登陆注册
15685400000087

第87章

Joe Twichell preached morning and evening here last Sunday; took midnight train for Boston; got an early breakfast and started by rail at 7.30A.M.for Concord; swelled around there until 1 P.M., seeing everything; then traveled on top of a train to Lexington; saw everything there; traveled on top of a train to Boston, (with hundreds in company)deluged with dust, smoke and cinders; yelled and hurrahed all the way like a schoolboy; lay flat down to dodge numerous bridges, and sailed into the depot, howling with excitement and as black as a chimney-sweep;got to Young's Hotel at 7 P.M.; sat down in reading-room and immediately fell asleep; was promptly awakened by a porter who supposed he was drunk;wandered around an hour and a half; then took 9 P.M.train, sat down in smoking car and remembered nothing more until awakened by conductor as the train came into Hartford at 1.30 A.M.Thinks he had simply a glorious time--and wouldn't have missed the Centennial for the world.

He would have run out to see us a moment at Cambridge, but was too dirty.

I wouldn't have wanted him there--his appalling energy would have been an insufferable reproach to mild adventurers like you and me.

Well, he is welcome to the good time he had--I had a deal better one.

My narrative has made Mrs.Clemens wish she could have been there.--When I think over what a splendid good sociable time I had in your house Ifeel ever so thankful to the wise providence that thwarted our several ably-planned and ingenious attempts to get to Lexington.I am coming again before long, and then she shall be of the party.

Now you said that you and Mrs.Howells could run down here nearly any Saturday.Very well then, let us call it next Saturday, for a "starter."Can you do that? By that time it will really be spring and you won't freeze.The birds are already out; a small one paid us a visit yesterday.We entertained it and let it go again, Susie protesting.

The spring laziness is already upon me--insomuch that the spirit begins to move me to cease from Mississippi articles and everything else and give myself over to idleness until we go to New Orleans.I have one article already finished, but somehow it doesn't seem as proper a chapter to close with as the one already in your hands.I hope to get in a mood and rattle off a good one to finish with--but just now all my moods are lazy ones.

Winnie's literature sings through me yet! Surely that child has one of these "futures" before her.

Now try to come--will you?

With the warmest regards of the two of us--

Yrs ever, S.L.CLEMENS.

Mrs.Clemens sent a note to Mrs.Howells, which will serve as a pendant to the foregoing.

From Mrs.Clemens to Mrs.Howells, in Boston:

MY DEAR MRS.HOWELLS,--Don't dream for one instant that my not getting a letter from you kept me from Boston.I am too anxious to go to let such a thing as that keep me.

Mr.Clemens did have such a good time with you and Mr.Howells.

He evidently has no regret that he did not get to the Centennial.I was driven nearly distracted by his long account of Mr.Howells and his wanderings.I would keep asking if they ever got there, he would never answer but made me listen to a very minute account of everything that they did.At last I found them back where they started from.

If you find misspelled words in this note, you will remember my infirmity and not hold me responsible.

Affectionately yours, LIVY L.CLEMENS.

In spite of his success with the Sellers play and his itch to follow it up, Mark Twain realized what he believed to be his literary limitations.

All his life he was inclined to consider himself wanting in the finer gifts of character-shading and delicate portrayal.Remembering Huck Finn, and the rare presentation of Joan of Arc, we may not altogether agree with him.Certainly, he was never qualified to delineate those fine artificialities of life which we are likely to associate with culture, and perhaps it was something of this sort that caused the hesitation confessed in the letter that follows.Whether the plan suggested interested Howells or not we do not know.In later years Howells wrote a novel called The Story of a Play; this may have been its beginning.

To W.D.Howells, in Boston:

FARMINGTON AVENUE, HARTFORD, Apl.26, 1875.

MY DEAR HOWELLS,--An actor named D.H.Harkins has been here to ask me to put upon paper a 5-act play which he has been mapping out in his mind for 3 or 4 years.He sat down and told me his plot all through, in a clear, bright way, and I was a deal taken with it; but it is a line of characters whose fine shading and artistic development requires an abler hand than mine; so I easily perceived that I must not make the attempt.

But I liked the man, and thought there was a good deal of stuff in him;and therefore I wanted his play to be written, and by a capable hand, too.So I suggested you, and said I would write and see if you would be willing to undertake it.If you like the idea, he will call upon you in the course of two or three weeks and describe his plot and his characters.Then if it doesn't strike you favorably, of course you can simply decline; but it seems to me well worth while that you should hear what he has to say.You could also "average" him while he talks, and judge whether he could play your priest--though I doubt if any man can do that justice.

Shan't I write him and say he may call? If you wish to communicate directly with him instead, his address is "Larchmont Manor, Westchester Co., N.Y."Do you know, the chill of that 19th of April seems to be in my bones yet?

I am inert and drowsy all the time.That was villainous weather for a couple of wandering children to be out in.

Ys ever MARK.

The sinister typewriter did not find its way to Howells for nearly a year.Meantime, Mark Twain had refused to allow the manufacturers to advertise his ownership.He wrote to them:

HARTFORD, March 19, 1875.

