mark twain, a biography, 1835-1866-第13部分

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traded；　to　see　how　it　would　seem；　but　the　master　discouraged　this
practice　by　taking　the　medals　away　from　them　for　the　remainder　of　the
week。　　Once　Sam　Clemens　lost　the　medal　by　leaving　the　first　〃r〃　out　of
February。　　He　could　have　spelled　it　backward；　if　necessary；　but　Laura
Hawkins　was　the　only　one　on　the　floor　against　him；　and　he　was　a　gallant
boy。

The　picture　of　that　school　as　presented　in　the　book　written　thirty　years
later　is　faithful；　we　may　believe；　and　the　central　figure　is　a　tender…
hearted；　romantic；　devil…may…care　lad；　loathing　application　and　longing
only　for　freedom。　　It　was　a　boon　which　would　come　to　him　sooner　even　than
he　had　dreamed。




XIV

THE　PASSING　OF　JOHN　CLEMENS

Judge　Clemens；　who　time　and　again　had　wrecked　or　crippled　his　fortune　by
devices　more　or　less　unusual；　now　adopted　the　one　unfailing　method　of
achieving　disaster。　　He　endorsed　a　large　note；　for　a　man　of　good　repute；
and　the　payment　of　it　swept　him　clean：　home；　property；　everything
vanished　again。　　The　St。　Louis　cousin　took　over　the　home　and　agreed　to
let　the　family　occupy　it　on　payment　of　a　small　interest；　but　after　an
attempt　at　housekeeping　with　a　few　scanty　furnishings　and　Pamela's　piano
all　that　had　been　saved　from　the　wreckthey　moved　across　the　street
into　a　portion　of　the　Virginia　house；　then　occupied　by　a　Dr。　　Grant。　　The
Grants　proposed　that　the　Clemens　family　move　over　and　board　them；　a
welcome　arrangement　enough　at　this　time。

Judge　Clemens　had　still　a　hope　left。　　The　clerkship　of　the　Surrogate
Court　was　soon　to　be　filled　by　election。　　It　was　an　important
remunerative　office；　and　he　was　regarded　as　the　favorite　candidate　for
the　position。　　His　disaster　had　aroused　general　sympathy；　and　his
nomination　and　election　were　considered　sure。　　He　took　no　chances；　he
made　a　canvass　on　horseback　from　house　to　house；　often　riding　through
rain　and　the　chill　of　fall；　acquiring　a　cough　which　was　hard　to　overcome。
He　was　elected　by　a　heavy　majority；　and　it　was　believed　he　could　hold　the
office　as　long　as　he　chose。　　There　seemed　no　further　need　of　worry。　　As
soon　as　he　was　installed　in　office　they　would　live　in　style　becoming
their　social　position。　　About　the　end　of　February　he　rode　to　Palmyra　to
be　sworn　in。　　Returning　he　was　drenched　by　a　storm　of　rain　and　sleet；
arriving　at　last　half　frozen。　　His　system　was　in　no　condition　to　resist
such　a　shock。　　Pneumonia　followed；　physicians　came　with　torments　of
plasters　and　allopathic　dosings　that　brought　no　relief。　　Orion　returned
from　St。　Louis　to　assist　in　caring　for　him；　and　sat　by　his　bed；
encouraging　him　and　reading　to　him；　but　it　was　evident　that　he　grew　daily
weaker。　　Now　and　then　he　became　cheerful　and　spoke　of　the　Tennessee　land
as　the　seed　of　a　vast　fortune　that　must　surely　flower　at　last。　　He
uttered　no　regrets；　no　complaints。　　Once　only　he　said：

〃I　believe　if　I　had　stayed　in　Tennessee　I　might　have　been　worth　twenty
thousand　dollars　to…day。〃

On　the　morning　of　the　24th　of　March；　1847；　it　was　evident　that　he　could
not　live　many　hours。　　He　was　very　weak。　　When　he　spoke；　now　and　then；　it
was　of　the　land。　　He　said　it　would　soon　make　them　all　rich　and　happy。

〃Cling　to　the　land；〃　he　whispered。　　〃Cling　to　the　land；　and　wait。　　Let
nothing　beguile　it　away　from　you。〃

A　little　later　he　beckoned　to　Pamela；　now　a　lovely　girl　of　nineteen；　and；
putting　his　arm　about　her　neck；　kissed　her　for　the　first　time　in　years。

