
some　searching　inquiries　concerning　the　billiard…room　sign；　and　other
suggested　or　instituted　reforms；　he　said：

〃Oh　well；　never　mind；　it　doesn't　matter。　　I'm　boss　in　this　house。〃

She　replied；　quickly：　〃Oh　no；　you're　not。　　You're　merely　owner。　　I'm　the
captainthe　commander…in…chief。〃

One　night　at　dinner　she　mentioned　the　possibility　of　going　abroad　that
year。　　During　several　previous　summers　she　had　planned　to　visit　Vienna　to
see　her　old　music…master；　Leschetizky；　once　more　before　his　death。　　She
said：

〃Leschetizky　is　getting　so　old。　　If　I　don't　go　soon　I'm　afraid　I　sha'n't
be　in　time　for　his　funeral。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　her　father；　thoughtfully；　〃you　keep　rushing　over　to
Leschetizky's　funeral；　and　you'll　miss　mine。〃

He　had　made　one　or　two　social　engagements　without　careful　reflection；　and
the　situation　would　require　some　delicacy　of　adjustment。　　During　a　moment
between　the　courses；　when　he　left　the　table　and　was　taking　his　exercise
in　the　farther　room；　she　made　some　remark　which　suggested　a　doubt　of　her
father's　gift　for　social　management。　　I　said：

〃Oh；　well；　he　is　a　king；　you　know；　and　a　king　can　do　no　wrong。〃

〃Yes；　I　know；〃　she　answered。　　〃The　king　can　do　no　wrong；　but　he　frightens
me　almost　to　death；　sometimes；　he　comes　so　near　it。〃

He　came　back　and　began　to　comment　rather　critically　on　some　recent
performance　of　Roosevelt's；　which　had　stirred　up　a　good　deal　of　newspaper
amusementit　was　the　Storer　matter　and　those　indiscreet　letters　which
Roosevelt　had　written　relative　to　the　ambassadorship　which　Storer　so　much
desired。　　Miss　Clemens　was　inclined　to　defend　the　President；　and　spoke
with　considerable　enthusiasm　concerning　his　elements　of　popularity；　which
had　won　him　such　extraordinary　admiration。

〃Certainly　he　is　popular；〃　Clemens　admitted；　〃and　with　the　best　of
reasons。　　If　the　twelve　apostles　should　call　at　the　White　House；　he　would
say；　'Come　in；　come　in！　　I　am　delighted　to　see　you。　　I've　been　watching
your　progress；　and　I　admired　it　very　much。'　　Then　if　Satan　should　come；
he　would　slap　him　on　the　shoulder　and　say；　'Why；　Satan；　how　do　you　do？　　I
am　so　glad　to　meet　you。　　I've　read　all　your　works　and　enjoyed　every　one
of　them。'　　Anybody　could　be　popular　with　a　gift　like　that。〃

It　was　that　evening　or　the　next；　perhaps；　that　he　said　to　her：

〃Ben　＇one　of　his　pet　names　for　her＇；　now　that　you　are　here　to　run　the
ranch；　Paine　and　I　are　going　to　Washington　on　a　vacation。　　You　don't　seem
to　admire　our　society　much；　anyhow。〃

There　were　still　other　reasons　for　the　Washington　expedition。　　There　was
an　important　bill　up　for　the　extension　of　the　book　royalty　period；　and
the　forces　of　copyright　were　going　down　in　a　body　to　use　every　possible
means　to　get　the　measure　through。

Clemens；　during　Cleveland's　first　administration；　some　nineteen　years
before；　had　accompanied　such　an　expedition；　and　through　S。　S。　（〃Sunset〃）
Cox　had　obtained　the　〃privileges　of　the　floor〃　of　the　House；　which　had
enabled　him　to　canvass　the　members　individually。　　Cox　assured　the
doorkeeper　that　Clemens　had　received　the　thanks　of　Congress　for　national
literary　service；　and　was　therefore　entitled　to　that　privilege。　　This　was
not　strictly　true；　but　regulations　were　not　very　severe　in　those　days；
and　the　ruse　had　been　regarded　as　a　good　joke；　which　had　yielded
excellent　results。　　Clemens　had　a　similar　scheme　in　mind　now；　and
believed　that　his　friendship　with　Speaker　Cannon〃　Uncle　Joe〃would
obtain　for　him　a　similar　privilege。　　The　Copyright　Association　working　in
its　regular　way　was　very　well；　he　said；　but　he　felt　he　could　do　more　as
an　individual　than　by　acting　merely　as　a　unit　of　that　body。

〃I　canvassed　the　entire　House　personally　that　other　time；〃　he　said。　　〃Cox
introduced　me　to　the　Democrats；　and　John　D。　Long；　afterward　Secretary　of
the　Navy；　introduced　me　to　the　Republicans。　　I　had　a　darling　time
converting　those　members；　and　I'd　like　to　try　the　experiment　again。〃

I　should　have　mentioned　earlier；　perhaps；　that　at　this　time　he　had　begun
to　wear　white　clothing　regularly；　regardless　of　the　weather　and　season。　
On　the　return　from　Dublin　he　had　said：

〃I　can't　bear　to　put　on　black　clothes　again。　　I　wish　I　could　wear　white
all　winter。　　I　should　prefer；　of　course；　to　wear　colors；　beautiful
rainbow　hues；　such　as　the　women　have　monopolized。　　Their　clothing　makes　a
great　opera　audience　an　enchanting　spectacle；　a　delight　to　the　eye　and　to
the　spirita　garden　of　Eden　for　charm　and　color。

The　men；　clothed　in　odious　black；　are　scattered　here　and　there　over　the
garden　like　so　many　charred　stumps。　　If　we　are　going　to　be　gay　in　spirit；
why　be　clad　in　funeral　garments？　　I　should　like　to　dress　in　a　loose　and
flowing　costume　made　all　of　silks　and　velvets　resplendent　with　stunning
dyes；　and　so　would　every　man　I　have　ever　known；　but　none　of　us　dares　to
venture　it。　　If　I　should　appear　on　Fifth　Avenue　on　a　Sunday　morning
clothed　as　I　would　like　to　be　clothed　the　churches　would　all　be　vacant
and　the　congregation　would　come　tagging　after　me。　　They　would　scoff；　of
course；　but　they　would　envy　me；　too。　　When　I　put　on　black　it　reminds　me
of　my　funerals。　　I　could　be　satisfied　with　white　all　the　year　round。〃

It　was　not　long　after　this　that　he　said：

〃I　have　made　up　my　mind　not　to　wear　black　any　more；　but　white；　and　let
the　critics　say　what　they　will。〃

So　his　tailor　was　sent　for；　and　six　creamy　flannel　and　serge　suits　were
ordered；　made　with　the　short　coats；　which　he　preferred；　with　a　gray　suit
or　two　for　travel；　and　he　did　not　wear　black　again；　except　for　evening
dress　and　on　special　occasions。　　It　wa