Scraps from My Autobiography (Private History of a Manuscript That Came to Grief)

Explanatory Notes Ⓔ
Headnote

Apparatus Notes Ⓐ
Guide

MTPDocEd

[begin page 164]

“Scraps from My Autobiography. Private History of a Manuscript That Came to Grief” consists of a manuscript of thirty-six leaves, along with a typewritten section, extensively annotated by Clemens, of some forty pages. It survives in the Mark Twain Papers and previously has been published only in part. In it Clemens vented his very considerable irritation in a sarcastic letter (never sent) to one T. Douglas Murray, an acquaintance who had invited him in October 1899 to write an introduction to an English translation of the trial records for Joan of Arc. When Clemens sent him his introduction, Murray had the temerity to “edit” it, far exceeding the sort of tinkering Clemens would tolerate from any editor. Paine included only the first and last sections ( MTA, 1:175–89). He omitted the middle section, which was Clemens’s recreation of the “ ‘Edited’ Introduction,” a typed copy of the typescript he received back from Murray onto which he copied, in great detail, Murray’s proposed revisions. That section is published here for the first time.

Scraps from My Autobiography. Private History of a Manuscript That Came to Grief ❉ Textual Commentary

Source documents.

Section 1, ‘Scraps . . . Autobiography.’ (164 title–166.39):

MSa Manuscript of 14 leaves written in 1900.

Section 2, ‘The “Edited” Introduction . . . Maid.’ (167.1–176.8):

MS Intro      Manuscript of 35 leaves, written in 1899, of Clemens’s introduction, Tour Jeanne D’Arc, in the Musée Départemental des Antiquités, Rouen, France.
TSa      Typescript made of MS Intro in 1899–1900, revised by Clemens and his editor (T. Douglas Murray).
TSb      Typescript made from the revised TSa in 1900, unrevised.
TSb ribbon      Ribbon copy of TSb, further revised by Murray.
TSb carbon      Carbon copy of TSb, further revised by Clemens.
TSc      Typescript made from TSa that does not incorporate most of its revisions, marked up by Clemens to show Murray’s unwanted revisions on both TSa and TSb ribbon.
TSd      Typescript made from TSb ribbon, incorporating Murray’s revisions.
TS Jean (lost)      Typescript made of MS Intro by Jean Clemens in 1904, which included authorial revisions transferred from TSb carbon to MS Intro after TSa was typed and was further revised by Clemens; now lost.
H      “Saint Joan of Arc,” Harper’s Monthly Magazine 110 (December 1904), 3–12, typeset from the revised TS Jean.

Section 3, ‘The Letter . . . them.’ (176.9–180.31):

MSb Manuscript of 22 leaves written in 1900.

Section 2: The “Edited” Introduction

MSa (section 1), leaves numbered 1–14, contains the text of the introductory narrative; MSb (section 3), numbered 1–20 plus 14A and 14B, contains the text of Clemens’s letter to T. Douglas Murray (which he never sent), venting his irritation. Both MSa and MSb were written in black ink on torn half sheets of cream-colored laid paper, measuring 4⅞ by 7 15/16 inches. At the top of MSa Paine noted, ‘Written in 1900’. This date is confirmed by the evidence of the paper, which Clemens used for two other pieces written in 1900: “Scraps from My Autobiography. From Chapter IX” and “Dollis Hill House, London, 1900,” inserted in the AD of 27 February 1907. The piece no doubt dates from late August or early September of 1900, when Clemens’s anger with Murray was still fresh.

The source documents for section 2 are as follows:

MS Intro, Clemens’s manuscript of his “Introduction,” was commissioned by Murray, who made a few suggested revisions directly on it (see 3 Sept 99 to Murray, CU-MARK; Murray to SLC, 14 Oct 99, CU-MARK).

TSa is first typescript made from MS Intro by Murray’s typist. TSa was revised heavily by Murray in red and black ink, and more lightly by Clemens in pencil and black ink, in a back-and-forth process, each making alterations to the other’s suggestions. It appears that the earliest marks were Murray’s, in red ink, followed by Clemens’s, in pencil. In addition to their corrections, there are a few revisions marked in pencil by an unidentified person with a neater hand, presumably Murray’s typist or secretary, which duplicate Murray’s revisions on TSb ribbon; collation reveals that these revisions were inscribed on TSa after TSb was typed. (For example, the revision ‘recognition from the outside approval from its environment’ at 162.26–27 was inscribed by Murray on TSb ribbon, and then transferred to TSa in pencil.) At a later time, Murray heavily canceled most of his revisions in black ink, possibly in an attempt to appease Clemens. The sequence of the multilayered and heavily canceled revisions is at times difficult to reconstruct, with both the original text and the revisions sometimes irrecoverable.

TSb is a retyping of TSa that incorporates most of its revisions. TSb ribbon was further revised by Murray in pencil. As noted above, many of the TSb ribbon revisions were transferred to TSa in an unidentified hand, and several of them were erased on TSb ribbon but remain barely visible.

TSb carbon was lightly revised by Clemens in ink—without reference to Murray’s revisions on TSb ribbon—presumably in 1904, when he prepared the text for publication in Harper’s Monthly (see below): many of his revisions are reflected in the Harper’s printing. These revisions are reported only when they support editorial decisions, as explained below in the discussion of textual policy.

TSc is the typescript that Clemens prepared to show Murray’s revisions. It was made by an unidentified typist employed by Clemens (it is on Southern Cross Superfine paper, whereas the other typescripts, produced by Murray’s typist, are on St Cuthbert’s Linen paper). The typist was evidently instructed to transcribe TSa, following Clemens’s revisions but ignoring Murray’s. Clemens then painstakingly transferred to TSc, in pencil, most of the revisions that Murray made on TSa and TSb ribbon; these are labeled TSc-SLC. Clemens clearly intended these revisions to be shown as he inscribed them. He added a few markings in ink, which were not to be shown (that is, they were to become part of the text, and not represented as revisions)—paragraph numbers, for example, to clarify his remarks in his letter to Murray in section 3 of the piece. At 179.35–36 Clemens alludes to a ‘marginal remark’ of Murray’s that is not visible on any surviving document: ‘Is it warrantable to assert that she bragged? Is it in good taste? It was assuredly foreign to her character’; and there are other revisions that Clemens ascribed to Murray on TSc that cannot be found on TSa or TSb ribbon. These may of course be Clemens’s deliberate alterations. But it is possible that there was a now-lost carbon of TSa, containing revisions that were copied imperfectly to the ribbon copy of TSa.

TSd. A typescript that incorporates Murray’s revisions on TSb ribbon but not Clemens’s revisions on TSb carbon. Clemens began to revise TSd in pencil, but on page 12 he wrote, ‘Botched beyond recognition.’ There are several corrections on later pages, apparently made by Murray in pencil, but none identifiable as Clemens’s. This document was collated to help understand the genesis of the text of section 2, but its variants are not reported.

H. The introduction as published in Harper’s incorporates several of Clemens’s revisions now on MS Intro that were not transcribed in TSa; evidently they were not yet present when TSa was typed. Many of these revisions duplicate those that Clemens wrote on TSb carbon, but collation indicates that TSb carbon could not have been the source of the Harper’s text. Apparently when Clemens decided to publish the piece in Harper’s he copied many of revisions on his TSb carbon into MS Intro and asked Jean to transcribe it: on the first page of MS Intro he wrote an instruction to her about a footnote in the Harper’s text. Clemens further revised Jean’s typescript (now lost) before submitting it to Harper’s. This printing was collated to help understand the genesis of the text of section 2, but its variants are not reported.

The chronology of the revisions on the various typescripts is not entirely clear. The surviving correspondence does indicate that by 14 October 1899 Murray had arranged for Clemens’s manuscript to be “beautifully copied in type.” On that day he returned the “original MSS of the Introduction” (the plural “MSS” referred to the multiple sections of MS Intro), telling Clemens he would bring the typed copy (TSa) “some day,” adding, “You may find a little pencil mark here & there” (Murray to SLC, CU-MARK). By 31 January 1900 Clemens had revised TSa and was ready to return it to Murray: “I enclose the Introduction, corrected & reduced. I have retained several of the emendations made, & have added some others.” Sometime between 31 January and early May, Murray had a new typescript, TSb, made from the revised TSa. Murray retained TSb ribbon and sent TSb carbon to Clemens. On 2 May Clemens told Murray, “I think I will wait until you come, for then I can have the copy which I corrected”—presumably referring to his need for TSa to help him revise TSb carbon. By 5 August, Clemens had complained about Murray’s further editing on TSb ribbon. In reply Murray explained:

Please note that I have only altered copies I had made for myself, as I felt some sort of revision was required, and I knew that every moment of your time was occupied with anxious literary work and so I hoped to save you time by these suggestions for your approval or the reverse.

I am truly sorry to have departed from the strict literary etiquette; but I erred with the best intent.

I do really think that if you will take the trouble to read through the clear copy you will feel, as I do, that it has need of some revision. (Murray to SLC, 5 Aug 1900, CU-MARK)

The clear copy must have been TSd, a retyping of TSb ribbon incorporating Murray’s revisions, but without those that Clemens had made on TSb carbon. On 14 August, Clemens was still trying to revise the introduction, presumably on TSd, and wanted to compare it to the revised TSa. He wrote to Murray’s wife, “I am waiting for my old type-written copy of the Joan of Arc Introduction, which Mr. Murray has forgotten to send to me. Without that, for comparison, I should have to read the whole thing through from A to Z, & life is too short for that kind of dissipation” (Craven). He revised only the first twelve pages of TSd before deciding it was too “botched” to correct. By 27 August he had grown so annoyed with Murray that he withdrew from the project. He asked Murray to destroy all typed versions of the introduction; instead of destroying them, however, Murray returned them to Clemens (see the letters quoted in the Explanatory Note at 166.23).

In this edition, the text of Clemens’s original essay (before revisions of any kind) is drawn from TSa; Murray’s revisions to the essay are represented by Clemens’s reinscription of them on TSc. The copied revisions are retained whether or not they accurately reflect Murray’s actual revisions on TSa or TSb ribbon. Murray’s revisions are reported only when they vary notably from Clemens’s representations of them; those that Clemens accurately copied, and those that he decided not to copy, are not reported. The readings of the TSc typed layer are always adopted without alteration when they are within a deletion that Clemens transferred to TSc. The TSc typed readings that vary from those of TSa have been corrected; the corrected readings are adopted from the following sources, in descending order of preference: Clemens’s revisions on TSb carbon and MS Intro. All variants between TSa and TSc as typed are reported in Revisions, variants adopted or rejected, and textual notes. All of Clemens’s revisions of TSa are reported (two deletions, made in pencil, could have been the work of either Murray or Clemens, and are identified as TSa-SLC/Murray). Clemens’s revisions on TSb carbon are not reported unless they provide evidence to correct TSc.

In three instances Clemens erred in copying a revision to TSc and created a defective text that required correction: see ‘and she’ [at 171.37], ‘coward. , but’ [at 173.31], and ‘go to see’ [at 174.16]). Each of the entries of TSa-TSc variants in the apparatus also records the readings of MS Intro and TSb, but there is no complete collation given of TSa or TSc against MS Intro or TSb. Nearly all of the variants adopted to correct TSc—from Clemens’s revisions on TSb carbon and from MS Intro—are in spelling and punctuation; only three TSc substantives have been altered: ‘multitude’ instead of ‘multitudes’ (167.5), ‘victory’ instead of ‘a victory’ (171.30), and ‘remotenesses’ instead of ‘remoteness’ (173.18). In three unusual cases where Murray’s substantive revisions on TSa were followed by the TSc typist, they are not corrected, on the presumption that Clemens deliberately chose to accept them as if they were his own: the insertion of ‘and Rehabilitation’ at 167.4 (which Clemens later added to MS Intro), and two deletions, of ‘poor lonesome’ (see the entry for ‘prevailing idea’ at 175.26) and ‘easily and’ (see the entry for ‘is’ at 176.3). The application of the general textual policy of this critical edition—the correction of outright errors and adoption of uniform spellings—has resulted in a few exceptions to the guidelines described here. Murray’s marginal remarks have been styled here in italic type.

