mark twain, a biography, 1907-1910-第37部分

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and　business　affairs　no　longer　troubled　him；　that　his　personal
surroundings　were　of　the　pleasantest　sort。　　Sometimes　he　wrote　of　what　he
was　reading；　and　once　spoke　particularly　of　Prof。　William　Lyon　Phelps's
Literary　Essays；　which　he　said　he　had　been　unable　to　lay　down　until　he
had　finished　the　book。　＇To　Phelps　himself　he　wrote：　〃I　thank　you　ever
so　much　for　the　book；　which　I　find　charmingso　charming；　indeed；　that　I
read　it　through　in　a　single　night；　&　did　not　regret　the　lost　night's
sleep。　　I　am　glad　if　I　deserve　what　you　have　said　about　me；　&　even　if　I
don't　I　am　proud　&　well　contented；　since　you　think　I　deserve　it。〃＇

So　his　days　seemed　full　of　comfort。　　But　in　March　I　noticed　that　he
generally　dictated　his　letters；　and　once　when　he　sent　some　small
photographs　I　thought　he　looked　thinner　and　older。　　Still　he　kept　up　his
merriment。　　In　one　letter　he　said：

　　　　　While　the　matter　is　in　my　mind　I　will　remark　that　if　you　ever　send
　　　　　me　another　letter　which　is　not　paged　at　the　top　I　will　write　you
　　　　　with　my　own　hand；　so　that　I　may　use　with　utter　freedom　&　without
　　　　　embarrassment　the　kind　of　words　which　alone　can　describe　such　a
　　　　　criminal；　to　wit；…　…　…　…；　you　will　have　to　put　into　words　those
　　　　　dashes　because　propriety　will　not　allow　me　to　do　it　myself　in　my
　　　　　secretary's　hearing。　　You　are　forgiven；　but　don't　let　it　occur
　　　　　again。

He　had　still　made　no　mention　of　his　illness；　but　on　the　25th　of　March　he
wrote　something　of　his　plans　for　coming　home。　　He　had　engaged　passage　on
the　Bermudian　for　April　23d；　he　said；　and　he　added：

　　　　　But　don't　tell　anybody。　　I　don't　want　it　known。　　I　may　have　to　go
　　　　　sooner　if　the　pain　in　my　breast　does　not　mend　its　ways　pretty
　　　　　considerable。　　I　don't　want　to　die　here；　for　this　is　an　unkind　place
　　　　　for　a　person　in　that　condition。　　I　should　have　to　lie　in　the
　　　　　undertaker's　cellar　until　the　ship　would　remove　me　&　it　is　dark　down
　　　　　there　&　unpleasant。

　　　　　The　Colliers　will　meet　me　on　the　pier；　&　I　may　stay　with　them　a　week
　　　　　or　two　before　going　home。　　It　all　depends　on　the　breast　pain。　　I
　　　　　don't　want　to　die　there。　　I　am　growing　more　and　more　particular
　　　　　about　the　place。

But　in　the　same　letter　he　spoke　of　plans　for　the　summer；　suggesting　that
we　must　look　into　the　magic…lantern　possibilities；　so　that　library
entertainments　could　be　given　at　Stormfield。　　I　confess　that　this　letter；
in　spite　of　its　light　tone；　made　me　uneasy；　and　I　was　tempted　to　sail　for
Bermuda　to　bring　him　home。　　Three　days　later　he　wrote　again：

　　　　　I　have　been　having　a　most　uncomfortable　time　for　the　past　four　days
　　　　　with　that　breast　pain；　which　turns　out　to　be　an　affection　of　the
　　　　　heart；　just　as　I　originally　suspected。　　The　news　from　New　York　is　to
　　　　　the　effect　that　non…bronchial　weather　has　arrived　there　at　last；
　　　　　therefore；　if　I　can　get　my　breast　trouble　in　traveling　condition　I
　　　　　may　sail　for　home　a　week　or　two　earlier　than　has　been　proposed。

