mark twain, a biography, 1835-1866-第3部分

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to　relatives。　　At　Louisville　they　embarked　on　a　steamer　bound　for　St。
Louis；　thence　overland　once　more　through　wilderness　and　solitude　into
what　was　then　the　Far　West；　the　promised　land。

They　arrived　one　evening；　and　if　Florida　was　not　quite　all　in　appearance
that　John　Clemens　had　dreamed；　it　was　at　least　a　havenwith　John
Quarles；　jovial；　hospitable；　and　full　of　plans。　　The　great　Mississippi
was　less　than　fifty　miles　away。　　Salt　River；　with　a　system　of　locks　and
dams；　would　certainly　become　navigable　to　the　Forks；　with　Florida　as　its
head　of　navigation。　　It　was　a　Sellers　fancy；　though　perhaps　it　should　be
said　here　that　John　Quarles　was　not　the　chief　original　of　that　lovely
character　in　The　Gilded　Age。　　That　was　another　relativeJames　Lampton；　a
cousinquite　as　lovable；　and　a　builder　of　even　more　insubstantial
dreams。

John　Quarles　was　already　established　in　merchandise　in　Florida；　and　was
prospering　in　a　small　way。　　He　had　also　acquired　a　good　farm；　which　he
worked　with　thirty　slaves；　and　was　probably　the　rich　man　and　leading
citizen　of　the　community。　　He　offered　John　Clemens　a　partnership　in　his
store；　and　agreed　to　aid　him　in　the　selection　of　some　land。　　Furthermore；
he　encouraged　him　to　renew　his　practice　of　the　law。　　Thus　far；　at　least；
the　Florida　venture　was　not　a　mistake；　for；　whatever　came；　matters　could
not　be　worse　than　they　had　been　in　Tennessee。

In　a　small　frame　building　near　the　center　of　the　village；　John　and　Jane
Clemens　established　their　household。　　It　was　a　humble　one…story　affair；
with　two　main　rooms　and　a　lean…to　kitchen；　though　comfortable　enough　for
its　size；　and　comparatively　new。　　It　is　still　standing　and　occupied　when
these　lines　are　written；　and　it　should　be　preserved　and　guarded　as　a
shrine　for　the　American　people；　for　it　was　here　that　the　foremost
American…born　authorthe　man　most　characteristically　American　in　every
thought　and　word　and　action　of　his　lifedrew　his　first　fluttering
breath；　caught　blinkingly　the　light　of　a　world　that　in　the　years　to　come
would　rise　up　and　in　its　wide　realm　of　letters　hail　him　as　a　king。

It　was　on　a　bleak　day；　November　30；　1835；　that　he　entered　feebly　the
domain　he　was　to　conquer。　　Long；　afterward；　one　of　those　who　knew　him
best　said：

〃He　always　seemed　to　me　like　some　great　being　from　another　planetnever
quite　of　this　race　or　kind。〃

He　may　have　been；　for　a　great　comet　was　in　the　sky　that　year；　and　it
would　return　no　more　until　the　day　when　he　should　be　borne　back　into　the
far　spaces　of　silence　and　undiscovered　suns。　　But　nobody　thought　of　this；
then。

He　was　a　seven…months　child；　and　there　was　no　fanfare　of　welcome　at　his
coming。　　Perhaps　it　was　even　suggested　that；　in　a　house　so　small　and　so
sufficiently　filled；　there　was　no　real　need　of　his　coming　at　all。　　One
Polly　Ann　Buchanan；　who　is　said　to　have　put　the　first　garment　of　any　sort
on　him；　lived　to　boast　of　the　fact；　＇This　honor　has　been　claimed　also
for　Mrs。　　Millie　Upton　and　a　Mrs。　Damrell。　　Probably　all　were　present　and
assisted。＇but　she　had　no　particular　pride　in　that　matter　then。　　It　was
only　a　puny　baby　with　a　wavering　promise　of　life。　　Still；　John　Clemens
must　have　regarded　with　favor　this　first　gift　of　fortune　in　a　new　land；
for　he　named　the　little　boy　Samuel；　after　his　father；　and　added　the　name
of　an　old　and　dear　Virginia　friend；　Langhorne。　　The　family　fortunes　would
seem　to　have　been　improving　at　this　time；　and　he　may　have　regarded　the
arrival　of　another　son　as　a　good　omen。