Scraps from My AutobiographyⒶ

Private History of a Manuscript ThatⒶapparatus note Came to GriefⒶapparatus note

It happened in London; not recently, and yet not very many years ago. An acquaintance had proposed to himself a certain labor of love, and when he told me about it I was interestedⒶapparatus note. His idea was, to have a fineⒶapparatus note translation made of the evidence given in the Joan of Arc Trials and Rehabilitation,Ⓐapparatus note and placed before the English-speaking world. A translation had been made and published a great many years before,Ⓐapparatus note but had achieved no currency, and in fact was not entitled to any, for it was a piece of mere shoemaker-work. But we should have the proper thing, now; for this acquaintance of mine was manifestly a Joan-enthusiast, and as he had plenty of money and nothing to do but spend it, I took at par his remark that he had employed the most competent person in Great BritainⒺexplanatory note to open this long-neglected mine and confer its riches upon the public. When he asked me to write an Introduction for the book, my pleasureⒶapparatus note was complete, my vanity satisfiedⒺexplanatory note.Ⓐapparatus note

At this moment, by good fortune, there chanced to fall into my handsⒶapparatus note a biographical sketch of me of so just and laudatory a character—particularly as concerned one detail—that it gave my spiritⒶapparatus note great contentment; and alsoⒶapparatus note set my head to swelling—I will not deny it. For it contained praises of the very thing which I most loved to hear praised—the goodⒶapparatus note quality of my English; moreover, they were uttered by four English and American literary experts of high authority.Ⓐapparatus note

I am as fond of compliments as another, and as hard to satisfy as the average; but theseⒶapparatus note satisfied me. I was as pleased as you would have been if they had been paid to you.Ⓐapparatus note

It was under the inspiration of that great several-voiced verdictⒶapparatus note that I set about that Introduction for Mr. X’sⒶapparatus note book; and I saidⒶapparatus note to myself that I would put a quality of English into it which would establish the righteousness of that judgment.Ⓐapparatus note I said I would treat the subject with the reverence and dignity due it; and would use plain, simple English words, and a phrasing undefiled by meretricious artificialities and affectations.

I did the work on those lines; and when it was finished I said to myself very privately, . . . . . .Ⓐapparatus note

[begin page 165] But never mind. I delivered the manuscript to Mr. X,Ⓐapparatus note and went home to wait for the praises.Ⓐapparatus note On the way, I met a friend. Being in a happy glow over this pleasantⒶapparatus note matter, I could not keep my secret: I wanted to tell somebody, and I told him.Ⓐapparatus note For a moment he stood curiously measuring me up and down with his eye, without saying anything; then he burst into a rude, coarse laugh, which hurt me very much. He followed this up by saying—

“He is going to edit the Translation of the Trials when it is finished? He?”

“He said he would.”

“Why, what does he know about editing?”

“I don’t know; but that is what he said. Do you think he isn’t competent?”Ⓐapparatus note

“Competent? He is innocent, vain, ignorant,Ⓐapparatus note good-hearted, red-headed, andⒶapparatus note all that—there isn’t a better-meaningⒶapparatus note man; but he doesn’t know anything about literature and has had no literary training or experience:Ⓐapparatus note he can’t edit anything.”

“Well, all I know is, he is going to try.”

“Indeed he will. He is quite unconscious of his incapacities; he would undertake to edit Shakspeare, if invited—and improve him, too. The world cannot furnish his match for guileless self-complacency; yet I give you my word he doesn’t know enough to come in when it rains.”

This gentleman’s ability to judge was not to be questioned. Therefore, by the time I reached home I had concluded to ask Mr. XⒶapparatus note not to edit the Translation, but toⒶapparatus note turn that work over to some expert whose name on the titleⒶapparatus note page would be valuable.

Three days later Mr. XⒶapparatus note brought my IntroductionⒶapparatus note to me, neatly type-copied.Ⓐapparatus note He was in a state of considerable enthusiasm, and said:

“Really I find it quite good—Ⓐapparatus notequite, I assure you.”

There was an airy and patronizing complacency about this damp compliment which affected my head, and healthfully checkedⒶapparatus note the swelling which was going on there.

I said, with cold dignity, that I was gladⒶapparatus note the work had earned his approval.

“Oh itⒶapparatus note has, I assure you,” he answered with large cheerfulness, “I assure you it quite has. I have gone over it very thoroughly, yesterday and last night and today, and I find it quite creditable—quite. I have made a few corrections—that is, suggestions, and—”

“Do you mean to say that you have been ed—”

“Oh, nothing of consequence, nothing of consequence, I assure you,” he said, patting me on the shoulder and geniallyⒶapparatus note smiling; “only a few little things that needed just a mere polishing touch—nothing of consequence, I assure you. Let me have it back as soon as you canⒺexplanatory note,Ⓐapparatus note so that I can pass it on to the printers and let them get to work on it while I am editing the Translation.”

I sat idle and alone, a time, thinking grieved thoughts, with the edited Introduction unopened in my hand. I could not look at it yet awhile—I had no heart for it, for my pride was deeply wounded. It was the only time I had been edited in thirty-two years; except by Mr. Howells, and he did not intrude his help but furnished it at my request. “And now here is a half-stranger, obscure, destitute of literary training, destitute of literary experience, destitute of—”

But I checked myself there; for that way lay madness. I must seek calm; for my self-respect’sⒶapparatus note [begin page 166] sake I must not descend to unrefined personalities. I must keep in mind that this person was innocent of injurious intent, and was honorably trying to do me a service. To feel harshly toward him, speak harshly of him—this wasⒶapparatus note not the right Christian spirit. TheseⒶapparatus note just thoughts tranquilisedⒶapparatus note me andⒶapparatus note restored to me my betterⒶapparatus note self, and I opened the Introduction at the middle.

I will not deny it, my feelings rose to 104 in the shade:

“The idea! That this long-eared animal—this literary kangaroo—this bastard of the Muses—this illiterate hostler, with his skull full of axle-grease—this . . . . ”

But I stopped there, for this wasⒶapparatus note not the right Christian spirit.

I subjectedⒶapparatus note myself to an hour of calming meditation, then carried the raped Introduction to that friend whom I have mentioned above, and showed it to him. He fluttered the leaves over, then broke into another of those ill-bred laughs which are such a mar to him.

“I knew he would!” he said—as if gratified. “Didn’t I tell you he would edit Shakspeare?”

“Yes, I know; but I did not suppose he would edit me.”

“Oh, you didn’t. Well now you see that he is even equal to that. I tell you there are simply no bounds to that man’s irreverence.”

“I realize it, now,” I said.

“Well, what are you going to do? Let him put it in his book—either edited or unedited?”

“Of course not.”

“That is well. You are becoming rationalⒶapparatus note again. But what are your plans? You are not going to stop where you are, are you? You will write him a letter, and give him Hark from the TombⒺexplanatory note?”

“No. I shall write him a letter, but not in thatⒶapparatus note spirit, I trustⒺexplanatory note.”

“Why shan’t you?”

“Because he has meant me a kindness, and I hope I am not the man to reward him for it in that way.”

The friend looked me over, a while, pensively, then said—

“Mark, I am ashamed of you. This is mere school-girl sentimentality.Ⓐapparatus note You ought to baste him—you know it yourself.”

I said I had no such feeling in my heart, and should put nothing of the kind in my letter.

“I shall point out his errors to him in gentleness, and in the unwounding language of persuasion. Many a literary beginner has been disheartened and defeated by the uncharitable word, wantonly uttered: this one shall get none such from me. It is more Christian-likeⒶapparatus note to do a good turn than an ill one; and you ought to encourage me in my attitude, not scoff at it. This man shallⒶapparatus note not be my enemy; I will make him my lasting and grateful friend.”

I felt that I was in the right; and I went home and beganⒶapparatus note the letter, and found pleasure and contentment in the labor, for I hadⒶapparatus note the encouragement and support of an approving conscience.

The letterⒶapparatus note will be found in its proper place in this chapter of my Autobiography.Ⓐapparatus note

[begin page 167]

The “Edited” IntroductionⒶapparatus note Ⓔexplanatory note
JOAN OF Jeanne d’ARC.
I.

1.Ⓐapparatus note The evidence furnished at the in her Trials Ⓐapparatus note and RehabilitationⒶapparatus note has given us Joan of Jeanne d’Arc’s history in clear and minute detail. Amongst all the multitudeⒶapparatus note of biographies that freight the shelves of the world’s libraries, this is the only one whose the validity of which is confirmed to us by oath. It gives us a vivid picture of a career and of a personality of so extraordinary a character that we are helped to accept them both as actualities by the very fact that both they are quite beyond the inventive reach of fiction. The public part of the Her public career occupied only a mere breath of time—it covered but only two years; but what a career it was! The personality which made it possible is one to be reverently studied, loved, and marvelled at, but not to be wholly understood and accounted for by even the most searching analysis.

2.Ⓐapparatus note In Joan of Jeanne d’Arc at the age of sixteen there was gave no promise of a romance. She lived in a dull little village on the frontiers of civilization; she had been nowhere and had seen nothing; she knew none but simple shepherd folk; she had never seen a person of note; she hardly knew what a soldier looked like; she had never ridden a horse, nor had a warlike weapon in her hand; she could neither read nor write. ; s SheⒶapparatus note could spin and sew,Ⓐapparatus note she knew her catechism, and her prayers and the some fabulous histories of the Saints, and this was all her learning. That was Joan at sixteen. What did she know of law? of evidence? of courts? of the Attorney’s trade? of legal procedure? Nothing. Less than nothing. Thus exhaustively equipped with ignoranceⒶapparatus note she went before the courtⒶapparatus note at Toul to contest a false charge of breach of promise of marriage; she conducted her cause herself, without any one’s help or advice or without any one’s friendly sympathy, and won it. She called no witnesses of her own, but vanquished the prosecution by using with deadly effectiveness its own testimony. The astonished judge threw the case out of court, and spoke of her as “this marvellous child.”

SheⒶapparatus note went now to the veteran Commandant of Vaucouleurs and demanded an escort of soldiers, saying she must march to the help of the King of France, since she was commissioned of God to win back his lost Kingdom for him and to set the crown upon his head. The Commandant said, : “What, you?—you are only a child.” And he He advised that she should be taken back to her village, and have her ears boxed. But she said s She must obey God, she said, and would come again, and again, and yet again, and finally she would get the soldiers. She said truly. In time he yielded, after months of delay and refusal, and gave her the soldiers; and an escort; he took off his own sword and gave it to her that, Ⓐapparatus note and said “Go—and let come what may.” She made her long journey, and spoke with the King and convinced him. Then s She was then summoned before the University of Poitiers to prove that she was commissioned of God and not Satan, and daily during three weeks she sat before that learned congress unafraid, and capably answered answering their deep questions out of her ignorant but able clear head, and her simple and honest heart. , and aAgainⒶapparatus note she won gained her case, and together with it the wondering admiration of all that august company.

[begin page 168]

3.Ⓐapparatus note And now, aged seventeen, she was made Commander-in-Chief, with a royal prince and the veteran generals of France for as subordinates. ; and a At the head of the first army she had ever seen, she marched to against Orleans, carried the commanding fortresses of the enemy by storm in three desperate assaults, and in ten days raised a siege which had defied the might of France for seven months.

4.Ⓐapparatus note After a tedious and insane delay caused by the King’s instability of character and the treacherous counsels of his ministers, she got permission to take the field again. She took Jargeau by storm; then Meung; she forced Beaugency to surrender; then—in the open field—she won the memorable victory of Patay against Talbot the English lion, and broke so breaking the back of the Hundred Years’ War. It was a campaign which that cost but seven weeks of time effort; yet the political results would have been cheap if the time expended had been fifty years. Patay, that unsung and long-forgotten battle, was the Moscow led directly to the downfall of the English power in France; from the blow struck that day it was destined never to recover. It was the beginning of the end of an alien dominion domination which had ridden France intermittently for three hundred years.

Rather unkind to French feelings—referring to Moscow.

5.Ⓐapparatus note Then followed the great campaign of the Loire, the capture of Troyes by assault, the surrendering of towns and fortresses and the triumphal march, past, surrendering towns and fortresses, Ⓐapparatus note to Rheims, where, Joan in the Cathedral, Jeanne put the crown upon her King’s head in the Cathedral, the head of her King amid wild public rejoicings, and with her old peasant father and brother there to see these things and believe his their eyes if he they could. She had restored the crown and the lost sovereignty: the King was grateful for once in his shabby poor life, and asked her to name her own reward and have take it. She asked for nothing for herself, but begged that the taxes of her native village might be remitted forever; . T the prayer was granted, and the promise kept for three hundred and sixty years. Then it It was then broken, and it remains broken to-day. France was very poor then at that time, she is very rich now; but she has been collecting those taxes for more than a hundred years.

6.Ⓐapparatus note Joan Jeanne asked one other favour: that now that Now her mission was being fulfilled she might begged to be allowed to go back return to her village and take up her humble life again with her mother and the friends of her childhood; for she had no pleasure in the cruelties of war, and whereas Ⓐapparatus note the sight of blood and suffering wrung her heart. Sometimes in battle she did not draw her sword, lest in the splendid madness of the onset she might forget herself and take an enemy’s life. with it. In the Rouen TrialsⒶapparatus note, one of her quaintest speeches, —coming from the gentle and girlish sourceⒶapparatus note it did, —was her naive remark that she had “never killed any oneⒶapparatus note.” Her prayer for leave to go back return to the rest and peace of her village home was, however, not granted.

