LUCK- Mark Twain

It was at a banquet in London in honour of one of the two or three

conspicuously illustrious English military names of this generation. For
reasons which will presently appear, I will withhold his real name and titles,
and call him Lieutenant General Lord Arthur Scoresby, V.C., K.C.B., etc., etc.,
etc. What a renowned name! There sat the man whom I had heard of so
many thousands of times since that day, thirty years before, when his name
shot suddenly to the zenith from a Crimean battlefield. It was food and drink
to me to look, and look at that demigod; searching,and noting: the
quietness, unthe noble gravity of his countenance; the simple honesty that
expressed itself all over him; the sweet unconsciousness of his greatness -
unconsciousness of the hundreds of admiring eyes fastened upon him,
unconsciousness of the deep, loving, sincere worship welling out of the
breasts of those people and flowing toward him.

The clergyman at my left was an old acquaintance of mine - clergyman

now, but had spent the first half of his life in the camp and field, and as an
instructor in the military school at Woolwich. Just at the moment I have been
talking about, a veiled and singular light glimmered in his eyes, and he
leaned down and muttered confidentially to me - indicating the hero of the
banquet with a gesture:

"Privately - he's an absolute fool."

This verdict was a great surprise to me. If its subject had been Napoleon,
or Socrates, or Solomon, my astonishment could not have been greater. Two
things I was well aware of: that the Reverend was a man of strict veracity,
and that his judgement of men was good. Therefore I knew, beyond doubt
or question, that the world was mistaken about this hero: he was a fool. So I
meant to find out, at a convenient moment, how the Reverend, all solitary,
had discovered the secret.

< 2 >

Some days later the opportunity came, and this is what the Reverend told
me.

About forty years ago I was an instructor in the military academy at

Woolwich. I was present in one of the sections when young Scoresby
underwent his preliminary examination. I was touched to the quick with pity
for the rest of the class answered up brightly, while he was evidently good,
and sweet, and guileless. So it was exceedingly painful to see him stand
there, as serene as a graven image, and deliver himself of answers which
were veritably miraculous for stupidity and ignorance. All the compassion in
me was aroused in his behalf. I said to myself, when he comes to be
examined again, he will be flung over, of course; so it will be simply a
harmless act of charity to ease his fall as much as I can. I took him aside,
and found that he knew a little of Caesar's history; and as he didn't know
anything else, I went to work and drilled him on a certain line of stock
questions concerning Caesar which I knew would be used. If you'll believe
me, he went through with flying colours on examination day! He went
through on that purely superficial "cram," and got compliments too, while
others, who knew a thousand times more than he, got plucked. By some
strangely lucky accident - an accident not likely to happen twice in a century
- he was asked no question outside of the narrow limits of his drill.

It was stupefying. Well, all through his course I stood by him, with
something of the sentiment which a mother feels for a crippled child; and he
always saved himself.

Now of course the thing that would expose him and kill him at last was
mathematics. I resolved to make his death as easy as I could; so I drilled
him and crammed him, just on the line of questions which the examiners
would be most likely to use, and then launching him on his fate. Well, sir, try
to conceive of the result: to my consternation, he took the first prize! And
with it he got a perfect ovation in the way of compliments.

< 3 >

Sleep? There was no more sleep for me for a week. My conscience

tortured me day and night. What I had done I had done purely through
charity, and only to ease the poor youth's fall - I never had dreamed of any
such preposterous result as the thing that had happened. I felt as guilty and
miserable as the creator of Frankenstein. Here was a woodenhead whom I
had put in the way of glittering promotions and prodigious responsibilities,
and but one thing could happen: he and his responsibilities would all go to
ruin together at the first opportunity.

The Crimean war had just broken out. Of course there had to be a war, I
said to myself: we couldn't have peace and give this donkey a chance to die
before he is found out. I waited for the earthquake. It came. And it made me
reel when it did come. He wanted to get the captaincy in this marching.
Better men grow old and grey in the service before they climb to a sublimity
like that. And who could ever have foreseen that they would go and put such
a load of responsibility on such green and inadequate shoulders? I could just
barely have stood it if they had made him a cornet; but a captain - think of
it! I thought my hair would turn white.
 Consider what I did - I who so loved repose and inaction. I said to
myself, I am responsible to the country for this, and I must go along with
him and protect the country against him as far as I can. So I took my poor
little capital that I had saved up through years of work and grinding
economy, and went with a sigh and bought a cornetcy in his regiment, and
away we went to the field.

And there - oh dear, it was awful. Blunders? Why, he never did

anything but blunder. But, you see, everybody had him focused wrong, and
necessarily misinterpreted his performance every time - consequently they
took his idiotic blunders for inspirations of genius; they did, honestly! His
mildest blunders were enough to make me cry - and rage and rave too,
privately. And the thing that kept me always in a sweat of apprehension was
the fact that every fresh blunder he made increased the lustre of his
reputation! I kept saying to myself, he'll get so high, that when discovery
does finally come, it will be like the sun falling out of the sky.

