The Mysterious Stranger Manuscripts (Literature)

by Mark Twain

  D-1

  1

  ATell how he displaced Father PeterA Plan.

  Father Adolf (Lueger) summons the Devil to explain about that money. AGrand time. (night)A

  Devil, frightened, says he stole it from 5 sacks one within the other (sacks produced()) in court) which he kept in a secret hole in his sleeping room (secret hole produced)-900 of it was given him 2 years before when he went on pil to Rome by a traveler whom he protected from robbers & raised from the dead temporarily with St. John's tooth (his own) Adolf was only waiting till he could ([? by]) increase the sum to 1(3)500, when he was going to start a home for foundlings ("He's had a factory, this long time." "Right -charity begins at home" "He'll supply the foundlings, too") ,Two strong parties-one for, the other agst Adolf.A

  Satan whispers "examine the date"-for the money was siezed the (first) 2" day & brought into Court. Tableau-none of it is 2 yrs old. ACrowd goes over to Peter.n Judge is afraid of the Church, & yields when Adolf wants to inquire further of the Devil.

  Does so. Devil confesses he changed date. Wonderful! Crowd goes back to Adolf.

  D-2

  2

  Satan maddens Adolf-makes fun of him always. Adolf privately warms up Meidling's jealousy agst Satan

  Meidling is the wonder of the region-the Admirable Crichton. Does all the old sleight of hand tricks & plays spinet-at exhibition Satan defeats him. Is a boxer & swordsman-Satan defeats him. Is the strong man-defeated again-finally, seeing Marg is in love with Satan, in a fury stabs him. S (says, "It seems to me) 3 laughs at him.

  Adolf has Satan arrested & condemned to be burnt. They jail him; he comes out; they bum him, he doesn't mind it; they excommunicate him, they banish him he comes back. He is the terror of the place. Marg confesses her love-he despises it-says all human impulses are selfish & despicable. He comprehends them intellectually-no one can realize them but by eating the apple.

  Schoolhouse Hill

  Notebook Entry, November 1898

  This sketch for the adventures of "little Satan, jr" with Huck and Tom, in St. Petersburg and in hell, immediately precedes in time the composition of "Schoolhouse Hill," but bears a relationship to the "Schoolhouse Hill" fragment in only a few particulars. It was written shortly after 8 November 1898 in Notebook 32.

  Story of little Satan, jr, who came to (Petersburg (Hannibal)) went to school, was popular and greatly liked by (Huck and Tom) who knew his secret. The others were jealous, and the girls didn't like him because he smelt of brimstone. AThis is the Admirable CrichtonA He was always doing miracles-his pals knew they were miracles, the(y) others thought them mysteries. He is a good little devil; Abut swears, and breaks the Sabbath.n By and by he is converted, and becomes a Methodist. and quits miracling. In class meeting he confesses who he is-is not believed; his new co-religionists turn against him as a ribald humbug. He believes it is his duty as a Christian to forgive the people who despitefully use him; thinks it also his X' duty to hope for his father's pardon by God, and to pray for his papa-tries it; the church can't stand it. As he does no more miracles, even his pals(s) fall away and disbelieve in him. When his fortunes and his miseries are at the worst, his papa arrives in state in a glory of hellfire and attended by a multitude of old-fashioned and showy fiends-and then everybody is at the boy-devil's feet at once and want to curry favor. He is grateful to hug his child to his breast once more, chides him gently for leaving hell without leave-but it was well enough to go out and try his hand at business and be competent for his future sovereignty-finds he has been rejected by Mary Lacy, who took him for crazy and who is now horribly sorry she didn't jump at the chance, since she finds that the Holy Family of Hell are not disturbed by the fire, but only their guests. Satan is glad his boy didn't marry beneath him-he is arranging with the shade of Pope Alexander VI to marry him to a descendant-and pending this he has allowed Aleck out on bail; and he is in his present traveling-suit with a vast position Lord Great Master of the Luggage-and he has another pope along who carries a ncoldn stove-lid for Satan to sit on to keep from scorching the furniture. Satan gets drunk at a (wedding) banquet and promises to forever keep Cold Storage for any that come from that hellish and hospitable town-Jews included-he is no respecter of sects, if X°' are-(no applause) fact is he wouldn't give a damn for the average X°" magnanimities (no applause)

