Sundays with Mark Twain — (1894, Excerpts from THE TRAGEDY OF PUDD’NHEAD WILSON and TOM SAWYER ABROAD)
Sundays with Mark Twain #94
1894
THE TRAGEDY OF PUDD’NHEAD WILSON
1894.1.711) Quote, Reference, or Allusion: Adam was but human—this explains it all. He did not want the apple for the apple’s sake, he wanted it only because it was forbidden. The mistake was in not forbidding the serpent; then he would have eaten the serpent.—Pudd’nhead Wilson’s Calendar.
Scripture: Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. – Genesis 3:1-6
Work; Date: The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson, Chapter 2; 1894
Source: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/102/102-h/102-h.htm
1894.2.712) Quote, Reference, or Allusion: On frosty nights the humane negro prowler would warm the end of a plank and put it up under the cold claws of chickens roosting in a tree; a drowsy hen would step on to the comfortable board, softly clucking her gratitude, and the prowler would dump her into his bag, and later into his stomach, perfectly sure that in taking this trifle from the man who daily robbed him of an inestimable treasure—his liberty—he was not committing any sin that God would remember against him in the Last Great Day.
Scripture: And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. – Revelation 20:11-15
Work; Date: The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson, Chapter 2; 1894
Source: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/102/102-h/102-h.htm
1894.3.713) Quote, Reference, or Allusion: Whoever has lived long enough to find out what life is, knows how deep a debt of gratitude we owe to Adam, the first great benefactor of our race. He brought death into the world.—Pudd’nhead Wilson’s Calendar.
Scripture: Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: – Romans 5:12
Work; Date: The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson, Chapter 3; 1894
Source: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/102/102-h/102-h.htm
1894.4.714) Quote, Reference, or Allusion: No, dolling, mammy ain’t gwine to treat you so. De angels is gwine to ‘mire you jist as much as dey does yo’ mammy. Ain’t gwine to have ‘em putt’n’ dey han’s up ‘fo’ dey eyes en sayin’ to David en Goliah en dem yuther prophets, ‘Dat chile is dress’ too indelicate fo’ dis place.’
Scripture: And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them. ... And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? ... And David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. – 1 Samuel 17:23,26,32
Work; Date: The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson, Chapter 3; 1894
Source: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/102/102-h/102-h.htm
1894.5.715,716) Quote, Reference, or Allusion: Now I’s got it; now I ‘member. It was dat ole nigger preacher dat tole it, de time he come over here fum Illinois en preached in de nigger church. He said dey ain’t nobody kin save his own self—can’t do it by faith, can’t do it by works, can’t do it no way at all. Free grace is de on’y way, en dat don’t come fum nobody but jis’ de Lord; en he kin give it to anybody he please, saint or sinner—he don’t kyer. He do jis’ as he’s a mineter. He s’lect out anybody dat suit him, en put another one in his place, and make de fust one happy forever en leave t’other one to burn wid Satan.
Scripture: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. – Ephesians 2:8,9
Scripture: And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. – Revelation 20:10
Work; Date: The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson, Chapter N; 1894
Source: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/102/102-h/102-h.htm
1894.6.717,718) Quote, Reference, or Allusion: Adam and Eve had many advantages, but the principal one was, that they escaped teething.—Pudd’nhead Wilson’s Calendar.
Scripture: And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. – Genesis 2:7
Scripture: And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. ... And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. – Genesis 2:18,21-23
Work; Date: The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson, Chapter 3; 1894
Source: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/102/102-h/102-h.htm
1894.7.719) Quote, Reference, or Allusion: There is this trouble about special providences—namely, there is so often a doubt as to which party was intended to be the beneficiary. In the case of the children, the bears and the prophet, the bears got more real satisfaction out of the episode than the prophet did, because they got the children.—Pudd’nhead Wilson’s Calendar.
