mark twain, a biography, 1835-1866-第36部分

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　　　　　Enterprise。

　　　　　If　they　want　letters　from　herewho'll　run　from　morning　till　night
　　　　　collecting　material　cheaper？　　I'll　write　a　short　letter　twice　a
　　　　　week；　for　the　present　for　the　'Age'；　for　5　per　week。　　Now　it　has
　　　　　been　a　long　time　since　I　couldn't　make　my　own　living；　and　it　shall
　　　　　be　a　long　time　before　I　loaf　another　year。

Nothing　came　of　these　possibilities；　but　about　this　time　Barstow；　of　the
Enterprise；　conferred　with　Joseph　T。　Goodman；　editor　and　owner　of　the
paper；　as　to　the　advisability　of　adding　the　author　of　the　〃Josh〃　letters
to　their　local　staff。　　Joe　Goodman；　who　had　as　keen　a　literary　perception
as　any　man　that　ever　pitched　a　journalistic　tent　on　the　Pacific　coast
（and　there　could　be　no　higher　praise　than　that）；　looked　over　the　letters
and　agreed　with　Barstow　that　the　man　who　wrote　them　had　〃something　in
him。〃　　Two　of　the　sketches　in　particular　he　thought　promising。　　One　of
them　was　a　burlesque　report　of　an　egotistical　lecturer　who　was　referred
to　as　〃Professor　Personal　Pronoun。〃　　It　closed　by　stating　that　it　was
〃impossible　to　print　his　lecture　in　full；　as　the　type…cases　had　run　out
of　capital　I's。〃　　But　it　was　the　other　sketch　which　settled　Goodman's
decision。　　It　was　also　a　burlesque　report；　this　time　of　a　Fourth…of…July
oration。　　It　opened；　〃I　was　sired　by　the　Great　American　Eagle　and　foaled
by　a　continental　dam。〃　　This　was　followed　by　a　string　of　stock　patriotic
phrases　absurdly　arranged。　　But　it　was　the　opening　itself　that　won
Goodman's　heart。

〃That　is　the　sort　of　thing　we　want；〃　he　said。　　〃Write　to　him；　Barstow；
and　ask　him　if　he　wants　to　come　up　here。〃

Barstow　wrote；　offering　twenty…five　dollars　a　week；　a　tempting　sum。　　This
was　at　the　end　of　July；　1862。

In　'Roughing　It'　we　are　led　to　believe　that　the　author　regarded　this　as　a
gift　from　heaven　and　accepted　it　straightaway。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　he
fasted　and　prayed　a　good　while　over　the　〃call。〃　　To　Orion　he　wrote
Barstow　has　offered　me　the　post　as　local　reporter　for　the　Enterprise　at
25　a　week；　and　I　have　written　him　that　I　will　let　him　know　next　mail；　if
possible。

There　was　no　desperate　eagerness；　you　see；　to　break　into　literature；　even
under　those　urgent　conditions。　　It　meant　the　surrender　of　all　hope　in　the
mines；　the　confession　of　another　failure。　　On　August　7th　he　wrote　again
to　Orion。　　He　had　written　to　Barstow；　he　said；　asking　when　they　thought
he　might　be　needed。　　He　was　playing　for　time　to　consider。

Now；　I　shall　leave　at　midnight　to…night；　alone　and　on　foot；　for　a　walk　of
60　or　70　miles　through　a　totally　uninhabited　country；　and　it　is　barely
possible　that　mail　facilities　may　prove　infernally　〃slow。〃　　But　do　you
write　Barstow　that　I　have　left　here　for　a　week　or　so；　and　in　case　he
should　want　me；　he　must　write　me　here；　or　let　me　know　through　you。

So　he　had　gone　into　the　wilderness　to　fight　out　his　battle　alone。　　But
eight　days　later；　when　he　had　returned；　there　was　still　no　decision。　　In
a　letter　to　Pamela　of　this　date　he　refers　playfully　to　the　discomforts　of
his　cabin　and　mentions　a　hope　that　he　will　spend　the　winter　in　San
Francisco；　but　there　is　no　reference　in　it　to　any　newspaper　prospects
nor　to　the　mines；　for　that　matter。　　Phillips；　Howland；　and　Higbie　would
seem　to　have　given　up　by　this　time；　and　he　was　camping　with　Dan　Twing　and
a　dog；　a　combination　amusingly　described。　　It　is　a　pleasant　enough
letter；　but　the　note　of　discouragement　creeps　in：

