mark twain, a biography, 1907-1910- 第15部分

〃He　had　grown　so　weary　of　change；　and　so　indifferent　to　it；　that　he　was
without　interest。〃

But　it　was　rather；　I　think；　that　he　was　afraid　of　losing　interest　by
becoming　wearied　with　details　which　were　likely　to　exasperate　him；　also；
he　wanted　the　dramatic　surprise　of　walking　into　a　home　that　had　been
conjured　into　existence　as　with　a　word。

It　was　expected　that　the　move　would　be　made　early　in　the　month；　but　there
were　delays；　and　it　was　not　until　the　18th　of　June　that　he　took
possession。

The　plan；　at　this　time；　was　only　to　use　the　Redding　place　as　a　summer
residence；　and　the　Fifth　Avenue　house　was　not　dismantled。　　A　few　days
before　the　18th　the　servants；　with　one　exception；　were　taken　up　to　the
new　house；　Clemens　and　myself　remaining　in　the　loneliness　of　No。　21；
attending　to　the　letters　in　the　morning　and　playing　billiards　the　rest　of
the　time；　waiting　for　the　appointed　day　and　train。　　It　was　really　a
pleasant　three　days。　　He　invented　a　new　game；　and　we　were　riotous　and
laughed　as　loudly　as　we　pleased。　　I　think　he　talked　very　little　of　the
new　home　which　he　was　so　soon　to　see。　　It　was　referred　to　no　oftener　than
once　or　twice　a　day；　and　then　I　believe　only　in　connection　with　certain
of　the　billiard…room　arrangements。　　I　have　wondered　since　what　picture　of
it　he　could　have　had　in　his　mind；　for　he　had　never　seen　a　photograph。
He　had　a　general　idea　that　it　was　built　upon　a　hill；　and　that　its
architecture　was　of　the　Italian　villa　order。　　I　confess　I　had　moments　of
anxiety；　for　I　had　selected　the　land　for　him；　and　had　been　more　or　less
accessory　otherwise。　　I　did　not　really　worry；　for　I　knew　how　beautiful
and　peaceful　it　all　was；　also　something　of　his　taste　and　needs。

It　had　been　a　dry　spring；　and　country　roads　were　dusty；　so　that　those　who
were　responsible　had　been　praying　for　rain；　to　be　followed　by　a　pleasant
day　for　his　arrival。　　Both　petitions　were　granted；　June　18th　would　fall
on　Thursday；　and　Monday　night　there　came　a　good；　thorough；　and　refreshing
shower　that　washed　the　vegetation　clean　and　laid　the　dust。　　The　morning
of　the　18th　was　bright　and　sunny　and　cool。　　Clemens　was　up　and　shaved　by
six　o'clock　in　order　to　be　in　time；　though　the　train　did　not　leave　until
four　in　the　afternoonan　express　newly　timed　to　stop　at　Reddingits
first　trip　scheduled　for　the　day　of　Mark　Twain's　arrival。

We　were　still　playing　billiards　when　word　was　brought　up　that　the　cab　was
waiting。　　My　daughter；　Louise；　whose　school　on　Long　Island　had　closed
that　day；　was　with　us。　　Clemens　wore　his　white　flannels　and　a　Panama　hat；
and　at　the　station　a　group　quickly　collected；　reporters　and　others；　to
interview　him　and　speed　him　to　his　new　home。　　He　was　cordial　and
talkative；　and　quite　evidently　full　of　pleasant　anticipation。　　A　reporter
or　two　and　a　special　photographer　came　along；　to　be　present　at　his
arrival。

The　new；　quick　train；　the　green；　flying　landscape；　with　glimpses　of　the
Sound　and　white　sails；　the　hillsides　and　clear　streams　becoming　rapidly
steeper　and　dearer　as　we　turned　northward：　all　seemed　to　gratify　him；　and
when　he　spoke　at　all　it　was　approvingly。　　The　hour　and　a　half　required　to
cover　the　sixty　miles　of　distance　seemed　very　short。　　As　the　train　slowed
down　for　the　Redding　station；　he　said：

〃We'll　leave　this　box　of　candy〃he　had　bought　a　large　box　on　the　way
〃those　colored　porters　sometimes　like　candy；　and　we　can　get　some　more。〃

He　drew　out　a　great　handful　of　silver。

〃Give　them　somethinggive　everybody　liberally　that　does　any　service。〃

There　was　a　sort　of　open…air　reception　in　waiting。　　Redding　had
recognized　the　occasion　as　historic。　　A　varied　assemblage　of　vehicles
festooned　with　flowers　had　gathered　to　offer　a　gallant　country　welcome。

It　was　now　a　little　before　six　o'clock　of　that　long　June　day；　still　and
dreamlike；　and　to　the　people　assembled　there　may　have　been　something
which　was　not　quite　reality　in　the　scene。　　There　was　a　tendency　to　be
very　still。　　They　nodded；　waved　their　hands　to　him；　smiled；　and　looked
their　fill；　but　a　spell　lay　upon　them；　and　they　did　not　cheer。　　It　would
have　been　a　pity　if　they　had　done　so。　　A　noise；　and　the　illusion　would
have　been　shattered。

His　carriage　led　away　on　the　three…mile　drive　to　the　house　on　the
hilltop；　and　the　floral　turnout　fell　in　behind。　　No　first　impression　of　a
fair　land　could　have　come　at　a　sweeter　time。　　Hillsides　were　green；
fields　were　white　with　daisies；　dog…wood　and　laurel　shone　among　the
trees。　　And　over　all　was　the　blue　sky；　and　everywhere　the　fragrance　of
June。

He　was　very　quiet　as　we　drove　along。　　Once　with　gentle　humor；　looking
over　a　white　daisy　field；　he　said：

