mark twain, a biography, 1900-1907-第51章

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perhaps　Clemens　would　read　aloud　something　he　had　written。　　But　once；
after　greetings；　he　began：

〃Well；　Rogers；　I　don't　know　what　you　think　of　it；　but　I　think　I　have　had
about　enough　of　this　world；　and　I　wish　I　were　out　of　it。〃

Mr。　Rogers　replied；　〃I　don't　say　much　about　it；　but　that　expresses　my
view。〃

This　from　the　foremost　man　of　letters　and　one　of　the　foremost　financiers
of　the　time　was　impressive。　　Each　at　the　mountain…top　of　his　career；　they
agreed　that　the　journey　was　not　worth　whilethat　what　the　world　had
still　to　give　was　not　attractive　enough　to　tempt　them　to　prevent　a　desire
to　experiment　with　the　next　stage。　　One　could　remember　a　thousand　poor
and　obscure　men　who　were　perfectly　willing　to　go　on　struggling　and
starving；　postponing　the　day　of　settlement　as　long　as　possible；　but
perhaps；　when　one　has　had　all　the　world　has　to　give；　when　there　are　no
new　worlds　in　sight　to　conquer；　one　has　a　different　feeling。

Well；　the　realization　lay　not　so　far　ahead　for　either　of　them；　though　at
that　moment　they　both　seemed　full　of　life　and　vigorfull　of　youth。　　One
could　not　imagine　the　day　when　for　them　it　would　all　be　over。




CCLI

A　LOBBYING　EXPEDITION

Clara　Clemens　came　home　now　and　then　to　see　how　matters　were　progressing；
and　very　properly；　for　Clemens　was　likely　to　become　involved　in　social
intricacies　which　required　a　directing　hand。　　The　daughter　inherited　no
little　of　the　father's　characteristics　of　thought　and　phrase；　and　it　was
always　a　delight　to　see　them　together　when　one　could　be　just　out　of　range
of　the　crossfire。　　I　remember　soon　after　her　return；　when　she　was　making
some　searching　inquiries　concerning　the　billiard…room　sign；　and　other
suggested　or　instituted　reforms；　he　said：

〃Oh　well；　never　mind；　it　doesn't　matter。　　I'm　boss　in　this　house。〃

She　replied；　quickly：　〃Oh　no；　you're　not。　　You're　merely　owner。　　I'm　the
captainthe　commander…in…chief。〃

One　night　at　dinner　she　mentioned　the　possibility　of　going　abroad　that
year。　　During　several　previous　summers　she　had　planned　to　visit　Vienna　to
see　her　old　music…master；　Leschetizky；　once　more　before　his　death。　　She
said：

〃Leschetizky　is　getting　so　old。　　If　I　don't　go　soon　I'm　afraid　I　sha'n't
be　in　time　for　his　funeral。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　her　father；　thoughtfully；　〃you　keep　rushing　over　to
Leschetizky's　funeral；　and　you'll　miss　mine。〃

He　had　made　one　or　two　social　engagements　without　careful　reflection；　and
the　situation　would　require　some　delicacy　of　adjustment。　　During　a　moment
between　the　courses；　when　he　left　the　table　and　was　taking　his　exercise
in　the　farther　room；　she　made　some　remark　which　suggested　a　doubt　of　her
father's　gift　for　social　management。　　I　said：

〃Oh；　well；　he　is　a　king；　you　know；　and　a　king　can　do　no　wrong。〃

〃Yes；　I　know；〃　she　answered。　　〃The　king　can　do　no　wrong；　but　he　frightens
me　almost　to　death；　sometimes；　he　comes　so　near　it。〃

He　came　back　and　began　to　comment　rather　critically　on　some　recent
performance　of　Roosevelt's；　which　had　stirred　up　a　good　deal　of　newspaper
amusementit　was　the　Storer　matter　and　those　indiscreet　letters　which
Roosevelt　had　written　relative　to　the　ambassadorship　which　Storer　so　much
desired。　　Miss　Clemens　was　inclined　to　defend　the　President；　and　spoke
with　considerable　enthusiasm　concerning　his　elements　of　popularity；　which
had　won　him　such　extraordinary　admiration。

〃Certainly　he　is　popular；〃　Clemens　admitted；　〃and　with　the　best　of
reasons。　　If　the　twelve　apostles　should　call　at　the　White　House；　he　would
say；　'Come　in；　come　in！　　I　am　delighted　to　see　you。　　I've　been　watching
your　progress；　and　I　admired　it　very　much。'　　Then　if　Satan　should　come；
he　would　slap　him　on　the　shoulder　and　say；　'Why；　Satan；　how　do　you　do？　　I
am　so　glad　to　meet　you。　　I've　read　all　your　works　and　enjoyed　every　one
of　them。'　　Anybody　could　be　popular　with　a　gift　like　that。〃

It　was　that　evening　or　the　next；　perhaps；　that　he　said　to　her：

〃Ben　＇one　of　his　pet　names　for　her＇；　now　that　you　are　here　to　run　the
ranch；　Paine　and　I　are　going　to　Washington　on　a　vacation。　　You　don't　seem
to　admire　our　society　much；　anyhow。〃