〃Let　me　die；〃　he　said。

He　never　spoke　after　that。　　A　little　more；　and　the　sad；　weary　life　that
had　lasted　less　than　forty…nine　years　was　ended：　A　dreamer　and　a
moralist；　an　upright　man　honored　by　all；　he　had　never　been　a　financier。
He　ended　life　with　less　than　he　had　begun。




XV

A　YOUNG　BEN　FRANKLIN

For　a　third　time　death　had　entered　the　Clemens　home：　not　only　had　it
brought　grief　now；　but　it　had　banished　the　light　of　new　fortune　from　the
very　threshold。　　The　disaster　seemed　complete。

The　children　were　dazed。　　Judge　Clemens　had　been　a　distant；　reserved　man；
but　they　had　loved　him；　each　in　his　own　way；　and　they　had　honored　his
uprightness　and　nobility　of　purpose。　　Mrs。　Clemens　confided　to　a　neighbor
that；　in　spite　of　his　manner；　her　husband　had　been　always　warm…hearted；
with　a　deep　affection　for　his　family。　　They　remembered　that　he　had　never
returned　from　a　journey　without　bringing　each　one　some　present；　however
trifling。　　Orion；　looking　out　of　his　window　next　morning；　saw　old　Abram
Kurtz；　and　heard　him　laugh。　　He　wondered　how　anybody　could　still　laugh。

The　boy　Sam　was　fairly　broken　down。　　Remorse；　which　always　dealt　with　him
unsparingly；　laid　a　heavy　hand　on　him　now。　　Wildness；　disobedience；
indifference　to　his　father's　wishes；　all　were　remembered；　a　hundred
things；　in　themselves　trifling；　became　ghastly　and　heart…wringing　in　the
knowledge　that　they　could　never　be　undone。　　Seeing　his　grief；　his　mother
took　him　by　the　hand　and　led　him　into　the　room　where　his　father　lay。

〃It　is　all　right；　Sammy；〃　she　said。　　〃What's　done　is　done；　and　it　does
not　matter　to　him　any　more；　but　here　by　the　side　of　him　now　I　want　you　to
promise　me〃

He　turned；　his　eyes　streaming　with　tears；　and　flung　himself　into　her
arms。

〃I　will　promise　anything；〃　he　sobbed；　〃if　you　won't　make　me　go　to　school！
Anything！〃

His　mother　held　him　for　a　moment；　thinking；　then　she　said：

〃No；　Sammy；　you　need　not　go　to　school　any　more。　　Only　promise　me　to　be　a
better　boy。　　Promise　not　to　break　my　heart。〃

So　he　promised　her　to　be　a　faithful　and　industrious　man；　and　upright；
like　his　father。　　His　mother　was　satisfied　with　that。　　The　sense　of　honor
and　justice　was　already　strong　within　him。　　To　him　a　promise　was　a
serious　matter　at　any　time；　made　under　conditions　like　these　it　would　be
held　sacred。

That　nightit　was　after　the　funeralhis　tendency　to　somnambulism
manifested　itself。　　His　mother　and　sister；　who　were　sleeping　together；
saw　the　door　open　and　a　form　in　white　enter。　　Naturally　nervous　at　such　a
time；　and　living　in　a　day　of　almost　universal　superstition；　they　were
terrified　and　covered　their　heads。　　Presently　a　hand　was　laid　on　the
coverlet；　first　at　the　foot；　then　at　the　head　of　the　bed。　　A　thought
struck　Mrs。　Clemens：

〃Sam！〃　she　said。

He　answered；　but　he　was　sound　asleep　and　fell　to　the　floor。　　He　had　risen
and　thrown　a　sheet　around　him　in　his　dreams。　　He　walked　in　his　sleep
several　nights　in　succession　after　that。　　Then　he　slept　more　soundly。

Orion　returned　to　St。　Louis。　　He　was　a　very　good　book　and　job　printer　by
this　time　and　received　a　salary　of　ten　dollars　a　week　（high　wages　in
those　frugal　days）；　of　which　he　sent　three　dollars　weekly　to　the　family。
Pamela；　who　had　acquired　a　considerable　knowledge　of　the　piano　and
guitar；　went　to　the　town　of　Paris；　in　Monroe　County；　about　fifty　miles
away；　and　taught　a　class　of　music　pupils；　contributing　whatever　remained
after　paying　for　her　board　and　clothing　to　the　family　fund。　　It　was　a
hard　task　for　the　girl；　for　she　was　timid　and　not　over…strong；　but　she
was　resolute　and　patient；　and　won　success。　　Pamela　Clemens　was　a　noble
character　and　deserves　a　fuller　history　than　can　be　afforded　in　this
work。

