第30章

Thesecretwaskept，andthematterpresently(andcharacteristically)

passedoutofClemens’smindaltogether。HeneverrememberedtotellTwichell，anditisrevealedhere，accordingtohiswish。

TheRussian—Japanesewarwasinprogressthatsummer，anditssettlementoccurredinAugust。ThetermsofitdidnotpleaseMarkTwain。Whenanewspapercorrespondentaskedhimforanexpressionofopiniononthesubjecthewrote：

Russiawasonthehighroadtoemancipationfromaninsaneandintolerableslavery。IwashopingtherewouldbenopeaceuntilRussianlibertywassafe。Ithinkthatthiswasaholywar，inthebestandnoblestsenseofthatabusedterm，andthatnowarwaseverchargedwithahighermission。

IthinktherecanbenodoubtthatthatmissionisnowdefeatedandRussia’schainriveted；thistimetostay。IthinktheTsarwillnowwithdrawthesmallhumanitiesthathavebeenforcedfromhim，andresumehismedievalbarbarismswitharelievedspiritandanimmeasurablejoy。IthinkRussianlibertyhashaditslastchanceandhaslostit。

Ithinknothinghasbeengainedbythepeacethatisremotelycomparabletowhathasbeensacrificedbyit。OnemorebattlewouldhaveabolishedthewaitingchainsofbillionsuponbillionsofunbornRussians，andIwishitcouldhavebeenfought。IhopeIammistaken，yetinallsincerityIbelievethatthispeaceisentitledtorankasthemostconspicuousdisasterinpoliticalhistory。

Itwasthewisestpublicutteranceonthesubject——thedeep，resonantnoteoftruthsoundingamidaclamoroffoolishjoy—bells。Itwasthemessageofaseer——theprophecyofasagewhoseeswiththeclairvoyanceofknowledgeandhumanunderstanding。Clemens，afewdayslater，wasinvitedbyColonelHarveytodinewithBaronRosenandM。SergiusWitte；

butanattackofhisoldmalady——rheumatism——preventedhisacceptance。

HistelegramofdeclinationapparentlypleasedtheRussianofficials，forWitteaskedpermissiontopublishit，anddeclaredthathewasgoingtotakeithometoshowtotheTsar。Itwasasfollows：

ToCOLONELHARVEY，——Iamstillacripple，otherwiseIshouldbemorethangladofthisopportunitytomeettheillustriousmagicianswhocamehereequippedwithnothingbutapen，&withithavedividedthehonorsofthewarwiththesword。Itisfairtopresumethatinthirtycenturieshistorywillnotgetdoneinadmiringthesemenwhoattemptedwhattheworldregardedastheimpossible&achievedit。

MARKTWAIN。

Butthiswasamodifiedform。HisoriginaldraftwouldperhapshavebeenlessgratifyingtothatRussianembassy。Itread：

ToCOLONELHARVEY，——Iamstillacripple，otherwiseIshouldbemorethangladofthisopportunitytomeetthoseillustriousmagicianswhowiththepenhaveannulled，obliterated，&abolishedeveryhighachievementoftheJapaneseswordandturnedthetragedyofatremendouswarintoagay&blithesomecomedy。IfImay，letmeinallrespectandhonorsalutethemasmyfellow—humorists，Itakingthirdplace，asbecomesonewhowasnotborntomodesty，butbydiligence&hardworkisacquiringit。

MARK。

Therewasstillanotherform，briefandexpressive：

DEARCOLONEL，——No，thisisalove—feast；whenyoucallalodgeofsorrowsendforme。MARK。

Clemens’swarsentimentwasgiventhewidestnewspapercirculation，andbroughthimmanyletters，mostofthemapplaudinghiswords。CharlesFrancisAdamswrotehim：

ItattractedmyattentionbecauseitsoexactlyexpressestheviewsIhavemyselfallalongentertained。

Andthiswasthegistofmostoftheexpressedsentimentswhichcametohim。

Clemenswroteanumberofthingsthatsummer，amongthemalittleessayentitled，"ThePrivilegeoftheGrave"——thatistosay，freespeech。