< 4 >

He went right along up, from grade to grade, over the dead bodies of his
superiors, until at last, in the hottest moment of the battle of ------- down
went our colonel, and my heart jumped into my mouth, for Scoresby was
next in rank!

The battle was awfully hot; the allies were steadily giving way all over
the field. Our regiment occupied a position that was vital; a blunder now
must be destruction. At this crucial moment, what does this immortal fool do
but detach the regiment from its place and order a charge over a
neighbouring hill where there wasn't a suggestion of an enemy! "There you
go!" I said to myself; "this is the end at last."

And away we did go, and were over the shoulder of the hill before the
insane movement could be discovered and stopped. And what did we find?
An entire and unsuspected Russian army ! And what happened? We were
eaten up? That is necessarily what would have happened in ninety-nine
cases out of a hundred. But no, those Russians argued that no single
regiment would come browsing around there at such a time. It must be the
entire English army, and that the sly Russian game was detected and
blocked. They turned tail, and away they went, pell-mell, over the hill and
down into the field, in wild confusion, and we after them. In no time there
was the greatest turn around you ever saw. The allies turned defeat into a
sweeping and shining victory. Marshal Canrobert looked on, dizzy with
astonishment, admiration, and delight; and sent right off for Scoresby, and
hugged him, and decorated him on the field, in presence of all the armies!
 And what was Scoresby's blunder that time? Merely the mistaking his
right hand for his left - that was all. An order had come to him to fall back
and support our right; and instead, he fell forward and went over the hill to
the left. But the name he won that day as a military genius filled the world
with his glory, and that glory will never fade while history books last.

< 5 >

He is just as good and sweet and loveable and unpretending as a man

can be, but he doesn't know enough to come in when it rains. Now that is
absolutely true He is the supremest ass in the universe; and until half an
hour ago nobody knew it but himself and me. He has been pursued, day by
day and year by year, by a most phenomenal and astonishing luckiness. He
has been a shining soldier in all our wars for a generation. Look at his
breast; why, he is just clothed in domestic and foreign decorations. Well, sir,
every one of them is the record of some shouting stupidity or other; and
taken together, they are proof that the very best thing in all this world that
can befall a man is to be born lucky. I say again, as I said at the banquet,
Scoresby's an absolute fool.

FATI

Gjithcka ndodhi ne nje banket ne Londer ne nder te dy apo tre

emrave te ushtareve Anglez padyshim me te spikaturit e kesaj
gjenerate. Per arsye te cilat do te paraqiten se shpejti po e mbaj
te fshehte emrin e vertete dhe titujt e tij etj, etj dhe do e therras
ate Gjeneral-Lejtnant Lord Artur Scoresby. Sa i shquar ky emer!
Atje ulej ai burre per te cilin kisha degjuar mijera here qe prej
asaj dite, 30 vite me pare , kur emri i tij u katapultua ne qiell ne
nje nga betejat e Krimese. Ishte kenaqesi per syte e mi qe ta
shikoja e ta shikoja ate pothuajse-perendi; dhe te gjeja e te
kundroja qetesine,seriozitetin fisnik te fytyres se tij; sinqeritetin e
paster qe e rrethonte ate, pavetedijen e pafajshme per
madheshtine e tij dhe per njeqind veshtrimet admiruese te
mberthyera mbi te.
Ishte nje pavetedije per admirimin e perzemert , te thelle dhe te
sinqerte qe vinte nga thellesia e shpirtit te atyre njerezve dhe qe
vershonte drejt tij.
Kleriku ne te majten time ishte nje i njohur i vjeter- i bere
tashme klerik, por qe me pare ka shpenzuar gjysmen e jetes se
tij ne kamp dhe fushebeteje, si dhe ka qene instruktor ne
shkollen ushtarake ne Woolwich.
Pikerisht ne momentin per te cilin fola nje perde vezulluese
shkelqeu ne syte e tij dhe ai u perkul duke me pershperitur ne
fshehtesi , ndersa bente me shenje nga heroi i banketit:
Te ngelet mes nesh- ky eshte komplet budalla.
Ky gjykim ishte nje surprize e vertete per mua. Cudia ime nuk do
te kishte qene me e madhe edhe nese do te behej fjale per
Napoleonin, Sokratin apo Solomonin.
Por per dy gjera isha shume i vetedijshem: qe Kryepeshkopi ishte
nje burre rreptesisht i ndershem dhe se gjykimi i tij per njerezit
ishte i drejte.
Keshtu qe mendova ta zbuloja, ne nje moment te pershtatshem
se si Kryepeshkopi krejtesisht i vetem e kishte zbuluar sekretin.

