The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson by Mark Twain
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most happy ! " on_the_part of count Luigi .

" good mornin', Roweny"--handshake .

" good morning, Mr Higgins-- present you to count Angelo Capello ." Handshake, admiring stare, " glad_to_see ye"-- courteous nod, smily " most happy ! " and Higgins passes on .

none of_these visitors was at ease, but, being honest people, they didn't pretend to_be . none_of_them had ever seen a person bearing a title of nobility before, and none had_been expecting to_see one now, consequently the title came upon them as a kind of pile-driving surprise and caught them unprepared .a few tried to rise to_the emergency, and got out an awkward " my lord," or " your lordship," or something of_that sort, but the great majority were overwhelmed by_the unaccustomed word and its dim and awful associations with gilded courts and stately ceremony and anointed kingship, so they only fumbled through_the handshake and passed on, speechless . now_and_then, as happens at all receptions everywhere, a more than ordinary friendly soul blocked the procession and kept it waiting while he inquired how the brothers liked the village, and how long they were going to stay, and if their family was well, and dragged in_the weather, and hoped it would get cooler soon, and all that sort of thing, so as to_be able_to_say, when he got home, "I had quite a long talk with_them"; but nobody did or said anything of a regrettable kind, and so the great affair went through to_the end in a creditable and satisfactory fashion .

general conversation followed, and_the twins drifted about from group to group, talking easily and fluently and winning approval, compelling admiration and achieving favor from all . the widow followed their conquering march with a proud eye, and every now_and_then Rowena said to herself with deep satisfaction, " and to_think they_are ours-- all ours ! "

there were no idle moments for mother or daughter . eager inquiries concerning the twins were pouring into their enchanted ears all the time; each was_the constant center of a group of breathless listeners; each recognized that she knew now for_the first time the real meaning of_that great word glory, and perceived the stupendous value of it, and understand why men in all ages had_been willing to throw away meaner happiness, treasure, life itself, to_get a taste of_its sublime and supreme joy . napoleon and all his kind stood accounted for-- and justified .

when Rowena had at last done all her duty by_the people in_the parlor, she went upstairs to satisfy the longings of an overflow meeting there, for_the parlor was not big enough to hold all the comers . again she was besieged by eager questioners, and again she swam in sunset seas of glory . when_the forenoon was nearly gone, she recognized with a pang that_this most splendid episode of her life was almost over, that nothing could prolong it, that nothing quite its equal could ever fall to her fortune again . but never mind, it_was sufficient unto itself, the grand occasion had moved on an ascending scale from_the start, and was a noble and memorable success . if_the twins could but do some crowning act now to climax it, something usual, something startling, something to concentrate upon themselves the company's loftiest admiration, something in_the nature of an electric surprise--

here a prodigious slam-banging broke out below, and everybody rushed down to_see . it was_the twins, knocking out a classic four- handed piece on_the piano in great style . Rowena was satisfied-- satisfied down to_the bottom of her heart .

the young strangers were kept long at_the piano . the villagers were astonished and enchanted with_the magnificence of_their performance, and could_not bear to_have them stop . all the music that_they had ever heard before seemed spiritless prentice- work and barren of grace and charm when compared with_these intoxicating floods of melodious sound . they realized that for once in their lives they were hearing masters .

chapter 7

the unknown Nymph

one_of_the_most striking differences between acat and a lie is_that acat has only nine lives .

--Pudd'nhead Wilson's calendar

the company broke up reluctantly, and drifted toward their several homes, chatting with vivacity and all agreeing that_it would_be many a long day before Dawson's Landing would see the equal of this_one again . the twins had accepted several invitations while the reception was in progress, and had also volunteered to play some duets at an amateur entertainment for_the benefit of a local charity . society was eager to receive them to its bosom . judge Driscoll had the good fortune to secure them for an immediate drive, and to_be the first to display them in public . they entered his buggy with_him and were paraded down the main street, everybody flocking to_the windows and sidewalks to_see .

the judge showed the strangers the new graveyard, and_the jail, and where the richest man lived, and_the Freemasons' hall, and_the methodist church, and_the Presbyterian church, and where the Baptist church was going to_be when_they got some money to build it with, and showed them the town hall and_the slaughterhouse, and got out_of_the independent fire company in uniform and had them put out an imaginary fire; then he let them inspect the muskets of_the militia company, and poured out an exhaustless stream of enthusiasm over all these splendors, and seemed very_well satisfied with_the responses he got, for_the twins admired his admiration, and paid him back the best they_could, though they could_have done better if some fifteen or sixteen hundred thousand previous experiences of_this sort in various countries had_not already rubbed off a considerable part of_the novelty in_it .

the judge laid himself out hospitality to_make them have a good_time, and if there_was adefect anywhere, it_was not his fault . he_told them a good_many humorous anecdotes, and always forgot the nub, but they were always able to_furnish it, for_these yarns were of a pretty early vintage, and_they had had many arejuvenating pull at them before . and he_told them all about his several dignities, and how he had held this and_that and_the other place of honor or profit, and had once been to_the legislature, and was now president of_the society of Freethinkers . he_said the society had_been in existence four years, and already had two members, and was firmly established . he_would call for_the brothers in_the evening, if_they_would like to attend ameeting of it .

