按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
yesterdayas it has from the first。 But this funeral marchhow
sad & long it is！
Two days more will end the second stage of it。
July 14； 1904 （ELMIRA）。 Funeral private in the house of Livy's
young maidenhood。 Where she stood as a bride 34 years ago there her
coffin rested； & over it the same voice that had made her a wife
then committed her departed spirit to God now。
It was Joseph Twichell who rendered that last service。 Mr。 Beecher was
long since dead。 It was a simple； touching utterance； closing with this
tender word of farewell：
Robert Browning； when he was nearing the end of his earthly days；
said that death was the thing that we did not believe in。 Nor do we
believe in it。 We who journeyed through the bygone years in
companionship with the bright spirit now withdrawn are growing old。
The way behind is long； the way before is short。 The end cannot be
far off。 But what of that？ Can we not say； each one：
〃So long that power hath blessed me； sure it still
Will lead me on；
O'er moor and fen； o'er crag and torrent； till
The night is gone；
And with the morn； their angel faces smile；
Which I have loved long since； and lost awhile！〃
And so good…by。 Good…by； dear heart！ Strong； tender； and true。
Good…by until for us the morning break and these shadows fly away。
Dr。 Eastman； who had succeeded Mr。 Beecher； closed the service with a
prayer； and so the last office we can render in this life for those we
love was finished。
Clemens ordered that a simple marker should be placed at the grave；
bearing； besides the name； the record of birth and death； followed by the
German line：
'Gott sei dir gnadig； O meine Wonne'！
CCXXXIII
BEGINNING ANOTHER HOME
There was an extra cottage on the Gilder place at Tyringham； and this
they occupied for the rest of that sad summer。 Clemens； in his note…
book； has preserved some of its aspects and incidents。
July 24； 1904。 Rainrainrain。 Cold。 We built a fire in my room。
Then clawed the logs out & threw water； remembering there was a brood of
swallows in the chimney。 The tragedy was averted。
July 31。 LEE； MASSACHUSETTS （BERKSHIRE HILLS）。 Last night the young
people out on a moonlight ride。 Trolley frightened Jean's horse
collisionhorse killed。 Rodman Gilder picked Jean up； unconscious； she
was taken to the doctor； per the car。 Face； nose； side； back contused；
tendon of left ankle broken。
August 10。 NEW YORK。 Clam here sicknever well since June 5。 Jean is
at the summer home in the Berkshire Hills crippled。
The next entry records the third death in the Clemens family within a
period of eight monthsthat of Mrs。 Moffett； who had been Pamela
Clemens。 Clemens writes：
September 1。 Died at Greenwich； Connecticut； my sister； Pamela
Moffett； aged about 73。
Death dates this year January 14； June 5； September 1。
That fall they took a house in New York City； on the corner of Ninth
Street and Fifth Avenue； No。 21； remaining for a time at the Grosvenor
while the new home was being set in order。 The home furniture was
brought from Hartford； unwrapped； and established in the light of strange
environment。 Clemens wrote：
We have not seen it for thirteen years。 Katie Leary； our old
housekeeper； who has been in our service more than twenty…four years；
cried when she told me about it to…day。 She said； 〃I had forgotten it
was so beautiful； and it brought Mrs。 Clemens right back to mein that
old time when she was so young and lovely。〃
Clara Clemens had not recovered from the strain of her mother's long
illness and the shock of her death； and she was ordered into retirement
with the care of a trained nurse。 The life at 21 Fifth Avenue；
therefore； began with only two remaining members of the broken family
Clemens and Jean。
Clemens had undertaken to divert himself with work at Tyringham； though
without much success。 He was not well； he was restless and disturbed；
his heart bleak with a great loneliness。 He prepared an article on
Copyright for the 'North American Review'；＇Published Jan。； 7905。 A
dialogue presentation of copyright conditions； addressed to Thorwald
Stolberg； Register of Copyrights； Washington； D。 C。 One of the best of
Mark Twain's papers on the subject。＇ and he began； or at least
contemplated； that beautiful fancy； 'Eve's Diary'； which in the widest
and most reverential sense； from the first word to the last； conveys his
love； his worship； and his tenderness for the one he had laid away。