  When little Satan first came he was dreadfully profane, but goodnatured, and would goodnaturedly thrash raftsmen, bullies, etc without letting it be seen that it was by miracle-and at jugglery shows he would go on the stage and not only make an omelet in a hat, but go on and make ice cream in it out of pounded glass, and mincepies out of sand and sawdust, and so on. But after conversion he bore brutal mistreatment without resentment, he tried to win the raftsmen to Christ, he talked goody-goody sappy Sunday school talk to them and was in all ways an unattractive person and suitable to a heaven of the (Petersburg) average breed of X".

  In the early days he takes Tom and I-luck down to stay over Sunday in hell-gatekeeper doesn't recognise him in disguise and asks for tickets-then is going to turn them out (it is raining) when LS privately tells who he is and is obsequiously received.

  They see papa Satan on his throne under the vast crimson dome flaming with reflections from the ApleasureA Lake and they see the limitless red halls, palatial, full of sufferers swimming ashore but can't climb out-marble border too slippery. They help one or two out but the police interfere. They wipe the tears of the unbaptised babies roasting on the red hot floors-one is Tom's little niece that he so grieved to lose-still, as she deserves this punishment he is able to bear it (like Baxter looking over the balusters of heaven.)

  Group A

  These notes, in pencil, on a single sheet of mourning stationery, were probably written after Mark Twain laid aside the "Chronicle" manuscript in October 1898, but before he began composition of "Schoolhouse Hill" in November.

  A-I

  Loafer slips hand in his pocket to steal money-is grabbed by a harmless snake.

  Animals are always infesting him.

  He enters wounded tiger's cage & heals & pacifies it.

  Being urged (it is a trick) he takes bare-back rider's place, & beats him & the jugglers out of sight

  A-2

  Pocket-potato for rheumatism

  10,000 religions-& you not mad

  You-intellectual!

  If you had the sanity of the rats & other animals you would need no king

  It is only madmen who need masters & looking after.

  Group B

  These notes, on an uncut sheet of Joynson Superfine paper, in black ink, probably preceded the composition of "Schoolhouse Hill."

  B-1

  1

  B-2

  2

  Group C

  As were most of the working notes for "Schoolhouse Hill," this sheet was written on the same paper and in the same ink as the manuscript. It was interleaved between MS pp. 18 and 19 at 181.9-10 in the text, and evidently was written as those pages were composed.

  C-1

  In school he must do all those books-(200) 30-in average of (3) 5 minutes each-300 p. each-1 p. per second. Does the 30 books in 2V hours.

  Group D

  This group consists of sixteen half-sheets of Joynson Superfine paper, in faint black ink, with later additions and corrections in pencil which have been rendered in boldface type. There is a break in the notes between D-5 and D-6. Forty-four appears in the notes as "404" or "94" through D-5, which is on the verso of a draft-letter to Henry Rogers dated 17 November 1898. D-1 through D-5 were probably written before the composition of "Schoolhouse Hill" and D-6 through D-16 after the first chapters were composed.

  D-1

  I

  He is courteous to whores & niggers.

  (Has been a week Ta monthJ, T2 day4 in Paris & knows French, A Spanish Italian German Latin & Greek. &c A)

  Learns English in 2 days.

  He is 15. Pretty mature, though.

  Smiles "our property" w
hen he sees Injun Joe & Jimmy Finn.

  Cheery & goodnatured, with an immortal's contempt for evanescent mortals, & can no more be angry with such, or insulted by them than by the tumble-bug to which he compares them.

  Wonders at their interest in life-not worth the trouble; & at their childish ambitions to be circus clowns or kings or constables or Congressmen.

  And they have to work so hard with clumsy hands & minds & their almost nonexistent memories, to acquire & keep knowledge or an accomplishment of any kind-whereas

  D-2

  2

  The cat & dog & mice X

  he masters the principles of an art or a science in a few hours, then in a few more he is perfect in it-piano, flute, skating, shooting, A swimming, diving, n astronomy, mathematics, drawing, painting, boxing, the bow (gauging the wind & distance by feet & inches).