accordingly he_called for_them, and on_the way he_told them all about Pudd'nhead Wilson, in_order_that they_might get a favorable impression of him in advance and be prepared to like him . this scheme succeeded-- the favorable impression was achieved . later it_was confirmed and solidified when Wilson proposed that out of courtesy to_the strangers the usual topics be put aside and_the hour be devoted to conversation upon ordinary subjects and_the cultivation of friendly relations and good- fellowship--a proposition which_was put to vote and carried .

the hour passed quickly away in lively talk, and when it_was ended, the lonesome and neglected Wilson was richer by two friends than he had_been when it began . he invited the twins to look in at his lodgings presently, after disposing of an intervening engagement, and_they accepted with pleasure .

toward the middle of_the evening, they found themselves on_the road to_his house .Pudd'nhead was at home waiting for_them and putting in_his time puzzling over a thing which had come under his notice that morning . the matter was_this: he happened to_be up very early-- at dawn, in_fact; and he crossed the hall, which divided his cottage through_the center, and entered a room to_get something there . the window of_the room had no curtains, for_that side of_the house had long been unoccupied, and through_this window he caught sight of something which surprised and interested him . it_was a young woman-- a young woman where properly no young woman belonged; for she was in judge Driscoll's house, and in_the bedroom over the judge's private study or sitting room . this_was young Tom Driscoll's bedroom . he and_the judge, the judge's widowed sister Mrs Pratt, and three Negro servants were the only people who belonged in_the house . who, then, might this young lady be ? the two houses were separated by an ordinary yard, with a low fence running back through_its middle from_the street in front to_the lane in_the rear . the distance was not great, and Wilson was able to_see the girl very_well, the window shades of_the room she was in being up, and_the window also . the girl had on a neat and trim summer dress, patterned in broad stripes of pink and white, and her bonnet was equipped with a pink veil . she was practicing steps, gaits and attitudes, apparently; she was doing the thing gracefully, and was very_much absorbed in her work . who_could she be, and how came she to_be in young Tom Driscoll's room ?

Wilson had quickly chosen a position from_which he_could watch the girl without running much risk of being seen by her, and he remained there hoping she_would raise her veil and betray her face . but she disappointed him . after a matter of twenty minutes she disappeared and although he stayed at his post half an hour longer, she came no more .

toward noon he dropped in at_the judge's and talked with Mrs Pratt about_the great event of_the day, the levee of_the distinguished foreigners at aunt Patsy Cooper's . he asked after her nephew Tom, and she said he_was on_his way home and_that she was expecting him to arrive a little before night, and added that she and_the judge were gratified to gather from_his letters that he_was conducting himself very nicely and creditably-- at which Wilson winked to himself privately . Wilson did_not ask if there_was a newcomer in_the house, but he asked questions that_would_have brought light-throwing answers as_to_that matter if Mrs Pratt had had any light to throw; so he went away satisfied that he_knew of things that were going on in her house of_which she herself was not aware .

he_was now awaiting for_the twins, and still puzzling over the problem of who that girl might_be, and how she happened to_be in_that young fellow's room at daybreak in_the morning .

chapter 8

Marse Tom Tramples his chance

the holy passion of friendship is of so sweet and steady and loyal and enduring a nature that_it_will last through a whole lifetime, if_not asked to lend money .

--Pudd'nhead Wilson's calendar

consider well the proportions of things . it_is better to_be a young June bug than an old bird of paradise .

--Pudd'nhead Wilson's calendar

it_is necessary now to hunt up Roxy .

at_the_time she was set free and went away chambermaiding, she was thirty-five . she got a berth as second chambermaid on a Cincinnati boat in_the New_Orleans trade, the grand Mogul .a couple of trips made her wonted and easygoing at_the work, and infatuated her with_the stir and adventure and independence of steamboat life . then she was promoted and become head chambermaid . she was a favorite with_the officers, and exceedingly proud of_their joking and friendly way with her .

during eight years she served three parts of_the year on_that boat, and_the winters on a Vicksburg packet . but now for two months, she had had rheumatism in her arms, and was obliged to let the washtub alone . so she resigned . but she was well fixed-- rich, as she would_have described it; for she had lived a steady life, and had banked four dollars every_month in New_Orleans as a provision for her old age . she said in_the start that she had " put shoes on one bar' footed nigger to tromple on her with," and_that one mistake like that was enough; she_would be independent of_the human race thenceforth forevermore if hard work and economy could accomplish it . when_the boat touched the levee at New_Orleans she bade good- by to her comrades on_the grand Mogul and moved her kit ashore .

but she was back in a hour . the bank had gone to smash and carried her four hundred dollars with it . she was a pauper and homeless . also disabled bodily, at_least for_the_present . the officers were full of sympathy for her in her trouble, and made up a little purse for her . she resolved to_go to her birthplace; she had friends there among_the Negros, and_the unfortunate always help the unfortunate, she was well aware of_that; those lowly comrades of her youth would_not let her starve .

she took the little local packet at Cairo, and now she was on_the homestretch . time had worn away her bitterness against her son, and she was able to_think of him with serenity . she put the vile side of him out of her mind, and dwelt only on recollections of_his occasional acts of kindness to her . she gilded and otherwise decorated these, and made them very pleasant to contemplate . she began to long to_see him . she_would go and fawn upon him slavelike-- for_this would_have to_be her attitude, of_course-- and maybe she_would find that_time had modified him, and_that he_would_be_glad to_see his long- forgotten old nurse and treat her gently . that_would_be lovely; that_would make her forget her woes and her poverty .

her poverty ! that thought inspired her to add another castle to her dream: maybe he_would give her a trifle now_and_then--

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