<2>

Disa dite mundesia erdhi dhe kjo eshte ajo cfare me tha
Kryepeshkopi.
Rreth 40 vjet me pare une isha nje instruktor ne akademine
ushtarake ne Woolwich. Isha i pranishem ne nje nga sektoret kur
i riu Scorsbey iu nenshtrua provimit pergatitor.
Befas ndjeva nje keqardhje pasi pjesa tjeter e klases iu pergjigj
shkelqyeshem , ndersa ai ishte dukshem mire, i kendshem dhe i
padjallezuar.
Keshtu qe ishte jashtezakonisht e dhimbshme ta shikoje ate teksa
qendronte aty i qete si nje statuje duke dhene pergjigje te cilat
ishin me te vertete te mrekullueshme per idiotesine dhe
injorancen e tij.
Mu ngjall nje keqardhje per te. Thashe me vete qe kur te vinte
koha qe ai do te testohej serish, ai sigurisht do te flakej tutje;
keshtu qe do te ishte thjesht nje bamiresi e pademshme po ta
zbusja pak renien e tij.
E mora menjane dhe zbulova qe ai dinte shume pak ne lidhje me
historine e Cezarit ; dhe meqenese ai nuk dinte gje tjeter iu futa
punes dhe e ushtrova ate me nje sere pyetjesh rezerve qe kishin
lidhje me Cezarin te cilat i dija qe do te perdoreshin. Me besoni ai
ia doli me shume sukses diten e provimit. Ia doli me ato pak
njohuri te mesuara me ngut e krejtesisht siperfaqesore, madje
dhe u komplimentua , kurse te tjeret qe dinin njemije me shume
se ai u zhgenjyen.
Nga nje aksident cuditerisht me fat qe ishte dicka qe nuk para
ndodh dy here brenda shekullit atij nuk iu pyet asnje pyetje
jashte asaj cfare ai kishte mesuar. Kjo ishte budallallepsese. Fare
mire gjate gjithe kursit qendrova krah tij me nje ndjenje te
perafert me ate qe nje nene ndjen per femijen e saj te gjymtuar;
dhe ai gjithmone dinte ta shpetonte veten.
Tani sigurisht qe gjeja e cila mund ta nenshtronte dhe ta vriste
ate ishte matematika. Vendosa qe ta beja deshtimin e tij sa me te
thjeshte; keshtu qe e ushtrova dhe e dynda ate vetem me nje
sere pyetjesh te cilat testuesit perdornin me shpesh dhe me pas e
hodha drejt fatit te tij.
Ne rregull zoteri, mundohu ta perfytyrosh rezultatin; per habine
time, ai mori cmimin e pare! Dhe bashke me te mori dhe nje sere
brohoritjesh komplimentuese.
 <3>

Gjume? Nuk kishte me gjume per mua per nje jave te tere.
Ndergjegja me torturonte dite e nate. Cfaredo qe kisha bere e
kisha bere me pasterti per ta ndihmuar dhe vetem per te
qetesuar renien e atij te riu te mjere. Kurre nuk e kisha enderruar
nje rezultat te tille absurd sa ai qe kishte ndodhur. U ndjeva aq
fajtor dhe aq i mjere sa krijuesi i Frankenshtejnit. Para meje
ndodhej nje koketul te cilin une e kisha futur ne rrugen e ndritur
te avancimit dhe pergjegjesive te jashtezakonshme dhe gjithcka
tjeter pervec kesaj mund te ndodhte; ai bashke me pergjegjesite
e tij do te shkaterroheshin ne mundesine e pare qe do te vinte.
Lufta ne Krime sapo plasi. Patjeter qe duhet te ishte nje lufte
thashe me vete nuk mund te kemi paqe dhe ti japim ketij gomari
nje shans per te vdekur para se ai te dilte zbuluar. Prita per
termetin. Erdhi. Dhe atehere kur erdhi me shkundi. Ai donte te
merrte komanden ne kete marshim. Burrat me te mire plaken
dhe thinjen ne sherbim para se ata te ngrihen ne nje madheshti
te tille. Dhe kush do ta parashikonte qe ato do te shkonin dhe te
vendosnin nje barre te tille ne ato shpatulla te papershtatshme
dhe pa eksperience?
Une mezi do ta kisha duruar nese do ta benin thjesht ushtar por
nje kapiten- merreni me mend. Mendova se do me dilnin thinjat.
Mendojeni pak se cfare bera- une i cili doja pushimin dhe
plogeshtine. Thashe me vete , une i jam pergjegjes vendit tim
per kete ndaj duhet te rrija krah tij dhe te mbroja vendin prej tij
me sa mundesi kisha. Keshtu qe, mora kapitalin tim te paket qe e
kisha kursyer pergjate ketyre viteve pune dhe ekonomie
rraspkapitese dhe duke psheretire shkova e bleva nje pozicion ne
regjimentin e tij dhe keshtu ne vazhduam per ne fushebeteje.
Dhe atje, oh zot ishte e tmerrshme. Gafat? Pse do thoni ju,ai nuk
beri gje tjeter pervec gafave. Por shiko,te gjithe e kishin kuptuar
ate gabim dhe medoemos! Si pasoje ata i kishin marra gafat e tij
si nje frymezim prej gjeniu ; sinqerisht ashtu i kishin marre!
Gafat e tij me te vogla ishin mjaftueshem sa per te me bere mua
te qaja-me terbim dhe me furi ne fshehtesi. Dhe gjeja qe me
mbante gjithmone ne djerse te ftohta ,ishte fakti qe cdo gafe e re
qe bente i shtonte shkelqim reputacionit te tij. Vazhdoja ti thoja
vetes qe ai do te ngjitej aq lart saqe kur te dilte gjithcka ne drite,
do te ishte sikur dielli qe binte nga qielli.

