按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Holmes's poems till my mental reservoir was filled with them to the
brim。 The dedication lay on top and handy； so by and by I
unconsciously took it。 Well； of course； I wrote to Dr。 Holmes and
told him I hadn't meant to steal； and he wrote back and said； in the
kindest way； that it was all right； and no harm done； and added that
he believed we all unconsciously worked over ideas gathered in
reading and hearing； imagining they were original with ourselves。
He stated a truth and did it in such a pleasant way； and salved over
my sore spot so gently and so healingly； that I was rather glad I
had committed the crime； for the sake of the letter。 I afterward
called on him and told him to make perfectly free with any ideas of
mine that struck him as good protoplasm for poetry。 He could see by
that time that there wasn't anything mean about me； so we got along；
right from the start。 ＇Holmes in his letter had said： 〃I rather
think The Innocents Abroad will have many more readers than Songs in
Many Keys。 。 。 You will be stolen from a great deal oftener than
you will borrow from other people。〃＇
I have met Dr。 Holmes many times since； and lately he saidHowever；
I am wandering wildly away from the one thing which I got on my feet
to do； that is； to make my compliments to you； my fellow…teachers of
the great public； and likewise to say I am right glad to see that
Dr。 Holmes is still in his prime and full of generous life； and as
age is not determined by years but by trouble； and by infirmities of
mind and body； I hope it may be a very long time yet before any can
truthfully say； 〃He is growing old。〃
Whatever Mark Twain may have lost on that former occasion； came back to
him multiplied when he had finished this happy tribute。 So the year for
him closed prosperously。 The rainbow of promise was justified。
CXXV
THE QUIETER THINGS OF HOME
Upset and disturbed as Mark Twain often was； he seldom permitted his
distractions to interfere with the program of his fireside。 His days and
his nights might be fevered； but the evenings belonged to another world。
The long European wandering left him more than ever enamoured of his
home； to him it had never been so sweet before； so beautiful； so full of
peace。 Company came： distinguished guests and the old neighborhood
circles。 Dinner…parties were more frequent than ever； and they were
likely to be brilliant affairs。 The best minds； the brightest wits；
gathered around Mark Twain's table。 Booth； Barrett； Irving； Sheridan；
Sherman； Howells； Aldrich： they all assembled； and many more。 There was
always some one on the way to Boston or New York who addressed himself
for the day or the night； or for a brief call； to the Mark Twain
fireside。
Certain visitors from foreign lands were surprised at his environment；
possibly expecting to find him among less substantial； more bohemian
surroundings。 Henry Drummond； the author of Natural Law in the Spiritual
World； in a letter of this time； said：
I had a delightful day at Hartford last Wednesday 。 。 。 。 Called
on Mark Twain； Mrs。 Harriet Beecher Stowe； and the widow of Horace
Bushnell。 I was wishing A had been at the Mark Twain interview。
He is funnier than any of his books； and to my surprise a most
respected citizen； devoted to things esthetic； and the friend of the
poor and struggling。 ＇Life of Henry Drummond； by George Adam
Smith。＇
The quieter evenings were no less delightful。 Clemens did not often go
out。 He loved his own home best。 The children were old enough now to
take part in a form of entertainment that gave him and them especial
pleasure…acting charades。 These he invented for them； and costumed the
little performers； and joined in the acting as enthusiastically and as
unrestrainedly as if he were back in that frolicsome boyhood on John
Quarles's farm。 The Warner and Twichell children were often there and
took part in the gay amusements。 The children of that neighborhood
played their impromptu parts well and naturally。 They were in a dramatic
atmosphere； and had been from infancy。 There was never any preparation
for the charades。 A word was selected and the parts of it were whispered
to the little actors。 Then they withdrew to the hall； where all sorts of
costumes had been laid out for the evening； dressed their parts； and each
detachment marched into the library； performed its syllable and retired；
leaving the audience； mainly composed of parents； to guess the answer。
Often they invented their own words； did their own costuming； and
conducted the entire performance independent of grown…up assistance or
interference。 Now and then； even at this early period； they conceived
and produced little plays； and of course their father could not resist
joining in these。 At other times； evenings； after dinner； he would sit
at the piano and recall the old darky songs…spirituals and jubilee
choruses…singing them with fine spirit； if not with perfect technic； the
children joining in these moving melodies。
He loved to read aloud to them。 It was his habit to read his manuscript
to Mrs。 Clemens； and； now that the children were older； he was likely to
include them in his critical audience。
It would seem to have been the winter after their return from Europe that
this custom was inaugurated； for 'The Prince and the Pauper' manuscript
was the first one so read； and it was just then he was resuming work on
this tale。 Each afternoon or evening； when he had finished his chapter；
he assembled his little audience and read them the result。 The children
were old enough to delight in that half real； half fairy tale of the
wandering prince and the royal pauper： and the charm and simplicity of
the story are measurably due to those two small listeners； to whom it was
adapted in that early day of its creation。
Clemens found the Prince a blessed relief from 'A Tramp Abroad'； which
had become a veritable nightmare。 He had thought it finished when he
left the farm； but discovered that he must add several hundred pages to
complete its bulk。 It seemed to him that he had been given a life…
sentence。 He wrote six hundred pages and tore up all but two hundred and
eighty…eight。 He was about to destroy these and begin again； when Mrs。
Clemens's health became poor and he was advised to take her to Elmira；
though it was then midwinter。 To Howells he wrote：
I said； 〃if there is one death that is painfuler than another； may I
get it if I don't do that thing。〃
So I took the 288 pages to Bliss and told him that was the very last
line I should ever write on this book （a book which required 600
pages of MS。； and I have written nearly four thousand； first and
last）。
I am as soary （and flighty） as a rocket to…day； with the unutterable
joy of getting that Old Man of the Sea off my back； where he has
been roosting more than a year and a half。
They remained a month at Elmira； and on their return Clemens renewed work
on 'The Prince and the