my memories of eighty years-第53部分

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Mark　had　declined　the　cigars；　but　the　prince　was　so　delighted　that　he　offered　him　one　of　the　highly　prized　selection　from　his　own　case。　　This　drew　from　him　a　story；　which　I　have　not　seen　in　any　of　his　books。　　I　have　read　Mark　Twain　always　with　the　greatest　pleasure。　　His　books　of　travel　have　been　to　me　a　source　of　endless　interest；　and　his　〃Personal　Recollections　of　Joan　of　Arc〃　is　the　best　representation　of　the　saint　and　heroine　that　I　know。

When　the　prince　offered　him　the　cigar；　Mark　said：　　〃No；　prince；　I　never　smoke。　　I　have　the　reputation　in　Hartford；　Conn。；　of　furnishing　at　my　entertainments　the　worst　of　cigars。　　When　I　was　going　abroad；　and　as　I　would　be　away　for　several　years；　I　gave　a　reception　and　invited　all　my　friends。　　I　had　the　governor　of　the　State　of　Connecticut　and　the　judges　of　the　highest　courts；　and　the　most　distinguished　members　of　the　legislature。　　I　had　the　leading　clergymen　and　other　citizens；　and　also　the　president　and　faculty　of　Yale　University　and　Trinity　College。

〃At　three　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　my　butler；　who　is　a　colored　man；　Pompey　by　name；　came　to　me　and　said：　　'Mr。　Clemens；　we　have　no　cigars。'　　Just　then　a　pedler's　wagon　stopped　at　the　gate。　　In　England　they　call　them　cheap　jacks。　　I　hailed　the　merchant　and　said：　　'What　have　you　in　your　wagon？'　　'Well；'　he　answered；　'I　have　some　Gobelin　tapestries；　Sevres　china；　and　Japanese　cloisonne　vases；　and　a　few　old　masters。'　　Then　I　said　to　him：　　'I　do　not　want　any　of　those；　but　have　you　cigars；　and　how　much？'　　The　pedler　answered：　　'Yes；　sir；　I　have　some　excellent　cigars；　which　I　will　sell　you　at　seventeen　cents　a　barrel。'　　I　have　to　explain　that　a　cent　is　an　English　farthing。　　Then　I　told　him　to　roll　a　barrel　in。〃

〃It　was　a　great　occasion；　one　of　the　greatest　we　ever　had　in　the　old　State　of　Connecticut；〃　continued　Mark；　〃but　I　noticed　that　the　guests　left　unusually　early　after　supper。　　The　next　morning　I　asked　the　butler　why　they　left　so　early。　　'Well；'　he　said；　'Mr。　Clemens；　everybody　enjoyed　the　supper；　and　they　were　all　having　a　good　time　until　I　gave　them　the　cigars。　　After　the　gentleman　had　taken　three　puffs；　he　said：　　〃Pomp；　you　infernal　nigger；　get　me　my　hat　and　coat　quick。〃　　When　I　went　out；　my　stone　walk；　which　was　one　hundred　yards　long　from　the　front　door　to　the　gate；　was　just　paved　with　those　cigars。'〃　　This　specimen　of　American　exaggeration　told　in　Mark　Twain's　original　way　made　a　great　hit。

I　met　Mark　Twain　at　a　theatrical　supper　in　London　given　by　Sir　Henry　Irving。　　It　was　just　after　his　pubIishing　firm　had　failed　so　disastrously。　　It　was　a　notable　company　of　men　of　letters；　playwrights；　and　artists。　　Poor　Mark　was　broken　in　health　and　spirits。　　He　tried　to　make　a　speech；　and　a　humorous　one；　but　it　saddened　the　whole　company。

I　met　him　again　after　he　had　made　the　money　on　his　remarkable　lecture　tour　around　the　world；　with　which　he　met　and　paid　all　his　debts。　　It　was　an　achievement　worthy　of　the　famous　effort　of　Sir　Walter　Scott。　　Jubilant；　triumphant；　and　free；　Mark　Twain　that　night　was　the　hero　never　forgotten　by　any　one　privileged　to　be　present。



One　year；　after　strenuous　work　and　unusual　difficulties；　which；　however；　had　been　successfully　met；　I　was　completely　exhausted。　I　was　advised　to　take　a　short　trip　to　Europe；　and；　as　usual；　the　four　weeks'　change　of　air　and　occupation　was　a　complete　cure。　I　decided　to　include　Rome　in　my　itinerary；　though　I　felt　that　my　visit　would　be　something　like　the　experience　of　Phineas　Fogg；　who　did　the　whole　of　Europe　and　saw　all　there　was　of　it　in　ten　days。

When　I　arrived　in　the　Eternal　City；　my　itinerary　gave　me　four　days　there。　　I　wanted　to　see　everything　and　also　to　meet；　if　possible；　one　of　the　greatest　of　popes；　Leo　XIII。　　I　was　armed　only　with　a　letter　from　my　accomplished　and　distinguished　friend；　Archbishop　Corrigan。　　I　secured　the　best…known　guide；　who　informed　me　that　my　efforts　to　see　the　sights　within　my　limited　time　would　be　impossible。　　Nevertheless；　the　incentive　of　an　extra　large　commission　dependent　upon　distances　covered　and　sights　seen；　led　to　my　going　through　the　streets　behind　the　best　team　of　horses　in　Rome　and　pursued　by　policemen　and　dogs；　and　the　horses　urged　on　by　a　driver　frantic　for　reward；　and　a　guide　who　professionally　and　financially　was　doing　the　stunt　of　his　life。　　It　was　astounding　how　much　ground　was　really　covered　in　the　city　of　antiquities　and　art　by　this　devotion　to　speed　and　under　competent　guidance。