同类推荐
  • 芥隐笔记

    芥隐笔记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 四字经

    四字经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 佛说天地八阳神咒经

    佛说天地八阳神咒经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 洞真黄书

    洞真黄书

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 维摩经疏

    维摩经疏

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 泰拉瑞亚奇遇记

    泰拉瑞亚奇遇记

    当泰拉瑞亚不仅仅是一个2D游戏,当你纵横在4D的其中,你就会发现,真是。。。。。。。。尼玛坑爹啊!!!
  • 弑神诛魔纪

    弑神诛魔纪

    神曰:今生五百次的回眸可换得来世的一次擦身而过。而我要回眸多少次才能换来与你来世不止一次擦身而过呢?魔说:此生千年的轮回可换得来世一次与你相遇。而我要轮回多少次才能换来与你来世不止一次的相遇呢?知道吗?上穷碧落下黄泉,两处茫茫皆不见!既然是以谎言结束,又何必在意是以谎言开始呢?既然此生已错过,来世再与你红颜一醉。那时神挡弑神,魔阻诛魔!修罗剑斩苍穹,罗刹刀劈乾坤,十字双中一定三界!前世负你坠轮回,今生为你杀尽天下苍生又何妨?
  • 逆乱神魔录

    逆乱神魔录

    何为神?是顺天而生,鸿运加身,修炼至最高境界的人就是神吗?不,这些人并不是真正的神,他们只能称之为伪神罢了,真正的神是要逆天而行,与天争与地争,真正的神要有天若阻我便将这天撕裂,地若阻我将便这地踏碎的霸气,威凌九霄,霸绝荒宇,眼眸所视天崩地裂,刀锋所指势不可挡。且看洛枫如何屠戮天下,逆天成神。
  • 校草大人,求轻宠

    校草大人,求轻宠

    某日,a大论坛上:号外!号外!a大某女为了见男神竟然不要脸的色诱!....顺便配带几张xx图片。对此,林羡鱼表示也很无奈的好吗,自己不就是把男神扑倒了、地咚了、强吻了、顺带拐回家了而已,谁知道会闹出这么大的桃色新闻啊.....!*小片段*"渊渊,明天我想去参加一个相亲大会。""嗯,没问题。"第二日,林羡鱼扶着腰逃也似的从江临渊房中跑出来。心中忍不住大叫:江临渊,你个骗子!!【临渊羡鱼,不只是黄粱一梦】
  • 都市狂王

    都市狂王

    我本平凡,却是被迫失踪四年之久,我本普通,却踏上一条逆天之路。我本善良,珍贵之人却被残忍迫害。我本低调,却不得不踏足所有人的躯体走向巅峰。
  • 倾尽天下:帝王宠妃

    倾尽天下:帝王宠妃

    面容丑陋,资质全无,一夜转变,惊天动地,六剑齐出,天下大乱。她,是凌府三小姐,却因资质全无,爹不疼,没有娘。她,二十一世纪第一帮会的boss,其身手,天下无人能敌。他,外人眼中的阎罗王,却对她痴心一片,一生为她而变,为她而活。他们的相遇是巧合,还是上天注定?“我们的缘分早在百年前便已定下,所以,你逃不掉了。”“我自然知道,况且,我也没打算要逃。”百年之缘,一生一世,陪你走过,且看二个腹黑大灰狼如何将他人绕得团团转!(倾墨重新开坑!焕然一新!修改原文错误,后续剧情修改,简介修改,书名修改,欢迎大家!)
  • 巨星归来:极品女神的腹黑恋人

    巨星归来:极品女神的腹黑恋人

    某年某月某日,某某大街,人流涌动……某女:”喂,你说我们那里配了?“某男:”第一,我不叫喂。你可以叫我熙(哥哥)、男神熙、熙少爷、木头……“【以下省略无数个呢称】某女:【黑线越来越多,鸡皮疙瘩掉一地】停停停,你真的很烦,不知当初怎么会看上你的!”某男:“额……第二,我们哪里不配了?木头和叶子,绝配!!!哈哈哈哈哈……“【仰天长笑ing】某女:我不认识他,我不认识他。
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 重生之然枫学院

    重生之然枫学院

    重生一次,竟然从一个特工重生到一个叫做华夏的地方的老九门平三门的木家之中,成为木家大小姐。在得到这个木乔初的记忆后,她知道这就是一个考古世家,而这个别人下墓她看守没下过墓的木乔初,死在跟未婚夫取消婚礼后的第二天,伤心死在房间的,便宜了她。从此,她就是木乔初,下墓,她这个从死人堆里面出来的特工还会怕了不成。
  • 冷帝独宠:逆天邪妃

    冷帝独宠:逆天邪妃

    她,冷千雪,二十一世纪的天才杀手,从小无父无母,带着空间穿到了异世。阴差阳错成了苍云国的公主。他傲天国的帝王。当她遇上他,冰山撞上冰山,是他征服了她,还是她驯服了他。她的宗旨:背叛我者,杀无赦。叱咤风云,王者归来。看她如何玩转风云大陆。