mark twain, a biography, 1835-1866-第15部分

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game　of　marbles　or　tops；　he　would　remark　in　his　slow；　impressive　way：

〃You　mustn't　cheat　that　boy。〃　　And　the　cheating　stopped。　　When　it　didn't；
there　was　a　combat；　with　consequences。




XVII

THE　HANNIBAL　〃JOURNAL〃


Orion　returned　from　St。　Louis。　　He　felt　that　he　was　needed　in　Hannibal
and；　while　wages　there　were　lower；　his　expenses　at　home　were　slight；
there　was　more　real　return　for　the　family　fund。　　His　sister　Pamela　was
teaching　a　class　in　Hannibal　at　this　time。　　Orion　was　surprised　when　his
mother　and　sister　greeted　him　with　kisses　and　tears。　　Any　outward　display
of　affection　was　new　to　him。

The　family　had　moved　back　across　the　street　by　this　time。　　With　Sam
supporting　himself；　the　earnings　of　Orion　and　Pamela　provided　at　least　a
semblance　of　comfort。　　But　Orion　was　not　satisfied。　　Then；　as　always；　he
had　a　variety　of　vague　ambitions。　　Oratory　appealed　to　him；　and　he
delivered　a　temperance　lecture　with　an　accompaniment　of　music；　supplied
chiefly　by　Pamela。　　He　aspired　to　the　study　of　law；　a　recurring
inclination　throughout　his　career。　　He　also　thought　of　the　ministry；　an
ambition　which　Sam　shared　with　him　for　a　time。　　Every　mischievous　boy　has
it；　sooner　or　later；　though　not　all　for　the　same　reasons。

〃It　was　the　most　earnest　ambition　I　ever　had；〃　Mark　Twain　once　remarked；
thoughtfully。　　〃Not　that　I　ever　really　wanted　to　be　a　preacher；　but
because　it　never　occurred　to　me　that　a　preacher　could　be　damned。　　It
looked　like　a　safe　job。〃

A　periodical　ambition　of　Orion's　was　to　own　and　conduct　a　paper　in
Hannibal。　　He　felt　that　in　such　a　position　he　might　become　a　power　in
Western　journalism。　　Once　his　father　had　considered　buying　the　Hannibal
Journal　to　give　Orion　a　chance；　and　possibly　to　further　his　own　political
ambitions。　　Now　Orion　considered　it　for　himself。　　The　paper　was　for　sale
under　a　mortgage；　and　he　was　enabled　to　borrow　the　500　which　would
secure　ownership。　　Sam's　two　years　at　Ament's　were　now　complete；　and
Orion　induced　him　to　take　employment　on　the　Journal。　　Henry　at　eleven　was
taken　out　of　school　to　learn　typesetting。

Orion　was　a　gentle；　accommodating　soul；　but　he　lacked　force　and
independence。

〃I　followed　all　the　advice　I　received；〃　he　says　in　his　record。　　〃If　two
or　more　persons　conflicted　with　each　other；　I　adopted　the　views　of　the
last。〃

He　started　full　of　enthusiasm。　　He　worked　like　a　slave　to　save　help：
wrote　his　own　editorials；　and　made　his　literary　selections　at　night。　　The
others　worked　too。　　Orion　gave　them　hard　tasks　and　long　hours。　　He　had
the　feeling　that　the　paper　meant　fortune　or　failure　to　them　all；　that　all
must　labor　without　stint。　　In　his　usual　self…accusing　way　he　wrote
afterward：

I　was　tyrannical　and　unjust　to　Sam。　　He　was　as　swift　and　as　clean　as　a
good　journeyman。　　I　gave　him　tasks；　and　if　he　got　through　well　I
begrudged　him　the　time　and　made　him　work　more。　　He　set　a　clean　proof；　and
Henry　a　very　dirty　one。　　The　correcting　was　left　to　be　done　in　the　form
the　day　before　publication。　　Once　we　were　kept　late；　and　Sam　complained
with　tears　of　bitterness　that　he　was　held　till　midnight　on　Henry's　dirty
proofs。

Orion　did　not　realize　any　injustice　at　the　time。　　The　game　was　too
desperate　to　be　played　tenderly。　　His　first　editorials　were　so　brilliant
that　it　was　not　believed　he　could　have　written　them。　　The　paper
throughout　was　excellent；　and　seemed　on　the　high　road　to　success。　　But
the　pace　was　too　hard　to　maintain。　　Overwork　brought　weariness；　and
Orion's　enthusiasm；　never　a　very　stable　quantity；　grew　feeble。　　He　became
still　more　exacting。