Scripture: And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head. And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them. – 2 Kings 2:23,24
Work; Date: The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson, Chapter 4; 1894
Source: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/102/102-h/102-h.htm
1894.8.720) Quote, Reference, or Allusion: The “nigger” in him went shrinking and skulking here and there and yonder, and fancying it saw suspicion and maybe detection in all faces, tones, and gestures. So strange and uncharacteristic was Tom’s conduct that people noticed it, and turned to look after him when he passed on; and when he glanced back—as he could not help doing, in spite of his best resistance—and caught that puzzled expression in a person’s face, it gave him a sick feeling, and he took himself out of view as quickly as he could. He presently came to have a hunted sense and a hunted look, and then he fled away to the hill-tops and the solitudes. He said to himself that the curse of Ham was upon him.
Scripture: And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness. And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him. And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. – Genesis 9:22-25
Work; Date: The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson, Chapter 10; 1894
Source: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/102/102-h/102-h.htm
1894.9.721) Quote, Reference, or Allusion: He dreaded his meals; the “nigger” in him was ashamed to sit at the white folks’ table, and feared discovery all the time; and once when Judge Driscoll said, “What’s the matter with you? You look as meek as a nigger,” he felt as secret murderers are said to feel when the accuser says, “Thou art the man!”
Scripture: And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him. And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. – 2 Samuel 12:1-9
Work; Date: The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson, Chapter 10; 1894
Source: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/102/102-h/102-h.htm
1894.10.722) Quote, Reference, or Allusion: “What could you do? You could be Judas to yo’ own mother to save yo’ wuthless hide! Would anybody b’lieve it? No—a dog couldn’t! You is de low-downest orneriest hound dat was ever pup’d into dis worl’—en I’s ‘sponsible for it!”—and she spat on him.
Scripture: Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. – Matthew 27:3-5
Work; Date: The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson, Chapter 18; 1894
Source: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/102/102-h/102-h.htm
1894.11.723) Quote, Reference, or Allusion: Roxy flung herself upon her knees, covered her face with her hands, and out through her sobs the words struggled—
“De Lord have mercy on me, po’ misable sinner dat I is!”
Scripture: And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. – Luke 18:13
Work; Date: The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson, Chapter 21; 1894
Source: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/102/102-h/102-h.htm
1894.12.724) Quote, Reference, or Allusion: Roxy’s heart was broken. The young fellow upon whom she had inflicted twenty-three years of slavery continued the false heir’s pension of thirty-five dollars a month to her, but her hurts were too deep for money to heal; the spirit in her eye was quenched, her martial bearing departed with it, and the voice of her laughter ceased in the land. In her church and its affairs she found her only solace.
Scripture: Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for the land shall be desolate. – Jeremiah 7:34
Work; Date: The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson, Conclusion; 1894
Source: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/102/102-h/102-h.htm
TOM SAWYER ABROAD
1894.1.725) Quote, Reference, or Allusion: Den dat Monday could be de las’ day, en dey wouldn’t be no las’ day in England, en de dead wouldn’t be called. We mustn’t go over dah, Mars Tom. Please git him to turn back; I wants to be whah—
Scripture: Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. – John 6:54
Work; Date: Tom Sawyer Abroad, Chapter 3; 1894
Source: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/91/91-h/91-h.htm
1894.2.726) Quote, Reference, or Allusion: “Mars Tom, PLEASE don’t say sich things in sich an awful time as dis. You ain’t only reskin’ yo’ own self, but you’s reskin’ us—same way like Anna Nias en Siffra.”
Scripture: But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. – Acts 5:1-10
Work; Date: Tom Sawyer Abroad, Chapter 8; 1894
Source: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/91/91-h/91-h.htm
1894.3.727) Quote, Reference, or Allusion: And he said there was a hole in the pyramid, and you could go in there with candles, and go ever so far up a long slanting tunnel, and come to a large room in the stomach of that stone mountain, and there you would find a big stone chest with a king in it, four thousand years old. I said to myself, then, if that ain’t a lie I will eat that king if they will fetch him, for even Methusalem warn’t that old, and nobody claims it.
Scripture: And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died. – Genesis 5:27
Work; Date: Tom Sawyer Abroad, Chapter 12; 1894
Source: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/91/91-h/91-h.htm
1894.4.728,729) Quote, Reference, or Allusion: And when Jim got so he could believe it WAS the land of Egypt he was looking at, he wouldn’t enter it standing up, but got down on his knees and took off his hat, because he said it wasn’t fitten’ for a humble poor nigger to come any other way where such men had been as Moses and Joseph and Pharaoh and the other prophets.
