When I began this final reconstruction the story contained 81,500 words, now it contains only 58,000.I have knocked out everything that delayed the march of the story--even the description of a Mississippi steamboat.
There's no weather in, and no scenery--the story is stripped for flight!
Now, then what is she worth? The amount of matter is but 3,000 words short of the American Claimant, for which the syndicate paid $12,500.
There was nothing new in that story, but the finger-prints in this one is virgin ground--absolutely fresh, and mighty curious and interesting to everybody.
I don't want any more syndicating--nothing short of $20,000, anyway, and that I can't get--but won't you see how much the Cosmopolitan will stand?
Do your best for me, for I do not sleep these nights, for visions of the poor-house.
This in spite of the hopeful tone of yours of 11th to Langdon (just received) for in me hope is very nearly expiring.Everything does look so blue, so dismally blue!
By and by I shall take up the Rhone open-boat voyage again, but not now-we are going to be moving around too much.I have torn up some of it, but still have 15,000 words that Mrs.Clemens approves of, and that Ilike.I may go at it in Paris again next winter, but not unless I know Ican write it to suit me.
Otherwise I shall tackle Adam once more, and do him in a kind of a friendly and respectful way that will commend him to the Sunday schools.
I've been thinking out his first life-days to-day and framing his childish and ignorant impressions and opinions for him.
Will ship Pudd'nhead in a few days.When you get it cable Mark Twain Care Brownship, London Received.
I mean to ship "Pudd'nhead Wilson" to you-say, tomorrow.It'll furnish me hash for awhile I reckon.I am almost sorry it is finished; it was good entertainment to work at it, and kept my mind away from things.
We leave here in about ten days, but the doctors have changed our plans again.I think we shall be in Bohemia or thereabouts till near the end of September, then go to Paris and take a rest.
Yours Sincerely S.L.C.
P.S.Mrs.Clemens has come in since, and read your letter and is deeply distressed.She thinks that in some letter of mine I must have reproached you.She says it is wonderful that you have kept the ship afloat in this storm that has seen fleets and fleets go down; that from what she learns of the American business-situation from her home letters you have accomplished a marvel in the circumstances, and that she cannot bear to have a word said to you that shall voice anything but praise and the heartiest appreciation--and not the shadow of a reproach will she allow.
I tell her I didn't reproach you and never thought of such a thing.And I said I would break open my letter and say so.
Mrs.Clemens says I must tell you not to send any money for a month or two--so that you may be afforded what little relief is in our power.
All right--I'm willing; (this is honest) but I wish Brer Chatto would send along his little yearly contribution.I dropped him a line about another matter a week ago--asked him to subscribe for the Daily News for me--you see I wanted to remind him in a covert way that it was pay-up time--but doubtless I directed the letter to you or some one else, for Idon't hear from him and don't get any Daily News either.
To Fred J.Hall, in New York:
Aug.6, '93.
DEAR MR.HALL,--I am very sorry--it was thoughtless in me.Let the reports go.Send me once a month two items, and two only:
Cash liabilities--(so much)
Cash assets--(so much)
I can perceive the condition of the business at a glance, then, and that will be sufficient.
Here we never see a newspaper, but even if we did I could not come anywhere near appreciating or correctly estimating the tempest you have been buffeting your way through--only the man who is in it can do that--but I have tried not to burden you thoughtlessly or wantonly.I have been wrought and unsettled in mind by apprehensions, and that is a thing that is not helpable when one is in a strange land and sees his resources melt down to a two months' supply and can't see any sure daylight beyond.
The bloody machine offered but a doubtful outlook--and will still offer nothing much better for a long time to come; for when Davis's "three weeks" is up there's three months' tinkering to follow I guess.That is unquestionably the boss machine of the world, but is the toughest one on prophets, when it is in an incomplete state, that has ever seen the light.Neither Davis nor any other man can foretell with any considerable approach to certainty when it will be ready to get down to actual work in a printing office.
[No signature.]
Three days after the foregoing letter was written he wrote, briefly:
"Great Scott but it's a long year-for you and me! I never knew the almanac to drag so.At least since I was finishing that other machine.
"I watch for your letters hungrily--just as I used to watch for the cablegram saying the machine's finished; but when 'next week certainly' swelled into 'three weeks sure' I recognized the old familiar tune I used to hear so much.Ward don't know what sick-heartedness is--but he is in a way to find out."Always the quaint form of his humor, no matter how dark the way.
We may picture him walking the floor, planning, scheming, and smoking--always smoking--trying to find a way out.It was not the kind of scheming that many men have done under the circumstances;not scheming to avoid payment of debts, but to pay them.
To Fred J.Hall, in New York:
Aug.14, '93