how tell a story and others-第2节

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〃My　LAN'；　what's　dat！〃

En　he　listenen　listenen　de　win'　say　（set　your　teeth　together　and
imitate　the　wailing　and　wheezing　singsong　of　the　wind）；　〃Bzzz…z…zzz〃…
en　den；　way　back　yonder　whah　de　grave　is；　he　hear　a　voice！　　he　hear　a
voice　all　mix'　up　in　de　win'　can't　hardly　tell　'em　'part〃　Bzzz…zzz
W…h…og…o…tm…yg…o…l…d…e…n　arm？　　zzzzzz　W…h…o　g…o…t　m…y　g…o…l…
d…e…n　arm！〃　（You　must　begin　to　shiver　violently　now。）

En　he　begin　to　shiver　en　shake；　en　say；　〃Oh；　my！　　OH；　my　lan'！　　〃en　de
win'　blow　de　lantern　out；　en　de　snow　en　sleet　blow　in　his　face　en　mos'
choke　him；　en　he　start　a…plowin'　knee…deep　towards　home　mos'　dead；　he　so
sk'yerden　pooty　soon　he　hear　de　voice　agin；　en　（pause）　it　'us　comin'
after　him！　　〃BzzzzzzzzzW…h…og…o…t　m…yg…o…l…d…e…narm？〃

When　he　git　to　de　pasture　he　hear　it　agin　closter　now；　en　a…comin'！
a…comin'　back　dah　in　de　dark　en　de　storm（repeat　the　wind　and　the
voice）。　　When　he　git　to　de　house　he　rush　up…stairs　en　jump　in　de　bed　en
kiver　up；　head　and　years；　en　lay　dah　shiverin'　en　shakin'en　den　way　out
dah　he　hear　it　agin！　en　a…comin'！　　En　bimeby　he　hear　（pauseawed；
listening　attitude）patpatpat　hit's　acomin'　up…stairs！　　Den　he
hear　de　latch；　en　he　know　it's　in　de　room！

Den　pooty　soon　he　know　it's　a…stannin'　by　de　bed　！　　（Pause。）　Denhe　know
it's　a…bendin'　down　over　himen　he　cain't　skasely　git　his　breath！　　Den
denhe　seem　to　feel　someth'　n　c…o…l…d；　right　down　'most　agin　his　head！
（Pause。）

Den　de　voice　say；　right　at　his　year　〃　W…h…o　g…o…tm…yg…o…l…d…e…n
arm？〃　（You　must　wail　it　out　very　plaintively　and　accusingly；　then　you
stare　steadily　and　impressively　into　the　face　of　the　farthest…gone
auditora　girl；　preferably　and　let　that　awe…inspiring　pause　begin　to
build　itself　in　the　deep　hush。　　When　it　has　reached　exactly　the　right
length；　jump　suddenly　at　that　girl　and　yell；　〃You've　got　it！〃

If　you've　got　the　pause　right；　she'll　fetch　a　dear　little　yelp　and　spring
right　out　of　her　shoes。　　But　you　must　get　the　pause　right；　and　you　will
find　it　the　most　troublesome　and　aggravating　and　uncertain　thing　you　ever
undertook。







MENTAL　TELEGRAPHY　AGAIN

I　have　three　or　four　curious　incidents　to　tell　about。　　They　seem　to　come
under　the　head　of　what　I　named　〃Mental　Telegraphy〃　in　a　paper　written
seventeen　years　ago；　and　published　long　afterwards。　＇The　paper　entitled
〃Mental　Telegraphy；〃　which　originally　appeared　in　Harper's　Magazine　for
December；　1893；　is　included　in　the　volume　entitled　The　American　Claimant
and　Other　Stories　and　Sketches。＇

