Name: The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg — Chapter IV.
Author: Mark Twain

Quotes from The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg… (Mark Twain)

Mark Twain, The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg… (1899)

“ Richards`s mind cleared in his latest hour, and he sent for Burgess. Burgess said:
"Let the room be cleared. I think he wishes to say something in privacy."
"No!" said Richards; "I want witnesses. I want you all to hear my confession, so that I may die a man, and not a dog. I was clean-- artificially--like the rest; and like the rest I fell when temptation came. I signed a lie, and claimed the miserable sack. Mr. Burgess remembered that I had done him a service, and in gratitude (and ignorance) he suppressed my claim and saved me. You know the thing that was charged against Burgess years ago. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Mark Twain, The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg… (1899)

“ She blushed, she became nervous and confused, and to the old people these were plain signs of guilt--guilt of some fearful sort or other--without doubt she was a spy and a traitor. When they were alone again they began to piece many unrelated things together and get horrible results out of the combination. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Mark Twain, The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg… (1899)

“ The last of the sacred Nineteen had fallen a prey to the fiendish sack; the town was stripped of the last rag of its ancient glory. Its mourning was not showy, but it was deep.
By act of the Legislature--upon prayer and petition--Hadleyburg was allowed to change its name to (never mind what--I will not give it away) , and leave one word out of the motto that for many generations had graced the town`s official seal.
It is an honest town once more, and the man will have to rise early that catches it napping again. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Mark Twain, The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg… (1899)

“ In the night the doctor was called. The news went around in the morning that the old couple were rather seriously ill--prostrated by the exhausting excitement growing out of their great windfall, the congratulations, and the late hours, the doctor said. The town was sincerely distressed; for these old people were about all it had left to be proud of, now.
Two days later the news was worse. The old couple were delirious, and were doing strange things. By witness of the nurses, Richards had exhibited cheques--for $8,500? ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Mark Twain, The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg… (1899)

“ And she held up the cheques and began to cry.
"Put them in the fire! quick! we mustn`t be tempted. It is a trick to make the world laugh at US, along with the rest, and-- Give them to ME, since you can`t do it!" He snatched them and tried to hold his grip till he could get to the stove; but he was human, he was a cashier, and he stopped a moment to make sure of the signature. Then he came near to fainting.
"Fan me, Mary, fan me! They are the same as gold!"
"Oh, how lovely, Edward! Why?"
"Signed by Harkness. What can the mystery of that be, Mary?" ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Mark Twain, The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg… (1899)

“ But now-- We could not live in the shadow of its accusing presence, Mary."
He put it in the fire.
A messenger arrived and delivered an envelope. Richards took from it a note and read it; it was from Burgess:
"You saved me, in a difficult time. I saved you last night. It was at cost of a lie, but I made the sacrifice freely, and out of a grateful heart. None in this village knows so well as I know how brave and good and noble you are. At bottom you cannot respect me, knowing as you do of that matter of which I am accused, and by the general voice condemned ”

Mark Twain

Summary

Quotes from The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg… (Mark Twain)

Get perspective with Kwize: daily news enlightened by great literature

Mark Twain

Summary

Quotes from The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg… (Mark Twain)

Common terms

Similar works

Get perspective with Kwize: daily news enlightened by great literature