mark twain, a biography, 1907-1910- 第17部分

He　pointed　out　houses　here　and　there　of　people　he　had　known　and　visited
in　other　days。　　The　driver　was　very　anxious　to　go　farther；　to　other　and
more　distinguished　sights。　　Clemens　mildly　but　firmly　refused　any
variation　of　the　program；　and　so　we　kept　on　driving　around　and　around　the
shaded　loop　of　Beacon　Street　until　dusk　fell　and　the　lights　began　to
twinkle　among　the　trees。




CCLXXI

DEATH　OF　〃SAM〃　MOFFETT

Clemens'　next　absence　from　Redding　came　on　August　1；　1908；　when　the
sudden　and　shocking　news　was　received　of　the　drowning　of　his　nephew；
Samuel　E。　Moffett；　in　the　surf　of　the　Jersey　shore。　　Moffett　was　his
nearest　male　relative；　and　a　man　of　fine　intellect　and　talents。　　He　was
superior　in　those　qualities　which　men　lovehe　was　large…minded　and
large…hearted；　and　of　noble　ideals。　　With　much　of　the　same　sense　of　humor
which　had　made　his　uncle's　fame；　he　had　what　was　really　an　abnormal
faculty　of　acquiring　and　retaining　encyclopedic　data。　　Once　as　a　child　he
had　visited　Hartford　when　Clemens　was　laboring　over　his　history　game。　
The　boy　was　much　interested；　and　asked　permission　to　help。　　His　uncle
willingly　consented；　and　referred　him　to　the　library　for　his　facts。　　But
he　did　not　need　to　consult　the　books；　he　already　had　English　history
stored　away；　and　knew　where　to　find　every　detail　of　it。　　At　the　time　of
his　death　Moffett　held　an　important　editorial　position　on　Collier's
Weekly。

Clemens　was　fond　and　proud　of　his　nephew。　　Returning　from　the　funeral；　he
was　much　depressed；　and　a　day　or　two　later　became　really　ill。　　He　was　in
bed　for　a　few　days；　resting；　he　said；　after　the　intense　heat　of　the
journey。　　Then　he　was　about　again　and　proposed　billiards　as　a　diversion。　
We　were　all　alone　one　very　still；　warm　August　afternoon　playing；　when　he
suddenly　said：

〃I　feel　a　little　dizzy；　I　will　sit　down　a　moment。〃

I　brought　him　a　glass　of　water　and　he　seemed　to　recover；　but　when　he　rose
and　started　to　play　I　thought　he　had　a　dazed　look。　　He　said：

〃I　have　lost　my　memory。　　I　don't　know　which　is　my　ball。　　I　don't　know
what　game　we　are　playing。〃

But　immediately　this　condition　passed；　and　we　thought　little　of　it；
considering　it　merely　a　phase　of　biliousness　due　to　his　recent　journey。　
I　have　been　told　since；　by　eminent　practitioners；　that　it　was　the　first
indication　of　a　more　serious　malady。

He　became　apparently　quite　himself　again　and　showed　his　usual　vigor…light
of　step　and　movement；　able　to　skip　up　and　down　stairs　as　heretofore。　　In
a　letter　to　Mrs。　Crane；　August　12th；　he　spoke　of　recent　happenings：

　　　　　DEAR　AUNT　SUE；It　was　a　most　moving；　a　most　heartbreaking　sight；
　　　　　the　spectacle　of　that　stunned　&　crushed　&　inconsolable　family。　　I
　　　　　came　back　here　in　bad　shape；　&　had　a　bilious　collapse；　but　I　am　all
　　　　　right　again；　though　the　doctor　from　New　York　has　given　peremptory
　　　　　orders　that　I　am　not　to　stir　from　here　before　frost。　　O　fortunate
　　　　　Sam　Moffett！　fortunate　Livy　Clemens！　doubly　fortunate　Susy！　　Those
　　　　　swords　go　through　&　through　my　heart；　but　there　is　never　a　moment
　　　　　that　I　am　not　glad；　for　the　sake　of　the　dead；　that　they　have
　　　　　escaped。