It　is　not　to　be　supposed　that　Sam　Clemens　had　given　up　all　amusements　to
become　merely　a　toiling　drudge　or　had　conquered　in　any　large　degree　his
natural　taste　for　amusement。　　He　had　become　more　studious；　but　after　the
long；　hard　days　in　the　office　it　was　not　to　be　expected　that　a　boy　of
fifteen　would　employ　the　eveningat　least　not　every　eveningin　reading
beneficial　books。　　The　river　was　always　near　at　handfor　swimming　in　the
summer　and　skating　in　the　winterand　once　even　at　this　late　period　it
came　near　claiming　a　heavy　tribute。　　That　was　one　winter's　night　when
with　another　boy　he　had　skated　until　nearly　midnight。　　They　were　about　in
the　middle　of　the　river　when　they　heard　a　terrific　and　grinding　noise
near　the　shore。　　They　knew　what　it　was。　　The　ice　was　breaking　up；　and
they　set　out　for　home　forthwith。　　It　was　moonlight；　and　they　could　tell
the　ice　from　the　water；　which　was　a　good　thing；　for　there　were　wide
cracks　toward　the　shore；　and　they　had　to　wait　for　these　to　close。　　They
were　an　hour　making　the　trip；　and　just　before　they　reached　the　bank　they
came　to　a　broad　space　of　water。　　The　ice　was　lifting　and　falling　and
crunching　all　around　them。　　They　waited　as　long　as　they　dared　and　decided
to　leap　from　cake　to　cake。　　Sam　made　the　crossing　without　accident；　but
his　companion　slipped　in　when　a　few　feet　from　shore。　　He　was　a　good
swimmer　and　landed　safely；　but　the　bath　probably　cost　him　his　hearing。
He　was　taken　very　ill。　　One　disease　followed　another；　ending　with　scarlet
fever　and　deafness。

There　was　also　entertainment　in　the　office　itself。　　A　country　boy　named
Jim　Wolfe　had　come　to　learn　the　tradea　green；　good…natured；　bashful
boy。　　In　every　trade　tricks　are　played　on　the　new　apprentice；　and　Sam
felt　that　it　was　his　turn　to　play　them。　　With　John　Briggs　to　help　him；
tortures　for　Jim　Wolfe　were　invented　and　applied。

They　taught　him　to　paddle　a　canoe；　and　upset　him。　　They　took　him　sniping
at　night　and　left　him　〃holding　the　bag〃　in　the　old　traditional　fashion
while　they　slipped　off　home　and　went　to　bed。

But　Jim　Wolfe's　masterpiece　of　entertainment　was　one　which　he　undertook
on　his　own　account。　　Pamela　was　having　a　candy…pull　down…stairs　one
nighta　grown…up　candy…pull　to　which　the　boys　were　not　expected。　　Jim
would　not　have　gone；　anyway；　for　he　was　bashful　beyond　belief；　and　always
dumb；　and　even　pale　with　fear；　in　the　presence　of　pretty　Pamela　Clemens。
Up　in　their　room　the　boys　could　hear　the　merriment　from　below　and　could
look　out　in　the　moonlight　on　the　snowy　sloping　roof　that　began　just
beneath　their　window。　　Down　at　the　eaves　was　the　small　arbor；　green　in
summer；　but　covered　now　with　dead　vines　and　snow。　　They　could　hear　the
candymakers　come　out；　now　and　then；　doubtless　setting　out　pans　of　candy
to　cool。　　By　and　by　the　whole　party　seemed　to　come　out　into　the　little
arbor；　to　try　the　candy；　perhaps　the　joking　and　laughter　came　plainly　to
the　boys　up…stairs。　　About　this　time　there　appeared　on　the　roof　from
somewhere　two　disreputable　cats；　who　set　up　a　most　disturbing　duel　of
charge　and　recrimination。　　Jim　detested　the　noise；　and　perhaps　was
gallant　enough　to　think　it　would　disturb　the　party。　　He　had　nothing　to
throw　at　them；　but　he　said：