Hewaslookingforward，hesaid，tothetimewhenheshouldinheritthatprivilege，whensomeofthethingshehadsaid，writtenandlaidaway，couldbepublishedwithoutdamagetohisfriendsorfamily。Anarticleentitled，"InterpretingtheDeity，"hecountedasamongthethingstobeutteredwhenhehadenteredintothatlastgreatprivilege。ItisanarticleonthereadingofsignsandauguriesinallagestodiscovertheintentionsoftheAlmighty，withhistoricalexamplesofGod’sjudgmentsandvindications。Hereisafairspecimen。ItreferstothechronicleofHenryHuntington：

AllthroughthisbookHenryexhibitshisfamiliaritywiththeintentionsofGodandwiththereasonsfortheintentions。

Sometimesveryoften，infact——theactfollowstheintentionaftersuchawideintervaloftimethatonewondershowHenrycouldfitoneactoutofahundredtooneintention，andgetthethingrighteverytime，whentherewassuchabundantchoiceamongactsandintentions。SometimesamanoffendstheDeitywithacrime，andispunishedforitthirtyyearslater；meantimehehascommittedamillionothercrimes：nomatter，Henrycanpickouttheonethatbroughttheworms。Wormsweregenerallyusedinthosedaysfortheslayingofparticularlywickedpeople。Thishasgoneoutnow，butintheoldtimesitwasafavorite。Italwaysindicatedacaseof"wrath。"Forinstance：

"ThejustGodavengingRobertFitzhildebrand’sperfidity，awormgrewinhisvitalswhich，graduallygnawingitswaythroughhisintestines，fattenedontheabandonedmantill，torturedwithexcruciatingsufferingsandventinghimselfinbittermoans，hewasbyafittingpunishmentbroughttohisend"(p。400)。

Itwasprobablyanalligator，butwecannottell；weonlyknowitwasaparticularbreed，andonlyusedtoconveywrath。Someauthoritiesthinkitwasanichthyosaurus，butthereismuchdoubt。

Theentirearticleisinthisamusing，satiricalstrain，andmightwellenoughbeprintedto—day。Itisnotaltogetherclearwhyitwaswithheld，eventhen。

HefinishedhisEve’sDiarythatsummer，andwroteastorywhichwasoriginallyplannedtoobligeMrs。MinnieMaddernFiske，toaidherinacrusadeagainstbullfightinginSpain。Mrs。Fiskewrotehimthatshehadreadhisdogstory，writtenagainstthecrueltiesofvivisection，andurgedhimtodosomethingtosavethehorsesthat，afterfaithfulservice，weresacrificedinthebull—ring。Herletterclosed：

IhavelainawakenightsveryoftenwonderingifIdareaskyoutowriteastoryofanoldhorsethatisfinallygivenovertothebull—ring。ThestoryyouwouldwritewoulddomoregoodthanallthelawswearetryingtohavemadeandenforcedforthepreventionofcrueltytoanimalsinSpain。Wewouldtranslateandcirculatethestoryinthatcountry。Ihavewonderedifyouwouldeverwriteit。

Withmostdevotedhomage，Sincerelyyours，MINNIEMADDERNFISKE。

Clemenspromptlyreplied：

DEARMRS。FISKE，Ishallcertainlywritethestory。ButImaynotgetittosuitme，inwhichcaseitwillgointhefire。LaterIwilltryitagain——&yetagain——&again。Iamusedtothis。Ithastakenmetwelveyearstowriteashortstory——theshortestoneIeverwrote，Ithink。——

[Probably"TheDeathDisk："]——Sodonotbediscouraged；Iwillsticktothisoneinthesameway。

Sincerelyyours，S。L。CLEMENS。

Itwasaninspiringsubject，andhebeganworkonitimmediately。WithinamonthfromthetimehereceivedMrs。Fiske’sletterhehadwrittenthatpathetic，heartbreakinglittlestory，"AHorse’sTale，"andsentittoHarper’sMagazineforillustration。InaletterwrittentoMr。Dunekaatthetime，hetellsofhisinterestinthenarrative，andadds：

Thisstronginterestisnatural，fortheheroineismysmalldaughterSusy，whomwelost。Itwasnotintentional——itwasagoodwhilebeforeIfounditout，soIamsendingyouherpicturetouse——&toreproducewithphotographicexactnesstheunsurpassableexpression&all。Mayyoufindanartistwhohaslostanidol。

Heexplainshowhehadputinagooddealofwork，withhissecretary，ontheorchestrelletogetthebugle—calls。

Wearetodothesetheatricalsthiseveningwithacoupleofneighborsforaudience，andthenpassthehat。

