登陆注册
5380500000149

第149章

Now if you mean it, old man--if you are in earnest--proceed, in God's name, and be by me forever blest.I cannot conceive of a rational man deliberately piling such an atrocious job upon himself; but if there is such a man and you be that man, why then pile it on.It will cost me a pang every time I think of it, but this anguish will be eingebusst to me in the joy and comfort I shall get out of the not having to read the verfluchtete proofs myself.But if you have repented of your augenblichlicher Tobsucht and got back to calm cold reason again, I won't hold you to it unless I find I have got you down in writing somewhere.

Herr, I would not read the proof of one of my books for any fair and reasonable sum whatever, if I could get out of it.

The proof-reading on the P & P cost me the last rags of my religion.

M.

Howells had written that he would be glad to help out in the reading of the proofs of Huck Finn, which book Webster by this time had in hand.

Replying to Clemens's eager and grateful acceptance now, he wrote: "It is all perfectly true about the generosity, unless I am going to read your proofs from one of the shabby motives which I always find at the bottom of my soul if I examine it." A characteristic utterance, though we may be permitted to believe that his shabby motives were fewer and less shabby than those of mankind in general.

The proofs which Howells was reading pleased him mightily.Once, during the summer, he wrote: "if I had written half as good a book as Huck Finn I shouldn't ask anything better than to read the proofs; even as it is, I don't, so send them on; they will always find me somewhere."This was the summer of the Blaine-Cleveland campaign.Mark Twain, in company with many other leading men, had mugwumped, and was supporting Cleveland.From the next letter we gather something of the aspects of that memorable campaign, which was one of scandal and vituperation.We learn, too, that the young sculptor, Karl Gerhardt, having completed a three years' study in Paris, had returned to America a qualified artist.

To W.D.Howells, in Boston:

ELMIRA, Aug.21, '84.

MY DEAR HOWELLS,--This presidential campaign is too delicious for anything.Isn't human nature the most consummate sham and lie that was ever invented? Isn't man a creature to be ashamed of in pretty much all his aspects? Man, "know thyself "--and then thou wilt despise thyself, to a dead moral certainty.Take three quite good specimens--Hawley, Warner, and Charley Clark.Even I do not loathe Blaine more than they do; yet Hawley is howling for Blaine, Warner and Clark are eating their daily crow in the paper for him, and all three will vote for him.OStultification, where is thy sting, O slave where is thy hickory!

I suppose you heard how a marble monument for which St.Gaudens was pecuniarily responsible, burned down in Hartford the other day, uninsured--for who in the world would ever think of insuring a marble shaft in a cemetery against a fire?--and left St.Gauden out of pocket $15,000.

It was a bad day for artists.Gerhardt finished my bust that day, and the work was pronounced admirable by all the kin and friends; but in putting it in plaster (or rather taking it out) next day it got ruined.

It was four or five weeks hard work gone to the dogs.The news flew, and everybody on the farm flocked to the arbor and grouped themselves about the wreck in a profound and moving silence--the farm-help, the colored servants, the German nurse, the children, everybody--a silence interrupted at wide intervals by absent-minded ejaculations wising from unconscious breasts as the whole size of the disaster gradually worked its way home to the realization of one spirit after another.

Some burst out with one thing, some another; the German nurse put up her hands and said, "Oh, Schade! oh, schrecklich ! "But Gerhardt said nothing; or almost that.He couldn't word it, I suppose.But he went to work, and by dark had everything thoroughly well under way for a fresh start in the morning; and in three days' time had built a new bust which was a trifle better than the old one--and to-morrow we shall put the finishing touches on it, and it will be about as good a one as nearly anybody can make.

Yrs Ever MARK.

If you run across anybody who wants a bust, be sure and recommend Gerhardt on my say-so.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 末世女汉子

    末世女汉子

    对于杜若而言,重生最大的幸福就是遇见那个曾经没什么交集的美男子,他负责貌美如花,她负责打脸杀丧尸。对于夏舟来说,重生最大的幸福就是遇见那个前世一直用真心温暖他,为他而丧命的小女子。末世来了又如何?既然重生了就找到小忠犬一起大杀四方呗。
  • 空间炮灰生存

    空间炮灰生存

    为何醒来世界变成了这样?一次次的磨难慢慢揭示真相。。。如果想要知道,必须活着、活着、努力活下去。。。
  • 星球进化系统

    星球进化系统

    蓝星,因为通体被蓝色的海洋覆盖而得名。一个名为夏国的国家,一个出生豪门贵族的天才少年。一场阴谋的车祸,一个神秘的系统,让少年起死回生。从此,为了不被系统抹杀,少年做起了一个又一个的任务:种树栽花,保护环境;喂狗喂猫,彰显爱心;史前文明,萝莉正太;飞机大炮,海岛兵工;商业公司,经济垄断;穿越仙人,基因觉醒;太空博弈,死星基地;宇宙模型,多维进化;时空轮回,铸就永生…… 新书《万界试炼系统》已发布连载,另有短篇硬科幻小说《机甲行者》已完本~
  • 特工丫头:少爷不好惹