Mrs。　Clemens　and　her　son　Samuel　now　had　a　sober　talk；　and；　realizing　that
the　printing　trade　offered　opportunity　for　acquiring　further　education　as
well　as　a　livelihood；　they　agreed　that　he　should　be　apprenticed　to　Joseph
P。　Ament；　who　had　lately　moved　from　Palmyra　to　Hannibal　and　bought　a
weekly　Democrat　paper；　the　Missouri　Courier。　　The　apprentice　terms　were
not　over…liberal。　　They　were　the　usual　thing　for　that　time：　board　and
clothes〃more　board　than　clothes；　and　not　much　of　either；〃　Mark　Twain
used　to　say。

〃I　was　supposed　to　get　two　suits　of　clothes　a　year；　like　a　nigger；　but　I
didn't　get　them。　　I　got　one　suit　and　took　the　rest　out　in　Ament's　old
garments；　which　didn't　fit　me　in　any　noticeable　way。　　I　was　only　about
half　as　big　as　he　was；　and　when　I　had　on　one　of　his　shirts　I　felt　as　if　I
had　on　a　circus　tent。　　I　had　to　turn　the　trousers　up　to　my　ears　to　make
them　short　enough。〃

There　was　another　apprentice；　a　young　fellow　of　about　eighteen；　named
Wales　McCormick；　a　devilish　fellow　and　a　giant。　　Ament's　clothes　were　too
small　for　Wales；　but　he　had　to　wear　them；　and　Sam　Clemens　and　Wales
McCormick　together；　fitted　out　with　Ament's　clothes；　must　have　been　a
picturesque　pair。　　There　was　also；　for　a　time；　a　boy　named　Ralph；　but　he
appears　to　have　presented　no　features　of　a　striking　sort；　and　the　memory
of　him　has　become　dim。

The　apprentices　ate　in　the　kitchen　at　first；　served　by　the　old　slave…cook
and　her　handsome　mulatto　daughter；　but　those　printer's　〃devils〃　made　it
so　lively　there　that　in　due　time　they　were　promoted　to　the　family　table；
where　they　sat　with　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Ament　and　the　one　journeyman；　Pet
McMurrya　name　that　in　itself　was　an　inspiration。　　What　those　young
scamps　did　not　already　know　Pet　McMurry　could　teach　them。　　Sam　Clemens
had　promised　to　be　a　good　boy；　and　he　was；　by　the　standards　of　boyhood。
He　was　industrious；　regular　at　his　work；　quick　to　learn；　kind；　and
truthful。　　Angels　could　hardly　be　more　than　that　in　a　printing…office；
but　when　food　was　scarce　even　an　angela　young　printer　angelcould
hardly　resist　slipping　down　the　cellar　stairs　at　night　for　raw　potatoes；
onions；　and　apples　which　they　carried　into　the　office；　where　the　boys
slept　on　a　pallet　on　the　floor；　and　this　forage　they　cooked　on　the　office
stove。　　Wales　especially　had　a　way　of　cooking　a　potato　that　his　associate
never　forgot。

It　is　unfortunate　that　no　photographic　portrait　has　been　preserved　of　Sam
Clemens　at　this　period。　　But　we　may　imagine　him　from　a　letter　which；　long
years　after；　Pet　McMurry　wrote　to　Mark　Twain。　　He　said：

　　　　　If　your　memory　extends　so　far　back；　you　will　recall　a　little　sandy…
　　　　　haired　boy　＇The　color　of　Mark　Twain's　hair　in　early　life　has　been
　　　　　variously　referred　to　as　red；　black；　and　brown。　　It　was；　in　fact；　as
　　　　　stated　by　McMurry；　〃sandy〃　in　boyhood；　deepening　later　to　that　rich；
　　　　　mahogany　tone　known　as　auburn。＇　　of　nearly　a　quarter　of　a　century
　　　　　ago；　in　the　printing…office　at　Hannibal；　over　the　Brittingham
　　　　　drugstore；　mounted　upon　a　little　box　at　the　case；　pulling　away　at　a