mark twain, a biography, 1907-1910-第49部分

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taught　to　feel　this　way；　and　the　fetters　of　education　are　strong。　　The
fact　that　the　deathlaw　is　rendered　almost　inoperative　by　its　very
severity　does　not　alter　my　belief　in　its　righteousness。　　The　fact　that　in
England　the　proportion　of　executions　to　condemnations　is　one　to　sixteen；
and　in　this　country　only　one　to　twenty…two；　and　in　France　only　one　to
thirty…eight；　does　not　shake　my　steadfast　confidence　in　the　propriety　of
retaining　the　death…penalty。　　It　is　better　to　hang　one　murderer　in
sixteen；　twenty…two；　thirty…eight　than　not　to　hang　any　at　all。

Feeling　as　I　do；　I　am　not　sorry　that　Ruloff　is　to　be　hanged；　but　I　am
sincerely　sorry　that　he　himself　has　made　it　necessary　that　his　vast
capabilities　for　usefulness　should　be　lost　to　the　world。　　In　this；　mine
and　the　public's　is　a　common　regret。　　For　it　is　plain　that　in　the　person
of　Ruloff　one　of　the　most　marvelous　of　intellects　that　any　age　has
produced　is　about　to　be　sacrificed；　and　that；　too；　while　half　the　mystery
of　its　strange　powers　is　yet　a　secret。　　Here　is　a　man　who　has　never
entered　the　doors　of　a　college　or　a　university；　and　yet　by　the　sheer
might　of　his　innate　gifts　has　made　himself　such　a　colossus　in　abstruse
learning　that　the　ablest　of　our　scholars　are　but　pigmies　in　his　presence。　
By　the　evidence　of　Professor　Mather；　Mr。　Surbridge；　Mr。　Richmond；　and
other　men　qualified　to　testify；　this　man　is　as　familiar　with　the　broad
domain　of　philology　as　common　men　are　with　the　passing　events　of　the　day。　
His　memory　has　such　a　limitless　grasp　that　he　is　able　to　quote　sentence
after　sentence；　paragraph　after　paragraph；　chapter　after　chapter；　from　a
gnarled　and　knotty　ancient　literature　that　ordinary　scholars　are　capable
of　achieving　little　more　than　a　bowing　acquaintance　with。　　But　his　memory
is　the　least　of　his　great　endowments。　　By　the　testimony　of　the　gentlemen
above　referred　to　he　is　able　to　critically　analyze　the　works　of　the　old
masters　of　literature；　and　while　pointing　out　the　beauties　of　the
originals　with　a　pure　and　discriminating　taste　is　as　quick　to　detect　the
defects　of　the　accepted　translations；　and　in　the　latter　case；　if
exceptions　be　taken　to　his　judgment；　he　straightway　opens　up　the　quarries
of　his　exhaustless　knowledge；　and　builds　a　very　Chinese　wall　of　evidence
around　his　position。　　Every　learned　man　who　enters　Ruloff's　presence
leaves　it　amazed　and　confounded　by　his　prodigious　capabilities　and
attainments。　　One　scholar　said　he　did　not　believe　that　in　matters　of
subtle　analysis；　vast　knowledge　in　his　peculiar　field　of　research；
comprehensive　grasp　of　subject；　and　serene　kingship　over　its　limitless
and　bewildering　details；　any　land　or　any　era　of　modern　times　had　given
birth　to　Ruloff's　intellectual　equal。　　What　miracles　this　murderer　might
have　wrought；　and　what　luster　he　might　have　shed　upon　his　country；　if　he
had　not　put　a　forfeit　upon　his　life　so　foolishly！　　But　what　if　the　law
could　be　satisfied；　and　the　gifted　criminal　still　be　saved。　　If　a　life　be
offered　up　on　the　gallows　to　atone　for　the　murder　Ruloff　did；　will　that
suffice？　　If　so；　give　me　the　proofs；　for　in　all　earnestness　and　truth　I
aver　that　in　such　a　case　I　will　instantly　bring　forward　a　man　who；　in　the
interests　of　learning　and　science；　will　take　Ruloff's　crime　upon　himself；
and　submit　to　be　hanged　in　Ruloff's　place。　　I　can；　and　will　do　this
thing；　and　I　propose　this　matter；　and　make　this　offer　in　good　faith。　　You
know　me；　and　know　my　address。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SAMUEL　LANGHORNE。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　April　29；　1871。






