Mark Twain: A Biography. Volume I, Part 2: 1835-1866

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Paine Albert Bigelow. Mark Twain: A Biography. Volume I, Part 2: 1835-1866

VOLUME I, Part 2: 1866-1875

LIV. THE LECTURER

LV. HIGHWAY ROBBERY

LVI. BACK TO THE STATES

LVII. OLD FRIENDS AND NEW PLANS

LVIII. A NEW BOOK AND A LECTURE

LIX. THE FIRST BOOK

LX. THE INNOCENTS AT SEA. HOLY LAND PLEASURE EXCURSION

LXI. THE INNOCENTS ABROAD

LXII. THE RETURN OF THE PILGRIMS

LXIII. IN WASHINGTON—A PUBLISHING PROPOSITION

LXIV. OLIVIA LANGDON

LXV. A CONTRACT WITH ELISHA BLISS, JR

LXVI. BACK TO SAN FRANCISCO

LXVII. A VISIT TO ELMIRA

LXVIII. THE REV. "JOE" TWICHELL

LXIX. A LECTURE TOUR

LXX. INNOCENTS AT HOME—AND "THE INNOCENTS ABROAD"

LXXI. THE GREAT BOOK OF TRAVEL

THE PURCHASE OF A PAPER

LXXIII. THE FIRST MEETING WITH HOWELLS

LXXIV. THE WEDDING-DAY

LXXV. AS TO DESTINY

LXXVI. ON THE BUFFALO "EXPRESS"

LXXVII. THE "GALAXY"

LXXVIII. THE PRIMROSE PATH

LXXIX. THE OLD HUMAN STORY

LXXX. LITERARY PROJECTS

LXXXI. SOME FURTHER LITERARY MATTERS

LXXXII. THE WRITING OF "ROUGHING IT"

TO THE LATE CAIN THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED

LXXXIII. LECTURING DAYS

LXXXIV "ROUGHING IT"

LXXXV. A BIRTH, A DEATH, AND A VOYAGE

LXXXVI. ENGLAND

LXXXVII. THE BOOK THAT WAS NEVER WRITTEN

LXXXVIII "THE GILDED AGE"

LXXXIX. PLANNING A NEW HOME

XC. A LONG ENGLISH HOLIDAY

XCI. A LONDON LECTURE

XCII. FURTHER LONDON LECTURE TRIUMPHS

XCIII. THE REAL COLONEL SELLERS-GOLDEN DAYS

XCIV. BEGINNING "TOM SAWYER"

XCV. AN "ATLANTIC" STORY AND A PLAY

XCVI. THE NEW HOME

XCVII. THE WALK TO BOSTON

XCVIII "OLD TIMES ON THE MISSISSIPPI"

XCIX A TYPEWRITER, AND A JOKE ON ALDRICH

C. RAYMOND, MENTAL TELEGRAPHY, ETC

CI. CONCLUDING "TOM SAWYER"—MARK TWAIN's "EDITORS"

CII "SKETCHES NEW AND OLD"

CIII "ATLANTIC" DAYS

CIV. MARK TWAIN AND HIS WIFE

Отрывок из книги

It was not easy to take up the daily struggle again, but it was necessary.—[Clemens once declared he had been so blue at this period that one morning he put a loaded pistol to his head, but found he lacked courage to pull the trigger.]—Out of the ruck of possibilities (his brain always thronged with plans) he constructed three or four resolves. The chief of these was the trip around the world; but that lay months ahead, and in the mean time ways and means must be provided. Another intention was to finish the Hornet article, and forward it to Harper's Magazine—a purpose carried immediately into effect. To his delight the article found acceptance, and he looked forward to the day of its publication as the beginning of a real career. He intended to follow it up with a series on the islands, which in due time might result in a book and an income. He had gone so far as to experiment with a dedication for the book—an inscription to his mother, modified later for use in 'The Innocents Abroad'. A third plan of action was to take advantage of the popularity of the Hawaiian letters, and deliver a lecture on the same subject. But this was a fearsome prospect—he trembled when he thought of it. As Governor of the Third House he had been extravagantly received and applauded, but in that case the position of public entertainer had been thrust upon him. To come forward now, offering himself in the same capacity, was a different matter. He believed he could entertain, but he lacked the courage to declare himself; besides, it meant a risk of his slender capital. He confided his situation to Col. John McComb, of the Alta California, and was startled by McComb's vigorous endorsement.

"Do it, by all means!" urged McComb. "It will be a grand success—I know it! Take the largest house in town, and charge a dollar a ticket."

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But this is probably apocryphal; there is too much "Mark Twain" in it.

When he reached Virginia, Goodman said to him:

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