　　　　　I　did　think　for　a　while　of　going　home　this　fallbut　when　I　found
　　　　　that　that　was；　and　had　been；　the　cherished　intention　and　the　darling
　　　　　aspiration　every　year　of　these　old　care…worn　Californians　for　twelve
　　　　　weary　years；　I　felt　a　little　uncomfortable；　so　I　stole　a　march　on
　　　　　Disappointment　and　said　I　would　not　go　home　this　fall。　　This　country
　　　　　suits　me；　and　it　shall　suit　me　whether　or　no。

He　was　dying　hard；　desperately　hard；　how　could　he　know；　to　paraphrase　the
old　form　of　Christian　comfort；　that　his　end　as　a　miner　would　mean；　in
another　sphere；　〃a　brighter　resurrection〃　than　even　his　rainbow
imagination　could　paint？




XXXVII

THE　NEW　ESTATE

It　was　the　afternoon　of　a　hot；　dusty　August　day　when　a　worn；　travel…
stained　pilgrim　drifted　laggingly　into　the　office　of　the　Virginia　City
Enterprise；　then　in　its　new　building　on　C　Street；　and；　loosening　a　heavy
roll　of　blankets　from　his　shoulders；　dropped　wearily　into　a　chair。　　He
wore　a　rusty　slouch　hat；　no　coat；　a　faded　blue　flannel　shirt；　a　Navy
revolver；　his　trousers　were　hanging　on　his　boot　tops。　　A　tangle　of
reddish…brown　hair　fell　on　his　shoulders；　and　a　mass　of　tawny　beard；
dingy　with　alkali　dust；　dropped　half…way　to　his　waist。

Aurora　lay　one　hundred　and　thirty　miles　from　Virginia。　　He　had　walked
that　distance；　carrying　his　heavy　load。　　Editor　Goodman　was　absent　at　the
moment；　but　the　other　proprietor；　Denis　E。　McCarthy；　signified　that　the
caller　might　state　his　errand。　　The　wanderer　regarded　him　with　a　far…away
look　and　said；　absently　and　with　deliberation：

〃My　starboard　leg　seems　to　be　unshipped。　　I'd　like　about　one　hundred
yards　of　line；　I　think　I　am　falling　to　pieces。〃　　Then　he　added：　〃I　want
to　see　Mr。　Barstow；　or　Mr。　Goodman。　　My　name　is　Clemens；　and　I've　come　to
write　for　the　paper。〃

It　was　the　master　of　the　world's　widest　estate　come　to　claim　his　kingdom：

William　Wright；　who　had　won　a　wide　celebrity　on　the　Coast　as　Dan　de
Quille；　was　in　the　editorial　chair　and　took　charge　of　the　new　arrival。
He　was　going　on　a　trip　to　the　States　soon；　it　was　mainly　on　this　account
that　the　new　man　had　been　engaged。　　The　〃Josh〃　letters　were　very　good；　in
Dan's　opinion；　he　gave　their　author　a　cordial　welcome；　and　took　him
around　to　his　boarding…place。　　It　was　the　beginning　of　an　association
that　continued　during　Samuel　Clemens's　stay　in　Virginia　City　and　of　a
friendship　that　lasted　many　years。

The　Territorial　Enterprise　was　one　of　the　most　remarkable　frontier　papers
ever　published。　　Its　editor…in…chief；　Joseph　Goodman；　was　a　man　with　rare
appreciation；　wide　human　understanding；　and　a　comprehensive　newspaper
policy。　　Being　a　young　man；　he　had　no　policy；　in　fact；　beyond　the　general
purpose　that　his　paper　should　be　a　forum　for　absolutely　free　speech；
provided　any　serious　statement　it　contained　was　based　upon　knowledge。
His　instructions　to　the　new　reporter　were　about　as　follows：

〃Never　say　we　learn　so　and　so；　or　it　is　rumored；　or　we　understand　so　and
so；　but　go　to　headquarters　and　get　the　absolute　facts；　then　speak　out　and
say　it　is　so　and　so。　　In　the　one　case　you　are　likely　to　be　shot；　and　in
the　other　you　are　pretty　certain　to　be；　but　you　will　preserve　the　public
confidence。〃