    特工丫头:少爷不好惹

    早就听闻某学院有个高冷的少爷,果不其然从进了学校夏奕初就没有发生一件好事,开学第一天不小心拿走了南宫墨的戒指,南宫墨一连几天在校门口等夏奕初。迎新晚会上不小心将果汁喷在了南宫墨身上,做了南宫墨十天的女佣。考试时不小心抄了南宫墨的卷子,结果被通报老师打扫了半个月的卫生间。校门外南宫墨被十几个女生团团包围,夏奕初以为自己终于不再被欺负了,仰天狂笑道:“活该你长得帅。”随后走进另一个男生的怀抱。殊不知,“惹了我你还想和别的男生亲热?”南宫墨纵身一跃从女生堆里跳了出来,往前了几步一手揽上她的腰肢道:“不如做我南宫夫人怎样?”
  • 海洋科学知识(青少年科普知识阅读手册)

    海洋科学知识(青少年科普知识阅读手册)

    技术更新,知识爆炸,信息扩张……一系列代表着人类社会巨大进步的词汇,充斥着我们的社会,使每个人都感到在巨大的社会进步面前人类自身的局限。作为人类社会充满生机和活力的群体——青少年朋友,在对现有书本知识学习的基础上,更充满着对一切现代科学技术和信息技术的无限渴望。人类的智慧在我们生存的这个蔚蓝色的星球上正放射出耀眼光芒,同时也带来了一系列不容我们忽视的问题。引导二十一世纪的青少年朋友了解人类最新文明成果,以及由此带来的人类必须面对的问题,将是一件十分必要的工作。
  • 狼宠

    狼宠

    初见,他是她在雪地里捡的奴隶,惊才绝艳。离散后重遇,他已是摄政王,而她是在逃女犯。心已深陷,忽而发现他的惊天秘密。一场情殇,江山几易其主。她只想无争过此一世,却偏偏,逢此,大争之世!
  • 娘子,洞房在隔壁

    娘子,洞房在隔壁

    魂穿异世沦为不受宠的嫡女?没关系,只要她愿意,照样可以过的风生水起。被父亲活活的说成死人?赶尽杀绝?没关系,只要她还有一口气在,她便会夺回那属于自己的一切。中了毒?没关系,只要有万年灵芝便可以解毒了。什么?万年灵芝只有她的指腹为婚的夫君家里有?没关系,只要她想要,法子多的是。与那男人不对眼?没关系,契约成亲,拿了东西想走便走。“喂,你拉着我做什么?”她不乐意了,这男人怎么跟牛皮膏药似地,踹都踹不走。“娘子,洞房在隔壁,你走错地方了。”一勾手,一拉,两人便撞入了隔壁的房间,春光绮旎,一片好景色。【片段欣赏一】“小姐,小姐,不好了,你死了,你死了。”“瞎说八道。”“他们,他们居然说小姐你死了,正在为你办丧事呢。”东方亦紫眯起了眼睛,有些人做的太绝,居然都不给自己留一条后路,既如此,“你做初一,我做十五,走着瞧好了,看谁能够笑到最后。“【片段欣赏二】夏侯灏躬身瞅着她,抬手捏住了她红扑扑小脸蛋转了一圈,“东方小姐,虽然你的脸红扑扑的看起来还挺可爱的,不过,你不是我的菜,我要的是那种有料的。”他伸出双手在她的身上上下比量了一下,不住的摇头。顿了顿,他又接着道:“更何况,你已经是残花败柳了,你还有何颜面嫁入夏侯家?我实话告诉你好了,我就是娶一头猪都不会娶你的。”望着那夏侯灏那得意的神情,东方亦紫眯起了眼睛,垫高了脚跟,俯首轻蔑的瞅着他,“夏侯灏,那我也告诉你,你这辈子注定是要做猪公了!”【片段欣赏三】”你们两个在做什么?”一道怒吼声响起,恶狠狠的瞪着树底下抱成一团的两个人。东方亦紫推开了身边的人,抬起头灿烂一笑,“夫君,我跟小叔子爬树摘果子吃呢。”他一把捞起了东方亦紫,“以后不准再上树,想上去也只能找我陪着你。”她摸了他的脸一把,“你不陪我,那我自然要找个人陪我了?”他眯起了眼睛,邪邪一笑,“我现在就好好的陪陪你。”一把将她甩在肩头,扛着便跑。【片段欣赏四】“七王爷,你怎么会在这里?”他推门进来,一脸邪火的看着那两个贴的很近的男人。她走到他面前,轻轻的拍了拍他的胸口,“夫君,七王爷只是过来看看我。"“看人何须贴的如此之近?”她一脸无辜的翻着白眼,“有吗,有吗?”
  • 异华山降器

    异华山降器

    孤儿乔宣之前一直在青岍夏家做书童,虽是吃喝不愁,但命握他手。从夏家逃跑便遇上了水妖,白胡子老头踩着葫芦瓢救了他。以为老头术法一流,拜了师才知道降术渣的葫芦瓢都掉底了,还好自己天赋异禀。〈来看的就图个乐子吧,谢谢各位兄弟们了〉
  • 观世音菩萨往生净土本缘经附西晋录

    观世音菩萨往生净土本缘经附西晋录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 草镯子(新版)

    草镯子(新版)

    青阳县的石家大小姐梅香是个天不怕地不怕的主儿,仗着天足的缘故,要么爬上墙头给黄黄送猫食,要么蹲在地上看一天的虫子。有一天,梅香发现隔壁的裁缝家里多了个俊俏的小童养媳秀秀,大小姐的生活会因为这个小伙伴而增添快乐吗?