mark twain, a biography, 1835-1866-第8部分

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sanctified　in　a　thousand。　　As　far　as　her　experience　went；　the　wise；　the
good；　and　the　holy　were　unanimous　in　the　belief　that　slavery　was　right；
righteous；　sacred；　the　peculiar　pet　of　the　Deity；　and　a　condition　which
the　slave　himself　ought　to　be　daily　and　nightly　thankful　for。〃

Yet　Jane　Clemens　must　have　had　qualms　at　timesvague；　unassembled　doubts
that　troubled　her　spirit。　　After　Jennie　was　gone　a　little　black　chore…boy
was　hired　from　his　owner；　who　had　bought　him　on　the　east　shore　of
Maryland　and　brought　him　to　that　remote　Western　village；　far　from　family
and　friends。

He　was　a　cheery　spirit　in　spite　of　that；　and　gentle；　but　very　noisy。　　All
day　he　went　about　singing；　whistling；　and　whooping　until　his　noise　became
monotonous；　maddening。　　One　day　Little　Sam　said：

〃Ma　＇that　was　the　Southern　term＇；　make　Sandy　stop　singing　all　the
time。　　It's　awful。〃

Tears　suddenly　came　into　his　mother's　eyes。

〃Poor　thing！　　He　is　sold　away　from　his　home。　　When　he　sings　it　shows
maybe　he　is　not　remembering。　　When　he's　still　I　am　afraid　he　is　thinking；
and　I　can't　bear　it。〃

Yet　any　one　in　that　day　who　advanced　the　idea　of　freeing　the　slaves　was
held　in　abhorrence。　　An　abolitionist　was　something　to　despise；　to　stone
out　of　the　community。　　The　children　held　the　name　in　horror；　as　belonging
to　something　less　than　human；　something　with　claws；　perhaps；　and　a　tail。

The　money　received　for　the　sale　of　Jennie　made　judge　Clemens　easier　for　a
time。　　Business　appears　to　have　improved；　too；　and　he　was　tided　through
another　year　during　which　he　seems　to　have　made　payments　on　an　expensive
piece　of　real　estate　on　Hill　and　Main　streets。　　This　property；　acquired
in　November；　1839；　meant　the　payment　of　some　seven　thousand　dollars；　and
was　a　credit　purchase；　beyond　doubt。　　It　was　well　rented；　but　the　tenants
did　not　always　pay；　and　presently　a　crisis　camea　descent　of　creditors
and　John：　Clemens　at　forty…four　found　himself　without　business　and
without　means。　　He　offered　everythinghis　cow；　his　household　furniture；
even　his　forks　and　spoonsto　his　creditors；　who　protested　that　he　must
not　strip　himself。　　They　assured　him　that　they　admired　his　integrity　so
much　they　would　aid　him　to　resume　business；　but　when　he　went　to　St。
Louis　to　lay　in　a　stock　of　goods　he　was　coldly　met；　and　the　venture　came
to　nothing。

He　now　made　a　trip　to　Tennessee　in　the　hope　of　collecting　some　old　debts
and　to　raise　money　on　the　Tennessee　land。　　He　took　along　a　negro　man
named　Charlie；　whom　he　probably　picked　up　for　a　small　sum；　hoping　to　make
something　through　his　disposal　in　a　better　market。　　The　trip　was　another
failure。　　The　man　who　owed　him　a　considerable　sum　of　money　was　solvent；
but　pleaded　hard　times：

　　　　　It　seems　so　very　hard　upon　him　＇John　Clemens　wrote　home＇　to　pay
　　　　　such　a　sum　that　I　could　not　have　the　conscience　to　hold　him　to　it　。
　　　　　。　　。　　I　still　have　Charlie。　　The　highest　price　I　had　offered　for　him
　　　　　in　New　Orleans　was　50；　in　Vicksburg　40。　　After　performing　the
　　　　　journey　to　Tennessee；　I　expect　to　sell　him　for　whatever　he　will
　　　　　bring。

　　　　　I　do　not　know　what　I　can　commence　for　a　business　in　the　spring。　　My
　　　　　brain　is　constantly　on　the　rack　with　the　study；　and　I　can't　relieve
　　　　　myself　of　it。　　The　future；　taking　its　completion　from　the　state　of
　　　　　my　health　or　mind；　is　alternately　beaming　in　sunshine　or　over…
　　　　　shadowed　with　clouds；　but　mostly　cloudy；　as　you　may　suppose。　　I　want
　　　　　bodily　exercisesome　constant　and　active　employment；　in　the　first
　　　　　place；　and；　in　the　next　place；　I　want　to　be　paid　for　it；　if
　　　　　possible。

