TheyⒶemendation swarmed up the street,Ⓐhistorical collation towards Sherburn’s house, a-whooping and yellingⒶalteration in the MS and ragingⒶalteration in the MS like Injuns, and everything had to clear the way or get run over and trompedⒶalteration in the MS to mush, and it was awful to see. Children was heeling itⒶalteration in the MS ahead of the mob, screaming and trying to get out of the way; and every window along the road was full of women’s heads, and there was nigger boys in every tree, and bucks and wenches looking over every fence; and as soon as the mob would get nearly to them they would break and skaddle back out of reach. LotsⒶalteration in the MS of the women and girls was crying and taking on, scared most to death.
They swarmed upⒶalteration in the MS in front of Sherburn’s palingsⒶalteration in the MS as thick as they could jam togetherⒶalteration in the MS, and you couldn’t hear yourself think for the noise. It was a little twenty-foot yard. Some sung out,Ⓐhistorical collation “Tear down the fence! tear down the fence!” Then there was a racketⒶemendation of ripping and tearing and smashing, and down she goesⒶemendation, and the front wall of the crowd beginsⒶemendation to roll in like a wave.
Just then Sherburn stepsⒶalteration in the MS out ontoⒶhistorical collation the roofⒺexplanatory note of his little front porch, with a double-barrel gun in his handⒶalteration in the MS, and takesⒶemendation his stand, perfectly ca’m and deliberate,Ⓐalteration in the MS not saying a word. The racketⒶalteration in the MS stopped, and the wave sucked back.Ⓐemendation
Sherburn never said a word—just stood there, looking down. TheⒶemendation [begin page 190] stillness was awfulⒶemendation creepy and uncomfortable. Sherburn run his eye slow along the crowd; and wherever itⒶemendation struck, the people tried a little to outgaze him, but theyⒶemendation couldn’t; they dropped their eyes and looked sneakyⒶalteration in the MS. Then pretty soon Sherburn sort of laughed; not the pleasant kindⒶemendation, but the kind that makes you feel like when you are eating bread that’s got sand in itⒶemendation.
ThenⒶemendation he says, slow and scornful:
“The idea of you lynching anybody! It’sⒶemendation amusing. The idea of you thinkingⒶemendation you had pluck enough to lynch a man! Because you’reⒶemendation brave enough to tar and feather poor friendless cast-out women that come along hereⒶalteration in the MS, did that make you think you had gritⒶemendation enough to lay your hands on a man? Why, a man’s Ⓐemendation safe in the hands of ten thousand of your kind—as long as it’s daytimeⒶhistorical collation and you’re not behind him.
“Do I know you? I know you clear throughⒶemendation. I was born and raised in the southⒶhistorical collation, and I’ve lived in the northⒶhistorical collation; so I know the average all aroundⒶemendation. The average man’sⒶemendation a coward. In the northⒶhistorical collation he lets anybodyⒶalteration in the MS walk over him that wants to, and goes home and prays for a humble spirit to bear itⒶemendation. In the southⒶhistorical collation one man, all by himselfⒶemendation, has stopped a stage full of men, in the daytimeⒶemendation, and robbed the lot.Ⓔexplanatory note Your newspapersⒶemendation call you a brave people so much that you think you are braver than any other people—whereas you’re just as brave, and no braver. Why don’t your juriesⒶemendation hang murderers? Because they’re afraid the man’s friendsⒶemendation will shoot them in the back, in the dark—and it’s just what they would do.
“So theyⒶemendation always acquit; and then a man goes in theⒶemendation night, with a hundred masked cowards at his back, andⒶalteration in the MS lynches theⒶalteration in the MS rascal. Your mistake is, that you didn’t bring a manⒶemendation with you; that’s one mistake, and the other is that you didn’t come in the dark, and fetch your masks. You brought part of a man—Buck Harkness, thereⒶemendation—and if you hadn’t had him to start you, you’d a takenⒶemendation it out in blowing.
“You didn’t want to come. The average man don’t like trouble and danger. You don’t like trouble and danger. But if only half a man—like Buck Harkness, there—shouts ‘Lynch him, lynch him!’ you’re afraid to back down—afraid you’ll be found outⒶemendation to be what you are—cowards—and so you raise a yell, and hang yourselves onto that half-a-man’s coat tail, and come raging up here, swearing what big things you’re going to do. The pitifulest thing outⒶemendation is a mob; [begin page 191] that’s what an army is—a mob; they don’tⒶalteration in the MS fight with courage that’s born in them, but with courage that’sⒶemendation borrowed from their mass, and from their officers. But a mob without any man at the head of it, is beneath pitifulness. Now the thing for you to do, is to droop your tails and go home and crawl in a hole. If any realⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation lynching’s going to be done, it will be done in the dark, southernⒶhistorical collation fashion; and when they come,Ⓐhistorical collation they’llⒶalteration in the MS bring their masks, and fetch a man along. Now leave Ⓐemendation—and take your half-a-manⒶemendation with you”—tossing his gun up across his left arm and cocking it, when he says thisⒶemendation.
