mark twain, a biography, 1900-1907-第38章
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along faster than I wanted to go。
He took some papers from his pocket and started to unfold one of them；
then； as if remembering； he asked how long he had been talking。 The
answer came； 〃Thirty…five minutes。〃 He made as if to leave the stage；
but the audience commanded him to go on。
〃All right；〃 he said； 〃I can stand more of my own talk than any one I
ever knew。〃 Opening one of the papers； a telegram； he read：
〃In which one of your works can we find the definition of a gentleman？〃
Then he added：
I have not answered that telegram。 I couldn't。 I never wrote any
such definition； though it seems to me that if a man has just；
merciful； and kindly instincts he would be a gentleman； for he would
need nothing else in this world。
He opened a letter。 〃From Howells；〃 he said。
My old friend； William Dean HowellsHowells； the head of American
literature。 No one is able to stand with him。 He is an old； old
friend of mine； and he writes me； 〃To…morrow I shall be sixty…nine
years old。〃 Why； I am surprised at Howells writing so。 I have
known him myself longer than that。 I am sorry to see a man trying
to appear so young。 Let's see。 Howells says now； 〃I see you have
been burying Patrick。 I suppose he was old； too。〃
The house became very still。 Most of them had read an account of Mark
Twain's journey to Hartford and his last service to his faithful
servitor。 The speaker's next words were not much above a whisper； but
every syllable was distinct。
No； he was never old…Patrick。 He came to us thirty…six years ago。
He was our coachman from the day that I drove my young bride to our
new home。 He was a young Irishman； slender； tall； lithe； honest；
truthful； and he never changed in all his life。 He really was with
us but twenty…five years； for he did not go with us to Europe； but
he never regarded that a separation。 As the children grew up he was
their guide。 He was all honor； honesty； and affection。 He was with
us in New Hampshire last summer； and his hair was just as black； his
eyes were just as blue； his form just as straight； and his heart
just as good as on the day we first met。 In all the long years
Patrick never made a mistake。 He never needed an order； he never
received a command。 He knew。 I have been asked for my idea of an
ideal gentleman； and I give it to youPatrick McAleer。
It was the sort of thing that no one but Mark Twain has quite been able
to do； and it was just that recognized quality behind it that had made
crowds jam the street and stampede the entrance to be in his presence…to
see him and to hear his voice。
CCXLI
GORKY； HOWELLS； AND MARK TWAIN
Clemens was now fairly back again in the wash of banquets and speech…
making that had claimed him on his return from England； five years
before。 He made no less than a dozen speeches altogether that winter；
and he was continually at some feasting or other； where he was sure to be
called upon for remarks。 He fell out of the habit of preparing his
addresses； relying upon the inspiration of the moment； merely following
the procedure of his daily dictations； which had doubtless given him
confidence for this departure from his earlier method。 There was seldom
an afternoon or an evening that he was not required； and seldom a morning
that the papers did not have some report of his doings。 Once more； and
in a larger fashion than ever； he had become 〃the belle of New York。〃
But he was something further。 An editorial in the Evening Mail said：
Mark Twain； in his 〃last and best of life for which the first was
made；〃 seems to be advancing rapidly to a position which makes him a
kind of joint Aristides； Solon； and Themistocles of the American
metropolisan Aristides for justness and boldness as well as
incessancy of opinion； a Solon for wisdom and cogency； and a
Themistocles for the democracy of his views and the popularity of
his person。
Things have reached the point where； if Mark Twain is not at a
public meeting or banquet； he is expected to console it with one of
his inimitable letters of advice and encouragement。 If he deigns to
make a public appearance there is a throng at the doors which
overtaxes the energy and ability of the police。 We must be glad
that we have a public commentator like Mark Twain always at hand and
his wit and wisdom continually on tap。 His sound； breezy
Mississippi Valley Americanism is a corrective to all sorts of
snobbery。 He cultivates respect for human rights by always making
sure that he has his own。
He talked one afternoon to the Barnard girls； and another afternoon to
the Women's University Club； illustrating his talk with what purported to
be moral tales。 He spoke at a dinner given to City Tax Commissioner Mr。
Charles Putzel； and when he was introduced there as the man who had said；
〃When in doubt tell the truth；〃 he replied that he had invented that
maxim for others； but that when in doubt himself； he used more sagacity。
The speeches he made kept his hearers always in good humor； but he made
them think； too； for there was always substance and sound reason and
searching satire in the body of what he said。
It was natural that there should be reporters calling frequently at Mark
Twain's home； and now and then the place became a veritable storm…center
of news。 Such a moment arrived when it became known that a public
library in Brooklyn had banished Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer from the
children's room； presided over by a young woman of rather severe morals。
The incident had begun in November of the previous year。 One of the
librarians； Asa Don Dickinson； who had vigorously voted against the
decree； wrote privately of the matter。 Clemens had replied：
DEAR SIR；I am greatly troubled by what you say。 I wrote Tom
Sawyer & Huck Finn for adults exclusively； & it always distresses me
when I find that boys & girls have been allowed access to them。 The
mind that becomes soiled in youth can never again be washed clean。
I know this by my own experience； & to this day I cherish an
unappeasable bitterness against the unfaithful guardians of my young
life； who not only permitted but compelled me to read an
unexpurgated Bible through before I was 15 years old。 None can do
that and ever draw a clean； sweet breath again this side of the
grave。 Ask that young ladyshe will tell you so。
Most honestly do I wish that I could say a softening word or two in
defense of Huck's character since you wish it； but really； in my
opinion； it is no better than those of Solomon； David； & the rest of
the sacred brotherhood。
If there is an unexpurgated in the Children's Department； won't you
please help that young woman remove Tom & Huck from that
questionable companionship？
Sincerely yours；
S。 L。 CLEMENS。
I shall not show your letter to any one…it is safe with me。
Mr。 Dickinson naturally kept this letter from the public； though he read
it aloud to the assembled librarians； and the fact of its existence and
its character eventually leaked out。 ＇It has been supplied to the
writer by Mr。 Dickinson； and is published here with his consent。＇ One
of the librarians who had heard it mentioned it at a theater…party in
hearing of an unrealized newspaper man。 This was near the end of the
following March。
The 〃tip〃 was sufficient。 Telephone…bells began to jingle； and groups of
newspaper men gathered simultaneously on Mr。 Dickinson's and on Mark
Twain's door…steps。 At a 21 Fifth Avenue you could hardly get in or out；
for stepping on them。 The evening papers surmised details； and Huck and
Tom had a perfectly fresh crop of advertising； not only in America； but
in distant lands。 Dickinson wrote Clemens that he would not give out the
letter without his authority； and Clemens replied：
Be wise as a serpent and wary as a dove！ The newspaper boys
