mark twain, a biography, 1835-1866-第31部分

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been　fatal　to　festivities　of　welcome。

Carson　City；　the　capital　of　Nevada；　was　a　〃wooden　town；〃　with　a
population　of　two　thousand　souls。　　Its　main　street　consisted　of　a　few
blocks　of　small　frame　stores；　some　of　which　are　still　standing。　　In
'Roughing　It'　the　author　writes：

　　　　　In　the　middle　of　the　town；　opposite　the　stores；　was　a　〃Plaza；〃　which
　　　　　is　native　to　all　towns　beyond　the　Rocky　Mountains；　a　large；
　　　　　unfenced；　level　vacancy　with　a　Liberty　Pole　in　it；　and　very　useful
　　　　　as　a　place　for　public　auctions；　horse　trades；　and　mass…meetings；　and
　　　　　likewise　for　teamsters　to　camp　in。　　Two　other　sides　of　the　Plaza
　　　　　were　faced　by　stores；　offices；　and　stables。　　The　rest　of　Carson　City
　　　　　was　pretty　scattering。

One　sees　the　place　pretty　clearly　from　this　brief　picture　of　his；　but　it
requires　an　extract　from　a　letter　written　to　his　mother　somewhat　later　to
populate　it。　　The　mineral　excitement　was　at　its　height　in　those　days　of
the　early　sixties；　and　had　brought　together　such　a　congress　of　nations　as
only　the　greed　for　precious　metal　can　assemble。　　The　sidewalks　and
streets　of　Carson；　and　the　Plaza；　thronged　all　day　with　a　motley
aggregationa　museum　of　races；　which　it　was　an　education　merely　to　gaze
upon。　　Jane　Clemens　had　required　him　to　write　everything　just　as　it　was
〃no　better　and　no　worse。〃

　　　　　Well　＇he　says＇；　〃Gold　Hill〃　sells　at　5；000　per　foot；　cash　down；
　　　　　〃Wild　Cat〃　isn't　worth　ten　cents。　　The　country　is　fabulously　rich　in
　　　　　gold；　silver；　copper；　lead；　coal；　iron；　quicksilver；　marble；
　　　　　granite；　chalk；　plaster　of　Paris　（gypsum）；　thieves；　murderers；
　　　　　desperadoes；　ladies；　children；　lawyers；　Christians；　Indians；
　　　　　Chinamen；　Spaniards；　gamblers；　sharpens；　coyotes　（pronounced　ki…yo…
　　　　　ties）；　poets；　preachers；　and　jackass　rabbits。　　I　overheard　a
　　　　　gentleman　say；　the　other　day；　that　it　was　〃the　d…dest　country
　　　　　under　the　sun；〃　and　that　comprehensive　conception　I　fully　subscribe
　　　　　to。　　It　never　rains　here；　and　the　dew　never　falls。　　No　flowers　grow
　　　　　here；　and　no　green　thing　gladdens　the　eye。　　The　birds　that　fly　over
　　　　　the　land　carry　their　provisions　with　them。　　Only　the　crow　and　the
　　　　　raven　tarry　with　us。　　Our　city　lies　in　the　midst　of　a　desert　of　the
　　　　　purest；　most　unadulterated　and　uncompromising　sand；　in　which
　　　　　infernal　soil　nothing　but　that　fag…end　of　vegetable　creation；　〃sage…
　　　　　brush；〃　ventures　to　grow。　。　　。　　。　　I　said　we　are　situated　in　a　flat；
　　　　　sandy　deserttrue。　　And　surrounded　on　all　sides　by　such　prodigious
　　　　　mountains　that　when　you　look　disdainfully　down　（from　them）　upon　the
　　　　　insignificant　village　of　Carson；　in　that　instant　you　are　seized　with
　　　　　a　burning　desire　to　stretch　forth　your　hand；　put　the　city　in　your
　　　　　pocket；　and　walk　off　with　it。

　　　　　As　to　churches；　I　believe　they　have　got　a　Catholic　one　here；　but；
　　　　　like　that　one　the　New　York　fireman　spoke　of；　I　believe　〃they　don't
　　　　　run　her　now。〃

