[begin page 542]
50.23
I am] preceded by ‘[Here follow a few incidents from an impending book of
mine which bears the above title. The Yankee tells his own story, and in his own language,
beginning with this brief description of
himself.]’
50.36–37 without saying.] followed by ‘[The first chapter explains how, by a curious accident, he was flung back thirteen centuries and landed, whole and sound and very much surprised, in the midst of the quaint and primitive England of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table; the five succeeding chapters relate his first adventures at Arthur’s court, and close with his escape from death at the stake by means of a “miracle”—at least he passes the thing off on those simple and superstitious people as a miracle. And of so mighty a sort is his miracle that it raises him at once to the dignity of chief minister and executive, and at the same time so damages Merlin’s stock as an enchanter that Merlin becomes his enemy, and a bitter struggle for supremacy in magic ensues between the two which lasts to the end of the book, Merlin using the absurd necromancy of the time, and the Yankee beating it easily and brilliantly with the more splendid necromancy of the nineteenth century—that is, the marvels of modern science.]’; the text resumes with ‘Inasmuch as’ (98.1).
105.31–32 set back so.] followed by ‘[A few chapters are here devoted to the events of the next two or three years. The closing incident is a misunderstanding at a tournament, where the [begin page 543] Yankee makes a remark about Sir Dinadan the Humorist which Sir Sagramour le Desirous imagines was meant for him, wherefore he challenges the Yankee to mortal combat, this fight to take place when Sir Sagramour gets back from seeking the Holy Grail—an expedition which usually occupies several years and does n’t result in any Holy Grail, either. Meantime the Yankee is very busy; for he has privately set himself the task of introducing the great and beneficent civilization of the nineteenth century, and of peacefully replacing the twin despotisms of royalty and aristocratic privilege with a “Republic on the American plan” when Arthur shall have passed to his rest.]’; the text resumes with ‘I was’ (126.25).
130.9 matter or flavor.] followed by ‘[The next thirty chapters tell the adventures of a trip which the king and the Yankee make on foot through England disguised as peasants; the statesman’s idea being to observe with his own eyes the condition of the masses, instead of putting up with doubtful, second-hand evidence in planning for their weal; and the king’s idea being that here was a romantic new deal in the line of adventure, and doubtless a perilously good time to be got out of it. After long absence they at last wander back to the Capital, and find that Sir Sagramour, minus the Grail, has just got back too.]’; the text resumes with ‘Home again,’ (428.1).
439.19 got left.] followed by ‘[However, it is only fair to the late Merlin to say that he got one more chance at the Yankee—and made exceedingly good use of it, too.]’
The Century Bridge Passages
Mark Twain wrote the following passages to link the excerpts from A Connecticut Yankee which were published in the Century magazine in November 1889 (39:74–83). They are keyed to the present edition.
50.36–37 without saying.] followed by ‘[The first chapter explains how, by a curious accident, he was flung back thirteen centuries and landed, whole and sound and very much surprised, in the midst of the quaint and primitive England of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table; the five succeeding chapters relate his first adventures at Arthur’s court, and close with his escape from death at the stake by means of a “miracle”—at least he passes the thing off on those simple and superstitious people as a miracle. And of so mighty a sort is his miracle that it raises him at once to the dignity of chief minister and executive, and at the same time so damages Merlin’s stock as an enchanter that Merlin becomes his enemy, and a bitter struggle for supremacy in magic ensues between the two which lasts to the end of the book, Merlin using the absurd necromancy of the time, and the Yankee beating it easily and brilliantly with the more splendid necromancy of the nineteenth century—that is, the marvels of modern science.]’; the text resumes with ‘Inasmuch as’ (98.1).
105.31–32 set back so.] followed by ‘[A few chapters are here devoted to the events of the next two or three years. The closing incident is a misunderstanding at a tournament, where the [begin page 543] Yankee makes a remark about Sir Dinadan the Humorist which Sir Sagramour le Desirous imagines was meant for him, wherefore he challenges the Yankee to mortal combat, this fight to take place when Sir Sagramour gets back from seeking the Holy Grail—an expedition which usually occupies several years and does n’t result in any Holy Grail, either. Meantime the Yankee is very busy; for he has privately set himself the task of introducing the great and beneficent civilization of the nineteenth century, and of peacefully replacing the twin despotisms of royalty and aristocratic privilege with a “Republic on the American plan” when Arthur shall have passed to his rest.]’; the text resumes with ‘I was’ (126.25).
130.9 matter or flavor.] followed by ‘[The next thirty chapters tell the adventures of a trip which the king and the Yankee make on foot through England disguised as peasants; the statesman’s idea being to observe with his own eyes the condition of the masses, instead of putting up with doubtful, second-hand evidence in planning for their weal; and the king’s idea being that here was a romantic new deal in the line of adventure, and doubtless a perilously good time to be got out of it. After long absence they at last wander back to the Capital, and find that Sir Sagramour, minus the Grail, has just got back too.]’; the text resumes with ‘Home again,’ (428.1).
439.19 got left.] followed by ‘[However, it is only fair to the late Merlin to say that he got one more chance at the Yankee—and made exceedingly good use of it, too.]’