mark twain, a biography, 1835-1866-第14部分

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　　　　　ago；　in　the　printing…office　at　Hannibal；　over　the　Brittingham
　　　　　drugstore；　mounted　upon　a　little　box　at　the　case；　pulling　away　at　a
　　　　　huge　cigar　or　a　diminutive　pipe；　who　used　to　love　to　sing　so　well
　　　　　the　expression　of　the　poor　drunken　man　who　was　supposed　to　have
　　　　　fallen　by　the　wayside：　〃If　ever　I　get　up　again；　I'll　stay　upif　I
　　　　　kin。〃　　。　　。　　。　　Do　you　recollect　any　of　the　serious　conflicts　that
　　　　　mirth…loving　brain　of　yours　used　to　get　you　into　with　that
　　　　　diminutive　creature　Wales　McCormickhow　you　used　to　call　upon　me　to
　　　　　hold　your　cigar　or　pipe；　whilst　you　went　entirely　through　him？

This　is　good　testimony；　without　doubt。　　When　he　had　been　with　Ament
little　more　than　a　year　Sam　had　become　office　favorite　and　chief　standby。
Whatever　required　intelligence　and　care　and　imagination　was　given　to　Sam
Clemens。　　He　could　set　type　as　accurately　and　almost　as　rapidly　as　Pet
McMurry；　he　could　wash　up　the　forms　a　good　deal　better　than　Pet；　and　he
could　run　the　job…press　to　the　tune　of　〃Annie　Laurie〃　or　〃Along　the　Beach
at　Rockaway；〃　without　missing　a　stroke　or　losing　a　finger。　　Sometimes；　at
odd　moments；　he　would　〃set　up〃　one　of　the　popular　songs　or　some　favorite
poem　like　〃The　Blackberry　Girl；〃　and　of　these　he　sent　copies　printed　on
cotton；　even　on　scraps　of　silk；　to　favorite　girl　friends；　also　to　Puss
Quarles；　on　his　uncle's　farm；　where　he　seldom　went　now；　because　he　was
really　grown　up；　associating　with　men　and　doing　a　man's　work。　　He　had
charge　of　the　circulationwhich　is　to　say；　he　carried　the　papers。
During　the　last　year　of　the　Mexican　War；　when　a　telegraph…wire　found　its
way　across　the　Mississippi　to　Hannibala　long　sagging　span；　that　for
some　reason　did　not　break　of　its　own　weighthe　was　given　charge　of　the
extras　with　news　from　the　front；　and　the　burning　importance　of　his
mission；　the　bringing　of　news　hot　from　the　field　of　battle；　spurred　him
to　endeavors　that　won　plaudits　and　success。

He　became　a　sort　of　subeditor。　　When　the　forms　of　the　paper　were　ready　to
close　and　Ament　was　needed　to　supply　more　matter；　it　was　Sam　who　was
delegated　to　find　that　rather　uncertain　and　elusive　person　and　labor　with
him　until　the　required　copy　was　produced。　　Thus　it　was　he　saw　literature
in　the　making。

It　is　not　believed　that　Sam　had　any　writing　ambitions　of　his　own。　　His
chief　desire　was　to　be　an　all…round　journeyman　printer　like　Pet　McMurry；
to　drift　up　and　down　the　world　in　Pet's　untrammeled　fashion；　to　see　all
that　Pet　had　seen　and　a　number　of　things　which　Pet　appeared　to　have
overlooked。　　He　varied　on　occasion　from　this　ambition。　　When　the　first
negro　minstrel　show　visited　Hannibal　and　had　gone；　he　yearned　for　a　brief
period　to　be　a　magnificent　〃middle　man〃　or　even　the　〃end…　man〃　of　that
combination；　when　the　circus　came　and　went；　he　dreamed　of　the　day　when；　a
capering　frescoed　clown；　he　would　set　crowded　tiers　of　spectators
guffawing　at　his　humor；　when　the　traveling　hypnotist　arrived；　he
volunteered　as　a　subject；　and　amazed　the　audience　by　the　marvel　of　his
performance。