Carson　has　been　through　several　phases　of　change　since　this　was　written
for　better　and　for　worse。　　It　is　a　thriving　place　in　these　later　days；
and　new　farming　conditions　have　improved　the　country　roundabout。　　But　it
was　a　desert　outpost　then；　a　catch…all　for　the　human　drift　which　every
whirlwind　of　discovery　sweeps　along。　　Gold　and　silver　hunting　and　mine
speculations　were　the　industriesgambling；　drinking；　and　murder　were　the
diversionsof　the　Nevada　capital。　　Politics　developed　in　due　course；
though　whether　as　a　business　or　a　diversion　is　not　clear　at　this　time。

The　Clemens　brothers　took　lodging　with　a　genial　Irishwoman；　Mrs。　Murphy；
a　New　York　retainer　of　Governor　Nye；　who　boarded　the　camp…followers。　
＇The　Mrs；　O'Flannigan　of　'Roughing　It'。＇　　This　retinue　had　come　in　the
hope　of　Territorial　pickings　and　mine　adventuresoldiers　of　fortune　they
were；　and　a　good…natured　lot　all　together。　　One　of　them；　Bob　Howland；　a
nephew　of　the　governor；　attracted　Samuel　Clemens　by　his　clean…cut　manner
and　commanding　eye。

〃The　man　who　has　that　eye　doesn't　need　to　go　armed；〃　he　wrote　later。　　〃He
can　move　upon　an　armed　desperado　and　quell　him　and　take　him　a　prisoner
without　saying　a　single　word。〃　　It　was　the　same　Bob　Howland　who　would　be
known　by　and　by　as　the　most　fearless　man　in　the　Territory；　who；　as　city
marshal　of　Aurora；　kept　that　lawless　camp　in　subjection；　and；　when　the
friends　of　a　lot　of　condemned　outlaws　were　threatening　an　attack　with
general　massacre；　sent　the　famous　message　to　Governor　Nye：　　〃All　quiet　in
Aurora。　　Five　men　will　be　hung　in　an　hour。〃　　And　it　was　quiet；　and　the
programme　was　carried　out。　　But　this　is　a　digression　and　somewhat
premature。

Orion　Clemens；　anxious　for　laurels；　established　himself　in　the　meager
fashion　which　he　thought　the　government　would　approve；　and　his　brother；
finding　neither　duties　nor　salary　attached　to　his　secondary　position；
devoted　himself　mainly　to　the　study　of　human　nature　as　exhibited　under
frontier　conditions。　　Sometimes；　when　the　nights　were　cool；　he　would
build　a　fire　in　the　office　stove；　and；　with　Bob　Howland　and　a　few　other
choice　members　of　the　〃Brigade〃　gathered　around；　would　tell　river　yarns
in　that　inimitable　fashion　which　would　win　him　devoted　audiences　all　his
days。　　His　river　life　had　increased　his　natural　languor　of　habit；　and　his
slow　speech　heightened　the　lazy　impression　which　he　was　never　unwilling
to　convey。　　His　hearers　generally　regarded　him　as　an　easygoing；　indolent
good　fellow　with　a　love　of　humorwith　talent；　perhapsbut　as　one　not
likely　ever　to　set　the　world　afire。　　They　did　not　happen　to　think　that
the　same　inclination　which　made　them　crowd　about　to　listen　and　applaud
would　one　day　win　for　him　the　attention　of　all　mankind。

Within　a　brief　time　Sam　Clemens　（he　was　never　known　as　otherwise　than
〃Sam〃　among　those　pioneers）　was　about　the　most　conspicuous　figure　on　the
Carson　streets。　　His　great　bushy　head　of　auburn　hair；　his　piercing；
twinkling　eyes；　his　loose；　lounging　walk；　his　careless　disorder　of　dress；
drew　the　immediate　attention　even　of　strangers；　made　them　turn　to　look　a
second　time　and　then　inquire　as　to　his　identity。

He　had　quickly　adapted　himself　to　the　frontier　mode。　　Lately　a　river
sovereign　and　dandy；　in　fancy　percales　and　patent　leathers；　he　had　become
the　roughest　of　rough…clad　pioneers；　in　rusty　slouch　hat；　flannel　shirt；
coarse　trousers　slopping　half　in　and　half　out　of　the　heavy　cowskin　boots
Always　something　of　a　barbarian　in　love　with　the　loose　habit　of
unconvention；　he　went　even　further　than　others　and　became　a　sort　of
paragon　of　disarray。　　The　more　energetic　citizens　of　Carson　did　not
prophesy　much　for　his　future　among　them。　　Orion　Clemens；　with　the　stir
and　bustle　of　the　official　new　broom；　earned　their　quick　respect；　but　his
brotherwell；　they　often　saw　him　leaning　for　an　hour　or　more　at　a　time
against　an　awning　support　at　the　corner　of　King　and　Carson　streets；
smoking　a　short　clay　pipe　and　staring　drowsily　at　the　human　kaleidoscope
of　the　Plaza；　scarcely　changing　his　position；　just　watching；　studying；
lost　in　contemplationall　of　which　was　harmless　enough；　of　course；　but
how　could　any　one　ever　get　a　return　out　of　employment　like　that？