The crowd washed back suddenⒶemendation, and then broke all apart and went tearing off every which wayⒶemendation, and Buck Harkness he heeled it after them, looking tolerable cheap. I could a staid, if I’d a wantedⒶemendation to, but I didn’t want to.
IⒶemendation went to the circus, and loafed around the back side till the watchmanⒶemendation wentⒶalteration in the MS by, and then dived in under the tent. I had my twenty-dollar gold piece and some other money, but I reckoned I better save it, because there ain’t no telling how soon you are going to need it, away from home and amongst strangers, that way. You can’t be too careful. I ain’t opposed to spending money on circuses, when there ain’t no other way, but there ain’t no use in wasting it on them.
It was a real bully circus. It was the splendidest sight that ever was, when they all come riding in, two and two, a gentlemanⒶemendation and [begin page 192] ladyⒶemendation, side by side, the men just in their drawers and undershirtsⒶhistorical collation,Ⓐalteration in the MS and no shoes nor stirrups, and resting their hands on their thighs, easy and comfortable,Ⓐhistorical collation—there must aⒶemendation been twenty of them—and every lady with a lovely complexion, and perfectly beautiful, and looking just like a gang of real sure-enough queens, and dressed in clothes that cost millions of dollars, and just littered with dimondsⒶhistorical collation. It was a powerful fine sight; I never see anything so lovely. And then one by one theyⒶemendation got up and stood, and went a-weaving around the ring so gentle,Ⓐhistorical collation and wavy and graceful, the men looking ever so tall and airy and straight, withⒶalteration in the MS their heads bobbing and skimming along, away up there under the tent-roof, and every lady’s rose-leafyⒶemendation dress flapping soft and silky around her hips, andⒶalteration in the MS she looking like the most loveliest parasol.
And then faster and faster they went, all of them dancing, first one foot stuck outⒶalteration in the MS in the air and then the other, the horses leaning more and more, and the ring-masterⒶemendation going round and round the centre-pole, cracking his whip and shouting “Hi!Ⓐhistorical collation—hi!” and the clown cracking jokes behind him; and by and by,Ⓐhistorical collation all hands dropped the reins, and every lady put her knuckles on herⒶalteration in the MS hips and every gentleman folded his arms, and then how the horses did lean over andⒶalteration in the MS hump themselvesⒶemendation! And so, one after the other they all skipped off into the ring, and made the sweetest bow I ever seeⒶemendation, and then scamperedⒶalteration in the MS out, and everybody clapped their hands and went just aboutⒶemendation wild.
Well, all through the circus they done the most astonishing thingsⒺexplanatory note; and all the time,Ⓐhistorical collation that clown carried on so itⒶemendation most killed the people. The ring-master couldn’t ever say a wordⒶalteration in the MS to him but he was back at him quick as a wink with the funniest things a body ever said; and how he ever could think of so many of them, and so sudden and so pat, was what I couldn’t no wayⒶhistorical collation understand. Why, I couldn’t a thought of them in a year. And by and byⒶhistorical collation a drunk man tried to get into the ring—said he wanted to ride; said he could ride as well as anybody that ever was. They arguedⒶemendation and tried to keep him out, but he wouldn’t listenⒶemendation, and the whole show come to a standstill. Then the people begun to holler at him and make fun of him, and that made him mad, and he begun to rip and tear; soⒶalteration in the MS that stirred up the people, and a lot of men begun to pile down off of the benches and swarm towards the ring, saying, “Knock him down! throw him out!” and one or two women begun to scream. So, then, the ring- [begin page 193] master he made a little speech, and said he hoped there wouldn’t be no disturbance, and if the man would promise he wouldn’t make no more troubleⒶalteration in the MS, he would let him ride, if he thought he could stay on the horse. So everybody laughed and said all right, and the man got on. The minute he was on, the horse begun to rip and tear and jump,Ⓐhistorical collation and cavort around, with two circusⒶalteration in the MS men hanging ontoⒶemendation his bridle trying to hold him, and the drunk man hanging onto his neck, and his heels flying in the air everyⒶemendation jump, and the whole crowd of people standing up shouting and laughing till the tears rolled downⒶemendation. And at last, sure enough, all the circus men could do, the horse broke loose, and away he wentⒶalteration in the MS like the very nationⒶemendation, round and round the ring, with that sot laying down on him and hanging to his neck, with