APPENDIX　L

ABOUT　LONDON

ADDRESS　AT　A　DINNER　GIVEN　BY　THE　SAVAGE　CLUB；　LONDON；　SEPTEMBER　28；　1872

（See　Chapter　lxxxvii）

Reported　by　Moncure　D。　Conway　in　the　Cincinnati　Commercial

It　affords　me　sincere　pleasure　to　meet　this　distinguished　club；　a　club
which　has　extended　its　hospitalities　and　its　cordial　welcome　to　so　many
of　my　countrymen。　　I　hope　＇and　here　the　speaker's　voice　became　low　and
fluttering＇　you　will　excuse　these　clothes。　　I　am　going　to　the　theater；
that　will　explain　these　clothes。　　I　have　other　clothes　than　these。　
Judging　human　nature　by　what　I　have　seen　of　it；　I　suppose　that　the
customary　thing　for　a　stranger　to　do　when　he　stands　here　is　to　make　a　pun
on　the　name　of　this　club；　under　the　impression；　of　course；　that　he　is　the
first　man　that　that　idea　has　occurred　to。　　It　is　a　credit　to　our　human
nature；　not　a　blemish　upon　it；　for　it　shows　that　underlying　all　our
depravity　（and　God　knows　and　you　know　we　are　depraved　enough）　and　all　our
sophistication；　and　untarnished　by　them；　there　is　a　sweet　germ　of
innocence　and　simplicity　still。　　When　a　stranger　says　to　me；　with　a　glow
of　inspiration　in　his　eye；　some　gentle；　innocuous　little　thing　about
〃Twain　and　one　flesh〃　and　all　that　sort　of　thing；　I　don't　try　to　crush
that　man　into　the　earthno。　　I　feel　like　saying；　〃Let　me　take　you　by　the
hand；　sir；　let　me　embrace　you；　I　have　not　heard　that　pun　for　weeks。〃　　We
will　deal　in　palpable　puns。　　We　will　call　parties　named　King　〃your
Majesty〃　and　we　will　say　to　the　Smiths　that　we　think　we　have　heard　that
name　before　somewhere。　　Such　is　human　nature。　　We　cannot　alter　this。　　It
is　God　that　made　us　so　for　some　good　and　wise　purpose。　　Let　us　not
repine。　　But　though　I　may　seem　strange；　may　seem　eccentric；　I　mean　to
refrain　from　punning　upon　the　name　of　this　club；　though　I　could　make　a
very　good　one　if　I　had　time　to　think　about　ita　week。