Scripture: In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father’s house three months: And when he was cast out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son. And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds. – Acts 7:20-22
Scripture: And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither. – Genesis 39:1
Work; Date: Tom Sawyer Abroad, Chapter 12; 1894
Source: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/91/91-h/91-h.htm
1894.5.730) Quote, Reference, or Allusion: Hit’s de lan’ of Egypt, de lan’ of Egypt, en I’s ‘lowed to look at it wid my own eyes! En dah’s de river dat was turn’ to blood, en I’s looking at de very same groun’ whah de plagues was, en de lice, en de frogs, en de locus’, en de hail, en whah dey marked de door-pos’, en de angel o’ de Lord come by in de darkness o’ de night en slew de fust-born in all de lan’ o’ Egypt. Ole Jim ain’t worthy to see dis day!
Scripture: The account of the 10 plagues and the delivery of the Israelites from Egypt is contained in Exodus chapters 7-12
Work; Date: Tom Sawyer Abroad, Chapter 12; 1894
Source: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/91/91-h/91-h.htm
1894.6.731-734) Quote, Reference, or Allusion: So between him and Tom there was talk enough, Jim being excited because the land was so full of history—Joseph and his brethren, Moses in the bulrushers, Jacob coming down into Egypt to buy corn, the silver cup in the sack, and all them interesting things;
Scripture: Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him. And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. – Genesis 37:3-8
Scripture: And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river’s brink. And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him. And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river’s side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. – Exodus 2:1-5
Scripture: And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man’s money in his sack’s mouth. And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken. As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses. And when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good? Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing. And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same words. And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing: Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks’ mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord’s house silver or gold? With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord’s bondmen. And he said, Now also let it be according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless. Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack. And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. – Genesis 44:1-12
Scripture: And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I. And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation: – Genesis 46:2,3
Work; Date: Tom Sawyer Abroad, Chapter 12; 1894
Source: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/91/91-h/91-h.htm
1894.7.735) Quote, Reference, or Allusion: When we got back Jim dropped down and took us in, and there was a young man there with a red skullcap and tassel on and a beautiful silk jacket and baggy trousers with a shawl around his waist and pistols in it that could talk English and wanted to hire to us as guide and take us to Mecca and Medina and Central Africa and everywheres for a half a dollar a day and his keep, and we hired him and left, and piled on the power, and by the time we was through dinner we was over the place where the Israelites crossed the Red Sea when Pharaoh tried to overtake them and was caught by the waters.
Scripture: And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night. And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians, And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians. And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen. And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them. But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. – Exodus 14:15-29
Work; Date: Tom Sawyer Abroad, Chapter 13; 1894
Source: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/91/91-h/91-h.htm
1894.8.736) Quote, Reference, or Allusion: Then we piled on the power again and rushed away and huvvered over Mount Sinai, and saw the place where Moses broke the tablets of stone, and where the children of Israel camped in the plain and worshiped the golden calf, and it was all just as interesting as could be,
Scripture: And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables. ... And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses’ anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount. And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it. – Exodus 32:16,19,20
Work; Date: Tom Sawyer Abroad, Chapter 13; 1894
Source: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/91/91-h/91-h.htm
1894.9.737,738) Quote, Reference, or Allusion: Tom he read the piece of paper to us. He had wrote on it:
“THURSDAY AFTERNOON. Tom Sawyer the Erro-nort
sends his love to Aunt Polly from Mount Sinai
where the Ark was, and so does Huck Finn, and she
will get it to-morrow morning half-past six.” *
[* This misplacing of the Ark is probably Huck’s error, not Tom’s.—M.T.]
Scripture: In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai. For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount. And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. – Exodus 19:1-6
Scripture: And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat. – Genesis 8:4
Work; Date: Tom Sawyer Abroad, Chapter 13; 1894
Source: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/91/91-h/91-h.htm