Goodman　was　not　new　to　the　West。　　He　had　come　to　California　as　a　boy　and
had　been　a　miner；　explorer；　printer；　and　contributor　by　turns。　　Early　in
'61；　when　the　Comstock　Lode　　＇Named　for　its　discoverer；　Henry　T。　P。
Comstock；　a　half…crazy　miner；　who　realized　very　little　from　his
stupendous　find。＇　　was　new　and　Virginia　in　the　first　flush　of　its
monster　boom；　he　and　Denis　McCarthy　had　scraped　together　a　few　dollars
and　bought　the　paper。　　It　had　been　a　hand…to…hand　struggle　for　a　while；
but　in　a　brief　two　years；　from　a　starving　sheet　in　a　shanty　the
Enterprise；　with　new　building；　new　presses；　and　a　corps　of　swift
compositors　brought　up　from　San　Francisco；　had　become　altogether
metropolitan；　as　well　as　the　most　widely　considered　paper　on　the　Coast。
It　had　been　borne　upward　by　the　Comstock　tide；　though　its　fearless；
picturesque　utterance　would　have　given　it　distinction　anywhere。　　Goodman
himself　was　a　fine；　forceful　writer；　and　Dan　de　Quille　and　R。　M。　Daggett
（afterward　United　States　minister　to　Hawaii）　were　representative　of
Enterprise　men。　＇The　Comstock　of　that　day　became　famous　for　its
journalism。　　Associated　with　the　Virginia　papers　then　or　soon　afterward
were　such　men　as　Tom　Fitch　（the　silver…tongued　orator）；　Alf　Doten；　W。　J。
Forbes；　C。　C。　Goodwin；　H。　R。　　Mighels；　Clement　T。　Rice；　Arthur　McEwen；
and　Sam　Davisa　great　array　indeed　for　a　new　Territory。＇

Samuel　Clemens　fitted　precisely　into　this　group。　　He　added　the　fresh；
rugged　vigor　of　thought　and　expression　that　was　the　very　essence　of　the
Comstock；　which　was　like　every　other　frontier　mining…camp；　only　on　a　more
lavish；　more　overwhelming　scale。

There　was　no　uncertainty　about　the　Comstock；　the　silver　and　gold　were
there。　　Flanking　the　foot　of　Mount　Davidson；　the　towns　of　Gold　Hill　and
Virginia　and　the　long　street　between　were　fairly　underburrowed　and
underpinned　by　the　gigantic　mining　construction　of　that　opulent　lode
whose　treasures　were　actually　glutting　the　mineral　markets　of　the　world。
The　streets　overhead　seethed　and　swarmed　with　miners；　mine　owners；　and
adventurersriotous；　rollicking　children　of　fortune；　always　ready　to
drink　and　make　merry；　as　eager　in　their　pursuit　of　pleasure　as　of　gold。
Comstockers　would　always　laugh　at　a　joke；　the　rougher　the　better。　　The
town　of　Virginia　itself　was　just　a　huge　joke　to　most　of　them。　　Everybody
had；　money；　everybody　wanted　to　laugh　and　have　a　good　time。　　The
Enterprise；　〃Comstock　to　the　backbone；〃　did　what　it　could　to　help　things
along。

It　was　a　sort　of　free　ring；　with　every　one　for　himself。　　Goodman　let　the
boys　write　and　print　in　accordance　with　their　own　ideas　and　upon　any
subject。　　Often　they　wrote　of　each　othersquibs　and　burlesques；　which
gratified　the　Comstock　far　more　than　mere　news。　＇The　indifference　to
'news'　was　noblenone　the　less　so　because　it　was　so　blissfully
unconscious。　　Editors　Mark　or　Dan　would　dismiss　a　murder　with　a　couple　of
inches　and　sit　down　and　fill　up　a　column　with　a　fancy　sketch。〃Arthur
McEwen＇　　It　was　the　proper　class…room　for　Mark　Twain；　an　encouraging
audience　and　free　utterance：　fortune　could　have　devised　nothing　better
for　him　than　that。

He　was　peculiarly　fitted　for　the　position。　　Unspoiled　humanity　appealed
to　him；　and　the　Comstock　presented　human　nature　in　its　earliest　landscape
forms。　　Furthermore；　the　Comstock　was　essentially　optimisticso　was　he；
any　hole　in　the　ground　to　him　held　a　possible；　even　a　probable；　fortune。

His　pilot　memory　became　a　valuable　asset　in　news…gathering。　　Remembering
marks；　banks；　sounding；　and　other　river　detail　belong