first one leg hanging most to the ground onⒶalteration in the MS one side, and then t’other oneⒶemendation on t’other sideⒶemendation, and the people just crazyⒶemendation. It warn’t funny to me, though; I was all of a tremble to see hisⒶemendation danger. But pretty soon he struggled upⒶalteration in the MS astraddle and grabbed the bridle, a-reeling this way and that; and the next minute he sprung up and dropped the [begin page 194] bridleⒶalteration in the MS and stood! and the horse agoing like a house afire,Ⓐemendation too. He just stood upⒶalteration in the MS there, a-sailing around as easy and comfortable as if he warn’t everⒶemendation drunk in his life—and then he begun to pull off hisⒶemendation clothes and flingⒶhistorical collation Ⓐtextual note them. HeⒶalteration in the MS shed them so thick they kind of clogged up the air, and altogether he shed seventeen suits. And then, there he was, slim and handsome, and dressed the gaudiest and prettiest you ever saw, and he lit into that horse with his whip and made him fairly hum—and finally skipped off, and made his bow and danced off to the dressing roomⒶhistorical collation, and everybody just a-howling withⒶalteration in the MS pleasure and astonishment.
Then the ring-master he seeⒶemendation how he had been fooled, and he was the sickestⒶalteration in the MS ring-master you ever seeⒶemendation, I reckon. Why, it was one of his own men! He had got up that joke all out of his own head, and never let on to nobody. Well, I felt sheepish enough, to be took in so, but I wouldn’t a been in that ring-master’sⒶemendation placeⒶhistorical collation not forⒶalteration in the MS a thousand dollars. IⒶalteration in the MS don’t know; there may be bullier circuses than what that one was, but I never struck them yet. Anyways it was plenty good enough for me; and wherever I run across it, itⒶemendation canⒶalteration in the MS have all of my custom, every time.Ⓐemendation Ⓐemendation
Well, thatⒶalteration in the MS night we had our show,Ⓐhistorical collation but there warn’tⒶalteration in the MS only about twelve people there;Ⓐhistorical collation just enough to payⒶalteration in the MS expenses. And they laughed all the time, and thatⒶemendation made the duke mad; and everybody left, anywayⒶemendation, before the show was over, but one boy whichⒶemendation was asleep. So the duke said these ArkansawⒶemendation lunkheads couldn’t come up toⒶemendation Shakspeare:Ⓐhistorical collation what they wanted was low comedy—and maybeⒶhistorical collation something rutherⒶemendation worse than low comedy, he reckoned. He saidⒶemendation he couldⒶemendation size their style. So next morning he got some big sheets of wrapping paperⒶhistorical collation and some black paint, and drawed off some handbillsⒶhistorical collation and stuck them up all over the village. The bills said:Ⓐemendation
for 3 nights only Ⓐalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation!
The World-Renowned Tragedians Ⓐhistorical collation
DAVID GARRICK THE YOUNGER!
and Ⓐemendation
EDMUND KEAN THE ELDER!
Of Ⓐemendation the London and Continental
Theatres Ⓐhistorical collation,
[begin page 195]
In their Thrilling Tragedy ofⒶemendation
THE KING’S CAMELOPARD
or
THE ROYAL NONESUCHⒶemendation Ⓔexplanatory note!!!
Admission 50 Ⓐhistorical collation cents. Ⓐemendation
Then at the bottom was the biggest line of all—which said:Ⓐemendation
“There,” says he, “if that line don’t fetch them, I don’t knowⒶhistorical collation Arkansaw!”Ⓐemendation
swarmed up the street . . . Sherburn steps out onto the roof] Sherburn, although portrayed as a villain in the previous chapter, here plays a more sympathetic role, becoming to some extent a spokesman for the author’s own viewpoint—a raisonneur whose scorn for the mob is nearly identical to feelings Clemens himself expressed in 1901:
For no mob has any sand in the presence of a man known to be splendidly brave. Besides, a lynching mob would like to be scattered, for of a certainty there are never ten men in it who would not prefer to be somewhere else—and would be, if they but had the courage to go. When I was a boy I saw a brave gentleman deride and insult a mob and drive it away; and afterward, in Nevada, I saw a noted desperado make two hundred men sit still, with the house burning under them, until he gave them permission to retire. (SLC 1923, 245)
Many narratives that the author read about the French Revolution recount the quelling of an irate mob by a forceful figure (for instance, Mirabeau, Marat, Robespierre, Danton). Mark Twain told a friend that such reading had confirmed his belief that “men in a crowd do not act as they would as individuals. In a crowd they don’t think for themselves, but become impregnated by the contagious sentiment uppermost in the minds of all who happen to be en masse” (Henry W. Fischer, 59).
