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liewe will pretend we like it。 This lie； this pretense； gives to
opera what support it has in America。
And then there is painting。 What a red rag is to a bull Turner's
〃Slave Ship〃 is to me。 Mr。 Ruskin is educated in art up to a point
where that picture throws him into as mad an ecstasy of pleasure as
it throws me into one of rage。 His cultivation enables him to see
water in that yellow mud； his cultivation reconciles the floating of
unfloatable things to himchains etc。； it reconciles him to fishes
swimming on top of the water。 The most of the picture is a manifest
impossibility； that is to say； a lie； and only rigid cultivation can
enable a man to find truth in a lie。 A Boston critic said the
〃Slave Ship〃 reminded him of a cat having a fit in a platter of
tomatoes。 That went home to my non…cultivation； and I thought； here
is a man with an unobstructed eye。
Mark Twain has dwelt somewhat upon these matters in 'A Tramp Abroad'。 He
confesses in that book that later he became a great admirer of Turner；
though perhaps never of the 〃Slave Ship〃 picture。 In fact； Mark Twain
was never artistic； in the common acceptance of that term； neither his
art nor his tastes were of an 〃artistic〃 kind。
CXVIII
TRAMPING WITH TWICHELL
Twichell arrived on time； August 1st。 Clemens met him at Baden…Baden；
and they immediately set out on a tramp through the Black Forest；
excursioning as pleased them； and having an idyllic good time。 They did
not always walk； but they often did。 At least they did sometimes； when
the weather was just right and Clemens's rheumatism did not trouble him。
But they were likely to take a carriage； or a donkey…cart； or a train； or
any convenient thing that happened along。 They did not hurry； but idled
and talked and gathered flowers； or gossiped with wayside natives and
tourists； though always preferring to wander along together； beguiling
the way with discussion and speculation and entertaining tales。 They
crossed on into Switzerland in due time and considered the conquest of
the Alps。 The family followed by rail or diligence； and greeted them
here and there when they rested from their wanderings。 Mark Twain found
an immunity from attention in Switzerland； which for years he had not
known elsewhere。 His face was not so well known and his pen…name was
carefully concealed。
It was a large relief to be no longer an object of public curiosity； but
Twichell； as in the Bermuda trip； did not feel quite honest； perhaps； in
altogether preserving the mask of unrecognition。 In one of his letters
home he tells how； when a young man at their table was especially
delighted with Mark Twain's conversation； he could not resist taking the
young man aside and divulging to him the speaker's identity。
〃I could not forbear telling him who Mark was；〃 he says； 〃and the mingled
surprise and pleasure his face exhibited made me glad I had done so。〃
They climbed the Rigi； after which Clemens was not in good walking trim
for some time； so Twichell went on a trip on his own account； to give his
comrade a chance to rest。 Then away again to Interlaken； where the
Jungfrau rises； cold and white； on over the loneliness of Gemini Pass；
with glaciers for neighbors and the unfading white peaks against the
blue； to Visp and to Zermatt； where the Matterhorn points like a finger
that directs mankind to God。 This was true Alpine wanderingsweet
vagabondage。
The association of the wanderers was a very intimate one。 Their minds
were closely attuned； and there were numerous instances of thoughtecho…
mind answering to mindwithout the employment of words。 Clemens records
in his notes：
Sunday A。M。； August 11th。 Been reading Romola yesterday afternoon；
last night； and this morning； at last I came upon the only passage
which has thus far hit me with forceTito compromising with his
conscience； and resolving to do； not a bad thing； but not the best
thing。 Joe entered the room five minutesno； three minutes later
and without prelude said； 〃I read that book you've got there six
years ago； and got a mighty good text for a sermon out of it the
passage where the young fellow compromises with his conscience； and
resolves to do； not a bad thing； but not the best thing。〃 This is
Joe's first reference to this book since he saw me buy it twenty…
four hours ago。 So my mind operated on his in this instance。 He
said he was sitting yonder in the reading…room； three minutes ago （I
have not got up yet）； thinking of nothing in particular； and didn't
know what brought Romola into his head； but into his head it came
and that particular passage。 Now I； forty feet away； in another
room； was reading that particular passage at that particular moment。
Couldn't suggest Romola to him earlier； because nothing in the book
had taken hold of me till I came to that one passage on page 112；
Tauchnitz edition。
And again：
The instances of mind…telegraphing are simply innumerable。 This
evening Joe and I sat long at the edge of the village looking at the
Matterhorn。 Then Joe said； 〃We ought to go to the Cervin Hotel and
inquire for Livy's telegram。〃 If he had been but one instant later
I should have said those words instead of him。
Such entries are frequent； and one day there came along a kind of object…
lesson。 They were toiling up a mountainside； when Twichell began telling
a very interesting story which had happened in connection with a friend
still living； though Twichell had no knowledge of his whereabouts at this
time。 The story finished just as they rounded a turn in； the cliff； and
Twichell； looking up； ended his last sentence； 〃And there's the man！〃
Which was true； for they were face to face with the very man of whom he
had been telling。
Another subject that entered into their discussion was the law of
accidents。 Clemens held that there was no such thing an accident： that
it was all forewritten in the day of the beginning； that every event；
however slight； was embryonic in that first instant of created life； and
immutably timed to its appearance in the web of destiny。 Once on their
travels； when they were on a high bank above a brawling stream； a little
girl； who started to run toward them； slipped and rolled under the bottom
rail of the protecting fence； her feet momentarily hanging out over the
precipice and the tearing torrent below。 It seemed a miraculous escape
from death； and furnished an illustration for their discussion。 The
condition of the ground； the force of her fall； the nearness of the fatal
edge； all these had grown inevitably out of the first great projection of
thought； and the child's fall and its escape had been invested in life's
primal atom。
The author of A Tramp Abroad tells us of the rushing stream that flows
out of the Arcadian sky valley； the Gasternthal； and goes plunging down
to Kandersteg； and how he took exercise by making 〃Harris〃 （Twichell） set
stranded logs adrift while he lounged comfortably on a boulder； and
w