ItisnotoneofMarkTwain’sgreateststories，butitspathosbringsthetears，andnoonecanreaditwithoutindignationtowardthecustomwhichitwasintendedtooppose。Whenitwaspublished，ayearlater，Mrs。

Fiskesenthimhergratefulacknowledgments，andaskedpermissiontohaveitprintedforpamphletcirculationmSpain。

Anumberofmoreorlessnotablethingshappenedinthis，MarkTwain’sseventiethyear。TherewassomekindofareuniongoingoninCalifornia，andhewasvariouslyinvitedtoattend。RobertFulton，ofNevada，wasappointedacommitteeofonetoinvitehimtoRenoforagreatcelebrationwhichwastobeheldthere。Clemensrepliedthatheremembered，asifitwerebutyesterday，whenhehaddisembarkedfromtheOverlandstageinfrontoftheOrmsbyHotel，inCarsonCity，andtoldhowhewouldliketoaccepttheinvitation。

IfIwereafewyearsyoungerIwouldacceptit，andpromptly，andI

wouldgo。Iwouldletsomebodyelsedotheoration，butasformeI

wouldtalk——justtalk。Iwouldrenewmyyouth；andtalk——andtalk——andtalk——andhavethetimeofmylife！Iwouldmarchtheunforgottenandunforgetableantiquesby，andnametheirnames，andgivethemreverenthailandfarewellastheypassed——Goodman，McCarthy，Gillis，Curry，Baldwin，Winters，Howard，Nye，Stewart，NeelyJohnson，HalClayton，North，Root——andmybrother，uponwhombepeace！——andthenthedesperadoes，whomadelifeajoy，andthe"slaughter—house，"apreciouspossession：SamBrown，FarmerPete，BillMayfield，Six—fingeredJake，JackWilliams，andtherestofthecrimsondiscipleship，andsoon，andsoon。Believeme，Iwouldstartaresurrectionitwoulddoyoumoregoodtolookatthanthenextonewill，ifyougoonthewayyouaregoingnow。

Thosewerethedays！——thoseoldones。Theywillcomenomore；youthwillcomenomore。Theyweresofulltothebrimwiththewineoflife；therehavebeennootherslikethem。Itchokesmeuptothinkofthem。Wouldyoulikemetocomeoutthereandcry？Itwouldnotbeseemmywhitehead。

Good—by。Idrinktoyouall。Haveagoodtime—andtakeanoldman’sblessing。

InreplytoanotherinvitationfromH。H。Bancroft，ofSanFrancisco，hewrotethathiswanderingdayswereover，andthatitwashispurposetositbythefirefortherestofhis"remnantoflife。"

Amanwho，likeme，isgoingtostrike70onthe30thofnextNovemberhasnobusinesstobeflittingaroundthewayHowellsdoes——thatshamelessoldfictitiousbutterfly。(Butifhecomesdon’ttellhimIsaidit，foritwouldhurthim&Iwouldn’tbrushaflakeofpowderfromhiswingforanything。Ionlysayitinenvyofhisindestructibleyouthanyway。Howellswillbe88inOctober。)

Anditwaseitherthenoronasimilaroccasionthatherepliedafterthisfashion：

IhavedonemoreforSanFranciscothananyotherofitsoldresidents。SinceIleftthereithasincreasedinpopulationfully300，000。Icouldhavedonemore——Icouldhavegoneearlier——itwassuggested。

Which，bytheway，isaperfectexampleofMarkTwain’shumorousmanner，thedelicatelytimedpause，andtheafterthought。Mosthumoristswouldhavebeencontentedtoendwiththestatement，"Icouldhavegoneearlier。"OnlyMarkTwaincouldhaveaddedthatfinalexquisitetouch——

"itwassuggested。"

CCXXXVI

ATPIER7O

MarkTwainwasnearingseventy，thescripturallimitationoflife，andthereturnswerecomingin。Someoneoftheoldgroupwasdyingallthetime。Theroll—callreturnedonlyascatteringanswer。Ofhisoldestfriends，CharlesHenryWebb，JohnHay，andSirHenryIrving，alldiedthatyear。WhenHaydiedClemensgavethismessagetothepress：

Iamdeeplygrieved，&Imournwiththenationthislosswhichisirreparable。MyfriendshipwithMr。Hay&myadmirationofhimendured38yearswithoutimpairment。

