mark twain, a biography, 1835-1866-第5部分

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optimist　of　all　that　guileless　race。　　To　James　Lampton　the　land　always
had　〃millions　in　it〃everything　had。　　He　made　stupendous　fortunes　daily；
in　new　ways。　　The　bare　mention　of　the　Tennessee　land　sent　him　off　into
figures　that　ended　with　the　purchase　of　estates　in　England　adjoining
those　of　the　Durham　Lamptons；　whom　he　always　referred　to　as　〃our
kindred；〃　casually　mentioning　the　whereabouts　and　health　of　the　〃present
earl。〃　　Mark　Twain　merely　put　James　Lampton　on　paper　when　he　created
Colonel　Sellers；　and　the　story　of　the　Hawkins　family　as　told　in　The
Gilded　Age　reflects　clearly　the　struggle　of　those　days。　　The　words
〃Tennessee　land；〃　with　their　golden　promise；　became　his　earliest
remembered　syllables。　　He　grew　to　detest　them　in　time；　for　they　came　to
mean　mockery。

One　of　the　offers　received　was　the　trifling　sum　of　two　hundred　and　fifty
dollars；　and　such　was　the　moment's　need　that　even　this　was　considered。
Then；　of　course；　it　was　scornfully　refused。　　In　some　autobiographical
chapters　which　Orion　Clemens　left　behind　he　said：

〃If　we　had　received　that　two　hundred　and　fifty　dollars；　it　would　have
been　more　than　we　ever　made；　clear　of　expenses；　out　of　the　whole　of　the
Tennessee　land；　after　forty　years　of　worry　to　three　generations。〃

What　a　less　speculative　and　more　logical　reasoner　would　have　done　in　the
beginning；　John　Clemens　did　now；　he　selected　a　place　which；　though　little
more　than　a　village；　was　on　a　river　already　navigablea　steamboat　town
with　at　least　the　beginnings　of　manufacturing　and　trade　already
establishedthat　is　to　say；　Hannibal；　Missouria　point　well　chosen；　as
shown　by　its　prosperity　to…day。

He　did　not　delay　matters。　　When　he　came　to　a　decision；　he　acted　quickly。
He　disposed　of　a　portion　of　his　goods　and　shipped　the　remainder　overland；
then；　with　his　family　and　chattels　loaded　in　a　wagon；　he　was　ready　to　set
out　for　the　new　home。　　Orion　records　that；　for　some　reason；　his　father
did　not　invite　him　to　get　into　the　wagon；　and　how；　being　always　sensitive
to　slight；　he　had　regarded　this　in　the　light　of　deliberate　desertion。

〃The　sense　of　abandonment　caused　my　heart　to　ache。　　The　wagon　had　gone　a
few　feet　when　I　was　discovered　and　invited　to　enter。　　How　I　wished　they
had　not　missed　me　until　they　had　arrived　at　Hannibal。　　Then　the　world
would　have　seen　how　I　was　treated　and　would　have　cried　'Shame！'〃

This　incident；　noted　and　remembered；　long　after　became　curiously　confused
with　another；　in　Mark　Twain's　mind。　　In　an　autobiographical　chapter
published　in　The　North　American　Review　he　tells　of　the　move　to　Hannibal
and　relates　that　he　himself　was　left　behind　by　his　absentminded　family。
The　incident　of　his　own　abandonment　did　not　happen　then；　but　later；　and
somewhat　differently。　　It　would　indeed　be　an　absent…minded　family　if　the
parents；　and　the　sister　and　brothers　ranging　up　to　fourteen　years　of　age；
should　drive　off　leaving　Little　Sam；　age　four；　behind。

＇As　mentioned　in　the　Prefatory　Note；　Mark　Twain's　memory　played　him
many　tricks　in　later　life。　　Incidents　were　filtered　through　his　vivid
imagination　until　many　of　them　bore　little　relation　to　the　actual
occurrence。　　Some　of　these　lapses　were　only　amusing；　but　occasionally
they　worked　an　unintentional　injustice。　　It　is　the　author's　purpose　in
every　instance；　so　far　as　is　possible；　to　keep　the　record　straight。＇




