mark twain, a biography, 1835-1866-第39部分

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of　the　Virginia　City　Union。　　Rice　knew　the　legislative　work　perfectly　and
concluded　to　poke　fun　at　the　Enterprise　letters。

But　this　was　a　mistake。　　Clemens　in　his　next　letter　declared　that　Rice's
reports　might　be　parliamentary　enough；　but　that　they　covered　with
glittering　technicalities　the　most　festering　mass　of　misstatement；　and
even　crime。　　He　avowed　that　they　were　wholly　untrustworthy；　dubbed　the
author　of　them　〃The　Unreliable；〃　and　in　future　letters　never　referred　to
him　by　any　other　term。　　Carson　and　the　Comstock　and　the　papers　of　the
Coast　delighted　in　this　burlesque　journalistic　warfare；　and　Rice　was　〃The
Unreliable〃　for　life。

Rice　and　Clemens；　it　should　be　said；　though　rivals；　were　the　best　of
friends；　and　there　was　never　any　real　animosity　between　them。

Clemens　quickly　became　a　favorite　with　the　members；　his　sharp　letters；
with　their　amusing　turn　of　phrase　and　their　sincerity；　won　general
friendship。　　Jack　Simmons；　speaker　of　the　house；　and　Billy　Clagget；　the
Humboldt　delegation；　were　his　special　cronies　and　kept　him　on　the　inside
of　the　political　machine。　　Clagget　had　remained　in　Unionville　after　the
mining　venture；　warned　his　Keokuk　sweetheart；　and　settled　down　into
politics　and　law。　　In　due　time　he　would　become　a　leading　light　and　go　to
Congress。　　He　was　already　a　notable　figure　of　forceful　eloquence　and
tousled；　unkempt　hair。　　Simmons；　Clagget；　and　Clemens　were　easily　the
three　conspicuous　figures　of　the　session。

It　must　have　been　gratifying　to　the　former　prospector　and　miner　to　come
back　to　Carson　City　a　person　of　consequence；　where　less　than　a　year
before　he　had　been　regarded　as　no　more　than　an　amusing　indolent　fellow；　a
figure　to　smile　at；　but　unimportant。　　There　is　a　photograph　extant　of
Clemens　and　his　friends　Clagget　and　Simmons　in　a　group；　and　we　gather
from　it　that　he　now　arrayed　himself　in　a　long　broadcloth　cloak；　a
starched　shirt；　and　polished　boots。　　Once　more　he　had　become　the　glass　of
fashion　that　he　had　been　on　the　river。　　He　made　his　residence　with　Orion；
whose　wife　and　little　daughter　Jennie　had　by　this　time　come　out　from　the
States。　　〃Sister　Mollie；〃　as　wife　of　the　acting　governor；　was　presently
social　leader　of　the　little　capital；　her　brilliant　brother…in…law　its
chief　ornament。　　His　merriment　and　songs　and　good　nature　made　him　a
favorite　guest。　　His　lines　had　fallen　in　pleasant　places；　he　could　afford
to　smile　at　the　hard　Esmeralda　days。

He　was　not　altogether　satisfied。　　His　letters；　copied　and　quoted　all
along　the　Coast；　were　unsigned。　　They　were　easily　identified　with　one
another；　but　not　with　a　personality。　　He　realized　that　to　build　a
reputation　it　was　necessary　to　fasten　it　to　an　individuality；　a　name。

He　gave　the　matter　a　good　deal　of　thought。　　He　did　not　consider　the　use
of　his　own　name；　the　'nom　de　plume'　was　the　fashion　of　the　time。　　He
wanted　something　brief；　crisp；　definite；　unforgettable。　　He　tried　over　a
good　many　combinations　in　his　mind；　but　none　seemed　convincing。　　Just
thenthis　was　early　in　1863news　came　to　him　that　the　old　pilot　he　had
wounded　by　his　satire；　Isaiah　Sellers；　was　dead。　　At　once　the　pen…name　of
Captain　Sellers　recurred　to　him。　　That　was　it；　that　was　the　sort　of　name
he　wanted。　　It　was　not　trivial；　it　had　all　the　qualitiesSellers　would
never　need　it　again。　　Clemens　decided　he　would　give　it　a　new　meaning　and
new　association　in　this　far…away　land。　　He　went　up　to　Virginia　City。

