mark twain, a biography, 1835-1866-第38部分

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matter。　　It　is　perhaps　the　greatest　definition　ever　uttered。　　It　is
absolutely　universal　in　its　application；　and　it　recurs　now；　remembering
Mark　Twain's　profanity。　　For　it　was　rarely　misplaced；　hence　it　did　not
often　offend。　　It　seemed；　in　fact；　the　safety…valve　of　his　high…pressure
intellectual　engine。　　When　he　had　blown　off　he　was　always　calm；　gentle；
forgiving；　and　even　tender。　　Once　following　an　outburst　he　said；
placidly：

〃In　certain　trying　circumstances；　urgent　circumstances；　desperate
circumstances；　profanity　furnishes　a　relief　denied　even　to　prayer。〃

It　seems　proper　to　add　that　it　is　not　the　purpose　of　this　work　to　magnify
or　modify　or　excuse　that　extreme　example　of　humankind　which　forms　its
chief　subject；　but　to　set　him　down　as　he　was　inadequately；　of　course；　but
with　good　conscience　and　clear　intent。

Led　by　Steve　Gillis；　the　Enterprise　force　used　to　devise　tricks　to　set
him　going。　　One　of　these　was　to　hide　articles　from　his　desk。　　He　detested
the　work　necessary　to　the　care　of　a　lamp；　and　wrote　by　the　light　of　a
candle。　　To　hide　〃Sam's　candle〃　was　a　sure　way　to　get　prompt　and　vigorous
return。　　He　would　look　for　it　a　little；　then　he　would　begin　a　slow；
circular　walka　habit　acquired　in　the　limitations　of　the　pilot…house
and　his　denunciation　of　the　thieves　was　like　a　great　orchestration　of
wrong。　　By　and　by　the　office　boy；　supposedly　innocent；　would　find　another
for　him；　and　all　would　be　forgotten。　　He　made　a　placard；　labeled　with
fearful　threats　and　anathemas；　warning　any　one　against　touching　his
candle；　but　one　night　both　the　placard　and　the　candle　were　gone。

Now；　amoung　his　Virginia　acquaintances　was　a　young　minister；　a　Mr。
Rising；　〃the　fragile；　gentle　new　fledgling〃　of　the　Buck　Fanshaw　episode。
Clemens　greatly　admired　Mr。　Rising's　evident　sincerity；　and　the　young
minister　had　quickly　recognized　the　new　reporter's　superiority　of　mind。
Now　and　then　he　came　to　the　office　to　call　on　him。　　Unfortunately；　he
happened　to　step　in　just　at　that　moment　when；　infuriated　by　the　latest
theft　of　his　property；　Samuel　Clemens　was　engaged　in　his　rotary
denunciation　of　the　criminals；　oblivious　of　every　other　circumstance。
Mr。　Rising　stood　spellbound　by　this；　to　him；　new　phase　of　genius；　and　at
last　his　friend　became　dimly　aware　of　him。　　He　did　not　halt　in　his
scathing　treadmill　and　continued　in　the　slow　monotone　of　speech：

〃I　know；　Mr。　Rising；　I　know　it's　wicked　to　talk　like　this；　I　know　it　is
wrong。　　I　know　I　shall　certainly　go　to　hell　for　it。　　But　if　you　had　a
candle；　Mr。　Rising；　and　those　thieves　should　carry　it　off　every　night；　I
know　that　you　would　say；　just　as　I　say；　Mr。　Rising；　G…d　dn　their
impenitent　souls；　may　they　roast　in　hell　for　a　million　years。〃

The　little　clergyman　caught　his　breath。

〃Maybe　I　should；　Mr。　Clemens；〃　he　replied；　〃but　I　should　try　to　say；
'Forgive　them；　Father；　they　know　not　what　they　do。'〃

〃Oh；　well！　if　you　put　it　on　the　ground　that　they　are　just　fools；　that
alters　the　case；　as　I　am　one　of　that　class　myself。　　Come　in　and　we'll　try
to　forgive　them　and　forget　about　it。〃

＇Mark　Twain　had　a　good　many　experiences　with　young　ministers。　　He　was
always　fond　of　them；　and　they　often　sought　him　out。　　Once；　long
afterward；　at　a　hotel；　he　wanted　a　boy　to　polish　his　shoes；　and　had　rung
a　number　of　times　without　getting　any　response。　　Presently；　he　thought　he
heard　somebody　approaching　in　the　hall　outside。　　He　flung　open　the　door；
and　a　small；　youngish…looking　person；　who　seemed　to　have　been　hesitating
at　the　door；　made　a　movement　as　though　to　depart　hastily。　　Clemens
grabbed　him　by　the　collar。