7.Ⓐapparatus note Then she wanted wished to march at once upon Paris, to take it, and to driveⒶapparatus note the English out of France. She was hampered in all the every ways that treachery and the King’s vacillation could devise, but she forced her way to Paris at last, and there fell badly wounded in a successful assault upon one of the gates. Of course her men lost heart at once—she was the only heart they had; . T they fell back. She begged to be allowed permission to remain at the front, saying victory was sure: “I will take Paris now or die!” she said cried. But she was removed from the field by force, the King ordered a retreat, and actually disbanded his [begin page 169] armyⒶapparatus note. In accordance with a beautiful old military custom Joan Jeanne devoted her silver armour and hung it up in the Cathedral of St. Denis. Its Her great days were over.

8.Ⓐapparatus note Then, by command, she followed the King and his frivolous Court, and endured enduring a gilded captivity for a time, as well as her free spirit could; and whenever inaction became unbearable she gathered some men together and rode away and to assaulted and capture a stronghold. and captured it. AtⒶapparatus note last in a sortie against the enemy, from CompiègneⒶapparatus note on the 24th of May, (when she was turned now eighteen), she was herself herself was captured, Ⓐapparatus note after a gallant fight. struggle. It was her last battle fight. She was to follow the drums no more.

9.Ⓐapparatus note Thus ended the briefest epoch-making military career known in history. It lasted only a year and a month, but it found restored to France an English province, and furnishes the reason that France is France to-day and not an English no longer a province yet. of her rival. Thirteen months!Ⓐapparatus note It was indeed a short career; but in the ensuing centuries that have since elapsed five hundred millions of Frenchmen have lived and died blest by under the benefactions it conferred. ; and so So long as France shall endure,Ⓐapparatus note the mighty debt must grow. And France is grateful; we often hear her say it. Also not ungrateful. She, however, is thrifty: she still continues to collects the Domremy taxes.

II.
IN CAPTIVITY.

1.Ⓐapparatus note Joan Jeanne was fated to spend the rest remainder of her life behind bolts and bars. She was a prisoner of war, not a criminal, therefore hers was recognizedⒶapparatus note as an honourableⒶapparatus note captivity. By the rules of war she must be should have been held to ransom, and a fair price could not be refused, if have been refused, had it been offered. John Jean Ⓐapparatus note of LuxemburgⒶapparatus note paid her the just compliment of requiring demanding a prince’s ransom for her; . I in that those days that phrase represented a definite sum—61,125 francs. It was of course supposable that either the King or grateful France or both would fly with the money and to set their fair young benefactor benefactress free. But this did not happen. In During five and a half months and more neither King nor country stirred a hand nor offered a penny sou. Twice Joan Jeanne tried to escape. Once by a trick she succeeded for a moment, and locked her jailor in behind her; but she was discovered and caught. ; in In the other case she let herself down from a tower sixty feet high; , but her rope was too short and she got sustained a fall that wholly disabled her, and she could not get away. so prevented her escape.

2.Ⓐapparatus note Finally Cauchon, Bishop of Beauvais, paid the blood-money and bought Joan, —ostensibly for the Church, — Ⓐapparatus noteto be tried for wearing male attire and for other impieties, but really in reality for the English, the enemy into whose hands the poor girl was so piteously anxious not never to fall. She was now shut up in the dungeons of the Castle of Rouen and kept in an iron cage, with her hands, and feet and neck both chained to a wooden block and pillar. ; and f From that time forth during all the months of her imprisonment till until the end, several rough English soldiers stood guard over her night and day,—and not outside her room but in it. It was a dreary and hideous captivityⒶapparatus note, but it did not conquer her:Ⓐapparatus note nothing [begin page 170] could break that invincible spirit. From first to last s She was a prisoner a for the whole year; and she spent the last three months of it which she passed on trial for her life, before a formidable array of ecclesiastical judges, and disputing the ground with them foot by foot and inch by inch with brilliant generalship fence and dauntless pluck. The spectacle of that solitary girl, forlorn stands alone in its pathos and in its sublimity. Forlorn and friendless, without advocate or adviser, and without even the help and guidance of any a copy of the charges brought against her or rescript of the complex and voluminous daily proceedings of the court to modify by which to relieve the crushing strain upon her astonishing astounding memory, fighting that a long battle serene and undismayed against theseⒶapparatus note colossal odds. , stands alone in its pathos and its sublimity;Ⓐapparatus note it It has nowhere its mate, match, neither in the annals of fact nor in the creations of fable. realms of fiction.

3.Ⓐapparatus note And how How fine and great were the things she daily said, how fresh and crispⒶapparatus note—and she so worn in body, words she spoke day by day, her ready answers, her bright demeanour, and crisp criticisms, and she so worn in body, so starved, and so tired, and so harried! . Ⓐapparatus note They Her utterances run through the whole gamut of feeling and expression, —from scorn and defiance, uttered spoken with soldierly fire and frankness, all down the scale to wounded dignity clothed in words of noble pathos. ; as, w WhenⒶapparatus note her patience was exhausted by the pestering attempts of her persecutors to find out discover what kind of devil’s-witchcraftⒶapparatus note she had employed to rouse the war-spirit in her soldiersⒶapparatus note she burst cried out: with “What I said was, ‘Ride these English down’—and I did it myself!” and as, w When insultingly asked why it was that her standard had place at the crowning of the King in the Cathedral of Rheims rather than the standards those Ⓐapparatus note of the other captains, she uttered that touching speech, “It had borne the burden, it had earned the honour,”—a phrase which fell from her lips without preparation, but whose premeditation, the moving beauty and simple grace it of which would bankrupt the arts of language to surpass.

4.Ⓐapparatus note Although she was on trial for her life, she was the only witness called on either side; the only witness summoned to testify before a packed jury commissioned with a definite task—to find her guilty, whether she was were guilty or not. She must be convicted out of her own mouth, there being no other way to accomplish it. Every advantage that learning has over ignorance, age over youth, experience over inexperience, chicane over artlessness; , every trick and trap and gin devisable by malice and the cunning of sharp intellects practised in the setting of snares for the unwary, — all these were employed against her without shame; and when these arts were one by one defeated by the marvellous intuitions of her alert and penetrating mind, Bishop Cauchon stooped to a final baseness which it degrades human speech to describe. : a A priest who pretended to come from the region of her own home and to be a pitying friend, and anxious to help her in her sore need, was smuggled into her cell; he misused his sacred office to steal her confidence; and Ⓐapparatus note so that she confided to him the things facts sealed from revealment by her Voices which her prosecutors had tried so long in vain to trick her into betraying. A concealed confederate set it all down and delivered it to Cauchon, who used Joan’s Jeanne’s secrets, thus obtained, for her ruin.

Throughout the Trials, whatever the the testimony of the foredoomed witness said was twisted from its true meaning, when possible, and made to tell against her; and whenever an [begin page 171] answer of hers was beyond the reach of twisting garbling, it was not allowed to go upon the record. It was upon On one of these latter occasions that she uttered that pathetic reproach—to Cauchon: “Ah, “you set down everything that is against me, but you will not set down what is for me.” nothing that is in my favour.”

(easier translation)

5.Ⓐapparatus note That this her untrained young creature’s genius for war was wonderful marvelous, and that her generalship suggested an old and educated was that of a tried and trained military experience,Ⓐapparatus note we have the sworn testimony of two of her veteran subordinates, — oneⒶapparatus note the Duc d’Alençon, brother to the King of France; the other the greatest of the French generals of the time, Dunois, Bastard of Orleans. ; t That her genius was as great—possibly even greater— power was equally great if not greater in the subtle warfare strife of the forum, we have for witness the records of the Rouen Trials, that protracted exhibition of intellectual fence maintained with credit against the mastermindsⒶapparatus note of France. ; t That her moral greatness was peer to her intellect we call the Rouen Trials again to witness, with their its testimony to a fortitude which patiently and steadfastly endured during twelve weeks the wasting forces of captivity, chains, loneliness, sickness, darkness, hunger, thirst, cold, shame, insult, abuse, broken sleep, treachery, ingratitude,Ⓐapparatus note exhausting sieges of cross-examination, and the threat of torture, with the rack before facing her and the executioner standing ready:Ⓐapparatus note yet never surrendering, never asking quarter, the frail wreck of her as unconquerable the last day as was her invincible spirit the first.

6.Ⓐapparatus note Great as she was in so many ways, she was perhaps even greatest of all in the lofty things just named, —her patient endurance, her steadfastness, her granite fortitude. We may not never hope to easily to findⒶapparatus note her mate and twin equal in these majestic qualities. ; w Where we lift our eyes highest we find only a strange and curious contrast—there in the captive eagle beating his broken wings on upon the Rock of St. Helena.Ⓐapparatus note

7.Ⓐapparatus note The Trials ended with her condemnation. But as As she had conceded nothing, confessed nothing, this was victory for her, defeat for Cauchon. But his evil resources were not yet exhaustedⒶapparatus note. She was persuaded to agree to sign a paper of slight import, then by treachery a paper another was substituted which contained a recantation and together with a detailed confession of everything which that had been charged against her during the Trials and denied and repudiated by her persistently during the three months; and this throughout. This Ⓐapparatus note false paper she ignorantly signed; . This it was victoryⒶapparatus note for Cauchon. He followed it eagerly and pitilessly up by at once setting a trap for her which that she could not escape. When she realised this she gave up the long fruitless struggle, denounced the treason which that had been practised against her, repudiated the false confession, reasserted the truth of the testimony which she had given in at the Trials, and went to her martyrdom with the peace of God in her tired heart, and on her lips endearing words and loving prayers for the cur she had crowned and the nation of ingrates she had saved.

8.Ⓐapparatus note When the fires rose about her and flames leapt up and enveloped her frail form and sheⒶapparatus note begged for a cross for her dying parched lips to kiss, it was not a friend but an enemy, not a Frenchman but an alien, not a comrade in arms but an English soldier that answered that her pathetic prayer. He broke a stick across his knee, bound the pieces together in the form of the symbol she so loved, and gave it to her. ; and his This gentle deed is not forgotten, nor ever will be.

[begin page 172]

III.
THE REHABILITATION.

Twenty-five years afterwards later the Process of Rehabilitation was instituted, there being in consequence of a growing doubt as to the validity of a sovereignty that had been rescued and set upon its feet by a person one who had been proven declared by the Church to be a witch and a familiar of evil spirits. Joan’s Jeanne’s old generals, ; her secretary, ; several aged relations and other villagers of Domremy, ; surviving judges and secretaries of the Rouen and Poitiers Processes—a cloud of witnesses, some of whom had been her enemies and persecutors, —came and made oath and testified. ; and what they said was written down. Their statements were taken down as evidence. Ⓐapparatus note In that sworn testimony the moving and beautiful history of Joan of Jeanne d’Arc is laid bare, from her childhood to her martyrdom. From the verdict she rises stainlessly pure, in mind and heart, in speech, and deed and spirit; , and will so endure to the end of time.

IV.
THE RIDDLE OF ALL TIME. An Eternal Enigma.

1.Ⓐapparatus note She is the Wonder of the Ages. And w When we consider her origin, her early circumstances, environment, her sex, and that she did all the things upon which her renown rests while she was still a young girl, we recognize that, while so long as our race continues she will be also the Riddle of the Ages. When we set about endures, the circumstances of her career will remain an insoluble problem. When we try to accounting for a Napoleon, or a ShakspeareⒶapparatus note or a Raphael, or a Wagner or an Edison or for other extraordinary persons Ⓐapparatus note, we understand that the measure of his individual talent will not explain the whole result, nor even the largest greater part of it. ; no, it is The explanation must be sought in the atmosphere in amid which the talent was cradled. that explains; it is When we know the training which it received while it grew, young, the nurture it got derived from reading, study, and example, the encouragement it gathered from self-recognition and recognition from the outside approval from its environment at each stage of its development: when we know all these details, then we know why the man was ready when his opportunity came. details, we can understand how the genius was created and evolved and thus was ready to seize his by steady and congenial growth. We should expect Edison’s surroundings environment and atmosphere to have the largest share in discovering him to himself and to the world; and we should expect him to live and die undiscovered in a land where an inventor could find no comradeship, no sympathy, no ambition-rousing atmosphere of recognition and or applause. —Dahomey, for instance. Dahomey, for instance, could not find produce an Edison. out; in Dahomey an Edison could not find himself out. Broadly speaking, g Genius is not born without sight. , but blind; and it is not itself that opens its eyes, but the subtle Its eyes are opened by the subtle influences of a myriad of stimulating exterior circumstances.

“Riddle”—Anglice?