　　　　　How　Livy　would　love　this　place！　　How　her　very　soul　would　steep
　　　　　itself　thankfully　in　this　peace；　this　tranquillity；　this　deep
　　　　　stillness；　this　dreamy　expanse　of　woodsy　hill　&　valley！　　You　must
　　　　　come；　Aunt　Sue；　&　stay　with　us　a　real　good　visit。　　Since　June　26　we
　　　　　have　had　21　guests；　&　they　have　all　liked　it　and　said　they　would
　　　　　come　again。

To　Howells；　on　the　same　day；　he　wrote：

　　　　　Won't　you　&　Mrs。　Howells　&　Mildred　come　&　give　us　as　many　days　as
　　　　　you　can　spare　&　examine　John's　triumph？　　It　is　the　most　satisfactory
　　　　　house　I　am　acquainted　with；　&　the　most　satisfactorily　situated　。　　。　
　　　　　。　　。　　I　have　dismissed　my　stenographer；　&　have　entered　upon　a
　　　　　holiday　whose　other　end　is　the　cemetery。




CCLXXII

STORMFIELD　ADVENTURES

Clemens　had　fully　decided；　by　this　time；　to　live　the　year　round　in　the
retirement　at　Stormfield；　and　the　house　at　21　Fifth　Avenue　was　being
dismantled。　　He　had　also；　as　he　said；　given　up　his　dictations　for　the
time；　at　least；　after　continuing　them；　with　more　or　less　regularity；　for
a　period　of　two　and　a　half　years；　during　which　he　had　piled　up　about　half
a　million　words　of　comment　and　reminiscence。　　His　general　idea　had　been
to　add　portions　of　this　matter　to　his　earlier　books　as　the　copyrights
expired；　to　give　them　new　life　and　interest；　and　he　felt　that　he　had
plenty　now　for　any　such　purpose。

He　gave　his　time　mainly　to　his　guests；　his　billiards；　and　his　reading；
though　of　course　he　could　not　keep　from　writing　on　this　subject　and　that
as　the　fancy　moved　him；　and　a　drawer　in　one　of　his　dressers　began　to
accumulate　fresh　though　usually　fragmentary　manuscripts。　。　。　　He　read　the
daily　paper；　but　he　no　longer　took　the　keen；　restless　interest　in　public
affairs。　　New　York　politics　did　not　concern　him　any　more；　and　national
politics　not　much。　　When　the　Evening　Post　wrote　him　concerning　the
advisability　of　renominating　Governor　Hughes　he　replied：

　　　　　If　you　had　asked　me　two　months　ago　my　answer　would　have　been　prompt
　　　　　&　loud　&　strong：　yes；　I　want　Governor　Hughes　renominated。　　But　it　is
　　　　　too　late；　&　my　mouth　is　closed。　　I　have　become　a　citizen　&　taxpayer
　　　　　of　Connecticut；　&　could　not　now；　without　impertinence；　meddle　in
　　　　　matters　which　are　none　of　my　business。　　I　could　not　do　it　with
　　　　　impertinence　without　trespassing　on　the　monopoly　of　another。

Howells　speaks　of　Mark　Twain's　〃absolute　content〃　with　his　new　home；　and
these　are　the　proper　words'　to　express　it。　　He　was　like　a　storm…beaten
ship　that　had　drifted　at　last　into　a　serene　South　Sea　haven。