〃Joe；〃　he　said；　to　Goodman；　〃I　want　to　sign　my　articles。　　I　want　to　be
identified　to　a　wider　audience。〃

〃All　right；　Sam。　　What　name　do　you　want　to　use　'Josh'？〃

〃No；　I　want　to　sign　them　'Mark　Twain。'　It　is　an　old　river　term；　a　leads…
man's　call；　signifying　two　fathomstwelve　feet。　　It　has　a　richness　about
it；　it　was　always　a　pleasant　sound　for　a　pilot　to　hear　on　a　dark　night；
it　meant　safe　water。〃

He　did　not　then　mention　that　Captain　Isaiah　Sellers　had　used　and　dropped
the　name。　　He　was　ashamed　of　his　part　in　that　episode；　and　the　offense
was　still　too　recent　for　confession。　　Goodman　considered　a　moment：

〃Very　well；　Sam；〃　he　said；　〃that　sounds　like　a　good　name。〃

It　was　indeed　a　good　name。　　In　all　the　nomenclature　of　the　world　no　more
forceful　combination　of　words　could　have　been　selected　to　express　the　man
for　whom　they　stood。　　The　name　Mark　Twain　is　as　infinite；　as　fundamental
as　that　of　John　Smith；　without　the　latter's　wasting　distribution　of
strength。　　If　all　the　prestige　in　the　name　of　John　Smith　were　combined　in
a　single　individual；　its　dynamic　energy　might　give　it　the　carrying　power
of　Mark　Twain。　　Let　this　be　as　it　may；　it　has　proven　the　greatest　'nom　de
plume'　ever　chosena　name　exactly　in　accord　with　the　man；　his　work；　and
his　career。

It　is　not　surprising　that　Goodman　did　not　recognize　this　at　the　moment。
We　should　not　guess　the　force　that　lies　in　a　twelve…inch　shell　if　we　had
never　seen　one　before　or　heard　of　its　seismic　destruction。　　We　should
have　to　wait　and　see　it　fired；　and　take　account　of　the　result。

It　was　first　signed　to　a　Carson　letter　bearing　date　of　February　2；　1863；
and　from　that　time　was　attached　to　all　Samuel　Clemens's　work。　　The　work
was　neither　better　nor　worse　than　before；　but　it　had　suddenly　acquired
identification　and　special　interest。　　Members　of　the　legislature　and
friends　in　Virginia　and　Carson　immediately　began　to　address　him　as
〃Mark。〃　　The　papers　of　the　Coast　took　it　up；　and　within　a　period　to　be
measured　by　weeks　he　was　no　longer　〃Sam〃　or　〃Clemens〃　or　〃that　bright
chap　on　the　Enterprise；〃　but　〃Mark〃〃Mark　Twain。〃　　No　'nom　de　plume'　was
ever　so　quickly　and　generally　accepted　as　that。　　De　Quille；　returning
from　the　East　after　an　absence　of　several　months；　found　his　room　and
deskmate　with　the　distinction　of　a　new　name　and　fame。

It　is　curious　that　in　the　letters　to　the　home　folks　preserved　from　that
period　there　is　no　mention　of　his　new　title　and　its　success。　　In　fact；
the　writer　rarely　speaks　of　his　work　at　all；　and　is　more　inclined　to　tell
of　the　mining　shares　he　has　accumulated；　their　present　and　prospective
values。　　However；　many　of　the　letters　are　undoubtedly　missing。　　Such　as
have　been　preserved　are　rather　airy　epistles　full　of　his　abounding　joy　of
life　and　good　nature。　　Also　they　bear　evidence　of　the　renewal　of　his　old
river　habit　of　sending　money　hometwenty　dollars　in　each　letter；　with
intervals　of　a　week　or　so　between。




XLI

THE　CREAM　OF　COMSTOCK　HUMOR

With　the　adjournment　of　the　legislature；　Samuel　Clemens　returned　to
Virginia　City　distinctly　a　notabilityMark　Twain。　　He　was　regarded　as
leading　man　on　the　Enterprisewhich　in　itself　was　high　distinction　on
the　Comstockwhile　his　improved　dress　and　increased　prosperity　commanded
additional　respect。　　When　visitors　of　note　came　alongwell…known　actors；
lecturers；　politicianshe　was　introduced　as　one　of　the　Comstock　features
which　it　was　proper　to　see；　along　with　the　Ophir　and　Gould　and　Curry
mines；　and　the　new　hundred…stamp　quartz…mill。

