mark twain, a biography, 1835-1866-第50部分

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full　account　of　mental　and　physical　capital。　　His　growth　had　been　slow；
but　he　was　entering　now　upon　his　golden　age；　he　was　fitted　for　conquest
of　whatever　sort；　and　he　was　beginning　to　realize　his　power。




LIII

ANSON　BURLINGAME　AND　THE　〃HORNET〃　DISASTER

It　was　near　the　end　of　June　when　he　returned　to　Honolulu　from　a　tour　of
all　the　islands；　fairly　worn　out　and　prostrated　with　saddle　boils。　　He
expected　only　to　rest　and　be　quiet　for　a　season；　but　all　unknown　to　him
startling　and　historic　things　were　taking　place　in　which　he　was　to　have　a
partevents　that　would　mark　another　forward　stride　in　his　career。

The　Ajax　had　just　come　in；　bringing　his　Excellency　Anson　Burlingame；　then
returning　to　his　post　as　minister　to　China；　also　General　Van　Valkenburg；
minister　to　Japan；　Colonel　Rumsey　and　Minister　Burlingame's　son；　Edward；
＇Edward　L。　Burlingame；　now　for　many　years　editor　of　Scribner's
Magazine。＇　then　a　lively　boy　of　eighteen。　　Young　Burlingame　had　read
〃The　Jumping　Frog；〃　and　was　enthusiastic　about　Mark　Twain　and　his　work。
Learning　that　he　was　in　Honolulu；　laid　up　at　his　hotel；　the　party　sent
word　that　they　would　call　on　him　next　morning。

Clemens　felt　that　he　must　not　accept　this　honor；　sick　or　well。　　He
crawled　out　of　bed；　dressed　and　shaved　himself　as　quickly　as　possible；
and　drove　to　the　American　minister's；　where　the　party　was　staying。　　They
had　a　hilariously　good　time。　　When　he　returned　to　his　hotel　he　sent　them；
by　request；　whatever　he　had　on　hand　of　his　work。　　General　Van　Valkenburg
had　said　to　him：

〃California　is　proud　of　Mark　Twain；　and　some　day　the　American　people　will
be；　too；　no　doubt。〃

There　has　seldom　been　a　more　accurate　prophecy。

But　a　still　greater　event　was　imminent。　　On　that　very　day　（June　21；　1866）
there　came　word　of　the　arrival　at　Sanpahoe；　on　the　island　of　Hawaii；　of
an　open　boat　containing　fifteen　starving　wretches；　who　on　short；　ten…day
rations　had　been　buffeting　a　stormy　sea　for　forty…three　days！　　A　vessel；
the　Hornet；　from　New　York；　had　taken　fire　and　burned　〃on　the　line；〃　and
since　early　in　May；　on　that　meager　sustenance；　they　had　been　battling
with　hundreds　of　leagues　of　adverse　billows；　seeking　for　land。

A　few　days　following　the　first　report；　eleven　of　the　rescued　men　were
brought　to　Honolulu　and　placed　in　the　hospital。　　Mark　Twain　recognized
the　great　news　importance　of　the　event。　　It　would　be　a　splendid　beat　if
he　could　interview　the　castaways　and　be　the　first　to　get　their　story　to
his　paper。　　There　was　no　cable　in　those　days；　a　vessel　for　San　Francisco
would　sail　next　morning。　　It　was　the　opportunity　of　a　lifetime；　and　he
must　not　miss　it。　　Bedridden　as　he　was；　the　undertaking　seemed　beyond　his
strength。

But　just　at　this　time　the　Burlingame　party　descended　on　him；　and　almost
before　he　knew　it　he　was　on　the　way　to　the　hospital　on　a　cot；　escorted　by
the　heads　of　the　joint　legations　of　China　and　Japan。　　Once　there；　Anson
Burlingame；　with　his　splendid　human　sympathy　and　handsome；　courtly
presence；　drew　from　those　enfeebled　castaways　all　the　story　of　their　long
privation　and　struggle；　that　had　stretched　across　forty…three　distempered
days　and　four　thousand　miles　of　sea。　　All　that　Mark　Twain　had　to　do　was
to　listen　and　make　the　notes。