The　days　began　and　ended　in　tranquillity。　　There　were　no　special　morning
regulations：　One　could　have　his　breakfast　at　any　time　and　at　almost　any
place。　　He　could　have　it　in　bed　if　he　liked；　or　in　the　loggia　or
livingroom；　or　billiard…room。　　He　might　even　have　it　in　the　diningroom；
or　on　the　terrace；　just　outside。　　Gueststhere　were　usually　guests
might　suit　their　convenience　in　this　matteralso　as　to　the　forenoons。　
The　afternoon　brought　gamesthat　is；　billiards；　provided　the　guest　knew
billiards；　otherwise　hearts。　　Those　two　games　were　his　safety…valves；　and
while　there　were　no　printed　requirements　relating　to　them　the　unwritten
code　of　Stormfield　provided　that　guests；　of　whatever　age　or　previous
faith；　should　engage　in　one　or　both　of　these　diversions。

Clemens；　who　usually　spent　his　forenoon　in　bed　with　his　reading　and　his
letters；　came　to　the　green　table　of　skill　and　chance　eager　for　the　onset；
if　the　fates　were　kindly；　he　approved　of　them　openly。　　If　notwell；　the
fates　were　old　enough　to　know　better；　and；　as　heretofore；　had　to　take　the
consequences。　　Sometimes；　when　the　weather　was　fine　and　there　were　no
games　（this　was　likely　to　be　on　Sunday　afternoons）；　there　were　drives
among　the　hills　and　along　the　Saugatuck　through　the　Bedding　Glen。

The　cat　was　always　〃purring　on　the　hearth〃　at　Stormfieldseveral　cats
for　Mark　Twain's　fondness　for　this　clean；　intelligent　domestic　animal
remained；　to　the　end；　one　of　his　happiest　characteristics。　　There　were
never　too　many　cats　at　Stormfield；　and　the　〃hearth〃　included　the　entire
house；　even　the　billiard…table。　　When；　as　was　likely　to　happen　at　any
time　during　the　game；　the　kittens　Sinbad；　or　Danbury；　or　Billiards　would
decide　to　hop　up　and　play　with　the　balls；　or　sit　in　the　pockets　and　grab
at　them　as　they　went　by；　the　game　simply　added　this　element　of　chance；
and　the　uninvited　player　was　not　disturbed。　　The　cats　really　owned
Stormfield；　any　one　could　tell　that　from　their　deportment。　　Mark　Twain
held　the　title　deeds；　but　it　was　Danbury　and　Sinbad　and　the　others　that
possessed　the　premises。　　They　occupied　any　portion　of　the　house　or　its
furnishings　at　will；　and　they　never　failed　to　attract　attention。　　Mark
Twain　might　be　preoccupied　and　indifferent　to　the　comings　and　goings　of
other　members　of　the　household；　but　no　matter　what　he　was　doing；　let
Danbury　appear　in　the　offing　and　he　was　observed　and　greeted　with　due
deference；　and　complimented　and　made　comfortable。　　Clemens　would　arise
from　the　table　and　carry　certain　choice　food　out　on　the　terrace　to
Tammany；　and　be　satisfied　with　almost　no　acknowledgment　by　way　of
appreciation。　　One　could　not　imagine　any　home　of　Mark　Twain　where　the
cats　were　not　supreme。　　In　the　evening；　as　at　21　Fifth　Avenue；　there　was
musicthe　stately　measures　of　the　orchestrellewhile　Mark　Twain　smoked
and　mingled　unusual　speculation　with　long；　long　backward　dreams。

It　was　three　months　from　the　day　of　arrival　in　Redding　that　some　guests
came　to　Stormfield　without　invitationtwo　burglars；　who　were　carrying
off　some　bundles　of　silver　when　they　were　discovered。　　Claude；　the
butler；　fired　a　pistol　after　them　to　hasten　their　departure；　and　Clemens；
wakened　by　the　shots；　thought　the　family　was　opening　champagne　and　went
to　sleep　again。

It　was　far　in　the　night；　but　neighbor　H。　A。　Lounsbury　and　Deputy…Sheriff
Banks　were　notified；　and　by　morning　the　thieves　were　captured；　though
only　after　a　pretty　desperate　encounter；　during　which　the　officer
received　a