mark twain, a biography, 1835-1866-第23部分

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greatly　resemble　that　craft　in　the　matter　of　good…fellowship；
hospitality；　and　speed。　　It　was　said　of　her　that　up…stream　she　could　even
beat　an　island；　though　down…stream　she　could　never　quite　overtake　the
current；　but　was　a　〃love　of　a　steamboat〃　nevertheless。　　The　Roe　was　not
licensed　to　carry　passengers；　but　she　always　had　a　dozen　〃family　guests〃
aboard；　and　there　was　a　big　boiler…deck　for　dancing　and　moonlight
frolics；　also　a　piano　in　the　cabin。　　The　young　pilot　sometimes　played　on
the　piano　and　sang　to　his　music　songs　relating　to　the　〃grasshopper　on　the
sweet…potato　vine；〃　or　to　an　old　horse　by　the　name　of　Methusalem：

　　　　　　　　　　Took　him　down　and　sold　him　in　Jerusalem；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　A　long　time　ago。

There　were　forty…eight　stanzas　about　this　ancient　horse；　all　pretty　much
alike；　but　the　assembled　company　was　not　likely　to　be　critical；　and　his
efforts　won　him　laurels。　　He　had　a　heavenly　time　on　the　John　J。　Roe；　and
then　came　what　seemed　inferno　by　contrast。　　Bixby　returned；　made　a　trip
or　two；　then　left　and　transferred　him　again；　this　time　to　a　man　named
Brown。　　Brown　had　a　berth　on　the　fine　new　steamer　Pennsylvania；　one　of
the　handsomest　boats　on　the　river；　and　young　Clemens　had　become　a　fine
steersman；　so　it　is　not　unlikely　that　both　men　at　first　were　gratified　by
the　arrangement。

But　Brown　was　a　fault…finding；　tyrannical　chief；　ignorant；　vulgar；　and
malicious。　　In　the　Mississippi　book　the　author　gives　his　first　interview
with　Brown；　also　his　last　one。　　For　good　reasons　these　occasions　were
burned　into　his　memory；　and　they　may　be　accepted　as　substantially
correct。　　Brown　had　an　offensive　manner。　　His　first　greeting　was　a　surly
question。

〃Are　you　Horace　Bigsby's　cub？〃

〃Bixby〃　was　usually　pronounced　〃Bigsby〃　on　the　river；　but　Brown　made　it
especially　obnoxious　and　followed　it　up　with　questions　and　comments　and
orders　still　more　odious。　　His　subordinate　soon　learned　to　detest　him
thoroughly。　　It　was　necessary；　however；　to　maintain　a　respectable
deportmentcustom；　discipline；　even　the　law；　required　thatbut　it　must
have　been　a　hard　winter　and　spring　the　young　steersman　put　in　during
those　early　months　of　1858；　restraining　himself　from　the　gratification　of
slaying　Brown。　　Time　would　bring　revengea　tragic　revenge　and　at　a
fearful　cost；　but　he　could　not　guess　that；　and　he　put　in　his　spare　time
planning　punishments　of　his　own。

　　　　　I　could　imagine　myself　killing　Brown；　there　was　no　law　against　that；
　　　　　and　that　was　the　thing　I　always　used　to　do　the　moment　I　was　abed。
　　　　　Instead　of　going　over　my　river　in　my　mind；　as　was　my　duty；　I　threw
　　　　　business　aside　for　pleasure　and　killed　Brown。　　I　killed　Brown　every
　　　　　night　for　a　month；　not　in　old；　stale；　commonplace　ways；　but　in　new
　　　　　and　picturesque　onesways　that　were　sometimes　surprising　for
　　　　　freshness　of　design　and　ghastly　for　situation　and　environment。

Once　when　Brown　had　been　more　insulting　than　usual　his　subordinate　went
to　bed　and　killed　him　in　〃seventeen　different　waysall　of　them　new。〃

He　had　made　an　effort　at　first　to　please　Brown；　but　it　was　no　use。　　Brown
was　the　sort　of　a　man　that　refused　to　be　pleased；　no　matter　how　carefully
his　subordinate　steered；　he　as　always　at　him。

〃Here；〃　he　would　shout；　〃where　are　you　going　now？　　Pull　her　down！　　Pull
her　down！　　Don't　you　hear　me？　　Dod…derned　mud…cat！〃