In　later　life　he　claimed　that　he　had　not　been　hypnotized　in　any　degree；
but　had　been　pretending　throughouta　statement　always　denied　by　his
mother　and　his　brother　Orion。　　This　dispute　was　never　settled；　and　never
could　be。　　Sam　Clemens's　tendency　to　somnambulism　would　seem　to　suggest
that　he　really　might　have　taken　on　a　hypnotic　condition；　while　his
consummate　skill　as　an　actor；　then　and　always；　and　his　early　fondness　of
exhibition　and　a　joke；　would　make　it　not　unlikely　that　he　was　merely
〃showing　off〃　and　having　his　fun。　　He　could　follow　the　dictates　of　a
vivid　imagination　and　could　be　as　outrageous　as　he　chose　without
incurring　responsibility　of　any　sort。　　But　there　was　a　penalty：　he　must
allow　pins　and　needles　to　be　thrust　into　his　flesh　and　suffer　these
tortures　without　showing　discomfort　to　the　spectators。　　It　is　difficult
to　believe　that　any　boy；　however　great　his　exhibitory　passion；　could
permit；　in　the　full　possession　of　his　sensibilities；　a　needle　to　be
thrust　deeply　into　his　flesh　without　manifestations　of　a　most　unmesmeric
sort。　　The　conclusion　seems　warranted　that　he　began　by　pretending；　but
that　at　times　he　was　at　least　under　semi…mesmeric　control。　　At　all
events；　he　enjoyed　a　week　of　dazzling　triumph；　though　in　the　end　he
concluded　to　stick　to　printing　as　a　trade。

We　have　said　that　he　was　a　rapid　learner　and　a　neat　workman。　　At　Ament's
he　generally　had　a　daily　task；　either　of　composition　or　press…work；　after
which　he　was　free。　　When　he　had　got　the　hang　of　his　work　he　was　usually
done　by　three　in　the　afternoon；　then　away　to　the　river　or　the　cave；　as　in
the　old　days；　sometimes　with　his　boy　friends；　sometimes　with　Laura
Hawkins　gathering　wild　columbine　on　that　high　cliff　overlooking　the
river；　Lover's　Leap。

He　was　becoming　quite　a　beau；　attending　parties　on　occasion；　where　old…
fashioned　gamesForfeits；　Ring…around…a…Rosy；　Dusty　Miller；　and　the
likewere　regarded　as　rare　amusements。　　He　was　a　favorite　with　girls　of
his　own　age。　　He　was　always　good…natured；　though　he　played　jokes　on　them；
too；　and　was　often　a　severe　trial。　　He　was　with　Laura　Hawkins　more　than
the　others；　usually　her　escort。　　On　Saturday　afternoons　in　winter　he
carried　her　skates　to　Bear　Creek　and　helped　her　to　put　them　on。　　After
which　they　skated　〃partners；〃　holding　hands　tightly；　and　were　a　likely
pair　of　children；　no　doubt。　　In　The　Gilded　Age　Laura　Hawkins　at　twelve　is
pictured　〃with　her　dainty　hands　propped　into　the　ribbon…bordered　pockets
of　her　apron　。　　。　　。　　a　vision　to　warm　the　coldest　heart　and　bless　and
cheer　the　saddest。〃　　The　author　had　the　real　Laura　of　his　childhood　in
his　mind　when　he　wrote　that；　though　the　story　itself　bears　no　resemblance
to　her　life。

They　were　never　really　sweethearts；　those　two。　　They　were　good　friends
and　comrades。　　Sometimes　he　brought　her　magazinesexchanges　from　the
printingofficeGodey's　and　others。　　These　were　a　treat；　for　such
things　were　scarce　enough。　　He　cared　little　for　reading；　himself；　beyond
a　few　exciting　tales；　though　the　putting　into　type　of　a　good　deal　of
miscellaneous　matter　had　beyond　doubt　developed　in　him　a　taste　for
general　knowledge。　　It　needed　only　to　be　awakened。




XVI

THE　TURNING…POINT

There　came　into　his　life　just　at　this　period　one　of　those　seemingly
trifling　incidents　which；　viewed　in　retrospect；　assume　pivotal
proportions。　　He　was　on　his　way　from　the　office　to　his　home　one　afternoon
when　he　saw　flying　along　the　pavement　a　square　of　paper；　a　leaf　from　a
book。　　At　an　earlier　time　he　would　not　have　bothered　with　it　at　all；　but
any　printed　page　had　acquired　a　professional　interest　for　him　now。　　He
caught　the　flying　scrap　and　examined　it。　　It　was　a　leaf　from　some　history
of　Joan　of　Arc。　　The　〃maid〃　was　described　in　the　cage　at　Rouen；　in　the
fortress；　and　the　two　ruffian　English　soldiers　had　stolen　her　clothes。
There　was　a　brief　description　and　a　good　deal　of　dialogueher　reproaches
and　their　ribald　replies。