〃For　two　cents　I'd　get　out　there　and　knock　their　heads　off。〃

〃You　wouldn't　dare　to　do　it；〃　Sam　said；　purringly。

This　was　wormwood　to　Jim。　　He　was　really　a　brave　spirit。

〃I　would　too；〃　he　said；〃and　I　will　if　you　say　that　again。〃

〃Why；　Jim；　of　course　you　wouldn't　dare　to　go　out　there。　　You　might　catch
cold。〃

〃You　wait　and　see；〃　said　Jim　Wolfe。

He　grabbed　a　pair　of　yarn　stockings　for　his　feet；　raised　the　window；　and
crept　out　on　the　snowy　roof。　　There　was　a　crust　of　ice　on　the　snow；　but
Jim　jabbed　his　heels　through　it　and　stood　up　in　the　moonlight；　his　legs
bare；　his　single　garment　flapping　gently　in　the　light　winter　breeze。
Then　he　started　slowly　toward　the　cats；　sinking　his　heels　in　the　snow
each　time　for　a　footing；　a　piece　of　lath　in　his　hand。　　The　cats　were　on
the　corner　of　the　roof　above　the　arbor；　and　Jim　cautiously　worked　his　way
in　that　direction。　　The　roof　was　not　very　steep。　　He　was　doing　well
enough　until　he　came　to　a　place　where　the　snow　had　melted　until　it　was
nearly　solid　ice。　　He　was　so　intent　on　the　cats　that　he　did　not　notice
this；　and　when　he　struck　his　heel　down　to　break　the　crust　nothing
yielded。　　A　second　later　Jim's　feet　had　shot　out　from　under　him；　and　he
vaulted　like　an　avalanche　down　the　icy　roof　out　on　the　little　vine…clad
arbor；　and　went　crashing　through　among　those　candypullers；　gathered　there
with　their　pans　of　cooling　taffy。　　There　were　wild　shrieks　and　a　general
flight。　　Neither　Jim　nor　Sam　ever　knew　how　he　got　back　to　their　room；　but
Jim　was　overcome　with　the　enormity　of　his　offense；　while　Sam　was　in　an
agony　of　laughter。

〃You　did　it　splendidly；　Jim；〃　he　drawled；　when　he　could　speak。　　〃Nobody
could　have　done　it　better；　and　did　you　see　how　those　cats　got　out　of
there？　　I　never　had　any　idea　when　you　started　that　you　meant　to　do　it
that　way。　　And　it　was　such　a　surprise　to　the　folks　down…stairs。　　How　did
you　ever　think　of　it？〃

It　was　a　fearful　ordeal　for　a　boy　like　Jim　Wolfe；　but　he　stuck　to　his
place　in　spite　of　what　he　must　have　suffered。　　The　boys　made　him　one　of
them　soon　after　that。　　His　initiation　was　thought　to　be　complete。

An　account　of　Jim　Wolfe　and　the　cats　was　the　first　original　story　Mark
Twain　ever　told。　　He　told　it　next　day；　which　was　Sunday；　to　Jimmy
McDaniel；　the　baker's　son；　as　they　sat　looking　out　over　the　river；　eating
gingerbread。　　His　hearer　laughed　immoderately；　and　the　story…teller　was
proud　and　happy　in　his　success。




XVIII

THE　BEGINNING　OF　A　LITERARY　LIFE

Orion's　paper　continued　to　go　downhill。　　Following　some　random　counsel；
he　changed　the　name　of　it　and　advanced　the　pricetwo　blunders。　　Then　he
was　compelled　to　reduce　the　subscription；　also　the　advertising　rates。　　He
was　obliged　to　adopt　a　descending　scale　of　charges　and　expenditures　to
keep　pace　with　his　declining　circulationa　fatal　sign。　　A　publisher　must
lead　his　subscription　list；　not　follow　it。

〃I　was　walking　backward；〃　he　said；　〃not　seeing　where　I　stepped。〃

In　desperation　he　broke　away　and　made　a　trip　to　Tennessee　to　see　if
something　could　not　be　realized　on　the　land；　leaving　his　brother　Sam　in
charge　of　the　office。　　It　was　a　journey　without　financial　results；　yet　it
bore　fruit；　for　it　marked　the　beginning　of　Mark　Twain's　literary　career。

Sam；　in　his　brother's　absence；　concluded　to　edit　the　paper　in　a　way　that
would　liven　up　the　circulation。　　He　had　never　done　any　writingnot　for
printbut　he　had　the　courage　of　his　i