  Reads a book once & can never forget a detail of it, nor on what page & (p) line any detail is.

  Recites in school. Takes all prizes.

  X Always doing miracles-sometimes unconsciously. Does Indian jugglery-makes flowers & fruits spring up; makes clay birds & animals & gives them life.

  X Gives life to a child's dough chickens & cats.

  People who try to strike him (schoolmarm) & roughs-can't. Bricks, sticks & bullets don't (bar) get to him.

  D-3

  3

  He is made of air X

  X Walks through fire. Saves child-building falls in, he walks out. Spins top.

  Smells of brimstone at first.

  X food.

  Appears & vanishes n through bolted doors, n like nothing.

  On Lovers' Leap has a witches Sabbath & Tom & Huck see myriad devils &c

  When he comes he knows nothing about men-has seen them in hell only. Never been from home before. Has run away this time.

  By & by falls in love with Annie Fleming the Pres. pastor's (girl) child.

  Can't understand prayer; "if you want a thing, have it."

  He doesn't feel fire or pain, & can't comprehend how papa's prisoners or any one else can. Thinks it is all imagination.

  Says men are moved by one impulse-selfishness-tries to prove it. This talk is with Rev. Fleming.

  X Finds papa in books & Bible

  D-4

  4

  He is Admirable Crichton-by & by all but Tom & Huck jealous & hostile. Conspire against him-he doesn't care.

  Finally gets religion & stops doing miracles-allows himself to be struck, abused & insulted-turns the other cheek.

  Prays for papa. All has gone well till then. He is turned out of the church for this.

  X Is always transporting Tom & I to the ends of the earth in a jiffy-to fetch things needed to get them out of difficulties.

  Animals are (afraid) fond of him (& slink away when he comes.) They all follow him. He can talk with them.

  X

  No one knows where he eats & sleeps but H & T-it is in Paris. Papa has his chief agency there.

  X

  D-5

  5

  A Slaughterhouse Point A

  (Arrives at school. Calls himself 404-gives no other name. A Dresses well. A) (Pocket full of money)

  X Always has a half dollar & $5 & no more-but it never fails; pays his way; wants no change. Says his people are rich.

  X Turns himself into birds, animals, fleas, &c. (A Sometimes electric blue flames play about him n)

  Takes to T & H at once, & they to him. Want to cross river, go fishing; no boat; wants them to fly over; can't understand why they can't; very well, he will fetch a boat,-disappears suddenly & comes rowing back from over river.

  Has no fear of crosses & holy names-says papa hasnt. Says his papa has not been cheated by monks &c-a lot of Middle-Age lies. A T & H go to hell on a visit. A He doesn't know [in margin]

  Papa doesn't buy souls-can get plenty for nothing.

  He is No. (404) 94 Prince of the vintage of a certain centurydoesn't know which one-no curiosity-hasn't inquired.

  X

  Soon picks up all languages.

  D-6

  6

  44 joins the Cadets

  Often wishes he was in hell.

  Tells his secret in confidence to everybody in town-with an awful threat-so each thinks he alone possesses it-& each tries to get an advantage out of it.

  Bessie Strong tries to convert him.

  A (Barnum) wants to exhibit him

  Ile must perform for a ch charity. Would it be right to use such money.

  D-7

  7

  Why has he come to the world?

  635 years ago he saw for the third time a human being A thinks, a man n; ages before he had [seen] two at wide intervals of time, but they were n too n far away to be clear: one a man, he thinks, the other he thinks a child, but only head & shoulders showing, & they tossing so, in their torment (he sees now it was torment, but that was only a name to him then, he has had no personal experience of pain or unhappiness, papa's crime has not descended) couldn't make much out; they soon disappeared behind the billows.

  But he talked with the third, & determined to go to the world next day & examine this curious race-& he has done it. "But this isn't next day."

  "Yes, by our count it is."