Adam's single comment at the end； 〃Wheresoever she was； there was Eden；〃
was his own comment； and is perhaps the most tenderly beautiful line he
ever wrote。 These two books； Adam's Diary and Eve'samusing and
sometimes absurd as they are； and so far removed from the literalare as
autobiographic as anything he has done； and one of them as lovely in its
truth。 Like the first Maker of men； Mark Twain created Adam in his own
image； and his rare Eve is no less the companion with whom； half a
lifetime before； he had begun the marriage journey。 Only here the
likeness ceases。 No Serpent ever entered their Eden。 And they never
left it； it traveled with them so long as they remained together。
In the Christmas Harper for 1904 was published 〃Saint Joan of Arc〃the
same being the Joan introduction prepared in London five years before。
Joan's proposed beatification had stirred a new interest in the martyred
girl； and this most beautiful article became a sort of key…note of the
public heart。 Those who read it were likely to go back and read the
Recollections； and a new appreciation grew for that masterpiece。 In his
later and wider acceptance by his own land； and by the world at large；
the book came to be regarded with a fresh understanding。 Letters came
from scores of readers； as if it were a newly issued volume。 A
distinguished educator wrote：
I would rather have written your history of Joan of Arc than any
other piece of literature in any language。
And this sentiment grew。 The demand for the book increased； and has
continued to increase； steadily and rapidly。 In the long and last
analysis the good must prevail。 A day will come when there will be as
many readers of Joan as of any other of Mark Twain's works。
＇The growing appreciation of Joan is shown by the report of sales for the
three years following 1904。 The sales for that year in America were
1；726； for 1905； 2；445 for 1906； 5；381； for 1907； 6；574。 At this point
it passed Pudd'nhead Wilson； the Yankee； The Gilded Age； Life on the
Mississippi； overtook the Tramp Abroad； and more than doubled The
American Claimant。 Only The Innocents Abroad； Huckleberry Finn； Tom
Sawyer； and Roughing It still ranged ahead of it； in the order named。
CCXXXIV
LIFE AT 21 FIFTH AVENUE
The house at 21 Fifth Avenue； built by the architect who had designed
Grace Church； had a distinctly ecclesiastical suggestion about its
windows； and was of fine and stately proportions within。 It was a proper
residence for a venerable author and a sage； and with the handsome
Hartford furnishings distributed through it； made a distinctly suitable
setting for Mark Twain。 But it was lonely for him。 It lacked soul。 He
added； presently； a great AEolian Orchestrelle； with a variety of music
for his different moods。 He believed that he would play it himself when
he needed the comfort of harmony； and that Jean； who had not received
musical training； or his secretary could also play to him。 He had a
passion for music； or at least for melody and stately rhythmic measures；
though his ear was not attuned to what are termed the more classical
compositions。 For Wagner； for instance； he cared little； though in a
letter to Mrs。 Crane he said：
Certainly nothing in the world is so solemn and impressive and so
divinely beautiful as 〃Tannhauser。〃 It ought to be used as a religious
service。
Beethoven's sonatas and symphonies also moved him deeply。 Once； writing
to Jean； he asked：
What is your favorite piece of music； dear？ Mine is Beethoven's Fifth
Symphony。 I have found that out within a day or two。
It was the majestic movement and melodies of the second part that he
found most satisfying； but he oftener inclined to the still tenderer
themes of Chopin's nocturnes and one of Schubert's impromptus； while the
〃Lorelei〃 and the 〃Erlking〃 and the Scottish airs never wearied him。
Music thus became a chief consolation during these lonely daysrich
organ harmonies that filled the emptiness of his heart and beguiled from
dull； material surroundings back into worlds and dreams that he had known
and laid away。
He went out very little that winterusually to the homes of old and
intimate friends。 Once he attended a small dinner given him by George
Smalley at the Metropolitan Club； but it was a private affair； with only
good friends present。 Still； it formed the beginning of his return to
social life； and it was not in his nature to retire from the brightness
of human society； or