VII

THE　LITTLE　TOWN　OF　HANNIBAL

Hannibal　in　1839　was　already　a　corporate　community　and　had　an　atmosphere
of　its　own。　　It　was　a　town　with　a　distinct　Southern　flavor；　though　rather
more　astir　than　the　true　Southern　community　of　that　period；　more　Western
in　that　it　planned；　though　without　excitement；　certain　new　enterprises
and　made　a　show；　at　least；　of　manufacturing。　　It　was　somnolent　（a　slave
town　could　not　be　less　than　that）；　but　it　was　not　wholly　asleepthat　is
to　say；　deadand　it　was　tranquilly　content。　　Mark　Twain　remembered　it　as
〃the　white　town　drowsing　in　the　sunshine　of　a　summer　morning；。　　。　　。　　the
great　Mississippi；　the　magnificent　Mississippi；　rolling　its　mile…wide
tide　along；　。　　。　　。　　the　dense　forest　away　on　the　other　side。〃

The　little　city　was　proud　of　its　scenery；　and　justly　so：　circled　with
bluffs；　with　Holliday's　Hill　on　the　north；　Lover's　Leap　on　the　south；　the
shining　river　in　the　foreground；　there　was　little　to　be　desired　in　the
way　of　setting。

The　river；　of　course；　was　the　great　highway。　　Rafts　drifted　by；
steamboats　passed　up　and　down　and　gave　communication　to　the　outside
world；　St。　Louis；　the　metropolis；　was　only　one　hundred　miles　away。
Hannibal　was　inclined　to　rank　itself　as　of　next　importance；　and　took　on
airs　accordingly。　　It　had　society；　tooall　kindsfrom　the　negroes　and
the　town　drunkards　（〃General〃　Gaines　and　Jimmy　Finn；　later；　Old　Ben
Blankenship）　up　through　several　nondescript　grades　of　mechanics　and
tradesmen　to　the　professional　men　of　the　community；　who　wore　tall　hats；
ruffled　shirt…fronts；　and　swallow…tail　coats；　usually　of　some　positive
color…blue；　snuff…brown；　and　green。　　These　and　their　families　constituted
the　true　aristocracy　of　the　Southern　town。　　Most　of　them　had　pleasant
homesbrick　or　large　frame　mansions；　with　colonnaded　entrances；　after
the　manner　of　all　Southern　architecture　of　that　period；　which　had　an
undoubted　Greek　root；　because　of　certain　drawing…books；　it　is　said；
accessible　to　the　builders　of　those　days。　　Most　of　them；　also；　had　means
slaves　and　land　which　yielded　an　income　in　addition　to　their
professional　earnings。　　They　lived　in　such　style　as　was　considered
fitting　to　their　rank；　and　had　such　comforts　as　were　then　obtainable。

It　was　to　this　grade　of　society　that　judge　Clemens　and　his　family
belonged；　but　his　means　no　longer　enabled　him　to　provide　either　the
comforts　or　the　ostentation　of　his　class。　　He　settled　his　family　and
belongings　in　a　portion　of　a　house　on　Hill　Streetthe　Pavey　Hotel；　his
merchandise　he　established　modestly　on　Main　Street；　with　Orion；　in　a　new
suit　of　clothes；　as　clerk。　　Possibly　the　clothes　gave　Orion　a　renewed
ambition　for　mercantile　life；　but　this　waned。　　Business　did　not　begin
actively；　and　he　was　presently　dreaming　and　reading　away　the　time。　　A
little　later　he　became　a　printer's　apprentice；　in　the　office　of　the
Hannibal　Journal；　at　his　father's　suggestion。