ItwasonlyalittleearlierthathehadwrittenHayananonymousletter，acopyofwhichhepreserved。Itherefollows：

DEAR&HONOREDSIR，——Ineverhearanyonespeakofyou&ofyourlongrollofillustriousservicesinotherthantermsofpride&

praise——&outoftheheart。IthinkIamrightinbelievingyoutobetheonlymaninthecivilserviceofthecountrythecleannessofwhosemotivesisneverquestionedbyanycitizen，&whoseactsproceedalwaysuponabroad&highplane，neverbyaccidentorpressureofcircumstanceuponanarroworlowone。Therearemajoritiesthatareproudofmorethanoneofthenation’sgreatservants，butIbelieve，&IthinkIknow，thatyouaretheonlyoneofwhomtheentirenationisproud。Proud&thankful。

Name&addressarelackinghere，&forapurpose：toleaveyounochancetomakemywordsaburdentoyouandareproachtome，whowouldlightenyourburdensifIcould，notaddtothem。

IrvingdiedinOctober，andClemensorderedawreathforhisfuneral。ToMacAlisterhewrote：

IprofoundlygrieveoverIrving’sdeath。Itisanotherreminder。

Mysectionoftheprocessionhasbutalittlewaytogo。IcouldnotbeverysorryifItried。

MarkTwain，nearingseventy，feltthattherewasnotmuchleftforhimtocelebrate；andwhenColonelHarveyproposedabirthdaygatheringinhishonor，Clemenssuggestedabohemianassemblyoverbeerandsandwichesinsomesnugplace，withHowells，HenryRogers，Twichell，Dr。Rice，Dr。

EdwardQuintard，AugustusThomas，andsuchotherkindredsoulsaswerestilllefttoanswerthecall。ButHarveyhadsomethingdifferentinview：somethingmoresplendideventhanthesixty—seventhbirthdayfeast，morepretentious，indeed，thananyformerliterarygathering。HefeltthattheattainmentofseventyyearsbyAmerica’smostdistinguishedmanoflettersandprivatecitizenwasacircumstancewhichcouldnotbemoderatelyorevenmodestlyobserved。Thedatewassetfivedayslaterthantheactualbirthday——thatistosay，onDecember5th，inorderthatitmightnotconflictwiththevariousThanksgivingholidaysandoccasions。Delmonico’sgreatroomwaschosenforthecelebrationofit，andinvitationsweresentouttopracticallyeverywriterofanydistinctioninAmerica，andtomanyabroad。Ofthesenearlytwohundredaccepted，whilesuchascouldnotcomesentpatheticregrets。

Whatanoccasionitwas！TheflowerofAmericanliteraturegatheredtodohonortoitschief。Thewholeatmosphereoftheplaceseemedpermeatedwithhispresence，andwhenColonelHarveypresentedWilliamDeanHowells，andwhenHowellshadreadanotherdouble—barreledsonnet，andintroducedtheguestoftheeveningwiththewords，"Iwillnotsay，’OKing，liveforever，’but，’OKing，liveaslongasyoulike！’"andMarkTwainrose，hissnow—whitehairgleamingabovethatbrilliantassembly，itseemedthataworldwasspeakingoutinavoiceofapplauseandwelcome。Withagreattumultthethrongrose，abillowoflife，thewhitehandkerchiefsflyingfoam—likeonitscrest。Thosewhohadgatheredthererealizedthatitwasamightymoment，notonlyinhislifebutintheirs。TheyweretheretoseethissupremeembodimentoftheAmericanspiritashescaledthemountain—top。He，too，realizedthedramaofthatmoment——themarvelofit——andhemusthaveflashedaswiftpanoramicviewbackwardoverthelongwayhehadcome，tostand，ashehadhimselfonceexpressedit，"forasingle，splendidmomentontheAlpsoffameoutlinedagainstthesun。"Hemusthaveremembered；forwhenhecametospeakhewentbacktotheverybeginning，tohisveryfirstbanquet，ashecalledit，when，ashesaid，"Ihadn’tanyhair；Ihadn’tanyteeth；Ihadn’tanyclothes。"Hesketchedthemeagernessofthatlittlehamletwhichhadseenhisbirth，sketcheditplayfully，delightfully，sothathishearerslaughedandshouted；buttherewasalwaysatendernessunderitall，andoftenthetearswerenotfarbeneaththesurface。Hetoldofhishabitsoflife，howhehadattainedseventyyearsbysimplystickingtoaschemeoflivingwhichwouldkillanybodyelse；howhesmokedconstantly，loathedexercise，andhadnootherregularityofhabits。Then，atlast，hereachedthatwonderful，unforgetableclose：