Samuel　Clemens　did　not　catch　the　mining　fever　immediately；　there　was　too
much　to　see　at　first　to　consider　any　special　undertaking。　　The　mere
coming　to　the　frontier　was　for　the　present　enough；　he　had　no　plans。　　His
chief　purpose　was　to　see　the　world　beyond　the　Rockies；　to　derive　from　it
such　amusement　and　profit　as　might　fall　in　his　way。　　The　war　would　end；
by　and　by；　and　he　would　go　back　to　the　river；　no　doubt。　　He　was　already
not　far　from　homesick　for　the　〃States〃　and　his　associations　there。　　He
closed　one　letter：

　　　　　I　heard　a　military　band　play　〃What　Are　the　Wild　Waves　Saying〃　the
　　　　　other　night；　and　it　brought　Ella　Creel　and　Belle　（Stotts）　across　the
　　　　　desert　in　an　instant；　for　they　sang　the　song　in　Orion's　yard　the
　　　　　first　time　I　ever　heard　it。　　It　was　like　meeting　an　old　friend。　　I
　　　　　tell　you　I　could　have　swallowed　that　whole　band；　trombone　and　all；
　　　　　if　such　a　compliment　would　have　been　any　gratification　to　them。

His　friends　contracted　the　mining　mania；　Bob　Howland　and　Raish　Phillips
went　down　to　Aurora　and　acquired　〃feet〃　in　mini…claims　and　wrote　him
enthusiastic　letters。　　With　Captain　Nye；　the　governor's　brother；　he
visited　them　and　was　presented　with　an　interest　which　permitted　him　to
contribute　an　assessment　every　now　and　then　toward　the　development　of　the
mine；　but　his　enthusiasm　still　languished。

He　was　interested　more　in　the　native　riches　above　ground　than　in　those
concealed　under　it。　　He　had　heard　that　the　timber　around　Lake　Bigler
（Tahoe）　promised　vast　wealth　which　could　be　had　for　the　asking。　　The　lake
itself　and　the　adjacent　mountains　were　said　to　be　beautiful　beyond　the
dream　of　art。　　He　decided　to　locate　a　timber　claim　on　its　shores。

He　made　the　trip　afoot　with　a　young　Ohio　lad；　John　Kinney；　and　the
account　of　this　trip　as　set　down　in　'Roughing　It'　is　one　of　the　best
things　in　the　book。　　The　lake　proved　all　they　had　expectedmore　than
they　expected；　it　was　a　veritable　habitation　of　the　gods；　with　its
delicious；　winy　atmosphere；　its　vast　colonnades　of　pines；　its　measureless
depths　of　water；　so　clear　that　to　drift　on　it　was　like　floating　high
aloft　in　mid…nothingness。　　They　staked　out　a　timber　claim　and　made　a
semblance　of　fencing　it　and　of　building　a　habitation；　to　comply　with　the
law；　but　their　chief　employment　was　a　complete　abandonment　to　the　quiet
luxury　of　that　dim　solitude：　wandering　among　the　trees；　lounging　along
the　shore；　or　drifting　on　that　transparent；　insubstantial　sea。　　They　did
not　sleep　in　their　house；　he　says：

〃It　never　occurred　to　us；　for　one　thing；　and；　besides；　it　was　built　to
hold　the　ground；　and　that　was　enough。　　We　did　not　wish　to　strain　it。〃

They　lived　by　their　camp…fire　on　the　borders　of　the　lake；　and　one　dayit
was　just　at　nightfallit　got　away　from　them；　fired　the　forest；　and
destroyed　their　fence　and　habitation。　　His　picture　in　'Roughing　It'　of
the　superb　night　spectacle；　the　mighty　mountain　conflagration　reflected
in　the　waters　of　the　lake；　is　splendidly　vivid。　　The　reader　may　wish　to
compare　it　with　this　extract　from　a