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！
wide and letting the theater fill up； regardless of tickets； had locked
them。 As a result there was a shouting； surging human mass that
presently dashed itself against the entrance。 Windows and doors gave
way； and there followed a wild struggle for entrance。 A moment later the
house was packed solid。 A detachment of police had now arrived； and in
time cleared the street。 It was said that amid the tumult some had lost
their footing and had been trampled and injured； but of this we did not
learn until later。 We had been taken somehow to a side entrance and
smuggled into boxes。 ＇The paper next morning bore the head…lines：
〃10；000 Stampeded at the Mark Twain Meeting。 Well…dressed Men and Women
Clubbed by Police at Majestic Theater。〃 In this account the paper stated
that the crowd had collected an hour before the time for opening； that
nothing of the kind had been anticipated and no police preparation had
been made。＇
It was peaceful enough in the theater until Mark Twain appeared on the
stage。 He was wildly greeted； and when he said； slowly and seriously；
〃I thank you for this signal recognition of merit；〃 there was a still
noisier outburst。 In the quiet that followed he began his memories； and
went wandering along from one anecdote to another in the manner of his
daily dictations。
At last it seemed to occur to him； in view of the character of his
audience； that he ought to close with something in the nature of counsel
suited to young men。
It is from experiences such as mine ＇he said＇ that we get our
education of life。 We string them into jewels or into tinware； as
we may choose。 I have received recently several letters asking for
counsel or advice； the principal request being for some incident
that may prove helpful to the young。 It is my mission to teach； and
I am always glad to furnish something。 There have been a lot of
incidents in my career to help me alongsometimes they helped me
along faster than I wanted to go。
He took some papers from his pocket and started to unfold one of them；
then； as if remembering； he asked how long he had been talking。 The
answer came； 〃Thirty…five minutes。〃 He made as if to leave the stage；
but the audience commanded him to go on。
〃All right；〃 he said； 〃I can stand more of my own talk than any one I
ever knew。〃 Opening one of the papers； a telegram； he read：
〃In which one of your works can we find the definition of a gentleman？〃
Then he added：
I have not answered that telegram。 I couldn't。 I never wrote any
such definition； though it seems to me that if a man has just；
merciful； and kindly instincts he would be a gentleman； for he would
need nothing else in this world。
He opened a letter。 〃From Howells；〃 he said。
My old friend； William Dean HowellsHowells； the head of American
literature。 No one is able to stand with him。 He is an old； old
friend of mine； and he writes me； 〃To…morrow I shall be sixty…nine
years old。〃 Why； I am surprised at Howells writing so。 I have
known him myself longer than that。 I am sorry to see a man trying
to appear so young。 Let's see。 Howells says now； 〃I see you have
been burying Patrick。 I suppose he was old； too。〃
The house became very still。 Most of them had read an account of Mark
Twain's journey to Hartford and his last service to his faithful
servitor。 The speaker's next words were not much above a whisper； but
every syllable was distinct。
No； he was never old…Patrick。 He came to us thirty…six years ago。
He was our coachman from the day that I drove my young bride to our
new home。 He was a young Irishman； slender； tall； lithe； honest；
truthful； and he never changed in all his life。 He really was with
us but twenty…five years； for he did not go with us to Europe； but
he never regarded that a separation。 As the children grew up he was
their guide。 He was all honor； honesty； and affection。 He was with
us in New Hampshire last summer； and his hair was just as black； his
eyes were just as blue； his form just as straight； and his heart
just as good as on the day we first met。 In all the long years
Patrick never made a mistake。 He never needed an order； he never
received a command。 He knew。 I have been asked for my idea of an
ideal gentleman； and I give it to youPatrick McAleer。
It was the sort of thing that no one but Mark Twain has quite been able
to do； and it was just that recognized quality behind it that had made
crowds jam the street and stampede the entrance to be in his presence…to
see him and to hear his voice。
CCXLI
GORKY； HOWELLS； AND MARK TWAIN
Clemens was now fairly back again in the wash of banquets and speech…
making that had claimed him on his return from England； five years
before。 He made no less than a dozen speeches altogether that winter；
and he was continually at some feasting or other； where he was sure to be
called upon for remarks。 He fell out of the habit of preparing his
addresses； relying upon the inspiration of the moment； merely following
the procedure of his daily dictations； which had doubtless given him
confidence for this departure from his earlier method。 There was seldom
an afternoon or an evening that he was not required； and seldom a morning
that the papers did not have some report of his doings。 Once more； and
in a larger fashion than ever； he had become 〃the belle of New York。〃
But he was something further。 An editorial in the Evening Mail said：
Mark Twain； in his 〃last and best of life for which the first was
made；〃 seems to be advancing rapidly to a position which makes him a
kind of joint Aristides； Solon； and Themistocles of the American
metropolisan Aristides for justness and boldness as well as
incessancy of opinion； a Solon for wisdom and cogency； and a
Themistocles for the democracy of his views and the popularity of
his person。
Things have reached the point where； if Mark Twain is not at a
public meeting or banquet； he is expected to console it with one of
his inimitable letters of advice and encouragement。 If he deigns to
make a public appearance there is a throng at the doors which
overtaxes the energy and ability of the police。 We must be glad
that we have a public commentator like Mark Twain always at hand and
his wit and wisdom continually on tap。 His sound； breezy
Mississippi Valley Americanism is a corrective to all sorts of
snobbery。 He cultivates respect for human rights by always making
sure that he has his own。
He talked one afternoon to the Barnard girls； and another afternoon to
the Women's University Club； illustrating his talk with what purported to
be moral tales。 He spoke at a dinner given to City Tax Commissioner Mr。
Charles Putzel； and when he was introduced there as the man who had said；
〃When in doubt tell the truth；〃 he replied that he had invented that
maxim for others； but that when in doubt himself； he used more sagacity。
The speeches he made kept his hearers