His　assistant　lost　all　desire　to　be　obliging　to　such　a　person　and　even
took　occasion　now　and　then　to　stir　him　up。　　One　day　they　were　steaming　up
the　river　when　Brown　noticed　that　the　boat　seemed　to　be　heading　toward
some　unusual　point。

〃Here；　where　are　you　heading　for　now？〃　he　yelled。　　〃What　in　nation　are
you　steerin'　at；　anyway？　　Deyned　numskull！〃

〃Why；〃　said　Sam；　in　unruffled　deliberation；　〃I　didn't　see　much　else　I
could　steer　for；　and　I　was　heading　for　that　white　heifer　on　the　bank。〃

〃Get　away　from　that　wheel！　and　get　outen　this　pilothouse！〃　yelled　Brown。
〃You　ain't　fit　to　become　no　pilot！〃

Which　was　what　Sam　wanted。　　Any　temporary　relief　from　the　carping　tyranny
of　Brown　was　welcome。

He　had　been　on　the　river　nearly　a　year　now；　and；　though　universally　liked
and　accounted　a　fine　steersman；　he　was　receiving　no　wages。　　There　had
been　small　need　of　money　for　a　while；　for　he　had　no　board　to　pay；　but
clothes　wear　out　at　last；　and　there　were　certain　incidentals。　　The
Pennsylvania　made　a　round　trip　in　about　thirty…five　days；　with　a　day　or
two　of　idle　time　at　either　end。　　The　young　pilot　found　that　he　could　get
night　employment；　watching　freight　on　the　New　Orleans　levee；　and　thus
earn　from　two　and　a　half　to　three　dollars　for　each　night's　watch。
Sometimes　there　would　be　two　nights；　and　with　a　capital　of　five　or　six
dollars　he　accounted　himself　rich。

〃It　was　a　desolate　experience；〃　he　said；　long　afterward；　〃watching　there
in　the　dark　among　those　piles　of　freight；　not　a　sound；　not　a　living
creature　astir。　　But　it　was　not　a　profitless　one：　I　used　to　have
inspirations　as　I　sat　there　alone　those　nights。　　I　used　to　imagine　all
sorts　of　situations　and　possibilities。　　Those　things　got　into　my　books　by
and　by　and　furnished　me　with　many　a　chapter。　　I　can　trace　the　effect　of
those　nights　through　most　of　my　books　in　one　way　and　another。〃

Many　of　the　curious　tales　in　the　latter　half　of　the　Mississippi　book　came
out　of　those　long　night…watches。　　It　was　a　good　time　to　think　of　such
things。




XXV

LOVE…MAKING　AND　ADVENTURE

Of　course；　life　with　Brown　was　not　all　sorrow。　　At　either　end　of　the　trip
there　was　respite　and　recreation。　　In　St。　Louis；　at　Pamela's　there　was
likely　to　be　company：　Hannibal　friends　mostly；　schoolmatesgirls；　of
course。　　At　New　Orleans　he　visited　friendly　boats；　especially　the　John　J。
Roe；　where　he　was　generously　welcomed。　　One　such　visit　on　the　Roe　he
never　forgot。　　A　young　girl　was　among　the　boat's　guests　that　trip
another　Laura；　fifteen；　winning；　delightful。　　They　met；　and　were　mutually
attracted；　in　the　life　of　each　it　was　one　of　those　bright　spots　which　are
likely　to　come　in　youth：　one　of　those　sudden；　brief　periods　of　romance；
lovecall　it　what　you　will　the　thing　that　leads　to　marriage；　if　pursued。

〃I　was　not　four　inches　from　that　girl's　elbow　during　our　waking　hours　for
the　next　three　days。〃

Then　came　a　sudden　interruption：　Zeb　Leavenworth　came　flying　aft
shouting：

〃The　Pennsylvania　is　backing　out。〃

A　flutter　of　emotion；　a　fleeting　good…by；　a　flight　across　the　decks；　a
flying　leap　from　romance　back　to　reality；　and　it　was　all　over。　　He　wrote
her；　but　received　no　reply。　　He　never　saw　her　again；　never　heard　from　her
for　forty…eight　years；　when　both　were　married；　widowed；　and　old。　　She　had
not　received　his　letter。

Even　on　the　Pennsylvania　life　had　its　interests。　　A　letter　dated　March　9；
1858；　recounts　a　delightfully　dangerous　night…adventure　in　the　steamer's
yawl；　hunting　for　soundings　in　the　running　ice。