2.Ⓐapparatus note We all know this to be not a guess, but a mere commonplace fact, a truism. Lorraine was Joan of Jeanne d’Arc’s Dahomey. And there Here the Riddle problem confronts us. We [begin page 173] can understand how she could that she might be born with intuitive military genius, ; with leonine courage, ; with incomparable fortitude, ; with a mind which that was in several particulars a prodigy, —a mind which included among its specialities manifestations the lawyer’s gift of detecting traps laid by the adversary in cunning and treacherous arrangements of seemingly innocent words, ; the orator’s gift of eloquence, ; the advocate’s gift of presenting a case in clear and compact concise form, ; the judge’s gift of sorting and weighing evidence, ; and, finally, something recognisable as more than a mere trace of the statesman’sⒶapparatus note gift of understanding grasping a political situation and how to makeⒶapparatus note profitable use of such opportunities as it offers. ; w WeⒶapparatus note can comprehend how she could be born with that these great qualities, but we cannot comprehend might exist in Jeanne d’Arc at her birth, but how they became immediately usable instantly available and effective without the developing forces of a sympathetic atmosphere environment and the training which comes of teaching, study, practice—years of practice—and no less than by the crowning help of a thousand mistakes is beyond our understanding. We can understand how know the possibilities of the future perfect peach are to be all lying hid dormant in the humble bitter-almond; , but we cannot conceive of the peach springing directly from the almond without the intervening long seasons of patient cultivation and development. Out of a cattle-pasturing peasant village lost in the remotenessesⒶapparatus note of an unvisited wilderness and atrophied with ages of stupefaction and ignorance we cannot fail to see a Joan of Jeanne d’Arc issue issuing equipped to the last detail for her amazing career, and hope to be able nor can we hope to explain the riddle of it, labour at it as we may.

2 “comprehends.”

3.Ⓐapparatus note It is beyond us. All the our rules fail in this girl’s case. In the world’s history she stands alone—quite absolutely alone. Others have been great shone in their first great public exhibitions of generalship, valourⒶapparatus note, legal talent, diplomacy, fortitude,Ⓐapparatus note but always their previous years and associations had invariably been in a larger or smaller greater or less degree a preparation for these such things. There have been no exceptions to the rule: . But Joan Yet Jeanne was competent in a law case at sixteen without ever having seen a law book, Ⓐapparatus note or a court houseⒶapparatus note before; she had had no training in soldiership and no associations with it, yet she was a competent general in on her first campaign; she was brave in her first battle, yet her courage had had received no education—not even the education which a boy’s courage gets from obtains through never-ceasing reminders that it is not permissible in a boy to be a coward. , butⒶapparatus note only in a girl; friendless, a Alone, ignorant unaided, in the blossom bloom of her youthⒶapparatus note she sat week after week, a prisoner in chains, before her an assemblage of judges, —enemies hunting her to her death, the ablest minds in France, — and answered answering them out of an untaught wisdom which that overmatchedⒶapparatus note their learning, baffled their tricks and treacheries with a native sagacity which that compelled their wonder, and scored every each day a victory against these incredible odds. and camped unchallenged on the field. In the history of the human intellect, untrained, inexperienced, and using only its birthright equipment of untried capacities, there is nothing which approaches this. Joan of Jeanne d’Arc stands alone, and must continue to stand alone, by reason of the unfellowed unique fact that in the things wherein she was great she was so without shade or suggestion of help from preparatory teaching, practice, environment, or experience. There is no one with whom to compare her, [begin page 174] with, none by whom to measure her; by; Ⓐapparatus note for all others among the illustrious grewⒶapparatus note towardⒶapparatus note their high place in an atmosphere and surroundings which that discovered their gift to them, and that nourished it and promoted it, intentionally or unconsciously. There have been other young born generals, but they were not girls; young generals, but they had been soldiers before they were generals earned the baton: she Jeanne began Ⓐapparatus note as a general; she commanded the first army she ever saw,Ⓐapparatus note she led it from victory to victoryⒶapparatus note, and never lost a battle. with it; t There have been young commanders-in-chief, but none so young as she: she is the only soldier in history who has held the supreme command of a nation’s armies at the age of seventeen.

V.
AS PROPHET.

Her history has still another feature which sets her apart and leaves her without fellow or competitor: there have been many uninspired prophets, but she was the only one who ever ventured the daring detail of naming, along in connection with a foretold event, the event’s precise nature, of that event, the special time-limit and place within which it would occur, and the place—and scored and in every case realized the complete fulfilment. Ⓐapparatus note At VaucouleursⒶapparatus note she said she must go to see Ⓐapparatus note the King and be made his general, and of his forces in order to Ⓐapparatus note break the English power, and crown her sovereign—“at Rheims.” It all happened. It was all to happen “next year”—and it did. She foretold her first wound, and its character and date a month in advance, and the beforehand; this prophecy was recorded in a public record-bookⒶapparatus note three weeks in advance. She repeated it the morning of the named date, named, and it was fulfilled before night. At Tours she foretold the limit of her military career, —saying it would end in one year from the time of this her utterance, —and she was right. She foretold her martyrdom, — Ⓐapparatus noteusing that word , — Ⓐapparatus noteand naming a time three months away distant—and again she was right. At a time period when France seemed hopelessly and permanently in the hands of the English she twice asserted in her prison before her judges that within seven years’ time the English would meet with a mightier disaster than had been the fall of Orleans: it happened within five,—the fall of Paris. when Paris fell. Other prophecies of hers came true, both as to the event named and the time-limit prescribed.

VI.
HER CHARACTER.

She was deeply religious, and believed that she had daily speech with angels; that she saw them face to face, and that they counselled her, advised comforted her,Ⓐapparatus note and brought commands to her direct from God. She had a childlike faith in the heavenly origin of her apparitions and her Voices, and not any threat of any form of death was able to in any form could frighten it out of her loyal heart. She was had a beautiful, and simple and lovable character. In the records of the Trials this comes out in clear and shining detail. She was gentle, and winning and affectionate; she loved her home, her friends and her village life; she was miserable in the presence of pain and suffering; she was full of compassion: on the field of her most splendid [begin page 175] victory she forgot her triumphs to hold in her lap the head of a dying enemy and to comfort his passing spirit with pitying words; in an age when it was common to slaughter prisoners, she stood dauntless between hers and harm, and saved them alive; she was forgiving, generous, unselfish,Ⓐapparatus note magnanimous, she was pure from all spot or stain of baseness. AndⒶapparatus note always she was a girl,Ⓐapparatus note and dear and worshipful, as is meet for in that estate. : w When she fell wounded, the first time, she was frightenedⒶapparatus note , and cried when she saw her the blood gushing from her breast; but she, was Joan of Jeanne d’Arc, and when presently she found that her generals were sounding the retreat, she staggered to her feet and led the assault again and took that place by storm. There is was no blemish in that the rounded and beautiful character, of Jeanne, the Maid. There was no self-conceit in it, no vanity. Only once in her life did she forget whom she was, and use the language of brag and boast. In those exhausting Trials she sat in her chains five and six dreary hours every day in her dungeon, answering her judges; and many times the questions were wearisomely silly and she lost interest, and no doubt her mind went dreaming back to the free days in the field and the fierce joys of battle. One day, at such a time, a tormentor broke the monotony with a fresh new theme, asking, “Did you learn any trade at home?” Then her head went up and her eyes kindled; and the stormer of bastiles, tamer of Talbot the English lion, thunder-breathing deliverer of a cowed nation and a hunted king, answered “Yes! to sew and to spin; and when it comes to that, I am not afraid to be matched against any woman in Rouen!” It was the only time she ever bragged: let us be charitable and forget it. Ⓐapparatus note

VII.
HER FACE AND FORM.

How strange it is!—that almost invariably the artist remembers only one detail—one minor and meaningless detail of the personality of Joan of Jeanne d’Arc, : Ⓐapparatus note that she was a peasant girl—and forgets all the rest! ; and s So he paints her as a strappingⒶapparatus note middle-aged fishwife, erwoman, Ⓐapparatus note with costume and face to match. He is a slave to his one prevailing ideaⒶapparatus note, and forgets omits to observe that the supremely great souls are never lodged in big gross bodies. No brawn, tissue, no muscle, could endure the work that their bodies must do strain of their physical efforts; they do perform their miracles by through the spirit, which has fifty times the strength and staying-power of brawn and muscle. The Napoleons are little, not big; and they work twenty hours in out of the twenty-four, and come up freshⒶapparatus note while the big soldiers with little hearts faint around them with fatigue. We know what Joan of Arc Jeanne was like, without asking— inquiring, merely by what she did. The artist should paint her spirit—then he could not fail to paint her body rightⒶapparatus note. She would rise before us, then, in such wise, a vision to win us, not to repel: a lithe, slender young slender figure, instinct with “the unbought grace of youth,” dear and bonny and wholly lovable, the face beautiful, and transfigured with the light of that lustrous her luminous intellect and the fires of that her unquenchable spirit. “It was a miraculous thing,” said Guy de Laval, writing from Selles, “to see her and hear her.” Ⓐapparatus note

Insert this remark.

2.Ⓐapparatus note Taking into account, as I have suggested before, all the circumstances, —her origin, [begin page 176] youth, sex, illiteracy, early environment, and together with the obstructing conditions under which she exploited demonstrated her high gifts and made her conquests in the field and no less than before the courts that tried her for her life,— she isⒶapparatus note by far the most extraordinary person the human race has ever yet produced. Ⓐapparatus note , nor does there exist in any language so remarkable a history as the official record of Jeanne d’Arc’s trialⒶapparatus note and rehabilitation.

3.Ⓐapparatus note I have studied the career of Jeanne d’Arc for years past; I have, moreover, written and published a story of her life: but I am ever ready, as now, to break another lance in honourⒶapparatus note of the Maid. Ⓐapparatus note

The Letter.Ⓐapparatus note

Dear Mr. X:

I find on my desk the firstⒶapparatus note two pages of Miss Z’sⒶapparatus note Translation, with your emendations marked in them. Thank you for sending them.

I have examined the first page of my amended Introduction, and will begin, now, and jot down some notes upon yourⒶapparatus note corrections. If I find any changesⒶapparatus note which shall not seem to me to be improvements, I will point out my reasons for thinking so. In this way I may chanceⒶapparatus note to be helpful to you, and thusⒶapparatus note profit you, perhaps,Ⓐapparatus note as much as you have desired to profit me.

NOTES.Ⓐapparatus note

Section I. First Paragraph.Ⓐapparatus note

“Jeanne d’Arc.” This is rather cheaply pedantic,Ⓐapparatus note and is not in veryⒶapparatus note good taste. Joan is not known by that name among plainⒶapparatus note people of our race and tongue. I notice that the name of the Deity occurs severalⒶapparatus note times in the brief instalment of the Trials which you have favored me with; to be consistent, it will be necessary that you strikeⒶapparatus note out “God” and put in “Dieu.” Do not neglect this.Ⓐapparatus note

First line. What is the troubleⒶapparatus note with “at the”? And why “Trial”? Has some uninstructedⒶapparatus note person deceived you into the notion that there was but one, instead of half a dozen?

Amongst. Wasn’t “among” good enough?Ⓐapparatus note

Next half-dozen CorrectionsⒶapparatus note. Have you failed to perceive that byⒶapparatus note taking the word “both” out of its proper place you have made foolishnessⒶapparatus note of the sentence? And don’t you see that your smug “of which” has turned that sentenceⒶapparatus note into reporter’s English? “Quite.” Why do you intrude that shop-worn favorite of yours where there is nothing useful for it to do?Ⓐapparatus note Can’t you rest easy in your literary grave without it?Ⓐapparatus note

Next SentenceⒶapparatus note. You have made no improvement in it; did you change it merely to be changing something?

Second Paragraph. Now you have begun on my punctuation. Don’t you realize that you ought not to intrude your help in a delicate art like that, with your limitations?Ⓐapparatus note And do you think you have added just the right smear of polishⒶapparatus note to the closing clause of the sentence?

SecondⒶapparatus note Paragraph. HowⒶapparatus note do you know it was his “own” sword?Ⓐapparatus note It could have been a borrowed [begin page 177] one. I am cautious in matters of history, and you should not put statements in my mouth for which you cannot produce vouchers. Your other corrections are rubbish.

ThirdⒶapparatus note Paragraph. Ditto.

FourthⒶapparatus note Paragraph. Your word “directly” is misleading; it could be construed to mean “at once.” Plain clarity is better than ornate obscurity. I note your sensitive marginal remark: “Rather unkind to French feelings—referring to Moscow.” Indeed I have not been concerning myself about French feelings, but only about stating the facts. I have said several uncourteous things about the French—calling them a “nation of ingrates,” in one place,Ⓐapparatus note—but you have been so busy editing commas and semicolons that you overlooked them and failed to get scared at them. The next paragraphⒶapparatus note ends with a slur at the French, but I have reasons for thinking you mistook it for a compliment. It is discouragingⒶapparatus note to try to penetrate a mind like yours. You ought to get it out and dance on it.Ⓐapparatus note That would take some of the rigidity out of it. And you ought to use it sometimes; that would help. If you had done this every now and then along through life, it would not have petrified.

FifthⒶapparatus note Paragraph. Thus far, I regard this as your masterpiece!Ⓐapparatus note You are really perfect in the great art of reducing simple and dignified speech to clumsyⒶapparatus note and vapid commonplace.