This　letter　is　dated　January　7；　1842。　　He　returned　without　any　financial
success；　and　obtained　employment　for　a　time　in　a　commission…house　on　the
levee。　　The　proprietor　found　some　fault　one　day；　and　Judge　Clemens　walked
out　of　the　premises。　　On　his　way　home　he　stopped　in　a　general　store；　kept
by　a　man　named　Sehns；　to　make　some　purchases。　　When　he　asked　that　these
be　placed　on　account；　Selms　hesitated。　　Judge　Clemens　laid　down　a　five…
dollar　gold　piece；　the　last　money　he　possessed　in　the　world；　took　the
goods；　and　never　entered　the　place　again。

When　Jane　Clemens　reproached　him　for　having　made　the　trip　to　Tennessee；
at　a　cost　of　two　hundred　dollars；　so　badly　needed　at　this　time；　he　only
replied　gently　that　he　had　gone　for　what　he　believed　to　be　the　best。

〃I　am　not　able　to　dig　in　the　streets；〃　he　added；　and　Orion；　who　records
this；　adds：

〃I　can　see　yet　the　hopeless　expression　of　his　face。〃

During　a　former　period　of　depression；　such　as　this；　death　had　come　into
the　Clemens　home。　　It　came　again　now。　　Little　Benjamin；　a　sensitive；
amiable　boy　of　ten；　one　day　sickened；　and　died　within　a　week；　May　12；
1842。　　He　was　a　favorite　child　and　his　death　was　a　terrible　blow。　　Little
Sam　long　remembered　the　picture　of　his　parents'　grief；　and　Orion　recalls
that　they　kissed　each　other；　something　hitherto　unknown。

Judge　Clemens　went　back　to　his　law　and　judicial　practice。　　Mrs。　Clemens
decided　to　take　a　few　boarders。　　Orion；　by　this　time　seventeen　and　a　very
good　journeyman　printer；　obtained　a　place　in　St。　Louis　to　aid　in　the
family　support。

The　tide　of　fortune　having　touched　low…water　mark；　the　usual　gentle　stage
of　improvement　set　in。　　Times　grew　better　in　Hannibal　after　those　first
two　or　three　years；　legal　fees　became　larger　and　more　frequent。　　Within
another　two　years　judge　Clemens　appears　to　have　been　in　fairly　hopeful
circumstances　againable　at　least　to　invest　some　money　in　silkworm
culture　and　lose　it；　also　to　buy　a　piano　for　Pamela；　and　to　build　a
modest　house　on　the　Hill　Street　property；　which　a　rich　St。　Louis　cousin；
James　Clemens；　had　preserved　for　him。　　It　was　the　house　which　is　known
today　as　the　〃Mark　Twain　Home。〃　＇'This　house；　in　1911；　was　bought　by
Mr。　and　Mrs。　　George　A。　　Mahan；　and　presented　to　Hannibal　for　a　memorial
museum。＇　　Near　it；　toward　the　corner　of　Main　Street；　was　his　office；
and　here　he　dispensed　law　and　justice　in　a　manner　which；　if　it　did　not
bring　him　affluence；　at　least　won　for　him　the　respect　of　the　entire
community。　　One　example　will　serve：

Next　to　his　office　was　a　stone…cutter's　shop。　　One　day　the　proprietor；
Dave　Atkinson；　got　into　a　muss　with　one　〃Fighting〃　MacDonald；　and　there
was　a　tremendous　racket。　　Judge　Clemens　ran　out　and　found　the　men　down；
punishing　each　other　on　the　pavement。

〃I　command　the　peace！〃　he　shouted；　as　he　came　up　to　them。

No　one　paid　the　least　attention。

〃I　command　the　peace！〃　he　shouted　again；　still　louder；　but　with　no
result。

A　stone…cutter's　mallet　lay　there；　handy。　　Judge　Clemens　seized　it　and；
leaning　over　the　combatants；　gave　the　upper　one；　MacDonald；　a　smart　blow
on　the　head。

〃I　command　the　peace！〃　he　said；　for　the　third　time；　and　struck　a
considerably　smarter　blow。