Orion　Clemens　perhaps　deserves　a　special　word　here。　　He　was　to　be　much
associated　with　his　more　famous　brother　for　many　years；　and　his
personality　as　boy　and　man　is　worth　at　least　a　casual　consideration。
He　was　fifteen　now；　and　had　developed　characteristics　which　in　a　greater
or　less　degree　were　to　go　with　him　through　life。　　Of　a　kindly；　loving
disposition；　like　all　of　the　Clemens　children；　quick　of　temper；　but
always　contrite；　or　forgiving；　he　was　never　without　the　fond　regard　of
those　who　knew　him　best。　　His　weaknesses　were　manifold；　but；　on　the
whole；　of　a　negative　kind。　　Honorable　and　truthful；　he　had　no　tendency　to
bad　habits　or　unworthy　pursuits；　indeed；　he　had　no　positive　traits　of　any
sort。　　That　was　his　chief　misfortune。　　Full　of　whims　and　fancies；
unstable；　indeterminate；　he　was　swayed　by　every　passing　emotion　and
influence。　　Daily　he　laid　out　a　new　course　of　study　and　achievement；　only
to　fling　it　aside　because　of　some　chance　remark　or　printed　paragraph　or
bit　of　advice　that　ran　contrary　to　his　purpose。　　Such　a　life　is　bound　to
be　a　succession　of　extremesalternate　periods　of　supreme　exaltation　and
despair。　　In　his　autobiographical　chapters；　already　mentioned；　Orion　sets
down　every　impulse　and　emotion　and　failure　with　that　faithful　humility
which　won　him　always　the　respect；　if　not　always　the　approval；　of　men。

Printing　was　a　step　downward；　for　it　was　a　trade；　and　Orion　felt　it
keenly。　　A　gentleman's　son　and　a　prospective　heir　of　the　Tennessee　land；
he　was　entitled　to　a　profession。　　To　him　it　was　punishment；　and　the
disgrace　weighed　upon　him。　　Then　he　remembered　that　Benjamin　Franklin　had
been　a　printer　and　had　eaten　only　an　apple　and　a　bunch　of　grapes　for　his
dinner。　　Orion　decided　to　emulate　Franklin；　and　for　a　time　he　took　only　a
biscuit　and　a　glass　of　water　at　a　meal；　foreseeing　the　day　when　he　should
electrify　the　world　with　his　eloquence。　　He　was　surprised　to　find　how
clear　his　mind　was　on　this　low　diet　and　how　rapidly　he　learned　his　trade。

Of　the　other　children　Pamela；　now　twelve；　and　Benjamin；　seven；　were　put
to　school。　　They　were　pretty；　attractive　children；　and　Henry；　the　baby；
was　a　sturdy　toddler；　the　pride　of　the　household。　　Little　Sam　was　the
least　promising　of　the　flock。　　He　remained　delicate；　and　developed　little
beyond　a　tendency　to　pranks。　　He　was　a　queer；　fanciful；　uncommunicative
child　that　detested　indoors　and　would　run　away　if　not　watchedalways　in
the　direction　of　the　river。　　He　walked　in　his　sleep；　too；　and　often　the
rest　of　the　household　got　up　in　the　middle　of　the　night　to　find　him
fretting　with　cold　in　some　dark　corner。　　The　doctor　was　summoned　for　him
oftener　than　was　good　for　the　family　purseor　for　him；　perhaps；　if　we
may　credit　the　story　of　heavy　dosings　of　those　stern　allopathic　days。

Yet　he　would　appear　not　to　have　been　satisfied　with　his　heritage　of
ailments；　and　was　ambitious　for　more。　　An　epidemic　of　measlesthe　black；
deadly　kindwas　ravaging　Hannibal；　and　he　yearned　for　the　complaint。
He　yearned　so　much　that　when　he　heard　of　a　playmate；　one　of　the　Bowen
boys；　who　had　it；　he　ran　away　and；　slipping　into　the　house；　crept　into
bed　with　the　infection。　　The　success　of　this　venture　was　complete。　　Some
days　later；　the　Clemens　family　gathered　tearfully　around　Little　Sam's　bed
to　see　him　die。　　According　to　his　own　after…confession；　this　gratified
him；　and　he　was　willing　to　die　for　the　glory　of　that　touching　scene。
However；　he　disappointed　them；　and　was　presently　up　and　about　in　search
of　fresh　laurels。　　＇In　later　life　Mr。　Clemens　did　not　recollect　the
precise　period　of　this　illness。　　With　habitual　indifference　he　assigned
it　to　various　years；　as　his　mood　or　the　exigencies　of　his　theme　required。
Without　doubt　the　〃measles〃　incident　occurred　when　he　was　very　young。＇

He　must　have　been　a　wearing　child；　and　we　may　believe　that　Jane　Clemens；
with　her　varied　cares　and　labors；　did　not　always　find　him　a　comfort。

〃You　gave　me　more　uneasiness　than　an