第200章

DEAR MR.HALL,--I am very glad indeed if you and Mr.Langdon are able to see any daylight ahead.To me none is visible.I strongly advise that every penny that comes in shall be applied to paying off debts.I may be in error about this, but it seems to me that we have no other course open.We can pay a part of the debts owing to outsiders--none to the Clemenses.In very prosperous times we might regard our stock and copyrights as assets sufficient, with the money owing to us, to square up and quit even, but I suppose we may not hope for such luck in the present condition of things.

What I am mainly hoping for, is to save my royalties.If they come into danger I hope you will cable me, so that I can come over and try to save them, for if they go I am a beggar.

I would sail to-day if I had anybody to take charge of my family and help them through the difficult journeys commanded by the doctors.I may be able to sail ten days hence; I hope so, and expect so.

We can never resurrect the L.A.L.I would not spend any more money on that book.You spoke, a while back, of trying to start it up again as a preparation to disposing of it, but we are not in shape to venture that, I think.It would require more borrowing, and we must not do that.

Yours Sincerely S.L.C.

Aug.16.I have thought, and thought, but I don't seem to arrive in any very definite place.Of course you will not have an instant's safety until the bank debts are paid.There is nothing to be thought of but to hand over every penny as fast as it comes in--and that will be slow enough! Or could you secure them by pledging part of our cash assets and--I am coming over, just as soon as I can get the family moved and settled.

S.L.C.

Two weeks following this letter he could endure the suspense no longer, and on August 29th sailed once more for America.In New York, Clemens settled down at the Players Club, where he could live cheaply, and undertook some literary work while he was casting about for ways and means to relieve the financial situation.Nothing promising occurred, until one night at the Murray Hill Hotel he was introduced by Dr.Clarence C.Rice to Henry H.Rogers, of the Standard Oil group of financiers.Rogers had a keen sense of humor and had always been a great admirer of Mark Twain's work.It was a mirthful evening, and certainly an eventful one in Mark Twain's life.A day or two later Doctor Rice asked the millionaire to interest himself a little in Clemens's business affairs, which he thought a good deal confused.Just what happened is not remembered now, but from the date of the next letter we realize that a discussion of the matter by Clemens and Rogers must have followed pretty promptly.

To Mrs.Clemens, in Europe:

Oct.18, '93.

DEAR, DEAR SWEETHEART,--I don't seem to get even half a chance to write you, these last two days, and yet there's lots to say.

Apparently everything is at last settled as to the giveaway of L.A.L., and the papers will be signed and the transfer made to-morrow morning.

Meantime I have got the best and wisest man in the whole Standard Oil group of mufti-millionaires a good deal interested in looking into the type-setter (this is private, don't mention it.) He has been searching into that thing for three weeks, and yesterday he said to me, "I find the machine to be all you represented it--I have here exhaustive reports from my own experts, and I know every detail of its capacity, its immense value, its construction, cost, history, and all about its inventor's character.I know that the New York Co.and the Chicago Co.are both stupid, and that they are unbusinesslike people, destitute of money and in a hopeless boggle."Then he told me the scheme he had planned, then said: "If I can arrange with these people on this basis--it will take several weeks to find out--I will see to it that they get the money they need.Then the thing will move right along and your royalties will cease to be waste paper.I will post you the minute my scheme fails or succeeds.In the meantime, you stop walking the floor.Go off to the country and try to be gay.You may have to go to walking again, but don't begin till I tell you my scheme has failed." And he added: "Keep me posted always as to where you are--for if I need you and can use you--I want to know where to put my hand on you."If I should even divulge the fact that the Standard Oil is merely talking remotely about going into the type-setter, it would send my royalties up.

With worlds and worlds of love and kisses to you all, SAML.

With so great a burden of care shifted to the broad financial shoulders of H.H.Rogers, Mark Twain's spirits went ballooning, soaring toward the stars.He awoke, too, to some of the social gaieties about him, and found pleasure in the things that in the hour of his gloom had seemed mainly mockery.We find him going to a Sunday evening at Howells's, to John Mackay's, and elsewhere.

To Mrs.Clemens, in Paris:

Dec.2, '93.

LIVY DARLING,--Last night at John Mackay's the dinner consisted of soup, raw oysters, corned beef and cabbage, and something like a custard.