mark twain, a biography, 1900-1907-第4章
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South； were in the war。 We of the South were not ashamed； for； like
the men of the North； we were fighting for 'flags we loved； and when
men fight for these things； and under these convictions； with
nothing sordid to tarnish their cause； that cause is holy； the blood
spilt for it is sacred； the life that is laid down for it is
consecrated。 To…day we no longer regret the result； to…day we are
glad it came out as it did； but we are not ashamed that we did our
endeavor； we did our bravest best； against despairing odds； for the
cause which was precious to us and which our consciences approved；
and we are proudand you are proudthe kindred blood in your veins
answers when I say ityou are proud of the record we made in those
mighty collisions in the fields。
What an uprising it was！ We did not have to supplicate for soldiers
on either side。 〃We are coming； Father Abraham； three hundred
thousand strong！〃 That was the music North and South。 The very
choicest young blood and brawn and brain rose up from Maine to the
Gulf and flocked to the standardsjust as men always do when in
their eyes their cause is great and fine and their hearts are in it；
just as men flocked to the Crusades； sacrificing all they possessed
to the cause； and entering cheerfully upon hardships which we cannot
even imagine in this age； and upon toilsome and wasting journeys
which in our time would be the equivalent of circumnavigating the
globe five times over。
North and South we put our hearts into that colossal struggle； and
out of it came the blessed fulfilment of the prophecy of the
immortal Gettysburg speech which said： 〃We here highly resolve that
these dead shall not have died in vain； that this nation； under God；
shall have a new birth of freedom； and that a government of the
people； by the people； for the people； shall not perish from the
earth。〃
We are here to honor the birthday of the greatest citizen； and the
noblest and the best； after Washington； that this land or any other
has yet produced。 The old wounds are healed； you and we are
brothers again； you testify it by honoring two of us； once soldiers
of the Lost Cause； and foes of your great and good leaderwith the
privilege of assisting here； and we testify it by laying our honest
homage at the feet of Abraham Lincoln； and in forgetting that you of
the North and we of the South were ever enemies； and remembering
only that we are now indistinguishably fused together and nameable
by one common great nameAmericans！
CCXIV
MARK TWAIN AND THE MISSIONARIES
Mark Twain had really begun his crusade for reform soon after his arrival
in America in a practical hand…to…hand manner。 His housekeeper； Katie
Leary； one night employed a cabman to drive her from the Grand Central
Station to the house at 14 West Tenth Street。 No contract had been made
as to price； and when she arrived there the cabman's extortionate charge
was refused。 He persisted in it； and she sent into the house for her
employer。 Of all men； Mark Twain was the last one to countenance an
extortion。 He reasoned with the man kindly enough at first； when the
driver at last became abusive Clemens demanded his number； which was at
first refused。 In the end he paid the legal fare； and in the morning
entered a formal complaint； something altogether unexpected； for the
American public is accustomed to suffering almost any sort of imposition
to avoid trouble and publicity。
In some notes which Clemens had made in London four years earlier he
wrote：
If you call a policeman to settle the dispute you can depend on one
thinghe will decide it against you every time。 And so will the
New York policeman。 In London if you carry your case into court the
man that is entitled to win it will win it。 In New Yorkbut no one
carries a cab case into court there。 It is my impression that it is
now more than thirty years since any one has carried a cab case into
court there。
Nevertheless； he was promptly on hand when the case was called to sustain
the charge and to read the cabdrivers' union and the public in general a
lesson in good…citizenship。 At the end of the hearing； to a
representative of the union he said：
〃This is not a matter of sentiment； my dear sir。 It is simply practical
business。 You cannot imagine that I am making money wasting an hour or
two of my time prosecuting a case in which I can have no personal
interest whatever。 I am doing this just as any citizen should do。 He
has no choice。 He has a distinct duty。 He is a non…classified
policeman。 Every citizen is； a policeman； and it is his duty to assist
the police and the magistracy in every way he can； and give his time； if
necessary； to do so。 Here is a man who is a perfectly natural product of
an infamous system in this citya charge upon the lax patriotism in this
city of New York that this thing can exist。 You have encouraged him； in
every way you know how to overcharge。 He is not the criminal here at
all。 The criminal is the citizen of New York and the absence of
patriotism。 I am not here to avenge myself on him。 I have no quarrel
with him。 My quarrel is with the citizens of New York； who have
encouraged him； and who created him by encouraging him to overcharge in
this way。〃
The driver's license was suspended。 The case made a stir in the
newspapers； and it is not likely that any one incident ever contributed
more to cab…driving morals in New York City。
But Clemens had larger matters than this in prospect。 His many speeches
on municipal and national abuses he felt were more or less ephemeral。 He
proposed now to write himself down more substantially and for a wider
hearing。 The human race was behaving very badly： unspeakable corruption
was rampant in the city； the Boers were being oppressed in South Africa；
the natives were being murdered in the Philippines； Leopold of Belgium
was massacring and mutilating the blacks in the Congo； and the allied
powers； in the cause of Christ； were slaughtering the Chinese。 In his
letters he had more than once boiled over touching these matters； and for
New…Year's Eve； 1900； had written：
A GREETING FROM THE NINETEENTH TO THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
I bring you the stately nation named Christendom； returning；
bedraggled； besmirched； and dishonored； from pirate raids in Kiao…
Chou； Manchuria； South Africa； and the Philippines； with her soul
full of meanness； her pocket full of boodle； and her mouth full of
pious hypocrisies。 Give her soap and towel； but hide the looking…
glass。 ＇Prepared for Red Cross Society watch…meeting； which was
postponed until March。 Clemens recalled his 〃Greeting〃 for that
reason and for one other； which he expressed thus： 〃The list of
greeters thus far issued by you contains only vague generalities and
one definite namemine： 'Some kings and queens and Mark Twain。' Now
I am not enjoying this sparkling solitude and distinction。 It makes
me feel like a circus…poster in a graveyard。〃＇
This was a sort of preliminary。 Then； restraining himself no longer； he
embodied his sentiments in an article for the North American Review
entitled； 〃To the Person Sitting in Darkness。〃 There was crying need for
some one to speak the right word。 He was about the only one who could do
it and be certain of a universal audience。 He took as his text some
Christmas Eve clippings from the New York Tribune and Sun which he had
been saving for this purpose。 The Tribune clipping said：
Christmas will dawn in the United States over a people full of hope
and aspiration and good cheer。 Such a condition means contentment
and happiness。 The carping grumbler who may here and there go forth
will find few to listen to him。 The majority will wonder what is
the matter with him； and pass on。
A Sun clipping depicted the 〃terrible offenses against humanity committed
in the name of politi