〃Look　here；〃　he　said；　〃I've　been　waiting　and　ringing　here　for　half　an
hour。　　Now　I　want　you　to　take　those　shoes；　and　polish　them；　quick。　　Do
you　hear？〃

The　slim；　youthful　person　trembled　a　good　deal；　and　said：　〃I　would；　Mr。
Clemens；　I　would　indeed；　sir；　if　I　could。　　But　I'm　a　minister　of　the
Gospel；　and　I'm　not　prepared　for　such　work。〃




XXXIX

PHILOSOPHY　AND　POETRY

There　was　a　side　to　Samuel　Clemens　that　in　those　days　few　of　his
associates　saw。　　This　was　the　poetic；　the　philosophic；　the　contemplative
side。　　Joseph　Goodman　recognized　this　phase　of　his　character；　and；　while
he　perhaps　did　not　regard　it　as　a　future　literary　asset；　he　delighted　in
it；　and　in　their　hours　of　quiet　association　together　encouraged　its
exhibition。　　It　is　rather　curious　that　with　all　his　literary　penetration
Goodman　did　not　dream　of　a　future　celebrity　for　Clemens。　　He　afterward
said：

〃If　I　had　been　asked　to　prophesy　which　of　the　two　men；　Dan　de　Quille　or
Sam；　would　become　distinguished；　I　should　have　said　De　Quille。　　Dan　was
talented；　industrious；　and；　for　that　time　and　place；　brilliant。　　Of
course；　I　recognized　the　unusualness　of　Sam's　gifts；　but　he　was　eccentric
and　seemed　to　lack　industry；　it　is　not　likely　that　I　should　have
prophesied　fame　for　him　then。〃

Goodman；　like　MacFarlane　in　Cincinnati；　half　a　dozen　years　before；　though
by　a　different　method；　discovered　and　developed　the　deeper　vein。　　Often
the　two；　dining　together　in　a　French　restaurant；　discussed　life；　subtler
philosophies；　recalled　various　phases　of　human　history；　remembered　and
recited　the　poems　that　gave　them　especial　enjoyment。　　〃The　Burial　of
Moses；〃　with　its　noble　phrasing　and　majestic　imagery；　appealed　strongly
to　Clemens；　and　he　recited　it　with　great　power。　　The　first　stanza　in
particular　always　stirred　him；　and　it　stirred　his　hearer　as　well。　　With
eyes　half　closed　and　chin　lifted；　a　lighted　cigar　between　his　fingers；　he
would　lose　himself　in　the　music　of　the　stately　lines。

　　　　　　　　　　By　Nebo's　lonely　mountain；
　　　　　　　　　　On　this　side　Jordan's　wave；
　　　　　　　　　　In　a　vale　in　the　land　of　Moab；
　　　　　　　　　　There　lies　a　lonely　grave。

　　　　　　　　　　And　no　man　knows　that　sepulchre；
　　　　　　　　　　And　no　man　saw　it　e'er；
　　　　　　　　　　For　the　angels　of　God；　upturned　the　sod；
　　　　　　　　　　And　laid　the　dead　man　there。

Another　stanza　that　he　cared　for　almost　as　much　was　the　one　beginning：

　　　　　　　　　　And　had　he　not　high　honor
　　　　　　　　　　The　hill…side　for　a　pall；
　　　　　　　　　　To　lie　in　state　while　angels　wait
　　　　　　　　　　With　stars　for　tapers　tall；
　　　　　　　　　　And　the　dark　rock…pines；　like　tossing　plumes；
　　　　　　　　　　Over　his　bier　to　wave；
　　　　　　　　　　And　God's　own　hand　in　that　lonely　land；
　　　　　　　　　　To　lay　him　in　the　grave？