〃That　is　buckwheat。　　I　always　recognize　buckwheat　when　I　see　it。　　I　wish
I　knew　as　much　about　other　things　as　I　know　about　buckwheat。　　It　seems　to
be　very　plentiful　here；　it　even　grows　by　the　roadside。〃　　And　a　little
later：　〃This　is　the　kind　of　a　road　I　like；　a　good　country　road　through
the　woods。〃

The　water　was　flowing　over　the　mill…dam　where　the　road　crosses　the
Saugatuck；　and　he　expressed　approval　of　that　clear；　picturesque　little
river；　one　of　those　charming　Connecticut　streams。　　A　little　farther　on　a
brook　cascaded　down　the　hillside；　and　he　compared　it　with　some　of　the
tiny　streams　of　Switzerland；　I　believe　the　Giessbach。　　The　lane　that　led
to　the　new　home　opened　just　above；　and　as　he　entered　the　leafy　way　he
said；　〃This　is　just　the　kind　of　a　lane　I　like；〃　thus　completing　his
acceptance　of　everything　but　the　house　and　the　location。

The　last　of　the　procession　had　dropped　away　at　the　entrance　of　the　lane；
and　he　was　alone　with　those　who　had　most　anxiety　for　his　verdict。　　They
had　not　long　to　wait。　　As　the　carriage　ascended　higher　to　the　open　view
he　looked　away；　across　the　Saugatuck　Valley　to　the　nestling　village　and
church…spire　and　farm…houses；　and　to　the　distant　hills；　and　declared　the
land　to　be　a　good　land　and　beautifula　spot　to　satisfy　one's　soul。　　Then
came　the　housesimple　and　severe　in　its　architecturean　Italian　villa；
such　as　he　had　known　in　Florence；　adapted　now　to　American　climate　and
needs。　　The　scars　of　building　had　not　all　healed　yet；　but　close　to　the
house　waved　green　grass　and　blooming　flowers　that　might　have　been　there
always。　　Neither　did　the　house　itself　look　new。　　The　soft；　gray　stucco
had　taken　on　a　tone　that　melted　into　the　sky　and　foliage　of　its
background。　　At　the　entrance　his　domestic　staff　waited　to　greet　him；　and
then　he　stepped　across　the　threshold　into　the　wide　hall　and　stood　in　his
own　home　for　the　first　time　in　seventeen　years。　　It　was　an　anxious
moment；　and　no　one　spoke　immediately。　　But　presently　his　eye　had　taken　in
the　satisfying　harmony　of　the　place　and　followed　on　through　the　wide
doors　that　led　to　the　dining…roomon　through　the　open　French　windows　to
an　enchanting　vista　of　tree…tops　and　distant　farmside　and　blue　hills。　　He
said；　very　gently：

〃How　beautiful　it　all　is？　　I　did　not　think　it　could　be　as　beautiful　as
this。〃

He　was　taken　through　the　rooms；　the　great　living…room　at　one　end　of　the
halla　room　on　the　walls　of　which　there　was　no　picture；　but　only　color…
harmonyand　at　the　other　end　of　the　hall；　the　splendid；　glowing
billiard…room；　where　hung　all　the　pictures　in　which　he　took　delight。　
Then　to　the　floor　above；　with　its　spacious　apartments　and　a　continuation
of　colorwelcome　and　concord；　the　windows　open　to　the　pleasant　evening
hills。　　When　he　had　seen　it　allthe　natural　Italian　garden　below　the
terraces；　the　loggia；　whose　arches　framed　landscape　vistas　and　formed　a
rare　picture…gallery；　when　he　had　completed　the　round　and　stood　in　the
billiard…roomhis　especial　domainonce　more　he　said；　as　a　final
verdict：

〃It　is　a　perfect　houseperfect；　so　far　as　I　can　see；　in　every　detail。　
It　might　have　been　here　always。〃

He　was　at　home　there　from　that　momentabsolutely；　marvelously　at　home；
for　he　fitted　the　setting　perfectly；　and　there　was　not　a　hitch　or　flaw　in
his　adaptation。　　To　see　him　over　the　billiard…table；　five　minutes　later；
one　could　easily　fancy　that　Mark　Twain；　as　well　as　the　house；　had　〃been　；
there　always。〃　　Only　the　presence　of　his　daughters　was　needed　now　to
complete　his　satisfaction　in　everything。

There　were　guests　that　first　eveninga　small　home　dinner…partyand　so
perfect　were　the　appointments　and　service；　that　one　not　knowing　would
scarcely　have　imagined　it　to　be　the　first　dinner　served　in　that　lovely
room。　　A　little　later；　at　the　foot　of　the　garden　of　bay　and　cedar；
neighbors；　inspired　by　Dan　Beard；　who　had　recently　located　near　by；　set
off　some　fireworks。　Clemens　stepped　out　on　the　terrace　and　saw　rockets
climbing　through　the　summer　sky　to　announce　his　arrival。

〃I　wonder　why　they　all　go　to　so　much　trouble　for　me；〃　he　said；　softly。
〃I　never　go　to　any　trouble　for　anybody〃a　statement　which　all　who　heard
it；　and　all　his　multitude　of　readers　in　every　land；　stood　ready　to　deny。

That　first　evening　closed　with　billiardsboisterous；　triumphant
billiardsand　when　with　midnight　the　day　ended　and　the　cues　were　set　in
the　rack；　there　was　none　to　say　that　Mark　Twain's　first　day　in　his　new
home　had　not　been　a　happy　one。




CCLXIX

FIRST　DAYS　AT　STORMFIELD

I　went　up　next　afternoon；　for　I　knew　how　he　dreaded　lonelin