With　a　family　of　eight；　now；　including　Jennie；　the　slavegirl；　more　room
was　badly　needed；　and　he　began　building　without　delay。　　The　result　was
not　a　mansion；　by　any　means；　being　still　of　the　one…story　pattern；　but　it
was　more　commodious　than　the　tiny　two…room　affair。　　The　rooms　were
larger；　and　there　was　at　least　one　ell；　or　extension；　for　kitchen　and
dining…room　uses。　　This　house；　completed　in　1836；　occupied　by　the　Clemens
family　during　the　remainder　of　the　years　spent　in　Florida；　was　often　in
later　days　pointed　out　as　Mark　Twain's　birthplace。　　It　missed　that
distinction　by　a　few　months；　though　its　honor　was　sufficient　in　having
sheltered　his　early　childhood。　　＇This　house　is　no　longer　standing。
When　it　was　torn　down　several　years　ago；　portions　of　it　were　carried　off
and　manufactured　into　souvenirs。　　Mark　Twain　himself　disclaimed　it　as　his
birthplace；　and　once　wrote　on　a　photograph　of　it：　〃No；　it　is　too　stylish；
it　is　not　my　birthplace。〃＇




IV

BEGINNING　A　LONG　JOURNEY

It　was　not　a　robust　childhood。　　The　new　baby　managed　to　go　through　the
wintera　matter　of　comment　among　the　family　and　neighbors。　　Added
strength　came；　but　slowly；　〃Little　Sam；〃　as　they　called　him；　was　always
delicate　during　those　early　years。

It　was　a　curious　childhood；　full　of　weird；　fantastic　impressions　and
contradictory　influences；　stimulating　alike　to　the　imagination　and　that
embryo　philosophy　of　life　which　begins　almost　with　infancy。　　John　Clemens
seldom　devoted　any　time　to　the　company　of　his　children。　　He　looked　after
their　comfort　and　mental　development　as　well　as　he　could；　and　gave　advice
on　occasion。　　He　bought　a　book　now　and　thensometimes　a　picture…book
and　subscribed　for　Peter　Parley's　Magazine；　a　marvel　of　delight　to　the
older　children；　but　he　did　not　join　in　their　amusements；　and　he　rarely；
or　never；　laughed。　　Mark　Twain　did　not　remember　ever　having　seen　or　heard
his　father　laugh。　　The　problem　of　supplying　food　was　a　somber　one　to　John
Clemens；　also；　he　was　working　on　a　perpetual…motion　machine　at　this
period；　which　absorbed　his　spare　time；　and；　to　the　inventor　at　least；　was
not　a　mirthful　occupation。　　Jane　Clemens　was　busy；　too。　　Her　sense　of
humor　did　not　die；　but　with　added　cares　and　years　her　temper　as　well　as
her　features　became　sharper；　and　it　was　just　as　well　to　be　fairly　out　of
range　when　she　was　busy　with　her　employments。

Little　Sam's　companions　were　his　brothers　and　sisters；　all　older　than
himself：　Orion；　ten　years　his　senior；　followed　by　Pamela　and　Margaret　at
intervals　of　two　and　three　years；　then　by　Benjamin；　a　kindly　little　lad
whose　gentle　life　was　chiefly　devoted　to　looking　after　the　baby　brother；
three　years　his　junior。　　But　in　addition　to　these　associations；　there
were　the　still　more　potent　influences　Of　that　day　and　section；　the
intimate；　enveloping　institution　of　slavery；　the　daily　companionship　of
the　slaves。　　All　the　children　of　that　time　were　fond　of　the　negroes　and
confided　in　them。　　They　would；　in　fact；　have　been　lost　without　such
protection　and　company。