Sixth Paragraph.Ⓐapparatus note You have a singularly fine and aristocratic disrespect for homely and unpretending English. Every time I use “go back” you get out your polisher and slick it up to “return.” “Return” is suited only to the drawing-room—it is ducal, and says itself with a simper and a smirk.Ⓐapparatus note

SeventhⒶapparatus note Paragraph. “Permission” is ducal. DucalⒶapparatus note and affected. “Her” greatⒶapparatus note days were not “over;” they were only half over. Didn’t you know that? Haven’t you read anything at all about Joan of Arc? The truth is, you do not pay any attention; I told you on my very first page that the public part of her career lasted two years, and you have forgotten it already.Ⓐapparatus note You reallyⒶapparatus note must get your mind out and have it repaired;Ⓐapparatus note you see, yourself, that it is all caked together.

Eighth Paragraph. She “rode away to assault and capture aⒶapparatus note stronghold.” Very well; but you do not tell us whether she succeeded or not. You should not worryⒶapparatus note the reader with uncertainties like that. I will remind you once moreⒶapparatus note that clarity is a good thing in literature. An apprentice cannot do better than keep this useful ruleⒶapparatus note in mind. Closing Sentences.Ⓐapparatus note Corrections which are not corrections.

NinthⒶapparatus note Paragraph. “Known” history. That word is a polish which is too delicate for me; there doesn’t seem to be any sense in it. This would have surprised me, last week.

Second Sentence.Ⓐapparatus note It cost me an hour’s study before I found out what it meant. I see, now, that it is intended to mean what it meant before. It really does accomplish its intent, I think, though in a most intricate and slovenlyⒶapparatus note fashion. What was your idea in re-framing it? Merely in order that you might add this to your other editorial contributions and beⒶapparatus note able to say to people that the most of the Introduction was your work? I am afraid that that was really your sly and unparliamentaryⒶapparatus note scheme. Certainly we do seem to live in a very wicked world.Ⓐapparatus note

Closing SentenceⒶapparatus note. There is your empty “however” again.Ⓐapparatus note I cannot think what makes you so flatulent.Ⓐapparatus note

II. In Captivity.Ⓐapparatus note “Remainder.” It is curious and interesting to notice what an attraction a fussy, mincing, nickel-platedⒶapparatus note artificial word has for you. This is not well.Ⓐapparatus note

[begin page 178]

Third Sentence.Ⓐapparatus note But she was held to ransom; it wasn’t a case of “should have been.” And it wasn’t a case of “ ifⒶapparatus note it had been offered;Ⓐapparatus note” it was offered, and also accepted,Ⓐapparatus note as the second paragraph shows.Ⓐapparatus note You ought never to edit except when awake.Ⓐapparatus note

Fourth Sentence.Ⓐapparatus note Why do you wish to change that? It was more than “demanded,” it was required. Have you no sense of shades of meaning, in words?

Fifth Sentence.Ⓐapparatus note Changing it to “benefactress” takes the dignity out of it. If I had called her a braggart, I suppose you would have polishedⒶapparatus note her into a braggartess, with your curious and random notions about the English tongue.

Closing Sentence.Ⓐapparatus note “Sustained” is sufficiently nickel-platedⒶapparatus note to meet the requirements of your disease, I trust. “Wholly” adds nothing; the sentence means just what it meant before. In the rest of the sentence you sacrifice simplicity to airy fussiness.

Second Paragraph. It was not blood-money, O unteachable ass,Ⓐapparatus note any more than is the money that buys a house or a horse; it was an ordinary business-transaction of the time, and was not dishonorableⒶapparatus note. “With her hands, feet and neck both chained,” etc.Ⓐapparatus note The restricted word “both” cannot be applied to three things, but only to two. “Fence:” You “lifted”Ⓐapparatus note that word from further along—and with what valuable result? The next sentence—after your doctoring of it—has no meaning. The one succeeding it—after your doctoring of it—refers to nothing, wanders around in space, has no meaningⒶapparatus note and no reason for existing, and is by a shade or two more demented and twaddlesome than anything hitherto ground out of your strange and interesting editorial-mill.Ⓐapparatus note

Closing Sentence.Ⓐapparatus note “Neither” for “either.”Ⓐapparatus note Have you now debauched the grammar to your taste?

Third Paragraph. It was sound English before you decayed it. Sell it to the museum.Ⓐapparatus note

FourthⒶapparatus note Paragraph. I note the compliment you pay yourself, margined oppositeⒶapparatus note the closing sentence: “Easier translation.” But it has two defects. In the first place it is a mistranslation, and in the second place it translates half of the grace out of Joan’sⒶapparatus note remark.

FifthⒶapparatus note Paragraph. Why are you so prejudiced against fact, and so indecentlyⒶapparatus note fond of fiction? Her generalshipⒶapparatus note was not “thatⒶapparatus note of a tried and trained military experience,” for she hadn’t had any, and no one swore that she had had any. I had stated the facts, you should have reserved your fictions.Ⓐapparatus note Note: To be intelligible, that whole paragraph must consist of a single sentence; in breaking it up into several, you have knocked the sense all out of it.

EighthⒶapparatus note Paragraph. “When the flames leapt up and enveloped her frail form” is handsome, very handsome, even elegant, but it isn’t yours; you hooked it out of “The Costermonger’sⒶapparatus note Bride; or The Fire-Fiend’s Foe,” price 3 farthings; boards 2d. ToⒶapparatus note take other people’s things is not right, and God will punish you. “Parched” lips? How do you know they were? Why do you make statements which you cannot verify, when you have no motive for it but to work in a word which you think is nobby?Ⓐapparatus note

III. The Rehabilitation. “Their statements were taken down as evidence.” WonderfulⒶapparatus note! If you had failed to mention that particular, many persons might have thought they were taken down as entertainment.

IV. The Riddle of All Time. I note your marginal remark: “Riddle—Anglice?” Look in your spelling-book. “We can understand how the genius was created,” etc., “by steady and [begin page 179] congenial growth.” We can’t understandⒶapparatus note anything of the kind; genius is not “created” by any farmingⒶapparatus note process—it is born. You are thinking of potatoes. Note: Whenever I say “circumstances” you change it to “environment;” and you persistently change my thatsⒶapparatus note into whichesⒶapparatus note and my whiches into thats. This is merely silly, you know.

Second Paragraph. I note your marginal remark, “2Ⓐapparatus note comprehends.” I supposeⒶapparatus note some one has told you that repetition is tautology, and then has left you to believe that repetition is always tautology. But let it go; with your limitations one would not be able to teach you how to distinguish between the repetition which isn’t tautology and the repetition which is.

Closing Sentence. Your tipsy emendationⒶapparatus note, when straightened up on itsⒶapparatus note legs and examined, is found to say this: We fail to see her issue thus equipped, and we cannot understand why. That is to say, she did not issue so equipped, and you cannot make out why she didn’t. That is the riddle that defeatsⒶapparatus note you, labor atⒶapparatus note it as you may? Why, if thatⒶapparatus note had happened, it wouldn’t be a riddle at all—except to you—but a thing likely to happen to nearly anybody, and not matter for astonishment to any intelligent person standing by at the time—or later. There is a riddle, but you have mistaken the nature of it. I cannot tell how, labor at it as I may; and I will try to point it out to you so that you can see some of it. We do not failⒶapparatus note to see her issue so equipped, we do see her. That is the whole marvel, mystery, riddle. That she, an ignorant country girl, sprang upon the world equipped with amazing natural gifts is not the riddle—it could have happened to you if you had been some one else;Ⓐapparatus note but the fact that those talents were instantly and effectivelyⒶapparatus note usable without previous training is the mystery which we cannot master, the riddle which we cannot solve. Do you get it?

Third Paragraph. Drunk.

V. As Prophet. “And in every case realized the complete fulfilment.” How do you know she did that? There is no testimony to back up that wild assertion.Ⓐapparatus note I was particular not to claim that allⒶapparatus note her prophecies came true; for that would have been to claim that we haveⒶapparatus note her whole list, whereas itⒶapparatus note is likely that she made some that failed and did not get upon the record. People do not record prophecies that failed. Such is not the custom.

VI. Her Character. “Comforted” is a good change, and quite sane. But you are not playing fair; you are getting some sane person to help you. Note: When I wrote “counseled her, advised her,” that was tautology; the “2 comprehends” was a case of repetition which was not tautological. But I am sureⒶapparatus note you will never be able to learn the difference. Note: “ButⒶapparatus note she, Jeanne d’Arc, when presently she found,” etc. That is the funniest yet, and the commonplacest. But it isn’t original, you got it out ofⒶapparatus note “How to Write Literary Without Any Apprenticeship,” sixpence to the trade; retail, sevenpence farthing. ErasedⒶapparatus note Passage: I note with admiration your marginal remark explaining your objection to it: “Is it warrantable to assert that she bragged? Is it in good taste? It was assuredly foreign to her characterⒺexplanatory note.” I will admit that my small effort at playfulness was not much of a pearl;Ⓐapparatus note but such as it was, I realize that I threw it into the wrong trough.

VII. Her Face and Form. You have misunderstood me again. I did not mean that the artist had several ideas and one prevailing one, I meant that he had only one idea. In that same sentence, “omits” and “forgets” have just the same meaning; have you any clear idea, then, why you made the change? Is it your notion that “gross” is an improvement on “big,”Ⓐapparatus note “perform” an improvement on “do,” “inquiring” an improvement on “asking,” and “in such wise” an improvement [begin page 180] on “then,”Ⓐapparatus note or have you merely been seduced by the fine large sound of those words? Are you incurably hostile to simplicity of speech?Ⓐapparatus note And finally, do you not see that you have edited all the dignity out of the paragraph andⒶapparatus note substituted simpering commonplace for it, and that your addition at the end is a deliciouslyⒶapparatus note flat and funny anti-climax? Still, I note your command in the margin, “Insert this remark,” and I dutifully obey.

Second Paragraph. “Exploited” was worth a shilling, there; you have traded it for a word not worth tuppence-ha’penny, and got cheated, and serves you right. Read “rightly,” if it shocks you. CloseⒶapparatus note of Paragraph: You have exploited another anti-climax—and in the form, too, of an impudentⒶapparatus note advertisement of your book. It seems to me that for a person of your eleganceⒶapparatus note of language you are curiously lacking in certainⒶapparatus note other delicacies.

ThirdⒶapparatus note Paragraph. I must reserve my thanks.Ⓐapparatus note “MoreoverⒶapparatus note” is a parenthesis,Ⓐapparatus note when interjected in that fashion;Ⓐapparatus note a parenthesis is evidence that the man who uses it does not know how to write English or is too indolentⒶapparatus note to take the trouble to do it; a parenthesis usually throws the emphasis upon the wrong word, and has done it in this instance; a man who will wantonlyⒶapparatus note use a parenthesis will steal. For these reasonsⒶapparatus note I am unfriendly to the parenthesis. When a man puts one into my mouth his life is no longer safe. “Breaking a lance” is a knightly and sumptuousⒶapparatus note phrase, and I honor it for its hoary age and for the faithfulⒶapparatus note service it has done in the prize-composition of the school-girl, but I have ceased from employing it since I got my puberty, and must solemnly object to fathering it here. And besides,Ⓐapparatus note it makes me hintⒶapparatus note that I have broken one of those things before, in honor of the Maid, an intimation not justified by the facts. I did not break any lances or other furniture, I only wrote a book about her.

Truly Yours

Mark TwainⒶapparatus note

It cost me something to restrain myself and say these smooth and half-flattering things to this immeasurableⒶapparatus note idiotⒶapparatus note, but I did it, and have never regretted it. For it is higherⒶapparatus note and nobler to be kind to even a shad like him than just. If we should deal out justice only, in this world, who would escape? No, it is better to be generous; and in the end more profitable, for it gains gratitude for us, and love, and it isⒶapparatus note far better to have the love of a literary strumpet like this than the reproaches of his wounded spirit. Therefore I am glad I said no harsh things to him, but spared him, the same as I would a tape-worm.Ⓐapparatus note It is reward enough for me to know that my children will be proud of their father for this, when I am gone. I could have said hundreds of unpleasant things about this tadpole, but I did not even feel them.Ⓐapparatus note

Revisions, Variants Adopted or Rejected, and Textual Notes Scraps from My Autobiography

Ⓐ Autobiography ● Autobiography. | double rule (MSa)

Ⓐ Manuscript That ● MS. that (MSa)

Ⓐ Grief ● Grief. | double rule (MSa)

Ⓐ interested ● strongly interested (MSa)

Ⓐ fine ● fine (MSa)

Ⓐ Rehabilitation, ● Rehabilitation, made (MSa)

Ⓐ before, ● ago, before, (MSa)

Ⓐ pleasure ● joy pleasure (MSa)

Ⓐ satisfied. ● satisfied.