　　　　　Then　the　fun　commenced。　　We　made　fast　a　line　20　fathoms　long；　to　the
　　　　　bow　of　the　yawl；　and　put　the　men　（both　crews）　to　it　like　horses　on
　　　　　the　shore。　　Brown；　the　pilot；　stood　in　the　bow；　with　an　oar；　to　keep
　　　　　her　head　out；　and　I　took　the　tiller。　　We　would　start　the　men；　and
　　　　　all　would　go　well　till　the　yawl　would　bring　up　on　a　heavy　cake　of
　　　　　ice；　and　then　the　men　would　drop　like　so　many　tenpins；　while　Brown
　　　　　assumed　the　horizontal　in　the　bottom　of　the　boat。　　After　an　hour's
　　　　　hard　work　we　got　back；　with　ice　half　an　inch　thick　on　the　oars。
　　　　　Sent　back　and　warped　up　the　other　yawl；　and　then　George　（George
　　　　　Ealer；　the　other　pilot）　and　myself　took　a　double　crew　of　fresh　men
　　　　　and　tried　it　again。　　This　time　we　found　the　channel　in　less　than
　　　　　half　an　hour；　and　landed　on　an　island　till　the　Pennsylvania　came
　　　　　along　and　took　us　off。　　The　next　day　was　colder　still。　　I　was　out　in
　　　　　the　yawl　twice；　and　then　we　got　through；　but　the　infernal　steamboat
　　　　　came　near　running　over　us。。。。　　We　sounded　Hat　Island；　warped　up
　　　　　around　a　bar；　and　sounded　againbut　in　order　to　understand　our
　　　　　situation　you　will　have　to　read　Dr。　Kane。　　It　would　have　been
　　　　　impossible　to　get　back　to　the　boat。　　But　the　Maria　Denning　was
　　　　　aground　at　the　head　of　the　islandthey　hailed　uswe　ran　alongside；
　　　　　and　they　hoisted　us　in　and　thawed　us　out。　　We　had　then　been　out　in
　　　　　the　yawl　from　four　o'clock　in　the　morning　till　half　past　nine
　　　　　without　being　near　a　fire。　　There　was　a　thick　coating　of　ice　over
　　　　　men；　and　yawl；　ropes　and　everything　else；　and　we　looked　like　rock…
　　　　　candy　statuary。

This　was　the　sort　of　thing　he　loved　in　those　days。　　We　feel　the　writer's
evident　joy　and　pride　in　it。　　In　the　same　letter　he　says：　〃I　can't
correspond　with　the　paper；　because　when　one　is　learning　the　river　he　is
not　allowed　to　do　or　think　about　anything　else。〃　　Then　he　mentions　his
brother　Henry；　and　we　get　the　beginning　of　that　tragic　episode　for　which；
though　blameless；　Samuel　Clemens　always　held　himself　responsible。

　　　　　Henry　was　doing　little　or　nothing　here　（St。　Louis）；　and　I　sent　him
　　　　　to　our　clerk　to　work　his　way　for　a　trip；　measuring　wood…piles；
　　　　　counting　coal…boxes；　and　doing　other　clerkly　duties；　which　he
　　　　　performed　satisfactorily。　　He　may　go　down　with　us　again。

Henry　Clemens　was　about　twenty　at　this　time；　a　handsome；　attractive　boy
of　whom　his　brother　was　lavishly　fond　and　proud。　　He　did　go　on　the　next
trip　and　continued　to　go　regularly　after　that；　as　third　clerk　in　line　of
promotion。　　It　was　a　bright　spot　in　those　hard　days　with　Brown　to　have
Henry　along。　　The　boys　spent　a　good　deal　of　their　leisure　with　the　other
pilot；　George　Ealer；　who　〃was　as　kindhearted　as　Brown　wasn't；〃　and　quoted
Shakespeare　and　Goldsmith；　and　played　the　flute　to　his　fascinated　and
inspiring　audience。　　These　were　things　worth　while。　　The　young　steersman
could　not　guess　that　the　shadow　of　a　long　sorrow　was　even　then　stretching
across　the　path　ahead。

Yet　in　due　time　he　received　a　warning；　a　remarkable　and　impressive
warning；　though　of　a　kind　seldom　heeded。　　One　night；　when　the
Pennsylvania　lay　in　St。　Louis；　he　slept　at　his　sister's　house　and　had
this　vivid　dream：

He　saw　Henry；　a　corpse；　lying　in　a　metallic　burial　case　in　the　sitting…
room；　supported　on　two　cha