He　was　rather　grieved　and　hurt；　therefore；　when；　after　several
collections　had　been　taken　up　in　the　Enterprise　office　to　present　various
members　of　the　staff　with　meerschaum　pipes；　none　had　come　to　him。　　He
mentioned　this　apparent　slight　to　Steve　Gillis：

〃Nobody　ever　gives　me　a　meerschaum　pipe；〃　he　said；　plaintively。　　〃Don't　I
deserve　one　yet？〃

Unhappy　day！　　To　that　remorseless　creature；　Steve　Gillis；　this　was　a
golden　opportunity　for　deviltry　of　a　kind　that　delighted　his　soul。　　This
is　the　story；　precisely　as　Gillis　himself　told　it　to　the　writer　of　these
annals　more　than　a　generation　later：

〃There　was　a　German　kept　a　cigar　store　in　Virginia　City　and　always　had　a
fine　assortment　of　meerschaum　pipes。　　These　pipes　usually　cost　anywhere
from　forty　to　seventy…five　dollars。

〃One　day　Denis　McCarthy　and　I　were　walking　by　the　old　German's　place；　and
stopped　to　look　in　at　the　display　in　the　window。　　Among　other　things
there　was　one　large　imitation　meerschaum　with　a　high　bowl　and　a　long
stem；　marked　a　dollar　and　a　half。

〃I　decided　that　that　would　be　just　the　pipe　for　Sam。　　We　went　in　and
bought　it；　also　a　very　much　longer　stem。　　I　think　the　stem　alone　cost
three　dollars。　　Then　we　had　a　little　German…silver　plate　engraved　with
Mark's　name　on　it　and　by　whom　presented；　and　made　preparations　for　the
presentation。　　Charlie　Pope　＇afterward　proprietor　of　Pope's　Theater；
St。　Louis＇　was　playing　at　the　Opera　House　at　the　time；　and　we　engaged
him　to　make　the　presentation　speech。

〃Then　we　let　in　Dan　de　Quille；　Mark's　closest　friend；　to　act　the　part　of
Judasto　tell　Mark　privately　that　he；　was　going　to　be　presented　with　a
fine　pipe；　so　that　he　could　have　a　speech　prepared　in　reply　to　Pope's。
It　was　awful　low…down　in　Dan。　　We　arranged　to　have　the　affair　come　off　in
the　saloon　beneath　the　Opera　House　after　the　play　was　over。

〃Everything　went　off　handsomely；　but　it　was　a　pretty　remorseful　occasion；
and　some　of　us　had　a　hang…dog　look；　for　Sam　took　it　in　such　sincerity；
and　had　prepared　one　of　the　most　beautiful　speeches　I　ever　heard　him
make。　　Pope's　presentation；　too；　was　beautifully　done。　　He　told　Sam　how
his　friends　all　loved　him；　and　that　this　pipe；　purchased　at　so　great　an
expense；　was　but　a　small　token　of　their　affection。　　But　Sam's　reply；
which　was　supposed　to　be　impromptu；　actually　brought　the　tears　to　the
eyes　of　some　of　us；　and　he　was　interrupted　every　other　minute　with
applause。　　I　never　felt　so　sorry　for　anybody。

〃Still；　we　were　bent　on　seeing　the　thing　through。　　After　Sam's　speech　was
finished；　he　ordered　expensive　wineschampagne　and　sparkling　Moselle。
Then　we　went　out　to　do　the　town；　and　kept　things　going　until　morning　to
drown　our　sorrow。

〃Well；　next　day；　of　course；　he　started　in　to　color　the　pipe。　　It　wouldn't
color　any　more　than　a　piece　of　chalk；　which　was　about　all　it　was。　　Sam
would　smoke　and　smoke；　and　complain　that　it　didn't　seem　to　taste　right；
and　that　it　wouldn't　color。　　Finally　Denis　said　to　him　one　day：

〃'Oh；　Sam；　don't　you　know　that's　just　a　damned　old　egg…shell；　and　that
the　boys　bought　it　for　a　dollar　and　a　half　and　presented　you　with　it　for
a　joke？'

〃Then　Sam　was　furious；　and　we　laid　the　whole　thing　on　Dan　de　Quille。　　He
had　a　thunder…cloud　on　his　face　when　he　started　up　for　the　Loc