9 Chapter 8 Waiting for the Comet

Chapter 8 Waiting for the Comet "I was young and foolish then; now I am old and foolisher." —Mark Twain "It was a long time before anyone laughed in our household, after the shock of Susy's death," Clara remembered. The family stayed abroad four more years.

“那时我年轻而愚蠢;现在我老了，更笨了。” 克拉拉回忆说:“在苏西去世的震惊之后，我们家有很长一段时间没有人笑过。 这家人又在国外呆了四年。

When the family returned to America in 1900, Mark received a hero's welcome. He had paid off all his debts with his tour money. The family was back on its feet. Americans had long admired Mark Twain for being a poor, small-town boy who'd become rich and famous. Now they honored and respected him for fighting his way back from financial ruin and upholding his good name. "Always do right," Mark said. "This will gratify some people and astonish the rest."

1900年全家回到美国时，马克受到了英雄般的欢迎。 他用旅游的钱还清了所有的债务。 这家人重新振作起来了。 长期以来，美国人一直钦佩马克·吐温，因为他是一个贫穷的小镇男孩，后来变得富有和出名。 现在，他们对他从经济崩溃中恢复过来并维护他的好名声表示尊敬和尊敬。 “永远做正确的事，”马克说。 “这会让一些人满意，让其他人感到惊讶。”

Rather than return to the Hartford home where Susy had died, the family rented a house in New York City. Guests and reporters called constantly. Mark spoke at luncheons and banquets. He was one of the most famous and recognized people of his day. Mark had something to say about any topic reporters put before him. Mark Twain, who had always wanted to be more than just a humorist, had become the nation's wise man. The older Mark Twain grew, the more critical he became. He spoke out against racism, injustice,

他们没有回到苏西去世的哈特福德家，而是在纽约市租了一所房子。 客人和记者不断打来电话。 马克在午餐和宴会上发言。 他是那个时代最著名、最受认可的人之一。 对于记者们提出的任何话题，马克都有话要说。 马克·吐温，一个一直想超越幽默家的人，成为了这个国家的智者。 马克·吐温年纪越大，他就越挑剔。 他公开反对种族主义和不公正，

and the government more than ever. Mark's busy social schedule took a toll on Livy's health. Her heart became so weak that her doctors allowed Mark to spend only a few minutes a day with her. They feared his temperamental nature would upset her. Mark and Livy wrote notes back and forth, but Mark missed his dearest friend terribly. In June 1904, Livy died. At her bedside, Mark, Clara, and Jean put their arms around one another and wept as if their hearts would break. Mark had never felt so alone. "She was all our riches, and

政府比以往任何时候都更重要。 马克繁忙的社交日程对李维的健康造成了损害。 她的心脏变得如此虚弱，以至于她的医生只允许马克每天陪她几分钟。 他们担心他喜怒无常的性格会使她心烦意乱。 马克和李维互相写信，但马克非常想念他最亲爱的朋友。 1904年6月，李维去世。在她的床边，马克、克拉拉和琼拥抱在一起，哭得好像心都要碎了。 马克从未感到如此孤独。 “她是我们所有的财富，而且

she is gone," Mark wrote. "She was our breath, she was our life, and now we are nothing." Clara had a nervous breakdown and spent months in the hospital. Jean, who had developed epilepsy, began having terrible seizures and would have to be hospitalized as well. Mark saw his once-happy family torn to pieces. After Livy's funeral, Mark gradually returned to writing short essays. It took him away from his grief. Little by little, he began seeing friends. He was lonely, but he took some comfort in his fame. With his unruly white hair, his bushy mustache and eyebrows, and the white suits he began

她走了，”马克写道。“她是我们的呼吸，她是我们的生命，而现在我们什么都不是。” 克拉拉精神崩溃，在医院住了几个月。 吉恩患上了癫痫，开始出现可怕的癫痫发作，也不得不住院治疗。 马克看到他曾经幸福的家庭支离破碎。 在李维的葬礼之后，马克逐渐恢复了写短文的习惯。 这让他从悲伤中解脱出来。 渐渐地，他开始见朋友了。 他很孤独，但他从自己的名声中得到一些安慰。 他一头乱蓬蓬的白发，浓密的小胡子和眉毛，一身白西装

wearing, Mark Twain was an eye-catching figure. He paraded down Broadway as church let out on Sundays to call attention to himself and bask in strangers' admiration.

穿着，马克吐温是一个引人注目的人物。 每逢礼拜天，当教堂放风时，他就沿着百老汇大街游行，以引起人们对他的注意，并沐浴在陌生人的仰慕之中。