all through the circus they done the most astonishing things] The comic acts Huck describes here were a traditional part of the circus in the nineteenth century. Talking clowns were a “key element”: Dan Rice (whose circus Clemens may have seen in Hannibal in 1848 and 1852) was famous for his quick rejoinders to the ringmaster, who served as the butt (Carlyon, 5–7). The “flying wardrobe act” in which the circus rider is initially disguised in the audience as a rube, often drunken, was known as “The Peasant’s Frolic” and “Countryman” in the early 1880s and thereafter as a “Pete Jenkins” act, after the title given it in the 1850s by the famous comic rider, Charles Sherwood (Thayer). Joe Pentland, another clown and rider “who cracked jokes with the ringmaster,” disguised himself as a drunken sailor and
shouted from the seats that he could ride “that danged fat nag.” Amid the jeers of ringmaster and audience the sailor mounted the circus animal, only to fall off repeatedly. But while the audience still jeered at him the sailor doffed his uniform and rode superbly in spangled tights. (May, 70–71)
Descriptions of such traditional circus acts had long been standard material in humorous writings. At least four humorists known to Clemens had written about a purported drunk’s disrobing on horseback—William T. Thompson in 1843, William Wright in 1867, George W. Harris in 1868, and Richard M. Johnston in 1881 (see Blair 1960a, 315–16).
Thrilling Tragedy of THE KING’S CAMELOPARD or THE ROYAL NONESUCH] In his manuscript Mark Twain entitled this skit “The Tragedy of the Burning Shame” and, as he recalled in 1907, it was based on an indecent entertainment he had heard Jim Gillis describe in 1865 in his cabin on Jackass Hill:
In one of my books—“Huckleberry Finn,” I think—I have used one of Jim’s impromptu tales, which he called “The Tragedy of the Burning Shame.” I had to modify it considerably to make it proper for print, and this was a great damage. As Jim told it—inventing it as he went along—I think it was one of the most outrageously funny things I have ever listened to. How mild it is in the book, and how pale; how extravagant and how gorgeous in its unprintable form! (AD, 26 May 1907, CU-MARK, in MTE , 361)
The tale’s title apparently derived from a much earlier term: “burning shame” is defined in Francis Grose’s Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1785) as “a lighted candle stuck into the private parts of a woman” (Grose, s.v.). Clemens acquired a copy of Grose’s dictionary in 1875 and annotated it extensively while working on The Prince and the Pauper—a book written concurrently with Huckleberry Finn. Gillis’s [begin page 439] “impromptu” tale may also have been related to a story with the same title, current as recently as the 1930s, in which two traveling players stage a theatrical performance of a naked man on his hands and knees with a candle inserted in his posterior and then lit (Graves, 98). Mark Twain presumably altered the title of the skit for the sake of propriety. (Many years later, however, when recalling the Huckleberry Finn episode in his unfinished novel “Tom Sawyer’s Conspiracy,” Mark Twain reverted to his original “Burning Shame” title [ Inds , 205].) The title he finally chose—the “Tragedy of the King’s Camelopard or the Royal Nonesuch”—suggests some indebtedness to Edgar Allan Poe’s sketch “Four Beasts in One; The Homo-Cameleopard,” which describes the antics of Antiochus Epiphanes, a Syrian king of the second century b.c. who capers on all fours before his subjects in the skin of a camelopard, that is, a giraffe. Mark Twain may also have known of the ill-fated giraffe presented to King George IV of England by the pasha of Egypt in 1827. The first of its kind seen in England, the giraffe attracted much attention for a few years, but then wasted away and died. In 1830 King William IV arranged for the skin and skeleton to be preserved and exhibited in London at the museum of the Zoological Society (London Times: “Messrs. Gould and Tomkins, of the Zoological Gardens . . .,” 19 Oct 29, 2; “The Giraffe,” 15 Apr 30, 5; Berridge and Westell, 8, 182; Blair 1960a, 317–20; Whiting, 251–75; Ellis, 733; Gribben 1980, 1:280; P&P , 24; Poe, 2:117–30).