He　put　in　the　night…writing　against　time。　　Next　morning；　just　as　the
vessel　for　the　States　was　drifting　away　from　her　dock；　a　strong　hand
flung　his　bulky　envelope　of　manuscript　aboard；　and　if　the　vessel　arrived
his　great　beat　was　sure。　　It　did　arrive；　and　the　three…column　story　on
the　front　page　of　the　Sacramento　Union；　in　its　issue　of　July　19th；　gave
the　public　the　first　detailed　history　of　the　terrible　Hornet　disaster　and
the　rescue　of　those　starving　men。　　Such　a　story　occupied　a　wider　place　in
the　public　interest　than　it　would　in　these　crowded　days。　　The　telegraph
carried　it　everywhere；　and　it　was　featured　as　a　sensation。

Mark　Twain　always　adored　the　name　and　memory　of　Anson　Burlingame。　　In　his
letter　home　he　tells　of　Burlingame's　magnanimity　in　〃throwing　away　an
invitation　to　dine　with　princes　and　foreign　dignitaries〃　to　help　him。
〃You　know　I　appreciate　that　kind　of　thing；〃　he　says；　which　was　a　true
statement；　and　in　future　years　he　never　missed　an　opportunity　of　paying
an　instalment　on　his　debt　of　gratitude。　　It　was　proper　that　he　should　do
so；　for　the　obligation　was　a　far　greater　one　than　that　contracted　in
obtaining　the　tale　of　the　Hornet　disaster。　　It　was　the　debt　which　one
owes　to　a　man　who；　from　the　deep　measure　of　his　understanding；　gives
encouragement　and　exactly　needed　and　convincing　advice。　　Anson　Burlingame
said　to　Samuel　Clemens：

〃You　have　great　ability；　I　believe　you　have　genius。　　What　you　need　now　is
the　refinement　of　association。　　Seek　companionship　among　men　of　superior
intellect　and　character。　　Refine　yourself　and　your　work。　　Never　affiliate
with　inferiors；　always　climb。〃

Clemens　never　forgot　that　advice。　　He　did　not　always　observe　it；　but　he
rarely　failed　to　realize　its　gospel。　　Burlingame　urged　him　to　travel。

〃Come　to　Pekin　next　winter；〃　he　said；　〃and　visit　me。　　Make　my　house　your
home。　　I　will　give　you　letters　and　introduce　you。　　You　will　have
facilities　for　acquiring　information　about　China。〃

It　is　not　surprising　then　that　Mark　Twain　never　felt　his　debt　to　Anson
Burlingame　entirely　paid。　　Burlingame　came　more　than　once　to　the　hotel；
for　Clemens　was　really　ill　now；　and　they　discussed　plans　for　his　future
betterment。

He　promised；　of　course；　to　visit　China；　and　when　he　was　alone　put　in　a
good　deal　of　time　planning　a　trip　around　the　world　which　would　include
the　great　capitals。　　When　not　otherwise　employed　he　read；　though　there
was　only　one　book　in　the　hotel；　a　〃blue　and　gold〃　edition　of　Dr。
Holmes's　Songs　in　Many　Keys；　and　this　he　soon　knew　almost　by　heart；　from
title…page　to　finis。

He　was　soon　up　and　about。　　No　one　could　remain　ill　long　in　those　happy
islands。　　Young　Burlingame　came；　and　suggested　walks。　　Once；　when　Clemens
hesitated；　the　young　man　said：

〃But　there　is　a　Scriptural　command　for　you　to　go。〃

〃If　you　can　quote　one　I'll　obey　it；〃　said　Clemens。

〃Very　well。　　The　Bible　says；　'If　any　man　require　thee　to　walk　a　mile；　go
with　him；　Twain。'〃

The　command　was　regarded　as　sufficient。　　Clemens　quoted　the　witticism
later　（in　his　first　lecture）；　and　it　was　often　repeated　in　after…years；
ascribed　to　Warner；　Ward；　and　a　dozen　others。　　Its　origin　was　as　here　set
down。

Under　date　of　July　4　（1866）；　Mark　Twain's　Sandwich　Island　note…book　says：

　　　　　Went　to　a　ball　8。30　P。M。danced　till　12。30；　stopped　at　General　Van
　　　　　Valkenburg's　room　and　talked　with　him　and　Mr。　Burlingame　and　Ed
　　　　　Burlingame　until　3　A。M。