He　had　never　heard　of　the　subject　before。　　He　had　never　read　any　history。
When　he　wanted　to　know　any　fact　he　asked　Henry；　who　read　everything
obtainable。　　Now；　however；　there　arose　within　him　a　deep　compassion　for
the　gentle　Maid　of　Orleans；　a　burning　resentment　toward　her　captors；　a
powerful　and　indestructible　interest　in　her　sad　history。　　It　was　an
interest　that　would　grow　steadily　for　more　than　half　a　lifetime　and
culminate　at　last　in　that　crowning　work；　the　Recollections；　the　loveliest
story　ever　told　of　the　martyred　girl。

The　incident　meant　even　more　than　that：　it　meant　the　awakening　of　his
interest　in　all　historythe　world's　story　in　its　many　phasesa　passion
which　became　the　largest　feature　of　his　intellectual　life　and　remained
with　him　until　his　very　last　day　on　earth。　　From　the　moment　when　that
fluttering　leaf　was　blown　into　his　hands　his　career　as　one　of　the　world's
mentally　elect　was　assured。　　It　gave　him　his　cuethe　first　word　of　a
part　in　the　human　drama。　　It　crystallized　suddenly　within　him　sympathy
with　the　oppressed；　rebellion　against　tyranny　and　treachery；　scorn　for
the　divine　rights　of　kings。　　A　few　months　before　he　died　he　wrote　a　paper
on　〃The　Turning…point　of　My　Life。〃　　For　some　reason　he　did　not　mention
this　incident。　　Yet　if　there　was　a　turning…point　in　his　life；　he　reached
it　that　bleak　afternoon　on　the　streets　of　Hannibal　when　a　stray　leaf　from
another　life　was　blown　into　his　hands。

He　read　hungrily　now　everything　he　could　find　relating　to　the　French
wars；　and　to　Joan　in　particular。　　He　acquired　an　appetite　for　history　in
general；　the　record　of　any　nation　or　period；　he　seemed　likely　to　become　a
student。　　Presently　he　began　to　feel　the　need　of　languages；　French　and
German。　　There　was　no　opportunity　to　acquire　French；　that　he　could
discover；　but　there　was　a　German　shoemaker　in　Hannibal　who　agreed　to
teach　his　native　tongue。　　Sam　Clemens　got　a　friendvery　likely　it　was
John　Briggsto　form　a　class　with　him；　and　together　they　arranged　for
lessons。　　The　shoemaker　had　little　or　no　English。　　They　had　no　German。
It　would　seem；　however；　that　their　teacher　had　some　sort　of　a　〃word…
book；〃　and　when　they　assembled　in　his　little　cubby…hole　of　a　retreat　he
began　reading　aloud　from　it　this　puzzling　sentence：

〃De　hain　eet　flee　whoop　in　de　hayer。〃

〃Dere！〃　he　said；　triumphantly；　〃you　know　dose　vord？〃

The　students　looked　at　each　other　helplessly。

The　teacher　repeated　the　sentence；　and　again　they　were　helpless　when　he
asked　if　they　recognized　it。

Then　in　despair　he　showed　them　the　book。　　It　was　an　English　primer；　and
the　sentence　was：

〃The　hen；　it　flies　up　in　the　air。〃

They　explained　to　him　gently　that　it　was　German　they　wished　to　learn；　not
Englishnot　under　the　circumstances。　　Later；　Sam　made　an　attempt　at
Latin；　and　got　a　book　for　that　purpose；　but　gave　it　up；　saying：

〃No；　that　language　is　not　for　me。　　I'll　do　well　enough　to　learn　English。〃
A　boy　who　took　it　up　with　him　became　a　Latin　scholar。

His　prejudice　against　oppression　he　put　into　practice。　　Boys　who　were
being　imposed　upon　found　in　him　a　ready　protector。　　Sometimes；　watching　a
game　of　marbles　or　tops；　he　would　remark　in　his　slow；　impressive　way：

〃You　mustn't　cheat　th