  D-8

  8

  He has come out of mere curiosity to see what perishable men are like; but now that he has read all about them, he hopes to find a way to rid them of the Moral Sense; they can [not] get to heaven without that, still, it is worth while, because without it this life w° be innocent & happy, &, brief as it is it would be better to be happy than unhappy. He must think out a way. [halfcircled]

  His associates have always been his devil-(relatives) A brothers & sisters. A-a vast multitude, not named, but numbered. They have no wives nor children-there is no third generation.

  They probably do not know their papa's history, as they have never mentioned it in his hearing. They are happy & busy. So is papa. Has seen papa 2 or 3 times per million years but has not talked with him.

  D-9

  9

  Has never seen a human girl or woman until now. Except in heaven

  X Hellfire Hotchkiss./Annie Fleming. He feels a strange & charming interest in her. By the books he gathers that this is `love"-the kind that sex arouses. There is no such thing among his brothers & sisters. He studies it in the books. It seems very beautiful in the books. Presently the passion for Hl grows-becomes absorbing-is mutual. Papa uneasy-he is the only person who knows 44's secret. 44 sees that the happiness of hell A-which is purely intellectual-A IS TAME COMPARED TO THIS LOVE. [emphasis added in pencil] He has found more in this random visit to earth than he bargained for.

  X

  In time he is obliged to tell his secret to Hl-horror! (S) Heartbreaking scene. He has done wrong? Denies it. The word has no real meaning to him, but only a

  D-10

  10

  pallid dictionary meaning. The THING does not exist to his feeling & comprehension. How?

  Thought is merely a n clumsy & inadequate n translation of feeling into speech. If we are so made that we can't feel right & wrong then the words are mere air to us-the same as they would be to a grasshopper.

  "It is like pain (physical). You may talk about it all you like, I get only the dictionary/intellectual meaning, not the shadow of a real comprehension, for I have never felt a pain. You must feel a thought or the word that represents it has no value-talk to a stone of pain? No use. (I) You have coarse combinations of sounds which you blandly call music. Then you speak of the

  D-11

  11

  music of the spheres. Is it actual music to your ear? No. Then the term is empty to you. To me it is ravishing-forever changing, never silent. How do you know, when a comet has swum into your system? Merely by your eye or your telescope-but I, I hear a (strange sweet minor tone) brilliant far stream of sound come (singing) winding across/through the firmament of majestic sounds & I know the splendid stranger is there without looking. Don't y
ou see that to you people the phrase music of the spheres is wholly meaningless, wholly unfeelable,-like right & wrong to me?

  (He suffers when they play piano, guitar, violin, banjo, flute-A sing. But he makes divine music himself. It is because he is listening to the music of the spheres & reproducing it. It makes the audience drunk

  D-12

  12

  with delight-this is because his translation of it is n coarsened & A brought down to the low grade of their feeling; just as you can dilute champagne with milk until a cat will like it, & prefer it to straight milk, & get drunk on it. What is ch[ampagne]? I don't know; but by reading I perceive that it is the finest & most delicate of wines.

  (D) Vast dimensions of hell-which is a pigmy to heaven. Only our Adam fell-hl is for his chn alone; in the other worlds the Adams & the rest live millions of years till burnt out like the moon, then are ferried over to heaven with their animals. ALL (our) our animals go to heaven for they have no Moral Sense; also the Presbyterians; the rest go to hell.

  Thinks if he can remove man's vanity, his Moral Sense may follow; his vanity in attributing merits to himself; & his fool idea that Selfishness is shameful; he didn't make it, & (can't be) the wisest thing

  D-13

  13

  he can do is to raise its ideals & make it help toward making this life pleasant for all.

  He has examined Selfishness by the books & found out that men have a misconception of the thing, consequently they have clothed the word with n the rags of A that misconception (& made it a) whereas they should clothe it in its proper garb the white of innocence. For it is innocent & remains so-it can do no wrong.

  He has been in heaven; so vast; meet plenty of people from other worlds; & at long, long intervals a Presbyterian. They are not popular-avoided. Considered "queer" & of a low grade because they have been defiled with the Moral Sense.

  Heaven is not according to a history which he has been reading "Pilgrim's Progress;" it is not so small; & Presbyterians are not so plenty as that.