Threescoreyearsandten！

Itisthescripturalstatuteoflimitations。Afterthatyouowenoactiveduties；foryouthestrenuouslifeisover。Youareatime—

expiredman，touseKipling’smilitaryphrase：Youhaveservedyourterm，wellorlesswell，andyouaremusteredout。Youarebecomeanhonorarymemberoftherepublic，youareemancipated，compulsionsarenotforyou，noranybugle—callbut"lightsout。"Youpaythetime—worndutybillsifyouchoose，ordeclineifyouprefer——andwithoutprejudice——fortheyarenotlegallycollectable。

Theprevious—engagementplea，whichinfortyyearshascostyousomanytwinges，youcanlayasideforever；onthissideofthegraveyouwillneverneeditagain。Ifyoushrinkatthoughtofnight，andwinter，andthelatehomecomingsfromthebanquetandthelightsandlaughterthroughthedesertedstreets——adesolationwhichwouldnotremindyounow，asforagenerationitdid，thatyourfriendsaresleepingandyoumustcreepina—tiptoeandnotdisturbthem，butwouldonlyremindyouthatyouneednottiptoe，youcanneverdisturbthemmore——ifyoushrinkatthethoughtofthesethingsyouneedonlyreply，"Yourinvitationhonorsmeandpleasesmebecauseyoustillkeepmeinyourremembrance，butIamseventy；seventy，andwouldnestleinthechinmey—corner，andsmokemypipe，andreadmybook，andtakemyrest，wishingyouwellinallaffection，andthatwhenyouinyourturnshallarriveatPier70youmaystepaboardyourwaitingshipwithareconciledspirit，andlayyourcoursetowardthesinkingsunwithacontentedheart。"

Thetearsthathadbeenlyinginwaitwerenotrestrainednow。Iftherewereanypresentwhodidnotletthemflowwithoutshame，whodidnotshouttheirapplausefromthroatschokedwithsobs，thewriteroftheselinesfailedtoseethemortohearofthem。Therewasnotonewhowasashamedtopaythegreattributeoftears。

Manyofhisoldfriends，oneafteranother，rosetotelltheirloveforhim——BranderMatthews，Cable，KateDouglasRiggs，Gilder，Carnegie，Bangs，Bacheller——theykeptitupfarintothenextmorning。NootherarrivalatPier70everawokeagranderwelcome。

CCXXXVII

AFTERMATH

Theannouncementoftheseventiethbirthdaydinnerhadprecipitatedaperfectavalancheofletters，whichcontinuedtoflowinuntilthenewsaccountsofitprecipitatedanotheravalanche。Thecarriers’bagswerestuffedwithgreetingsthatcamefromeverypartoftheworld，fromeveryclassofhumanity。Theywereallfullofloveandtenderwishes。Acardsignedonlywithinitialssaid："Godblessyouroldsweetsoulforhavinglived。"

Aldrich，whocouldnotattendthedinner，declaredthatallthroughtheeveninghehadbeenlisteninginhismindtoamurmurofvoicesinthehallatDelmonico’s。AgroupofEnglishauthorsinLondoncombinedinacableofcongratulations。Anstey，AlfredAustin，Balfour，Barrie，Bryce，Chesterton，Dobson，Doyle，Gosse，Hardy，Hope，Jacobs，Kipling，Lang，Parker，Tenniel，Watson，andZangwillwereamongthesignatures。

HelenKellerwrote：

Andyouareseventyyearsold？Oristhereportexaggerated，likethatofyourdeath？Iremember，whenIsawyoulast，atthehouseofdearMr。Hutton，inPrinceton，yousaid：

"Ifamanisapessimistbeforeheisforty—eightheknowstoomuch。

Ifheisanoptimistafterheisforty—eightheknowstoolittle。"

Nowweknowyouareanoptimist，andnobodywoulddaretoaccuseoneonthe"seven—terracedsummit"ofknowinglittle。Soprobablyyouarenotseventyafterall，butonlyforty—seven！

HelenKellerwasright。MarkTwainwasnotapessimistinhisheart，butonlybypremeditation。Itwashisobservationandhislogicthatledhimtowritethosethingsthat，evenintheirbitterness，somehowconveyedthatspiritofhumansympathywhichissocloselylinkedtohope。ToMissKellerhewrote：

