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method at that impressionable age。 We have already noted his earlier
admiration for that noble and simple poem； 〃The Burial of Moses；〃 which
in the Palestine note…book is copied in full。 All the tendency of his
expression lay that way； and the intense consideration of stately Bible
phrase and imagery could hardly fail to influence his mental processes。
The very distinct difference of style； as shown in The Innocents Abroad
and in his earlier writings； we may believe was in no small measure due
to his study of the King James version during those weeks in Palestine。
He bought another Bible at Jerusalem； but it was not for himself。 It was
a little souvenir volume bound in olive and balsam wood； and on the fly…
leaf is inscribed：
Mrs。 Jane Clemens from her son。 Jerusalem； Sept。 24； 1867。
There is one more circumstance of that long cruise…recorded neither in
the book nor the notesan incident brief； but of more importance in the
life of Samuel Clemens than any heretofore set down。 It occurred in the
beautiful Bay of Smyrna； on the fifth or sixth of September； while the
vessel lay there for the Ephesus trip。
Reference has been made to young Charles Langdon； of Elmira （the
〃Charley〃 once mentioned in the Innocents）； as an admirer of Mark Twain。
There was a good deal of difference in their ages； and they were seldom
of the same party； but sometimes the boy invited the journalist to his
cabin and； boy…like；； exhibited his treasures。 He had two sisters at
home； and of Olivia； the youngest； he had brought a dainty miniature done
on ivory in delicate tintsa sweet…pictured countenance； fine and
spiritual。 On that fateful day in the day of Smyrna； Samuel Clemens；
visiting in young Langdon's cabin； was shown this portrait。 He looked at
it with long admiration； and spoke of it reverently； for the delicate
face seemed to him to be something more than a mere human likeness。 Each
time he came； after that； he asked to see the picture； and once even
begged to be allowed to take it away with him。 The boy would not agree
to this； and the elder man looked long and steadily at the miniature；
resolving in his mind that some day he would meet the owner of that
lovely facea purpose for once in accord with that which the fates had
arranged for him； in the day when all things were arranged； the day of
the first beginning。
LXII
THE RETURN OF THE PILGRIMS
The last note…book entry bears date of October 11th：
At sea； somewhere in the neighborhood of Malta。 Very stormy。
Terrible death to be talked to death。 The storm has blown two small
land birds and a hawk to sea and they came on board。 Sea full of
flying…fish。
That is all。 There is no record of the week's travel in Spain； which a
little group of four made under the picturesque Gibraltar guide； Benunes；
still living and quite as picturesque at last accounts。 This side…trip
is covered in a single brief paragraph in the Innocents； and the only
account we have of it is in a home letter； from Cadiz； of October 24th：
We left Gibraltar at noon and rode to Algeciras （4 hours）； thus
dodging the quarantinetook dinner； and then rode horseback all
night in a swinging trot； and at daylight took a caleche （a…wheeled
vehicle）； and rode 5 hoursthen took cars and traveled till twelve
at night。 That landed us at Seville； and we were over the hard part
of our trip and somewhat tired。 Since then we have taken things
comparatively easy； drifting around from one town to another and
attracting a good deal of attentionfor I guess strangers do not
wander through Andalusia and the other southern provinces of Spain
often。 The country is precisely what it was when Don Quixote and
Sancho Panza were possible characters。
But I see now what the glory of Spain must have been when it was
under Moorish domination。 No； I will not say thatbut then when
one is carried away； infatuated； entranced； with the wonders of the
Alhambra and the supernatural beauty of the Alcazar； he is apt to
overflow with admiration for the splendid intellects that created
them。
We may wish that he had left us a chapter of that idyllic journey； but it
will never be written now。 A night or two before the vessel reached New
York there was the usual good…by assembly； and for this occasion； at Mrs。
Severance's request； Mark Twain wrote some verses。 They were not
especially notable； for meter and rhyme did not come easy to him； but one
prophetic stanza is worth remembering。 In the opening lines the
passengers are referred to as a fleet of vessels； then follows：
Lo！ other ships of that parted fleet
Shall suffer this fate or that：
One shall be wrecked； another shall sink；
Or ground on treacherous flat。
Some shall be famed in many lands
As good ships； fast and fair；
And some shall strangely disappear；
Men know not when or where。
The Quaker City returned to America on November 19； 1867； and Mark Twain
found himself； if not famous； at least in very wide repute。 The fifty…
three letters to the Alta and the half…dozen to the New York Tribune had
carried his celebrity into every corner of the States and Territories。
Vivid； fearless； full of fresh color； humor； poetry； they came as a
revelation to a public weary of the driveling； tiresome travel…letters of
that period。 They preached a new gospel in travel…literature： the gospel
of seeing with an overflowing honesty； a gospel of sincerity in according
praises to whatever seemed genuine； and ridicule to the things considered
sham。 It was the gospel that Mark Twain would continue to preach during
his whole career。 It became his chief literary message to the world…a
world waiting for that message。
Moreover； the letters were literature。 He had received； from whatever
source； a large and very positive literary impulse； a loftier conception
and expression。 It was at Tangier that he first struck the grander
chord； the throbbing cadence of human story。
Here is a crumbling wall that was old when Columbus discovered America；
old when Peter the Hermit roused the knightly men of the Middle Ages to
arm for the first Crusade； old when Charlemagne and his paladins
beleaguered enchanted castles and battled with giants and genii in the
fabled days of the olden time； old when Christ and his disciples walked
the earth； stood where it stands to…day when the lips of Memnon were
vocal and men bought and sold in the streets of ancient Thebes。
This is pure poetry。 He had never touched so high a strain before； but
he reached it often after that； and always with an ever…increasing
mastery and confidence。 In Venice； in Rome； in Athens； through the Holy
Land； his retrospection becomes a stately epic symphony； a processional
crescendo that swings ever higher until it reaches that sublime strain；
the ageless contemplation of the Sphinx。 We cannot forego a paragraph or
two of that word…picture：
After years of waiting it was before me at last。 The great face was
so sad； so earnest； so longing； so patient。 There was a dignity not
of earth in its mien； and in its countenance a benignity such as
never anything human wore。 It was stone； but it seemed sentient。
If ever image of stone thought； it was thinking。 It was looking
toward the verge of the landscape； yet looking at nothingnothing
but distance and vacancy。 It was looking over and beyond everything
of the present； and far into the past。。。。 It was thinking of the
wars of the departed ages； of the empires it had seen created and
destroyed； of the nations whose birth it had witnessed； whose
progress it had watched； whose annihilation it had noted； of the joy
and sorrow； the life and death； the grandeur and decay； of five
thousand slow…revolving years 。 。 。 。
The Sphinx is grand in its loneliness； it is imposing in its
magnitude； it is impressive in the mystery that hangs over its
story。 And there is that in the overshadowing majesty of this
eternal figure of stone； with its accusing memory of the deeds of
all ages； which reveals to one something of what we shall feel when
we shall stand at last in the awful presence of God。
Then that closing word of Egypt。 He elaborated it for the book； and did
not improve it。 Let us preserve here its original form。
We are glad to have seen Egypt。 We are glad to have seen that old
land which taught Greece her lettersand through Greece； Romeand
through Rome； the worldthat venerable cradle of culture and
refinement which could have humanized and civilized the Children of
Israel； but allowed them to depart out of her borders savagesthose
Children whom we still revere； still love； and whose sad
shortcomings we still excusenot because they were savages； but
because they were the chosen savages of God。
The Holy Land letters alone would have brought him fame。 They presented
the most graphic and sympathetic picture of Syrian travel ever written
one tha