Several　years　ago　I　made　a　campaign　on　the　platform　with　Mr。　George　W。
Cable。　　In　Montreal　we　were　honored　with　a　reception。　　It　began　at　two　in
the　afternoon　in　a　long　drawing…room　in　the　Windsor　Hotel。　　Mr。　Cable　and
I　stood　at　one　end　of　this　room；　and　the　ladies　and　gentlemen　entered　it
at　the　other　end；　crossed　it　at　that　end；　then　came　up　the　long　left…hand
side；　shook　hands　with　us；　said　a　word　or　two；　and　passed　on；　in　the
usual　way。　　My　sight　is　of　the　telescopic　sort；　and　I　presently
recognized　a　familiar　face　among　the　throng　of　strangers　drifting　in　at
the　distant　door；　and　I　said　to　myself；　with　surprise　and　high
gratification；　〃That　is　Mrs。　R。；　I　had　forgotten　that　she　was　a
Canadian。〃　　She　had　been　a　great　friend　of　mine　in　Carson　City；　Nevada；
in　the　early　days。　　I　had　not　seen　her　or　heard　of　her　for　twenty　years；
I　had　not　been　thinking　about　her；　there　was　nothing　to　suggest　her　to
me；　nothing　to　bring　her　to　my　mind；　in　fact；　to　me　she　had　long　ago
ceased　to　exist；　and　had　disappeared　from　my　consciousness。　　But　I　knew
her　instantly；　and　I　saw　her　so　clearly　that　I　was　able　to　note　some　of
the　particulars　of　her　dress；　and　did　note　them；　and　they　remained　in　my
mind。　　I　was　impatient　for　her　to　come。　　In　the　midst　of　the　hand…
shakings　I　snatched　glimpses　of　her　and　noted　her　progress　with　the　slow…
moving　file　across　the　end　of　the　room；　then　I　saw　her　start　up　the　side；
and　this　gave　me　a　full　front　view　of　her　face。　　I　saw　her　last　when　she
was　within　twenty…five　feet　of　me。　　For　an　hour　I　kept　thinking　she　must
still　be　in　the　room　somewhere　and　would　come　at　last；　but　I　was
disappointed。

When　I　arrived　in　the　lecture…hall　that　evening　some　one　said：　〃Come　into
the　waiting…room；　there's　a　friend　of　yours　there　who　wants　to　see　you。
You'll　not　be　introducedyou　are　to　do　the　recognizing　without　help　if
you　can。〃

I　said　to　myself：　〃It　is　Mrs。　R。；　I　shan't　have　any　trouble。〃

There　were　perhaps　ten　ladies　present；　all　seated。　　In　the　midst　of　them
was　Mrs。　R。；　as　I　had　expected。　　She　was　dressed　exactly　as　she　was　when
I　had　seen　her　in　the　afternoon。　　I　went　forward　and　shook　hands　with　her
and　called　her　by　name；　and　said：

〃I　knew　you　the　moment　you　appeared　at　the　reception　this　afternoon。〃
She　looked　surprised；　and　said：　〃But　I　was　not　at　the　reception。　　I　have
just　arrived　from　Quebec；　and　have　not　been　in　town　an　hour。〃

It　was　my　turn　to　be　surprised　now。　　I　said：　〃I　can't　help　it。　　I　give
you　my　word　of　honor　that　it　is　as　I　say。　　I　saw　you　at　the　reception；
and　you　were　dressed　precisely　as　you　are　now。　　When　they　told　me　a
moment　ago　that　I　should　find　a　friend　in　this　room；　your　image　rose
before　me；　dress　and　all；　just　as　I　had　seen　you　at　the　reception。〃

Those　are　the　facts。　　She　was　not　at　the　reception　at　all；　or　anywhere
near　it；　but　I　saw　her　there　nevertheless；　and　most　clearly　and
unmistakably。　　To　that　I　could　make　oath。　　How　is　one　to　explain　this？　　I
was　not　thinking　of　her　at　the　time；　had　not　thought　of　her　for　years。
But　she　had　been　thinking　of　me；　no　doubt；　did　her　thoughts　flit　through
leagues　of　air　to　me；　and　bring　with　it　that　clear　and　pleasant　vision　of
herself？　　I　think　so。　　That　was　and　remains　my　sole　experience　in　the
matter　of　apparitionsI　mean　apparitions　that　come　when　one　is
（ostensibly）　awake。　　I　could　have　been　asleep　for　a　moment；　the
apparition　could　have　been　the　creature　of　a　dream。　　Still；　that　is
nothing　to　the　point；　the　feature　of　interest　is　the　happening　of　the
thing　just　at　that　time；　instead　of　at　an　earlier　or　later　time；　which　is
argument　that　its　origin　lay　in　thought…transference。