》From　which　we　may　conclude　that　he　had　altogether　recovered。　　A　few　days
later。　　the　legation　party　had　sailed　for　China　and　Japan；　and　on　the
19th　Clemens　himself　set　out　by　a　slow　sailing…vessel　to　San　Francisco。
They　were　becalmed　and　were　twenty…five　days　making　the　voyage。　　Captain
Mitchell　and　others　of　the　wrecked　Hornet　were　aboard；　and　he　put　in　a
good　deal　of　time　copying　their　diaries　and　preparing　a　magazine　article
which；　he　believed；　would　prove　his　real　entrance　to　the　literary　world。

The　vessel　lay　almost　perfectly　still；　day　after　day；　and　became　a
regular　playground　at　sea。　　Sundays　they　had　services　and　Mark　Twain　led
the　choir。

〃I　hope　they　will　have　a　better　opinion　of　our　music　in　heaven　than　I
have　down　here；〃　he　says　in　his　notes。　　〃If　they　don't；　a　thunderbolt
will　knock　this　vessel　endways。〃　　It　is　perhaps　worthy　of　mention　that　on
the　night　of　the　27th　of　July　he　records　having　seen　another　〃splendidly
colored；　lunar　rainbow。〃　　That　he　regarded　this　as　an　indication　of
future　good…fortune　is　not　surprising；　considering　the　events　of　the
previous　year。

It　was　August　13th　when　he　reached　San　Francisco；　and　the　note…book　entry
of　that　day　says：

　　　　　Home　again。　　Nonot　home　againin　prison　again；　end　all　the　wild
　　　　　sense　of　freedom　gone。　　The　city　seems　so　cramped　and　so　dreary　with
　　　　　toil　and　care　and　business　anxiety。　　God　help　me；　I　wish　I　were　at
　　　　　sea　again！

There　were　compensations；　however。　　He　went　over　to　Sacramento；　and　was
abundantly　welcomed。　　It　was　agreed　that；　in　addition　to　the　twenty
dollars　allowed　for　each　letter；　a　special　bill　should　be　made　for　the
Hornet　report。

〃How　much　do　you　think　it　ought　to　be；　Mark？〃　James　Anthony　asked。

〃Oh；　I'm　a　modest　man；　I　don't　want　the　whole　Union　office。　　Call　it　100
a　column。〃

There　was　a　general　laugh。　　The　bill　was　made　out　at　that　figure；　and　he
took　it　to　the　business　office　for　payment。

〃The　cashier　didn't　faint；〃　he　wrote；　many　years　later；　〃but　he　came
rather　near　it。　　He　sent　for　the　proprietors；　and　they　only　laughed　in
their　jolly　fashion；　and　said　it　was　a　robbery；　but　'no　matter；　pay　it。
It's　all　right。'　The　best　men　that　ever　owned　a　newspaper。〃　＇〃My　Debut
as　a　Literary　Person。〃Collected　works。＇

Though　inferior　to　the　descriptive　writing　which　a　year　later　would　give
him　a　world…wide　fame；　the　Sandwich　Island　letters　added　greatly　to　his
prestige　on　the　Pacific　coast。　　They　were　convincing；　informing；　tersely
even　eloquentlydescriptive；　with　a　vein　of　humor　adapted　to　their
audience。　　Yet　to　read　them　now；　in　the　fine　nonpareil　type　in　which　they
were　set；　is　such　a　wearying　task　that　one　can　only　marvel　at　their
popularity。　　They　were　not　brilliant　literature；　by　our　standards　to…day。
Their　humor　is　usually　of　a　muscular　kind；　varied　with　grotesque
exaggerations；　the　literary　quality　is　pretty　attenuated。　　Here　and　there
are　attempts　at　verse。　　He　had　a　fashion　in　those　days　of　combining　two
or　more　poems　with　distracting；　sometimes　amusing；　effect。　　Examples　of
these　dislocations　occur　in　the　Union　letters；　a　single　stanza　will
present　the　general　idea：

　　　　　The　Assyrian　came　down　like　a　wolf　on　the　fold；

　　　　　The　turf　with　their　bayonets　turning；
　　　　　And　his　cohorts　were　gleaming　with　purple　and　gold；
　　　　　And　our　lanterns　dimly　burning。

Only　a　trifling　portion　of　the　letters　found　their　way　into　his　Sandwich
Island　chapters　of　'Roughing　It'；　five　years　later。　　They　do；　however；
reveal　a　sort　of　transition　stage　between　the　riotous　f