When　I　asked　to　see　the　pope；　I　was　informed　that　his　health　was　not　good　and　audiences　had　been　suspended。　　I　wrote　a　letter　to　the　cardinal…secretary；　enclosing　Archbishop　Corrigan's　letter；　and　stated　my　anxiety　to　meet　His　Holiness　and　the　limited　time　I　had。　　A　few　hours　afterwards　I　received　a　letter　from　the　cardinal　stating　that　the　Holy　Father　appreciated　the　circumstances；　and　would　be　very　glad　to　welcome　me　in　private　audience　at　eleven　o'clock　the　next　morning。

When　I　arrived　at　the　Vatican　I　was　received　as　a　distinguished　visitor。　　The　papal　guards　were　turned　out；　and　I　was　finally　ushered　into　the　room　of　Cardinal　Merry　del　Val。　　He　was　a　young　man　then　and　an　accomplished　diplomat；　and　most　intimately　informed　on　all　questions　of　current　interest。　　Literature；　music；　drama；　political　conditions　in　Europe　were　among　his　accomplishments。　He　said　the　usual　formula　when　a　stranger　is　presented　to　the　pope　is　for　the　guest　to　kneel　and　kiss　his　ring。　　The　pope　has　decided　that　all　this　will　be　omitted　in　your　case。　　He　will　receive　you　exactly　as　an　eminent　foreigner　calling　by　appointment　upon　the　President　of　the　United　States。

When　I　was　ushered　into　the　presence　of　the　pope　he　left　his　throne；　came　forward；　grasped　me　cordially　by　the　hand；　and　welcomed　me　in　a　very　charming　way。　　He　was　not　a　well　man；　and　his　bloodless　countenance　was　as　white　and　pallid　as　his　robes。　　This　was　all　relieved；　however；　by　the　brilliancy　of　his　wonderful　eyes。

After　a　few　preliminary　remarks　he　plunged　into　the　questions　in　which　he　was　deeply　interested。　　He　feared　the　spread　of　communism　and　vividly　described　its　efforts　to　destroy　the　church；　ruin　religion；　extirpate　faith；　and　predicted　that　if　successful　it　would　destroy　civilization。

I　told　him　that　I　was　deeply　interested　in　the　encyclical　he　had　recently　issued　to　reconcile　or　make　more　harmonious　the　relations　between　capital　and　labor。　　He　commenced　speaking　upon　that　subject；　and　in　a　few　minutes　I　saw　that　I　was　to　be　privileged　to　hear　an　address　from　one　who　as　priest　and　bishop　had　been　one　of　the　most　eloquent　orators　of　the　age。　　In　his　excitement　he　leaned　forward；　grasping　the　arms　of　the　throne；　the　color　returned　to　his　cheeks；　his　eyes　flashed；　his　voice　was　vibrant；　and　I　was　the　audience；　the　entranced　audience　of　the　best　speech　I　ever　heard　upon　the　question　of　labor　and　capital。

I　was　fearful　on　account　of　his　health；　that　the　exertion　might　be　too　great；　and　so　arose　to　leave。　　He　again　said　to　me；　and　taking　my　hand：　　〃I　know　all　about　you　and　am　very　grateful　to　you　that　in　your　official　capacity　as　president　of　the　New　York　Central　Railroad　you　are　treating　so　fairly　the　Catholics。　　I　know　that　among　your　employees　twenty…eight　thousand　are　of　the　Catholic　faith；　and　not　one　of　them　has　ever　known　any　discrimination　because　of　their　belief；　but　all　of　them　have　equal　opportunities　with　the　others　for　the　rewards　of　their　profession　and　protection　in　their　employment。〃

The　next　day　he　sent　a　special　messenger　for　a　renewal　of　the　conversation；　but　unhappily　I　had　left　Rome　the　night　before。

During　my　stay　in　Rome　of　four　days　I　had　visited　most　of　its　antiquities；　its　famous　churches；　and　spent　several　hours　in　the　Vatican　gallery。　　Our　American　minister；　one　of　the　most　accomplished　of　our　diplomats；　Mr。　William　Potter；　had　also　given　me　a　dinner；　where　I　was　privileged　to　meet　many　celebrities　of　the　time。



Among　English　statesmen　I　found　in　Lord　Salisbury　an　impressive　figure。　　In　a　long　conversation　I　had　with　him　at　the　Foreign　Office　he　talked　with　great　freedom　on　the　relations　between　the　United　States　and　Great　Britain。　　He　was　exceedingly　anxious　that　friendly　conditions　should　continue　and　became　most　cordial。

The　frequent　disposition　on　the　part　of　American　politicians　to　issue　a　challenge　or　create　eruptions　disturbed　him。　　I　think　he　was　in　doubt　when　President　Cleveland　made　his　peremptory　demands　on　the　Venezuela　boundary　question　if　the　president　recognized　their　serious　importance；　both　for　the　present　and　the　future。　　He；　however；　reluctantly　yielded　to　the　arbitration；　won　a　complete　victory；　and　was　satisfied　that　such　irritating　questions　were　mainly　political　and　for　election　purposes；　and　had　better　be　met　in　a　conciliatory　spirit。

I　remember　a　garden…party　at　Hatfield　House；　the　historical　home　of　the　Cecils；　given　in　honor　of　King　Victor　Emmanuel　III；　who　had　recently　come　to　the　throne。　　Lord　Salisbury　was　of　gigantic　proportions　physically；　while　the　king　was　undersized。　　The　contrast　between　the　two　was　very　striking；　especially　when　they　were　in　animated　conversationthe　giant　prime　minister　talking　down　to　His　Majesty；　and　he　with　animated　gestures　talking　up　to　the　premier。

It　is　not　too　great　a　stretch　of　i