<4>

Ai shkoi lart e me lart, nga nje grade ne tjetren ,siper trupave te

vdekur te eproreve te tij,derisa ne fund, ne momentin me
kulminant te betejes- koloneli yne ra dhe zemra sa spo me dilte
nga vendi pasi Scorecby ishte pas tij ne rradhe. Beteja ishte
tmerresisht e nxehte; aleatet po terhiqeshin njetrajtesisht
pergjate fushebetejes. Regjimenti yne zuri nje pozicion qe ishte
thelbesor; nje gafe dhe cdo gje do shkaterrohej. Ne kete moment
vendimtar ,cfare beri ky budalla i pavdekshem vecse terhoqi
regjimentin nga vendi i tij dhe urdheroi te zbarkohej ne nje koder
fqinje ku nuk kishte asnje shenje te ndonje armiku. Ah te keqen!
Thashe me vete ; ky po qe eshte fundi. Dhe me te vertete
shkuam andej dhe kishim arritur pas kodres perpara se te mund
te zbulohej dhe ndalohej kjo levizje e marre. Dhe cfare gjetem?
Nje ushtri te tere Ruse te pazbuluar. Dhe cfare ndodhi? A u
perpime? Kjo eshte domosdoshmerisht ajo cfare do te kishte
ndodhur ne 99% te rasteve.
Por jo, Ruset menduan se asnje regjiment i vetem nuk do te vinte
verdalle andej ne keto kohe. Do duhej te ishte e gjithe ushtria
Angleze dhe se loja e fshehte e ushtrise Ruse ishte zbuluar dhe
bllokuar. Ato u zmbrapsen dhe iken tutje lemsh-e-li pas kodre dhe
poshte ne fushe me nje coroditje te terbuar , ne shkuam pas
tyre. Pa vonese, ndodhi kthesa me e madhe qe mund te keni
pare. Aleatet e kthyen disfaten ne nje fitore te mrekullueshme.
Marshalli Canrobert vezhgonte i trullosur nga habia,cudia dhe
gezimi. Ai u drejtua drejt per tek Scoresby dhe e perqafoi aty ne
fushebeteje ne prezence te gjithe ushtrive!
Dhe kush ishte gafa e Scoresby kete radhe? Thjesht ngaterrimi i
anes se djathte me ate te majte-kjo ishte e gjitha. I kishte ardhur
nje urdher qe te terhiqej dhe te mbronte te djathten tone; dhe ne
vend te kesaj ai vazhdoi perpara duke shkuar drejt kodres ne te
majte. Por emri qe fitoi ate dite si nje ushtarak gjenial mbushi
boten me fitoren e tij dhe kjo fitore nuk do te zbehet asnjehere
derisa librat e historise te ekzistojne. Ai eshte aq i mire, i embel, i
dashur dhe i thjeshte ashtu sa nje njeri mund te jete, por ai nuk
di te zbrese me kembe ne toke. Kjo eshte absolutisht e vertete.
Ai esht gomari me i madhe ne univers; dhe deri para gjysme ore
asnje nuk e dinte kete pervec meje dhe atij. Ate e ka ndjekur dite
pas dite, vit pas viti nje fat i mrekullueshem dhe fenomenal. Ai ka
qene nje ushtar i dalluar ne te gjitha lufterat per nje gjenerate te
tere. Shiko kraharorin e tij; ai eshte mbuluar me dekorata te
vendit dhe te huaja. Dakord zoteri, cdonjera prej tyre eshte prove
e ndonje budallalleku me brire apo dicka e tille; dhe te marra se
bashku ato jane prove qe gjeja me e mire ne kete bote qe nje
burri mund ti ndodhe eshte qe te linde me fat. E rithem perseri,
sic e thashe dhe ne banket, Scoresby eshte absolutisht nje
budalla.

Worked by: Lorela Parruca

Group III-C