I　cannot　express　to　you　what　entire　enjoyment　I　find　in　this　first　visit
to　this　prodigious　metropolis　of　yours。　　Its　wonders　seem　to　me　to　be
limitless。　　I　go　about　as　in　a　dreamas　in　a　realm　of　enchantmentwhere
many　things　are　rare　and　beautiful；　and　all　things　are　strange　and
marvelous。　　Hour　after　hour　I　standI　stand　spellbound；　as　it　were…and
gaze　upon　the　statuary　in　Leicester　Square。　　＇Leicester　Square　being　a
horrible　chaos；　with　the　relic　of　an　equestrian　statue　in　the　center；　the
king　being　headless　and　limbless；　and　the　horse　in　little　better
condition。＇　I　visit　the　mortuary　effigies　of　noble　old　Henry　VIII。；　and
Judge　Jeffreys；　and　the　preserved　gorilla；　and　try　to　make　up　my　mind
which　of　my　ancestors　I　admire　the　most。　　I　go　to　that　matchless　Hyde
Park　and　drive　all　around　it；　and　then　I　start　to　enter　it　at　the　Marble
Archand　am　induced　to　〃change　my　mind。〃　　＇Cabs　are　not　permitted　in
Hyde　Parknothing　less　aristocratic　than　a　private　carriage。＇　　It　is　a
great　benefactionis　Hyde　Park。　　There；　in　his　hansom　cab；　the　invalid
can　gothe　poor；　sad　child　of　misfortuneand　insert　his　nose　between
the　railings；　and　breathe　the　pure；　health…giving　air　of　the　country　and
of　heaven。　　And　if　he　is　a　swell　invalid　who　isn't　obliged　to　depend　upon
parks　for　his　country　air　he　can　drive　insideif　he　owns　his　vehicle。
I　drive　round　and　round　Hyde　Park　and　the　more　I　see　of　the　edges　of　it
the　more　grateful　I　am　that　the　margin　is　extensive。

And　I　have　been　to　the　Zoological　Gardens。　　What　a　wonderful　place　that
is！　　I　have　never　seen　such　a　curious　and　interesting　variety　of　wild…
animals　in　any　garden　beforeexcept　Mabille。　　I　never　believed　before
there　were　so　many　different　kinds　of　animals　in　the　world　as　you　can
find　thereand　I　don't　believe　it　yet。　　I　have　been　to　the　British
Museum。　　I　would　advise　you　to　drop　in　there　some　time　when　you　have
nothing　to　do　forfive　minutesif　you　have　never　been　there。　　It　seems
to　me　the　noblest　monument　this　nation　has；　yet　erected　to　her　greatness。　
I　say　to　her；　our　greatnessas　a　nation。　　True；　she　has　built　other
monuments；　and　stately　ones；　as　well；　but　these　she　has　uplifted　in　honor
of　two　or　three　colossal　demigods　who　have　stalked　across　the　world's
stage；　destroying　tyrants　and　delivering　nations；　and　whose　prodigies
will　still　live　in　the　memories　of　men　ages　after　their　monuments　shall
have　crumbled　to　dustI　refer　to　the　Wellington　and　Nelson　monuments；
andthe　Albert　memorial。　　＇Sarcasm。　　The　Albert　memorial　is　the　finest
monument　in　the　world；　and　celebrates　the　existence　of　as　commonplace　a
person　as　good　luck　ever　lifted　out　of　obscurity。＇

The　Library　at　the　British　Museum　I　find　particularly　astounding。　　I　have
read　there　hours　together；　and　hardly　made　an　impression　on　it。　　I　revere
that　library。　　It　is　the　author's　friend。　　I　don't　care　how　mean　a　book
is；　it　always　takes　one　copy。　　＇A　copy　of　every　book　printed　in　Great
Britain　must　by　law　be　sent　to　the　British　Museum；　a　law　much　complained
of　by　publishers。＇　　And　then　every　day　that　author　goes　there　to　gaze　at
that　book；　and　is　encouraged　to　go　on　in　the　good　work。　　And　what　a
touching　sight　it　is　of　a　Saturday　afternoon　to　see　the　poor；　careworn
clergymen　gathered　together　in　that　vast　reading…room　cabbaging　sermons
for　Sunday！　　You　will　pardon　my　referring　to　these　things。　　Everything　in
this　monster　city　interests　me；　and　I　cannot　keep　from　talking；　even　at
the　risk　of　being　instructive。　　People　here　seem　always　to　express
distances　by　parables。　　To　a　stranger　it　is　just　a　little　confusing　to　be
so　parabolicso　to　speak。　　I　collar　a　citizen；　and　I　think　I　am　going　to
get　some　valuable　information　out　of　him。　　I　ask　him　how　far　it　is　to
Birmingham；　and　he　says　it　is　twe