¶ The translation was finished just before I left for the continent for the summer vacation, and I carried a type-written copy of it with me. I was glad to hear him say that the work had been admirably done, and was a masterpiece. As soon as I was well rested and (MSa)

Ⓐ there chanced to fall into my hands ● there chanced to fall into my hands (MSa)

Ⓐ me . . . gave my spirit ● me fell into my hands which gave my spirit of so just and laudatory a character—particularly as concerned one detail—that it gave my spirit (MSa)

Ⓐ also ● also (MSa)

Ⓐ good ● good (MSa)

Ⓐ by . . . authority. ● by the two highest author four literary experts whose of high of unassailable authority: is assailable. Mr. Howells, Professor Matthews, Mr. Kipling, and Mr. Archer. These prized utterances are all reflected in Mr. Archer’s remark: ¶ “Intensely American though he be, Mark Twain is one of the greatest living masters of the English language.” four English and American literary experts of high authority. the insertions ‘of high’ and ‘of unassailable’ left uncanceled until the entire passage was deleted (MSa)

Ⓐ but these ● but that testimony one, coming from the first English critic of our time, and a stranger to boot, these (MSa)

Ⓐ would . . . to you. ● would be if it had have been if they had been said about you. paid to you. (MSa)

Ⓐ of that great several-voiced verdict ● of ‸ that ose great triple- several-voiced verdicts SLC inserted ‘triple-voiced’, then replaced ‘triple-’ with ‘several-’ (MSa)

Ⓐ X’s ● M X.’s (MSa)

Ⓐ said ● promised said (MSa)

Ⓐ would . . . judgment. ● would confirm those judgments. would establish the righteousness of that judgment. (MSa)

Ⓐ privately, . . . . . . ● privately, and w and out of a still swelling head, “By grace of those inspirations I have justified those verdicts;” if this isn’t English, clean and straight and up to standard, where is the man who—” . . . . . . (MSa)

Ⓐ manuscript to Mr. X, ● MS. to Mr. X, (MSa)

Ⓐ the praises. ● the compliments. the adulation. the praises. (MSa)

Ⓐ pleasant ● great pleasant (MSa)

Ⓐ him. ● him. He stood (MSa)

Ⓐ competent?” ● competent?” ¶ I was getting a little uncomfortable. (MSa)

Ⓐ innocent, vain, ignorant, ● honest, genuine, innocent, vain, ignorant, (MSa)

Ⓐ red-headed, and ● ◇ red-headed, and (MSa)

Ⓐ better-meaning ● better-meaning (MSa)

Ⓐ literature . . . experience: ● literature; and has had no literary training or experience: (MSa)

Ⓐ X ● M. X (MSa)

Ⓐ to ● to (MSa)

Ⓐ title ● titlee (MSa)

Ⓐ X ● M. X (MSa)

Ⓐ Introduction ● M Introduction (MSa)

Ⓐ type-copied. ● type-written. copied. (MSa)

Ⓐ good— ● good.—Quite good— (MSa)

Ⓐ and healthfully checked ● and —stopped it from producing and shru healthfully checked ing (MSa)

Ⓐ glad ● glad that (MSa)

Ⓐ it ● it ‸ (MSa)

Ⓐ genially ● genially (MSa)

Ⓐ can, ● can, for I want to (MSa)

Ⓐ self-respect’s ● self-respet’s respect’s corrected miswriting (MSa)

Ⓐ was ● is was (MSa)

Ⓐ These ● Thiese (MSa)

Ⓐ tranquilised ● uplifted me, calmed tranquilised (MSa)

Ⓐ and ● and (MSa)

Ⓐ better ● nobler better (MSa)

Ⓐ this was ● this was something education illegible those this was this was (MSa)

Ⓐ subjected ● compelled subjected (MSa)

Ⓐ rational ● almost rational (MSa)

Ⓐ that ● that underscore of ‘ that ’ canceled (MSa)

Ⓐ sentimentality. ● sentimen-|talism. tality. (MSa)

Ⓐ Christian-like ● Christian-like (MSa)

Ⓐ it. This man shall ● it.” ¶ I felt that This man shall (MSa)

Ⓐ began ● wrote began (MSa)

Ⓐ had ● was had (MSa)

Ⓐ The letter ● It The letter (MSa)

Ⓐ chapter of my Autobiography. ● this autobiograp chapter. of my Autobiography. | rule across page (MSa)

Ⓐ The “Edited” Introduction ● Here insert the “edited” Introduction. below this instruction Paine wrote, ‘(Do not copy it—just lay it in, as it is.)’ (MSa)

Ⓐ 1. ● textual note: SLC inserted this numeral in ink on TSc.

Ⓐ Trials ● textual note: SLC wrote and circled ‘RESTORE my plural (Trial s )’ above this word on TSa.

Ⓐ and Rehabilitation ● and Rehabilitation MS Intro revised after TSa was typed (MS Intro, TSa-Murray) and Rehabilitation (TSb, TSc)

Ⓐ multitude ● multitude (MS Intro, TSa, TSb) multitudes (TSc)

Ⓐ 2. ● textual note: SLC inserted this numeral in ink on TSc.

Ⓐ write. ; s She ● write: she (MS Intro) write. : s She (TSa-Murray) write. She (TSb) write. ; s She (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ sew, ● sew, (MS Intro, TSb) sew; , (TSa-Murray) sew; (TSc)

Ⓐ ignorance ● ignorance (MS Intro) ignorance, (TSa-Murray) ignorance, (TSb, TSc)

Ⓐ court ● court (MS Intro, TSa, TSb) Court (TSc)

Ⓐ She ● textual note: SLC inserted ‘3.’ in pencil before this word on TSc, in a soon-abandoned attempt to renumber the paragraphs.

Ⓐ it to her that, ● her that; (MS Intro) it to her, that; (TSa-Murray) it to her, (TSb) it her that, (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ heart. , and a Again ● heart; and again (MS Intro) heart. ; : and a Again (TSa-Murray) heart. Again (TSb) heart. , and a Again (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ 3. ● textual note: SLC inserted this numeral in ink on TSc.

Ⓐ 4. ● textual note: SLC inserted ‘4.’ in ink on TSc and then lightly penciled ‘5.’ next to it.

Ⓐ 5. ● textual note: SLC inserted ‘5.’ in ink on TSc and then lightly penciled ‘6’ next to it.

Ⓐ march, past, surrendering towns and fortresses, ● march past surrendering towns and fortresses (MS Intro, TSa) march past, surrendering towns and fortresses (TSb ribbon-Murray) march, past, surrendering towns and fortresses, (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ 6. ● textual note: SLC inserted ‘6.’ in ink on TSc and then lightly penciled ‘7’ next to it.

Ⓐ and whereas ● and (MS Intro) and whilst (TSa-Murray) whilst (TSb) and whereas (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ Trials ● Trials (MS Intro) Trials, (TSa-Murray) Trials, (TSb, TSc)

Ⓐ source ● textual note: Murray corrected mistyped ‘course’ to ‘source’ on TSa and SLC rewrote the correction above it for clarification.

Ⓐ any one ● any one (MS Intro) anyone (TSa, TSb, TSc)

Ⓐ 7. ● textual note: SLC inserted this numeral in ink on TSc, which has an extra line of space above this paragraph.

Ⓐ to drive ● drive (MS Intro, TSa, TSb) to drive (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ his army ● textual note: SLC wrote and deleted ‘clay’ and ‘mud’ on TSa above these words.

Ⓐ 8. ● textual note: SLC inserted this numeral in ink on TSc.

Ⓐ no ¶ At ● ¶ At (MS Intro, TSa, TSb) no ¶ At paragraph break canceled in ink (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ Compiègne ● Compiègne (MS Intro) Compei iègne (TSa-Murray) Compie ègne accent added (TSb ribbon-Murray) Compiegne (TSc)

Ⓐ captured, ● captured, (MS Intro, TSa, TSb) captured, (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ 9. ● textual note: SLC inserted this numeral in ink on TSc.

Ⓐ months! ● months. (MS Intro) months. ! (TSa-Murray) months! (TSb, TSc) months! exclamation point retraced (TSb carbon-SLC)

Ⓐ endure, ● endure, (MS Intro) endure, (TSa-Murray) endure, (TSb, TSc)

Ⓐ 1. ● not in (MS Intro, TS1, TSb, TSc)

Ⓐ recognized ● recognised (MS Intro) recognis zed (TSa-Murray) recognized (TSb, TSc)

Ⓐ honourable ● honorable (MS Intro, TSa) honourable (TSb, TSc)

Ⓐ John Jean ● John (MS Intro, TSa, TSb) John Jean (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ Luxemburg ● Luxemburg (MS Intro) Luxembourg (TSa-Murray) Luxembourg (TSb, TSc)

Ⓐ 2. ● textual note: SLC inserted this numeral in ink on TSc.

Ⓐ Church, — ● Church, (MS Intro, TSa, TSb) Church, — (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ captivity ● textual note: SLC wrote and deleted ‘filled with persecutions’ on TSa above this word.

Ⓐ her: ● her: (MS Intro, TSa, TSb) her; (TSc)

Ⓐ against these ● against those (MS Intro) against those (TSa-Murray) against (TSb) against these (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ sublimity; ● sublimity: (MS Intro, TSa) sublimity: (TSb ribbon-Murray) sublimity; (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ 3. ● 3. textual note: SLC inserted this numeral in ink on TSc.

Ⓐ crisp ● crisp (and pat) parentheses inserted by Murray in pencil, deleted in ink by SLC (MS Intro) crisp (and pat) (TSa-Murray) not in (TSb) crisp (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ so starved, and so tired, and so harried! . ● so starved and tired and harried! (MS Intro) so starved, and so tired, and so harried! . (TSa-Murray) so starved, so tired, so harried! (TSb) so starved, and so tired, and so harried! . (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ pathos .; as, w When ● pathos: as, when (MS Intro) pathos. : as, w When (TSa-Murray) pathos. When (TSb) pathos. ; as, w When (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ devil’s-witchcraft ● devil’s-witchcraft (MS Intro, TSa, TSb) devil’s witchcraft (TSc)

Ⓐ soldiers ● soldiers (MS Intro) soldiers, (TSa-Murray) soldiers, (TSb, TSc)

Ⓐ the standards those ● those the standards MS Intro revised after TSa was typed (MS Intro, TSa-SLC) the standards (TSb) the standards those Murray made no revision, and SLC reversed the readings (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ 4. ● textual note: SLC inserted this numeral in ink on TSc.

Ⓐ confidence; and ● confidence; , and MS Intro revised after TSa was typed (MS Intro) confidence; , (TSa-Murray) confidence, : and (TSb ribbon-Murray) confidence; and (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ 5. ● textual note: SLC inserted this numeral in ink on TSc.

Ⓐ suggested an old and educated was that of a tried and trained military experience, ● suggested an educated military experience of thirty twenty years, worthy to rank with the ripe products of a tried and trained military experience, MS Intro revised after TSa was typed (MS Intro) an educated an old and ripened a tried and trained military experience, of twenty years, (TSa-Murray) was that of a tried and trained military experience, TSb erroneously lacks ‘suggested’ (TSb ribbon-Murray) suggested an old and educated was that of a tried and trained military experience, (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ one ● one (MS Intro) one, (TSa-Murray) one, (TSb, TSc)

Ⓐ masterminds ● masterminds (MS Intro) master-minds (TSa-Murray) master-minds (TSb, TSc)

Ⓐ treachery, ingratitude, ● treachery, (MS Intro) treachery, ingratitude, (TSa-SLC) treachery, ingratitude, (TSb, TSc)

Ⓐ ready: ● ready: (MS Intro, TSa, TSb) ready; (TSc)

Ⓐ 6. ● textual note: SLC inserted this numeral in ink on TSc.

Ⓐ may not never hope to easily to find ● may not easily hope to find (MS Intro) may not easily hope hope easily to find (TSa-Murray) may not never hope easily to find (TSb ribbon-Murray) may not never hope to easily to find (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ Helena. ● textual note: Below this word on TSc SLC wrote and circled ‘Double space here’.

Ⓐ 7. ● textual note: SLC inserted this numeral in ink on TSc.

Ⓐ his evil resources were not yet exhausted ● he was not yet at the bottom of the cesspool of his resources (MS Intro) he was had not yet at the bottom of the cesspool of his resources reached the depth of his infamy (TSa-Murray) he had not yet reached the depth of his infamy exausted his treasury his evil resources were not yet exhausted (TSa-SLC) his evil resources were not yet exhausted (TSb, TSc)

Ⓐ during the three months; and this throughout. This ● during the three months, and this (MS Intro) during three months. and t This (TSa-Murray) three months throughout. This (TSb ribbon-Murray) during the three months; and this throughout. This (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ victory ● victory (MS Intro) a victory (TSa-Murray) a victory (TSb, TSc)

Ⓐ 8. ● textual note: SLC inserted this numeral in ink on TSc.

Ⓐ and she ● and she (MS Intro, TSb) and she SLC’s deletion is not shown because it creates a defective text (TSa-Murray, TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ testified. ; and what they said was written down. Their statements were taken down as evidence. ● testified, and what they said was written down. (MS Intro) testified: , and what they said their statements were written down. (TSa-Murray) testified. : and t Their statements were written taken down as evidence. (TSb ribbon-Murray) testified. ; and what they said was written down. Their statements were taken down as evidence. (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ 1. ● not in (MS Intro, TSa, TSb, TSc)

Ⓐ Shakspeare ● Shakspeare (MS Intro, TSa, TSb) Shakespeare (TSc)

Ⓐ persons ● person (MS Intro) persons s revision unclear (TSa-Murray) persons (TSb ribbon-Murray) persons (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ 2. ● textual note: SLC inserted this numeral in ink on TSc.