Without　doubt　he　was　moved　to　emulate　the　simple　grandeur　of　that　poem；
for　he　often　repeated　it　in　those　days；　and　somewhat　later　we　find　it
copied　into　his　notebook　in　full。　　It　would　seem　to　have　become　to　him　a
sort　of　literary　touchstone；　and　in　some　measure　it　may　be　regarded　as
accountable　for　the　fact　that　in　the　fullness　of　time　〃he　made　use　of　the
purest　English　of　any　modern　writer。〃　　These　are　Goodman's　words；　though
William　Dean　Howells　has　said　them；　also；　in　substance；　and　Brander
Matthews；　and　many　others　who　know　about　such　things。　　Goodman　adds；　〃The
simplicity　and　beauty　of　his　style　are　almost　without　a　parallel；　except
in　the　common　version　of　the　Bible；〃　which　is　also　true。　　One　is　reminded
of　what　Macaulay　said　of　Milton：

〃There　would　seem　at　first　sight　to　be　no　more　in　his　words　than　in　other
words。　　But　they　are　words　of　enchantment。　　No　sooner　are　they　pronounced
than　the　past　is　present　and　the　distance　near。　　New　forms　of　beauty
start　at　once　into　existence；　and　all　the　burial…places　of　the　memory
give　up　their　dead。〃

One　drifts　ahead；　remembering　these　things。　　The　triumph　of　words；　the
mastery　of　phrases；　lay　all　before　him　at　the　time　of　which　we　are
writing　now。　　He　was　twenty…seven。　　At　that　age　Rudyard　Kipling　had
reached　his　meridian。　　Samuel　Clemens　was　still　in　the　classroom。
Everything　came　as　a　lesson…phrase；　form；　aspect；　and　combination；
nothing　escaped　unvalued。　　The　poetic　phase　of　things　particularly
impressed　him。　　Once　at　a　dinner　with　Goodman；　when　the　lamp…light　from
the　chandelier　struck　down　through　the　claret　on　the　tablecloth　in　a
great　red　stain；　he　pointed　to　it　dramatically　〃Look；　Joe；〃　he　said；　〃the
angry　tint　of　wine。〃

It　was　at　one　of　these　private　sessions；　late　in　'62；　that　Clemens
proposed　to　report　the　coming　meeting　of　the　Carson　legislature。　　He　knew
nothing　of　such　work　and　had　small　knowledge　of　parliamentary
proceedings。　　Formerly　it　had　been　done　by　a　man　named　Gillespie；　but
Gillespie　was　now　clerk　of　the　house。　　Goodman　hesitated；　then；
remembering　that　whether　Clemens　got　the　reports　right　or　not；　he　would
at　least　make　them　readable；　agreed　to　let　him　undertake　the　work。





XL

〃MARK　TWAIN〃

The　early　Nevada　legislature　was　an　interesting　assembly。　　All　State
legislatures　are　that；　and　this　was　a　mining　frontier。　　No　attempt　can　be
made　to　describe　it。　　It　was　chiefly　distinguished　for　a　large　ignorance
of　procedure；　a　wide　latitude　of　speech；　a　noble　appreciation　of　humor；
and　plenty　of　brains。　　How　fortunate　Mask　Twain　was　in　his　schooling；　to
be　kept　away　from　institutional　training；　to　be　placed　in　one　after
another　of　those　universities　of　life　where　the　sole　curriculum　is　the
study　of　the　native　inclinations　and　activities　of　mankind！　　Sometimes；
in　after…years；　he　used　to　regret　the　lack　of　systematic　training。　　Well
for　himand　for　usthat　he　escaped　that　blight。

For　the　study　of　human　nature　the　Nevada　assembly　was　a　veritable
lecture…room。　　In　it　his　understanding；　his　wit；　his　phrasing；　his　self…
assuredness　grew　like　Jack's　bean…stalk；　which　in　time　was　ready　to　break
through　into　a　land　above　the　sky。　　He　made　some　curious　blunders　in　his
reports；　in　the　beginning；　but　he　was　so　frank　in　his　ignorance　and　in
his　confession　of　it　that　the　very　unsophistication　of　his　early　letters
became　their　chief　charm。　　Gillespie　coached　him　on　parliamentary
matters；　and　in　time　the　reports　became　technically　as　well　as
artistically　good。　　Clemens　in　return　christened　Gillespie　〃Young；
Jefferson's　Manual；〃　a　title　which　he　bore；　rather　proudly　indeed；　for
many　years。

Another　〃entitlement〃　growing　out　of　those　early　reports；　and　possibly
less　satisfactory　to　its　owner；　was　the　one　accorded　to　Clement　T。　Rice；
of　the　Virginia　City　Union。　　Rice　knew　the　legislative　work　perfectly　and
concluded　to　poke　fun　at　the　Enterprise　letters。

But　th