It　was　Jennie；　the　house…girl；　and　Uncle　Ned；　a　man　of　all　work
apparently　acquired　with　the　improved　prospectswho　were　in　real　charge
of　the　children　and　supplied　them　with　entertainment。　　Wonderful
entertainment　it　was。　　That　was　a　time　of　visions　and　dreams；　small。
gossip　and　superstitions。　　Old　tales　were　repeated　over　and　over；　with
adornments　and　improvements　suggested　by　immediate　events。　　At　evening
the　Clemens　children；　big　and　little；　gathered　about　the　great　open
fireplace　while　Jennie　and　Uncle　Ned　told　tales　and　hair…lifting　legends。
Even　a　baby　of　two　or　three　years　could　follow　the　drift　of　this
primitive　telling　and　would　shiver　and　cling　close　with　the　horror　and
delight　of　its　curdling　thrill。　　The　tales　always　began　with　〃Once　'pon　a
time；〃　and　one　of　them　was　the　story　of　the　〃Golden　Arm〃　which　the
smallest　listener　would　one　day　repeat　more　elaborately　to　wider
audiences　in　many　lands。　　Briefly　it　ran　as　follows：

〃Once　'Pon　a　time　there　was　a　man；　and　he　had　a　wife；　and　she　had　a'　arm
of　pure　gold；　and　she　died；　and　they　buried　her　in　the　graveyard；　and　one
night　her　husband　went　and　dug　her　up　and　cut　off　her　golden　arm　and　tuck
it　home；　and　one　night　a　ghost　all　in　white　come　to　him；　and　she　was　his
wife；　and　she　says：

〃W…h…a…r…r's　my　golden　arm？　　W…h…a…r…r's　my　golden　arm？　　W…h…a…r…r's　my
g…o…l…den　arm？〃

As　Uncle　Ned　repeated　these　blood…curdling　questions　he　would　look　first
one　and　then　another　of　his　listeners　in　the　eyes；　with　his　bands　drawn
up　in　front　of　his　breast；　his　fingers　turned　out　and　crooked　like　claws；
while　he　bent　with　each　question　closer　to　the　shrinking　forms　before
him。　　The　tone　was　sepulchral；　with　awful　pause　as　if　waiting　each　time
for　a　reply。　　The　culmination　came　with　a　pounce　on　one　of　the　group；　a
shake　of　the　shoulders；　and　a　shout　of：

〃YOU'VE　got　it！'　and　she　tore　him　all　to　pieces！〃

And　the　children　would　shout　〃Lordy！〃　and　look　furtively　over　their
shoulders；　fearing　to　see　a　woman　in　white　against　the　black　wall；　but；
instead；　only　gloomy；　shapeless　shadows　darted　across　it　as　the
flickering　flames　in　the　fireplace　went　out　on　one　brand　and　flared　up　on
another。　　Then　there　was　a　story　of　a　great　ball　of　fire　that　used　to
follow　lonely　travelers　along　dark　roads　through　the　woods。

〃Once　'pon　a　time　there　was　a　man；　and　he　was　riding　along　de　road　and　he
come　to　a　ha'nted　house；　and　he　heard　de　chains'a…rattlin'　and　a…rattlin'
and　a…rattlin'；　and　a　ball　of　fire　come　rollin'　up　and　got　under　his
stirrup；　and　it　didn't　make　no　difference　if　his　horse　galloped　or　went
slow　or　stood　still；　de　ball　of　fire　staid　under　his　stirrup　till　he　got
plum　to　de　front　do'；　and　his　wife　come　out　and　say：　'My　Gord；　dat's
devil　fire！'　and　she　had　to　work　a　witch　spell　to　drive　it　away。〃

〃How　big　was　it；　Uncle　Ned？〃

〃Oh；　'bout　as　big　as　your　head；　and　I　'spect　it's　likely　to　come　down　dis
yere　chimney　'most　any　time。〃

Certainly　an　atmosphere　like　this　meant　a　tropic　development　for　the
imagination　of　a　delicate　child。　　All　the　games　and　daily　talk　concerned
fanciful　semi…African　conditions　and　strange　primal　possibilities。　　The
children　of　that　day　believed　in　spells　and　charms　and　bad…luck　signs；
all　learned　of　their　negro　guardians。

But　if　the　negroes　were　the　chief　companions　and　protectors　of　the
children；　they　were　likewise　one　of　their　discomforts。　　The　greatest　real
dread　children　knew　was　the　fear　of　meeting　runaway　slaves。　　A　runaway
slave　was　regarded　as　worse　than　a　wild　beast；　and　treated　worse　when
caught。　　Once　the　children　saw　one　brought　into　Florida　by　six　men　who
took　him　to　an　empty　cabin；　where　they　threw　him　on　the　floor　and　bound
him　with