Ⓐ statesman’s ● statesman’s (MS Intro) stateman’s erased and replaced in TSa by ‘statesman’s’, typed with a different typewriter ribbon, presumably after TSb was typed (TSa, TSb) state-|man’s (TSc)

Ⓐ how to make ● how to make TSc typist overlooked SLC’s revision on TSa (MS Intro, TSc) how to make of making of perceiving the right wad to a ‘wad’ corrected by Murray to ‘way’ (TSa-SLC) of perceiving the right way to a (TSb)

Ⓐ offers. ; w We ● offers: we (MS Intro) offers. : w We (TSa-Murray) offers. We (TSb) offers. ; w We (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ remotenesses ● remotenesses (MS Intro, TSc) remoteness (TSa, TSb) remotenesses (TSb carbon-SLC)

Ⓐ 3. ● textual note: SLC inserted this numeral in ink on TSc.

Ⓐ valour ● valor (MS Intro) valour (TSa-Murray) valour (TSb, TSc)

Ⓐ fortitude, ● fortitude, (MS Intro) fortitude; , (TSa-Murray) fortitude; (TSb, TSc)

Ⓐ law book, ● law book (MS Intro) law-book (TSa-Murray) law-book (TSb) law-book, (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ court house ● court house (MS Intro) court-house (TSa-Murray) court-house (TSb, TSc)

Ⓐ coward. , but ● coward, but (MS Intro, TSa) coward. , but (TSb ribbon-Murray) coward, but SLC neglected to insert a period (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ youth ● youth (MS Intro) youth, (TSa-Murray) youth, (TSb, TSc)

Ⓐ overmatched ● overmatched (MS Intro) over-matched (TSa, TSb, TSc) overmatched ‘over matched’ marked to join up (TSb carbon-SLC)

Ⓐ her; by; ● her by, (MS Intro) her; by, (TSa-Murray) her: (TSb) her; by; (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ grew ● grew (MS Intro, TSa) grew (TSb, TSc)

Ⓐ toward ● toward (MS Intro) towards (TSa-Murray) towards (TSb, TSc)

Ⓐ began ● began (MS Intro) began (TSa, TSc) began ‘began’ underscored (TSb carbon-SLC)

Ⓐ saw, ● saw, (MS Intro) saw; , (TSa-Murray) saw; (TSb, TSc)

Ⓐ from victory to victory ● to one victory after another (MS Intro) to one victory after another from victory to victory Murray revised to ‘from one victory to another’; SLC revised that to ‘from victory to victory’ (TSa-Murray + TSa-SLC) from victory to victory (TSb, TSc)

Ⓐ time-limit and place within which it would occur, and the place—and scored and in every case realized the complete fulfilment. ● time-limit within which it would occur, and the place—and had the prophecy come true. (MS Intro) time-limit within which it would occur, and the place—and had the prophecy come true. place, and scored fulfilment. (TSa-SLC) time-limit within which it would occur, and as well as the place, and scored realized fulfilment. (TSa-Murray) time-limit and place within which it would occur, as well as the place, and in every case realized the complete fulfilment. (TSb ribbon-Murray) time-limit and place within which it would occur, and the place—and scored and in every case realized the complete fulfilment. (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ Vaucouleurs ● Vaucouleurs (MS Intro) Vancouleurs, (TSa-Murray) Vaucouleurs, (TSb) Vancouleurs (TSc)

Ⓐ go to see ● go to (MS Intro) go to see (TSa-Murray) see (TSb) go to SLC neglected to supply a substitute verb (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ his general, and of his forces in order to ● his general, and (MS Intro) his general, and in order that she might (TSa-Murray) his general of his forces in order that she might to (TSa-SLC) general of his forces in order to (TSb) his general, and of his forces in order to (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ record-book ● record-|book (MS Intro) record book (TSa, TSc) record-book (TSb carbon-SLC)

Ⓐ martyrdom, — ● martyrdom— (MS Intro, TSa, TSb) martyrdom, — (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ that word, — ● that word— (MS Intro) that word, — (TSa-Murray) that word, — (TSc-SLC) that word, ‘that word,’ underscored (TSb carbon-SLC)

Ⓐ advised comforted her, ● advised with her, comforted and heartened her, MS Intro revised after TSa was typed (MS Intro) advised with comfortedher, (TSa-Murray) comforted her, (TSb) advised comfortedher, (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ unselfish, ● not in (MS Intro) unselfish, (TSa-SLC) unselfish, (TSb, TSc)

Ⓐ baseness. And ● baseness, or self-seeking, she was utterly noble; noble. and her golden unselfishness—there is the record for all to read: she did not know how to be selfish. And And MS Intro revised after TSa was typed (MS Intro) baseness. , she was utterly noble; and in and her golden unselfishness—there is the record for all to read: she did not know how to be selfish. And (TSa-SLC/Murray) baseness. And (TSc)

Ⓐ girl, ● girl, (MS Intro) girl, (TSa, TSb) girl; (TSc)

Ⓐ frightened, ● frightened, (MS Intro, TSa) frightened (TSb) frightened, (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ There . . . forget it. ● There . . . forget it. MS Intro revised after TSa was typed (MS Intro, TSa-SLC/Murray, TSc-SLC) not in (TSb)

Ⓐ Jeanne d’Arc, : ● Joan of Arc—to wit, MS Intro revised after TSa was typed (MS Intro) Joan of Jeanne d’Arc— (TSa-Murray) Jeanne d’Arc, (TSb ribbon-Murray) Jeanne d’Arc, : (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ strapping ● strapping (MS Intro) strapping, (TSa-Murray) strapping, (TSb, TSc) strapping, (TSb carbon-SLC)

Ⓐ fishwife, erwoman, ● fishwoman; (MS Intro) fishe rwoman; fishwife, (TSa-Murray) fish-wife, (TSb) fishwife, erwoman, (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ prevailing idea ● poor lonesome idea MS Intro revised after TSa was typed (MS Intro) poor lonesome prevailing idea (TSa-Murray) prevailing idea (TSb) prevailing idea (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ fresh ● fresh (MS Intro) fresh, (TSa-Murray) fresh, (TSb, TSc)

Ⓐ right ● right (MS Intro) aright (TSa-Murray) aright (TSb, TSc)

Ⓐ “It . . . her.” ● not in (MS Intro) “It was a miraculous thing,” said Guy de Laval, writing from Selles, “to see her and hear her.” (TSa-Murray) [“It was a miraculous thing altogether divine”, said Guy de Laval, writing from Selles, “to see her and hear listen to her.”] Murray added the brackets in pencil to set off the insertion and wrote a marginal note: ‘? Insert this remark’ (TSb ribbon-Murray) [“It was a miraculous thing,” said Guy de Laval, writing from Selles, “to see her and hear her.”] added to TSc in pencil without carets; the brackets serve merely to signal the insertion and have therefore been omitted from the text (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ 2. ● textual note: SLC inserted this numeral in ink on TSc.

Ⓐ is ● is easily and (MS Intro) is easily and (TSa-Murray) is (TSb, TSc)

Ⓐ produced. ● produced. (MS Intro, TSa) produced. (TSb ribbon-Murray, TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ Jeanne d’Arc’s trial ● not in (MS Intro, TSa) the Trial and Rehabilitation of Jeanne d’Arc Jeanne d’Arc’s Trial (TSb ribbon-Murray) the Trial Jeanne d’Arc’s trial deleted words were SLC’s self-correction (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ 3. ● textual note: SLC inserted this numeral in ink on TSc.

Ⓐ honour ● not in (MS Intro, TSa, TSb) honor (TSc-SLC)

Ⓐ , nor . . . Maid. ● textual note: SLC copied this text onto TSc in pencil, without carets, which have been added by the editor. It is not in MS Intro, nor does it appear in TSa. Only an incomplete first sentence appears in TSb, where Murray revised it. The rest of the text was evidently on a page that does not survive, but it can be found at the end of TSd. It seems likely that Murray added the passage to TSa on a page that is now lost: SLC clearly intended to signal it as Murray’s work, since he ridicules it in his ‘Letter’ at 180.11–21. TSd also includes a paragraph that Clemens did not copy onto TSc; it is, however, included—with minor revisions—as a footnote to the piece as published in Harper’s Monthly in December 1904.

Ⓐ Letter. ● Letter. | double rule (MSb)

Ⓐ first ● two first (MSb)

Ⓐ Miss Z’s ● the Miss Z’s (MSb)

Ⓐ your ● the your (MSb)

Ⓐ changes ● changes (MSb)

Ⓐ chance ● be chance (MSb)

Ⓐ thus ● thust (MSb)

Ⓐ perhaps, ● I trust, perhaps, (MSb)

Ⓐ NOTES. ● NOTES. capitals simulated, not underscored (MSb)

Ⓐ First Paragraph. ● Page. Par First Paragraph. (MSb)

Ⓐ is rather cheaply pedantic, ● smacks of cheap affectation is rather cheaply pedantic, (MSb)

Ⓐ very ● very (MSb)

Ⓐ plain ● intelligent plain (MSb)

Ⓐ several ● three several (MSb)

Ⓐ with; to . . . strike ● with; and that in each case you have struck to be consistent, it will be necessary that you strike (MSb)

Ⓐ Do not neglect this. ● In the name of Dieu, in Whom are all perfections,” etc. Does that sound pleasant to you? I think it a mistake. Do not neglect this. (MSb)

Ⓐ trouble ● matter trouble (MSb)

Ⓐ uninstructed ● uninstructed (MSb)

Ⓐ enough? ● enough? for you, you cad? (MSb)

Ⓐ Corrections ● c Corrections (MSb)

Ⓐ Have you failed to perceive that by ● Haven’t you penetration enough to see that by you failed to perceive that by (MSb)

Ⓐ foolishness ● twaddle foolishness (MSb)

Ⓐ your smug . . . sentence ● you have turned the preceding my sentence your smug “of which” has turned that sentence (MSb)

Ⓐ yours where . . . to do? ● yours? where there is nothing useful for it to do? (MSb)

Ⓐ it? ● it?— (MSb)

Ⓐ Sentence ● sentence (MSb)

Ⓐ limitations? ● education? limitations? (MSb)

Ⓐ polish ● Whitechapel polish (MSb)

Ⓐ Second ● Third Second textual note: SLC also wrote ‘Third Paragraph.’ on the verso of the next MSb page, which he numbered 5 before abandoning it; the recto of that page begins ‘busy editing commas’ (37.6) and is also numbered 5. (MSb)

Ⓐ How ● Y How (MSb)

Ⓐ sword? ● sword? , you frog? (MSb)

Ⓐ Third ● Fourth Third (MSb)

Ⓐ Fourth ● Fifth Fourth (MSb)

Ⓐ place, ● place, and their king a “cur” (MSb)

Ⓐ them. no ¶ The next paragraph ● them. ¶ Sixth Paragraph. no ¶ The next paragraph (MSb)

Ⓐ is discouraging ● is saddening is discouraging (MSb)

Ⓐ dance on it. ● soak it in a rag or something. dance on it. (MSb)

Ⓐ Fifth ● Sixth Fifth (MSb)

Ⓐ masterpiece! ● masterpiece! Not even an idiot could better it. ¶ Seventh Paragraph. (MSb)

Ⓐ to clumsy ● to vulgar to clumsy (MSb)

Ⓐ ¶ Sixth Paragraph. ● And ¶ Seven th Sixth Paragraph. (MSb)

Ⓐ smirk. ● smirk. What do you want with that flabby and meaningless word “however”? Are you so sodden with slovenlinesses inconsequentialities of speech that there is no getting them out of you? You must go back to the nursery and take to your primer. (MSb)

Ⓐ Seventh ● Eighth Seventh (MSb)

Ⓐ Ducal ● Most word Ducal and idiotic. affected. (MSb)

Ⓐ “Her” great ● “Her” great inserted on the recto and followed by instructions to turn over (MSb)

Ⓐ already. ● already. I am beginning to be vexed with you; I think I have never had such a dull scholar. (MSb)

Ⓐ really ● really (MSb)

Ⓐ have it repaired; ● soak it soak it in something. As I told you before. have it repaired; ‘soak it’ miswritten (MSb)

Ⓐ days . . . together. ¶ Eighth . . . capture a ● days . . . together. ¶ Ninth Eighth . . . capture a inserted on the verso in two stages: in the first, ‘days . . . together.’ was added and revised with instructions to turn over again; in the second, the instructions were canceled and ‘¶ Ninth Eighth . . . capture a’ was added on the recto to replace ‘ ¶ Ninth Paragraph. She “rode away to assault and capture a’ (MSb)

Ⓐ worry ● aggravate worry (MSb)

Ⓐ you once more ● you you once more (MSb)

Ⓐ rule ● fact rule (MSb)

Ⓐ no ¶ Closing Sentences. ● ¶ Tenth Paragraph. no ¶ Closing Sentences. (MSb)