That　settled　it。　　The　second　blow　was　of　the　sort　that　made　MacDonald
roll　over；　and　peace　ensued。　　Judge　Clemens　haled　both　men　into　his
court；　fined　them；　and　collected　his　fee。　　Such　enterprise　in　the　cause
of　justice　deserved　prompt　reward。




XI

DAYS　OF　EDUCATION

The　Clemens　family　had　made　one　or　two　moves　since　its　arrival　in
Hannibal；　but　the　identity　of　these　temporary　residences　and　the　period
of　occupation　of　each　can　no　longer　be　established。　　Mark　Twain　once
said：

〃In　1843　my　father　caught　me　in　a　lie。　　It　is　not　this　fact　that　gives　me
the　date；　but　the　house　we　lived　in。　　We　were　there　only　a　year。〃

We　may　believe　it　was　the　active　result　of　that　lie　that　fixed　his　memory
of　the　place；　for　his　father　seldom　punished　him。　　When　he　did；　it　was　a
thorough　and　satisfactory　performance。

It　was　about　the　period　of　moving　into　the　new　house　（1844）　that　the　Tom
Sawyer　daysthat　is　to　say；　the　boyhood　of　Samuel　Clemensmay　be　said
to　have　begun。　　Up　to　that　time　he　was　just　Little　Sam；　a　childwild；
and　mischievous；　often　exasperating；　but　still　a　childa　delicate　little
lad　to　be　worried　over；　mothered；　or　spanked　and　put　to　bed。　　Now；　at
nine；　he　had　acquired　health；　with　a　sturdy　ability　to　look　out　for
himself；　as　boys　will；　in　a　community　like　that；　especially　where　the
family　is　rather　larger　than　the　income　and　there　is　still　a　younger
child　to　claim　a　mother's　protecting　care。　　So　〃Sam；〃　as　they　now　called
him；　〃grew　up〃　at　nine；　and　was　full　of　knowledge　for　his　years。　　Not
that　he　was　old　in　spirit　or　mannerhe　was　never　that；　even　to　his
deathbut　he　had　learned　a　great　number　of　things；　mostly　of　a　kind　not
acquired　at　school。

They　were　not　always　of　a　pleasant　kind；　they　were　likely　to　be　of　a　kind
startling　to　a　boy；　even　terrifying。　　Once　Little　Samhe　was　still
Little　Sam；　thensaw　an　old　man　shot　down　on　the　main　street；　at
noonday。　　He　saw　them　carry　him　home；　lay　him　on　the　bed；　and　spread　on
his　breast　an　open　family　Bible　which　looked　as　heavy　as　an　anvil。　　He
though；　if　he　could　only　drag　that　great　burden　away；　the　poor；　old　dying
man　would　not　breathe　so　heavily。　　He　saw　a　young　emigrant　stabbed　with　a
bowie…knife　by　a　drunken　comrade；　and　noted　the　spurt　of　life…blood　that
followed；　he　saw　two　young　men　try　to　kill　their　uncle；　one　holding　him
while　the　other　snapped　repeatedly　an　Allen　revolver　which　failed　to　go
off。　　Then　there　was　the　drunken　rowdy　who　proposed　to　raid　the
〃Welshman's〃　house　one　dark　threatening　nighthe　saw　that；　too。　　A　widow
and　her　one　daughter　lived　there；　and　the　ruffian　woke　the　whole　village
with　his　coarse　challenges　and　obscenities。　　Sam　Clemens　and　a　boon
companion；　John　Briggs；　went　up　there　to　look　and　listen。　　The　man　was　at
the　gate；　and　the　warren　were　invisible　in　the　shadow　of　the　dark　porch。
The　boys　heard　the　elder　woman's　voice　warning　the　man　that　she　had　a
loaded　gun；　and　that　she　would　kill　him　if　he　stayed　where　he　was。　　He
replied　with　a　ribald　tirade；　and　she　warned　that　she　would　count　ten…
that　if　he　remained　a　second　longer　she　would　fire。　　She　began　slowly　and
counted　up　to　five；　with　him　laughing　and　jeering。　　At　six　he　grew
silent；　but　he　did　not　go。　　She　counted　on：　seveneightnine　The　boys
watching　from　the　dark　roadside　felt　their　hearts　stop。　　There　was　a　long
pause；　then　the　final　count；　followed　a　second　later　by　a　gush　of　flame。
The　man　dropped