The　same　mail　that　brought　this　brought　a　letter　from　Mr。　Allen；　who
frankly　stated　that　matters　had　become　very　serious　indeed。　　Mr。　Clemens
had　had　some　dangerous　attacks；　and　the　physicians　considered　his
condition　critical。

These　letters　arrived　April　1st。　　I　went　to　New　York　at　once　and　sailed
next　morning。　　Before　sailing　I　consulted　with　Dr。　Quintard；　who　provided
me　with　some　opiates　and　instructed　me　in　the　use　of　the　hypodermic
needle。　　He　also　joined　me　in　a　cablegram　to　the　Gabrilowitsches；　then　in
Italy；　advising　them　to　sail　without　delay。




CCXCII

THE　VOYAGE　HOME

I　sent　no　word　to　Bermuda　that　I　was　coming；　and　when　on　the　second
morning　I　arrived　at　Hamilton；　I　stepped　quickly　ashore　from　the　tender
and　hurried　to　Bay　House。　　The　doors　were　all　open；　as　they　usually　are
in　that　summer　island；　and　no　one　was　visible。　　I　was　familiar　with　the
place；　and；　without　knocking；　I　went　through　to　the　room　occupied　by　Mark
Twain。　　As　I　entered　I　saw　that　he　was　alone；　sitting　in　a　large　chair；
clad　in　the　familiar　dressing…gown。

Bay　House　stands　upon　the　water；　and　the　morning　light；　reflected　in　at
the　window；　had　an　unusual　quality。　　He　was　not　yet　shaven；　and　he　seemed
unnaturally　pale　and　gray；　certainly　he　was　much　thinner。　　I　was　too
startled；　for　the　moment；　to　say　anything。　　When　he　turned　and　saw　me　he
seemed　a　little　dazed。

〃Why；〃　he　said；　holding　out　his　hand；　〃you　didn't　tell　us　you　were
coming。〃

〃No；〃　I　said；　〃it　is　rather　sudden。　　I　didn't　quite　like　the　sound　of
your　last　letters。〃

〃But　those　were　not　serious；〃　he　protested。　　〃You　shouldn't　have　come　on
my　account。〃

I　said　then　that　I　had　come　on　my　own　account；　that　I　had　felt　the　need
of　recreation；　and　had　decided　to　run　down　and　come　home　with　him。

〃That'sverygood；〃　he　said；　in　his　slow；　gentle　fashion。　　〃Now　I'm
glad　to　see　you。〃

His　breakfast　came　in　and　he　ate　with　an　appetite。

When　he　had　been　shaved　and　freshly　propped　tip　in　his　pillows　it　seemed
to　me；　after　all；　that　I　must　have　been　mistaken　in　thinking　him　so
changed。　　Certainly　he　was　thinner；　but　his　color　was　fine；　his　eyes　were
bright；　he　had　no　appearance　of　a　man　whose　life　was　believed　to　be　in
danger。　　He　told　me　then　of　the　fierce　attacks　he　had　gone　through；　how
the　pains　had　torn　at　him；　and　how　it　had　been　necessary　for　him　to　have
hypodermic　injections；　which　he　amusingly　termed　〃hypnotic　injunctions〃
and　〃subcutaneous　applications；〃　and　he　had　his　humor　out　of　it；　as　of
course　he　must　have；　even　though　Death　should　stand　there　in　person。

From　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Allen　and　from　the　physician　I　learned　how　slender　had
been　his　chances　and　how　uncertain　were　the　days　ahead。　　Mr。　Allen　had
already　engaged　passage　on　the　Oceana　for　the　12th；　and　the　one　purpose
now　was　to　get　him　physically　in　condition　for　the　trip。

How　devoted　those　kind　friends　had　been　to　him！　　They　had　devised　every
imaginable　thing　for　his　comfort。　　Mr。　Allen　had　rigged　an　electric　bell
which　connected　with　his　own　room；　so　that　he　could　be　aroused　instantly
at　any　hour　of　the　night。　　Clemens　had　refused　to　have　a　nurse；　for　it
was　only　during　the　period　of　his　extreme　suffering　that　he　needed　any
one；　and　he　did　not　wish　to　have　a　nurse　always　around。　　When　the　pains
were　gone　he　was　as　bright　and　cheerful；　and；　seemingly；　as　well　as　ever。