"Oh，thankyouforyourlovelywords！"

Hewasgivenanotherbirthdaycelebrationthatmonth——thistimebytheSocietyofIllustrators。DanBeard，president，wasalsotoast—master；

andashepresentedMarkTwaintherewasatrumpet—note，andalovelygirl，costumedasJoanofArc，enteredand，approachinghim，presentedhimwithalaurelwreath。Itwasplannedandcarriedoutasasurprisetohim，andhehardlyknewforthemomentwhetheritwasavisionorareality。Hewasdeeplyaffected，somuchsothatforseveralmomentshecouldnotfindhisvoicetomakeanyacknowledgments。

Clemenswasmorethaneversoughtnow，andherespondedwhenthecausewasaworthyone。HespokeforthebenefitoftheRussiansufferersattheCasinoonDecember18th。MadameSarahBernhardtwasalsothere，andspokeinFrench。Hefollowedher，declaringthatitseemedasortofcrueltytoinflictuponanaudienceourrudeEnglishafterhearingthatdivinespeechflowinginthatlucidGallictongue。

Ithasalwaysbeenamarveltome——thatFrenchlanguage；ithasalwaysbeenapuzzletome。Howbeautifulthatlanguageis！Howexpressiveitseemstobe！Howfullofgraceitis！

Andwhenitcomesfromlipslikethose，howeloquentandhowlimpiditis！And，oh，Iamalwaysdeceived——IalwaysthinkIamgoingtounderstandit。

Itissuchadelighttome，suchadelighttome，tomeetMadameBernhardt，andlaughhandtohandandhearttoheartwithher。I

haveseenherplay，asweallhave，and，oh，thatisdivine；butI

havealwayswantedtoknowMadameBernhardtherself——herfieryself。

Ihavewantedtoknowthatbeautifulcharacter。

Why，sheistheyoungestpersonIeversaw，exceptmyself——forI

alwaysfeelyoungwhenIcomeinthepresenceofyoungpeople。

Andtruly，atseventy，MarkTwainwasyoung，hismanner，hismovement，hispointofview—thesewereall，andalways，young。

Anumberofpalmistsaboutthattimeexaminedimpressionsofhishandwithoutknowledgeastotheowner，andtheyallagreedthatitwasthehandofamanwiththecharacteristicsofyouth，withinspiration，andenthusiasm，andsympathy——aloverofjusticeandofthesublime。Theyallagreed，too，thathewasadeepphilosopher，though，alas！theylikewiseagreedthathelackedthesenseofhumor，whichisnotassurprisingasitsounds，forwithMarkTwainhumorwasnevermerefun—

makingnortheloveofit；ratheritwastheflowerofhisphilosophy——

itsbloomaridfragrance。

Whenthefanfareanddrum—beatofhisbirthdayhonorshadpassedby，andamomentofcalmhadfollowed，MarkTwainsetdownsomereflectionsonthenewestatehehadachieved。Thelittlepaper，whichformsaperfectpendanttothe"SeventiethBirthdaySpeech，"herefollows：

OLDAGE

Ithinkitlikelythatpeoplewhohavenotbeenherewillbeinterestedtoknowwhatitislike。IarrivedonthethirtiethofNovember，freshfromcarefree&frivolous69，&wasdisappointed。

Thereisnothingnovelaboutit，nothingstriking，nothingtothrillyou&makeyoureyeglitter&yourtonguecryout，"Oh，itiswonderful，perfectlywonderful！"Yes，itisdisappointing。Yousay，"Isthisit？——this？afterallthistalkandfussofathousandgenerationsoftravelerswhohavecrossedthisfrontier&lookedaboutthem&toldwhattheysaw&felt？Why，itlooksjustlike69。"

Andthatistrue。Alsoitisnatural，foryouhavenotcomebythefastexpress；youhavebeenlagging&draggingacrosstheworld’scontinentsbehindoxen；whenthatisyourpaceonecountrymeltsintothenextonesograduallythatyouarenotabletonoticethechange；70lookslike69；69lookedlike68；68lookedlike67——&soonback&backtothebeginning。Ifyouclimbtoasummit&lookback——ah，thenyousee！

Downthatfar—reachingperspectiveyoucanmakeouteachcountry&

climatethatyoucr