There　were　still　other　reasons　for　the　Washington　expedition。　　There　was
an　important　bill　up　for　the　extension　of　the　book　royalty　period；　and
the　forces　of　copyright　were　going　down　in　a　body　to　use　every　possible
means　to　get　the　measure　through。

Clemens；　during　Cleveland's　first　administration；　some　nineteen　years
before；　had　accompanied　such　an　expedition；　and　through　S。　S。　（〃Sunset〃）
Cox　had　obtained　the　〃privileges　of　the　floor〃　of　the　House；　which　had
enabled　him　to　canvass　the　members　individually。　　Cox　assured　the
doorkeeper　that　Clemens　had　received　the　thanks　of　Congress　for　national
literary　service；　and　was　therefore　entitled　to　that　privilege。　　This　was
not　strictly　true；　but　regulations　were　not　very　severe　in　those　days；
and　the　ruse　had　been　regarded　as　a　good　joke；　which　had　yielded
excellent　results。　　Clemens　had　a　similar　scheme　in　mind　now；　and
believed　that　his　friendship　with　Speaker　Cannon〃　Uncle　Joe〃would
obtain　for　him　a　similar　privilege。　　The　Copyright　Association　working　in
its　regular　way　was　very　well；　he　said；　but　he　felt　he　could　do　more　as
an　individual　than　by　acting　merely　as　a　unit　of　that　body。

〃I　canvassed　the　entire　House　personally　that　other　time；〃　he　said。　　〃Cox
introduced　me　to　the　Democrats；　and　John　D。　Long；　afterward　Secretary　of
the　Navy；　introduced　me　to　the　Republicans。　　I　had　a　darling　time
converting　those　members；　and　I'd　like　to　try　the　experiment　again。〃

I　should　have　mentioned　earlier；　perhaps；　that　at　this　time　he　had　begun
to　wear　white　clothing　regularly；　regardless　of　the　weather　and　season。　
On　the　return　from　Dublin　he　had　said：

〃I　can't　bear　to　put　on　black　clothes　again。　　I　wish　I　could　wear　white
all　winter。　　I　should　prefer；　of　course；　to　wear　colors；　beautiful
rainbow　hues；　such　as　the　women　have　monopolized。　　Their　clothing　makes　a
great　opera　audience　an　enchanting　spectacle；　a　delight　to　the　eye　and　to
the　spirita　garden　of　Eden　for　charm　and　color。

The　men；　clothed　in　odious　black；　are　scattered　here　and　there　over　the
garden　like　so　many　charred　stumps。　　If　we　are　going　to　be　gay　in　spirit；
why　be　clad　in　funeral　garments？　　I　should　like　to　dress　in　a　loose　and
flowing　costume　made　all　of　silks　and　velvets　resplendent　with　stunning
dyes；　and　so　would　every　man　I　have　ever　known；　but　none　of　us　dares　to
venture　it。　　If　I　should　appear　on　Fifth　Avenue　on　a　Sunday　morning
clothed　as　I　would　like　to　be　clothed　the　churches　would　all　be　vacant
and　the　congregation　would　come　tagging　after　me。　　They　would　scoff；　of
course；　but　they　would　envy　me；　too。　　When　I　put　on　black　it　reminds　me
of　my　funerals。　　I　could　be　satisfied　with　white　all　the　year　round。〃

It　was　not　long　after　this　that　he　said：

〃I　have　made　up　my　mind　not　to　wear　black　any　more；　but　white；　and　let
the　critics　say　what　they　will。〃

So　his　tailor　was　sent　for；　and　six　creamy　flannel　and　serge　suits　were
ordered；　made　with　the　short　coats；　which　he　preferred；　with　a　gray　suit
or　two　for　travel；　and　he　did　not　wear　black　again；　except　for　evening
dress　and　on　special　occasions。　　It　was　a　gratifying　change；　and　though
the　newspapers　made　much　of　it；　there　was　no　one　who　was　not　gladdened　by
the　beauty　of　his　garments　and　their　general　harmony　with　his　person。　　He
had　never　worn　anything　so　appropriate　or　so　impressive。

This　departure　of　costume　came　along　a　week　or　two　before　the　Washington
trip；　and　when　his　bags　were　being　packed　for　the　excursion　he　was
somewhat　in　doubt　as　to　the　propriety　of　bursting　upon　Washington　in
December　in　that　snowy　plumage。　　I　ventured：

〃This　is　a　lobbying　expedition　of　a　peculiar　kind；　and　does　not　seem　to
invite　any　half…way　measures。　　I　should　vote　in　favor　of　the　white　suit。〃

I　think　Miss　Clemens　was　for　it；　too。　　She　must　have　been　or　the　vote
wouldn't　have　carried；　though　it　was　clear　he　strongly　favored　the　idea。　
At　all　events；　the　white　suits　came　along。

We　were　off　the　following　afternoon：　Howells；　Robert　Underwood　Johnson；
one　of　the　Appletons；　one　of　the　Putnams；　George　Bowker；　and　others　were
on