Ⓐ Ninth ● Eleventh Ninth (MSb)

Ⓐ ¶ Second Sentence. ● ¶ Twelfth Paragraph. ¶ Second Sentence. (MSb)

Ⓐ slovenly ● lubberly slovenly (MSb)

Ⓐ to your other editorial contributions and be ● to your other literary ordure flatulencies and be to your other editorial contributions and be (MSb)

Ⓐ unparliamentary ● treacherous unparliamentary (MSb)

Ⓐ Certainly we do seem to live in a very wicked world. ● Why, I am ashamed of you, X! Certainly we do seem to live in a very wicked world. (MSb)

Ⓐ Sentence ● s Sentence (MSb)

Ⓐ again. ● again. Oh, you amusing thing! (MSb)

Ⓐ flatulent. ● textual note: The page ends here; space remains for three more lines. (MSb)

Ⓐ II. In Captivity. ● Section II. First Paragraph. In Captivity. (MSb)

Ⓐ nickel-plated ● nickle-plated (MSb)

Ⓐ This is not well. ● The conviction is being forced upon me that the quality of your language indicates the quality of your soul. This is not well. (MSb)

Ⓐ Sentence. ● Sentence: (MSb)

Ⓐ if ● if ‘if’ underscored (MSb)

Ⓐ offered; ● offered, ; comma mended to a semicolon (MSb)

Ⓐ and also accepted, ● eventually, and also accepted, (MSb)

Ⓐ shows. ● shows. , and it was accepted. (MSb)

Ⓐ You . . . awake. ● You ought never to edit except when awake. (MSb)

Ⓐ Sentence. ● Sentence.: (MSb)

Ⓐ ¶ Fifth Sentence. ● ¶ Fifth Sentence: (MSb)

Ⓐ polished ● refined polished (MSb)

Ⓐ ¶ Closing Sentence. ● ¶ Closing Sentence: (MSb)

Ⓐ nickel-plated ● nickle-plated (MSb)

Ⓐ unteachable ass, ● incomparable ass, unteachable ass, (MSb)

Ⓐ dishonorable ● dishonourable (MSb)

Ⓐ etc. ● etc?. (MSb)

Ⓐ “lifted” ● stole “lifted” (MSb)

Ⓐ meaning ● meaning, (MSb)

Ⓐ demented . . . editorial-mill. ● grotesque and ridiculous than anything ground out of your sausage-mill up to the present moment—and you shall have a chromo demented and twaddlesome than anything hitherto ground out of your strange and interesting editorial-mill. (MSb)

Ⓐ ¶ Closing Sentence. ● ¶ Closing Sentence: (MSb)

Ⓐ “Neither” for “either.” ● “Neither” for “either.” (MSb)

Ⓐ sound . . . museum. ● clean sound English before it passed through your literary sewer. you decayed it. Sell it to the museum. (MSb)

Ⓐ Fourth ● Fifth Fourth (MSb)

Ⓐ the compliment . . . opposite ● your marginal remark placed opposite complacent smirk, margined opposite the compliment you pay yourself, margined opposite (MSb)

Ⓐ Joan’s ● the Joan’s (MSb)

Ⓐ Fifth ● Sixth Fifth (MSb)

Ⓐ indecently ● flabbily indecently (MSb)

Ⓐ generalship ● genius for war generalship (MSb)

Ⓐ “that ● “that (MSb)

Ⓐ had stated . . . fictions. ● do believe you are equipped with the dullest head that was ever set upon the neck of an animal of your breed. had stated the facts, you should have reserved your fictions. (MSb)

Ⓐ Eighth ● Ninth Eighth (MSb)

Ⓐ hooked . . . Costermonger’s ● hooked it out of a “penny dreadful.” To hooked it out of “The Costermonger’s (MSb)

Ⓐ Bride, . . . 2d. To ● Bride, or, The Fire-Fiend’s Foe,” price 3 farthings; boards 2d. To inserted on the verso with instructions to turn over (MSb)

Ⓐ nobby? ● fine showy and pretty? nobby? (MSb)

Ⓐ Wonderful ● How w Wonderful (MSb)

Ⓐ understand ● understand ‖ understand (MSb)

Ⓐ farming ● farming farming rewritten for clarity (MSb)

Ⓐ thats ● “thats” (MSb)

Ⓐ whiches ● “whiches (MSb)

Ⓐ 2 ● 2 possibly ‘t 2’ (MSb)

Ⓐ suppose ● suppose that (MSb)

Ⓐ emendation ● em emendation corrected miswriting (MSb)

Ⓐ its ● its | RUN to 14A textual note: SLC inserted two pages, numbered 14A and 14B, with the text ‘legs . . . Drunk.’ and the instruction ‘RUN to 15’ at this point; page 15 begins‘V. As Prophet. ’ (MSb)

Ⓐ defeats ● floors defeats (MSb)

Ⓐ at ● ast (MSb)

Ⓐ if that ● if it if that (MSb)

Ⓐ not fail ● not fail originally ‘not fail ’; underscore of ‘fail’ canceled and added to ‘not’ (MSb)

Ⓐ else; ● else; “ (MSb)

Ⓐ and effectively ● and effectively (MSb)

Ⓐ assertion. ● assertion. As (MSb)

Ⓐ all ● all (MSb)

Ⓐ we have ● I had we have (MSb)

Ⓐ it ● she it (MSb)

Ⓐ I am sure ● alas I am sure (MSb)

Ⓐ But ● But, (MSb)

Ⓐ of ● of a police report. Closing Erased (MSb)

Ⓐ “How . . . Erased ● “How to Write Literary Without Any Apprenticeship,” sixpence to the trade; retail, sevenpence farthing. Erased inserted on the verso with instructions to turn over (MSb)

Ⓐ pearl; ● pearl; pearl; rewritten for clarity (MSb)

Ⓐ “big,” ● “big,”—and (MSb)

Ⓐ “inquiring” . . . “then,” ● “inquiring . . . “then,” inserted on the verso with instructions to turn over (MSb)

Ⓐ speech? ● speech? Do you not see (MSb)

Ⓐ and ● and (MSb)

Ⓐ deliciously ● grotesquely deliciously (MSb)

Ⓐ Close ● Note: you have e Close (MSb)

Ⓐ an impudent ● an gross impudent (MSb)

Ⓐ elegance ● showy elegance (MSb)

Ⓐ certain ● corresponding delicacy of feeling. certain (MSb)

Ⓐ Third ● Final Third (MSb)

Ⓐ thanks. ● thanks. ; (MSb)

Ⓐ Moreover ● Moreover, (MSb)

Ⓐ parenthesis, ● parenthesis, ; (MSb)

Ⓐ when interjected in that fashion; ● when interjected in that fashion; (MSb)

Ⓐ indolent ● lazy indolent (MSb)

Ⓐ wantonly ● wantonly (MSb)

Ⓐ reasons ● reasons; and others reasons (MSb)

Ⓐ sumptuous ● elegant sumptuous (MSb)

Ⓐ faithful ● faithful (MSb)

Ⓐ And besides, ● “Moreover,” And besides, (MSb)

Ⓐ hint ● let on hint (MSb)

Ⓐ Mark Twain ● Mark Twain | paraph (MSb)

Ⓐ immeasurable ● unspeakable immeasurable (MSb)

Ⓐ idiot ● iditot (MSb)

Ⓐ higher ● noble higher (MSb)

Ⓐ it is ● its is (MSb)

Ⓐ tape-worm. ● dog. tape-worm. (MSb)

Ⓐ them. ● them. | # (MSb)

Explanatory Notes Scraps from My Autobiography

Ⓔ

An acquaintance had proposed . . . the most competent person in Great Britain] The official records of Joan of Arc’s trials for heresy—the original one, which resulted in her execution in 1431, and the retrial, more than twenty years later, which annulled her condemnation—were first transcribed and published in five volumes by French archaeologist and historian Jules Quicherat in the 1840s. His work comprised selections, translated into modern French, of the original medieval French and Latin documents (Quicherat 1841–49). Clemens’s “acquaintance” was T. Douglas Murray, a wealthy barrister and amateur historian. In 1899 he asked Clemens to write an introduction to an English translation, the first ever published. Clemens was mistaken in his reference here to a translation published “a great many years before.” In the present case there were evidently two translators, one for each language (see the note at 164.11–12). Clemens was an obvious choice for this task. In 1896 he had published Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc, a historical novel for which he did extensive research. The work was an affectionate homage to his favorite historical figure, and he sometimes said it was his best work, a judgment shared chiefly with his family. Murray published his book (without Clemens’s participation) in 1902, with his own preface, introduction, and notes. He did not identify the “competent” translators ( MTB, 3:1033–34; Sayre 1932).

Ⓔ

When he asked me to write an Introduction for the book, my pleasure was complete, my vanity satisfied] On 3 September 1899 Clemens wrote to Henry H. Rogers about the assignment: “The Official Records of the Joan of Arc Trials (in Rouen & the Rehabilitation) have at last been translated in full into English, & I was asked to write an Introduction, & have just finished it after a long & painstaking siege of work. I am to help edit it, & my name will go on the title page with those of the two translators. I expect it to be ever so readable & interesting a book” (Salm, in HHR, 409–10).

Ⓔ

Introduction . . . Let me have it back as soon as you can] Clemens initially invited Murray’s editing. In September 1899 he wrote, “When I send the Introduction, I must get you to do two things for me—knock the lies out of it & purify the grammar (which I think stinks, in one place.)” (3 Sept 1899 to Murray, CU-MARK; see the text shown as deleted at 175.10–11: “forget whom she was”). By January 1900 Clemens had reviewed a typed version, on which Murray had made suggestions, returning it with the note, “I have retained several of the emendations made, & have added some others” (31 Jan 1900 to Murray, CU-MARK). Murray, however, continued to edit this first typescript, making numerous additional changes before having a clean copy made; he then revised this second typescript still further. By the time Clemens withdrew from the project, he had received a third typescript, incorporating Murray’s editing on the second one (all three typescripts are in CU-MARK).

Ⓔ

Hark from the Tomb] Serious or earnest reproof, as in Isaac Watts’s hymn “A Funeral Thought”: “Hark! from the tombs a doleful sound; / My ears, attend the cry— / Ye living men, come, view the ground / Where you must shortly lie.’ ”

Ⓔ

I shall write him a letter, but not in that spirit, I trust] Clemens wrote three letters to Murray expressing dismay at his editing. One, which clearly he never intended to send, comprises the last section of this sketch, and is undated. He drafted two other letters on 27 August 1900, only one of which he actually posted. The first contained passages like the following:

I will hold no grudge against you for thinking you could improve my English for me, for I believe you innocently meant well, & did not know any better. Your lack of literary training, literary perception, literary judgment, literary talent, along with a deficient knowledge of grammar & of the meanings of words—these are to blame, not you. (CU-MARK)

He was more restrained in the second letter, which he did send:

I am afraid you did not quite clearly understand me. The time-honored etiquette of the situation—new to you by reason of inexperience—is this: an author’s MS. is not open to any editor’s uninvited emendations. It must be accepted as it stands, or it must be declined; there is no middle course. Any alteration of it—even to a word—closes the incident, & that author & that editor can have no further literary dealings with each other. It was your right to say that the Introduction was not satisfactory to you, but it was not within your rights to contribute your pencil’s assistance toward making it satisfactory.

Therefore, even if you now wished to use my MS. in its original form, untouched, I could not permit it. Nor in any form, of course.

I shall be glad to have the original when convenient, but there is no hurry. When you return will answer quite well. If you have any copies of it—either amended or unamended—please destroy them, lest they fall into careless hands & get into print. Indeed I would not have that happen for anything in the world.

I am speaking in this very definite way because I perceive from your letter (notwithstanding what I said to you) that you still contemplate inserting in the book the Introduction, in some form or other. Whereas no line of it must be inserted in any form, amended or original. (CU-MARK)

Murray replied immediately, on 30 August, promising to return “all existing copies, including the original; and you may be sure that not a word of your MS shall be produced” (CU-MARK).

Ⓔ

The “Edited” Introduction] At this point in his manuscript Clemens wrote, “Here insert the ‘edited’ Introduction.” To represent the introduction as revised by Murray, Clemens began with a clean typescript of his original introduction and copied onto it, by hand, about three-quarters of the markings that Murray had made on two different stages of the text. For the most part Clemens represented Murray’s revisions accurately, although he occasionally altered them, perhaps inadvertently. The revisions are shown here with diagonal slashes for deletions of single characters, horizontal rules for deletions of more than one character, and carets for inserted characters (for a full explanation of this transcription system, called “plain text,” see “Guide to Editorial Practice,” L6, 709–14).

Ⓔ

your marginal remark . . . foreign to her character] This remark of Murray’s does not appear on any of the surviving typescripts of Clemens’s introduction. It may have been written on a now-lost carbon copy, or it could have been erased from an existing typescript: many of Murray’s penciled revisions were inexplicably erased, but are still faintly visible.

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