On　the　afternoon　of　my　arrival　we　drove　out；　as　formerly；　and　he
discussed　some　of　the　old　subjects　in　quite　the　old　way。　　He　had　been
rereading　Macaulay；　he　said；　and　spoke　at　considerable　length　of　the
hypocrisy　and　intrigue　of　the　English　court　under　James　II。　　He　spoke；
too；　of　the　Redding　Library。　　I　had　sold　for　him　that　portion　of　the　land
where　Jean's　farm…house　had　stood；　and　it　was　in　his　mind　to　use　the
money　for　some　sort　of　a　memorial　to　Jean。　　I　had　written；　suggesting
that　perhaps　he　would　like　to　put　up　a　small　library　building；　as　the
Adams　lot　faced　the　corner　where　Jean　had　passed　every　day　when　she　rode
to　the　station　for　the　mail。　　He　had　been　thinking　this　over；　he　said；
and　wished　the　idea　carried　out。　　He　asked　me　to　write　at　once　to　his
lawyer；　Mr。　Lark；　and　have　a　paper　prepared　appointing　trustees　for　a
memorial　library　fund。

The　pain　did　not　trouble　him　that　afternoon；　nor　during　several
succeeding　days。　　He　was　gay　and　quite　himself；　and　he　often　went　out　on
the　lawn；　but　we　did　not　drive　out　again。　　For　the　most　part；　he　sat
propped　up　in　his　bed；　reading　or　smoking；　or　talking　in　the　old　way；　and
as　I　looked　at　him　he　seemed　so　full　of　vigor　and　the　joy　of　life　that　I
could　not　convince　myself　that　he　would　not　outlive　us　all。　　I　found　that
he　had　been　really　very　much　alive　during　those　three　monthstoo　much
for　his　own　good；　sometimesfor　he　had　not　been　careful　of　his　hours　or
his　diet；　and　had　suffered　in　consequence。

He　had　not　been　writing；　though　he　had　scribbled　some　playful　valentines
and　he　had　amused　himself　one　day　by　preparing　a　chapter　of　advicefor
me　it　appearedwhich；　after　reading　it　aloud　to　the　Allens　and　receiving
their　approval；　he　declared　he　intended　to　have　printed　for　my　benefit。　
As　it　would　seem　to　have　been　the　last　bit　of　continued　writing　he　ever
did；　and　because　it　is　characteristic　and　amusing；　a　few　paragraphs　may
be　admitted。　　The　〃advice〃　is　concerning　deportment　on　reaching　the　Gate
which　St。　Peter　is　supposed　to　guard

　　　　　Upon　arrival　do　not　speak　to　St。　Peter　until　spoken　to。　　It　is　not
　　　　　your　place　to　begin。

　　　　　Do　not　begin　any　remark　with　〃Say。〃

　　　　　When　applying　for　a　ticket　avoid　trying　to　make　conversation。　　If
　　　　　you　must　talk　let　the　weather　alone。　　St。　Peter　cares　not　a　damn　for
　　　　　the　weather。　　And　don't　ask　him　what　time　the　4。30　train　goes；　there
　　　　　aren't　any　trains　in　heaven；　except　through　trains；　and　the　less
　　　　　information　you　get　about　them　the　better　for　you。

　　　　　You　can　ask　him　for　his　autographthere　is　no　harm　in　thatbut　be
　　　　　careful　and　don't　remark　that　it　is　one　of　the　penalties　of
　　　　　greatness。　　He　has　heard　that　before。

　　　　　Don't　try　to　kodak　him。　　Hell　is　full　of　people　who　have　made　that
　　　　　mistake。

　　　　　Leave　your　dog　outside。　　Heaven　goes　by　favor。　　If　it　went　by　merit