My　next　incident　will　be　set　aside　by　most　persons　as　being　merely
a　〃coincidence；〃　I　suppose。　　Years　ago　I　used　to　think　sometimes　of
making　a　lecturing　trip　through　the　antipodes　and　the　borders　of　the
Orient；　but　always　gave　up　the　idea；　partly　because　of　the　great　length
of　the　journey　and　partly　because　my　wife　could　not　well　manage　to　go
with　me。　　Towards　the　end　of　last　January　that　idea；　after　an　interval　of
years；　came　suddenly　into　my　head　againforcefully；　too；　and　without　any
apparent　reason。　　Whence　came　it？　　What　suggested　it？　　I　will　touch　upon
that　presently。

I　was　at　that　time　where　I　am　nowin　Paris。　　I　wrote　at　once　to　Henry　M。
Stanley　（London）；　and　asked　him　some　questions　about　his　Australian
lecture　tour；　and　inquired　who　had　conducted　him　and　what　were　the　terms。
After　a　day　or　two　his　answer　came。　　It　began：

　　　　　　　　　　〃The　lecture　agent　for　Australia　and　New　Zealand　is　par
　　　　　　　　　　excellence　Mr。　　R。　S。　Smythe；　of　Melbourne。〃

He　added　his　itinerary；　terms；　sea　expenses；　and　some　other　matters；　and
advised　me　to　write　Mr。　Smythe；　which　I　didFebruary　3d。　　I　began　my
letter　by　saying　in　substance　that　while　he　did　not　know　me　personally　we
had　a　mutual　friend　in　Stanley；　and　that　would　answer　for　an
introduction。　　Then　I　proposed　my　trip；　and　asked　if　he　would　give　me　the
same　terms　which　he　had　given　Stanley。

I　mailed　my　letter　to　Mr。　Smythe　February　6th；　and　three　days　later　I　got
a　letter　from　the　selfsame　Smythe；　dated　Melbourne；　December　17th。　　I
would　as　soon　have　expected　to　get　a　letter　from　the　late　George
Washington。　　The　letter　began　somewhat　as　mine　to　him　had　begunwith　a
self…introduction：

　　　　　　　　　　DEAR　MR。　CLEMENS；It　is　so　long　since　Archibald　Forbes　and　I
　　　　　　　　　　spent　that　pleasant　afternoon　in　your　comfortable　house　at
　　　　　　　　　　Hartford　that　you　have　probably　quite　forgotten　the　occasion。〃

In　the　course　of　his　letter　this　occurs：

　　　　　　　　　　〃I　am　willing　to　give　you〃　＇here　be　named　the　terms　which　he
　　　　　　　　　　had　given　Stanley＇　〃for　an　antipodean　tour　to　last；　say；　three
　　　　　　　　　　months。〃

Here　was　the　single　essential　detail　of　my　letter　answered　three　days
after　I　had　mailed　my　inquiry。　　I　might　have　saved　myself　the　trouble　and
the　postageand　a　few　years　ago　I　would　have　done　that　very　thing；　for　I
would　have　argued　that　my　sudden　and　strong　impulse　to　write　and　ask　some
questions　of　a　stranger　on　the　under　side　of　the　globe　meant　that　the
impulse　came　from　that　stranger；　and　that　he　would　answer　my　questions　of
his　own　motion　if　I　would　let　him　alone。

Mr。　Smythe's　letter　probably　passed　under　my　nose　on　its　way　to　lose
three　weeks　traveling　to　America　and　back；　and　gave　me　a　whiff　of　its
contents　as　it　went　along。　　Letters　often　act　like　that。　　Instead　of　the
thought　coming　to　you　in　an　instant　from　Australia；　the　（apparently）
unsentient　letter　imparts　it　to　you　as　it　glides　invisibly　past　your
elbow　in　the　mail…bag。

Next　incident。　　In　the　following　monthMarchI　was　in　America。　　I　spent
a　Sunday　at　Irvington…on…the…Hudson　wit