mark twain, a biography, 1907-1910-第36部分

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but　the　mysterious　messenger　of　his　birth…year；　so　long　anticipated　by
him；　appeared　that　night　in　the　sky。　＇The　perihelion　of　Halley's　Comet
for　1835　was　November　16th；　for　1910　it　was　April　20th。＇

On　Thursday　morning；　the　21st；　his　mind　was　generally　clear；　and　it　was
said　by　the　nurses　that　he　read　a　little　from　one　of　the　volumes　on　his
bed；　from　the　Suetonius；　or　from　one　of　the　volumes　of　Carlyle。　　Early　in
the　forenoon　he　sent　word　by　Clara　that　he　wished　to　see　me；　and　when　I
came　in　he　spoke　of　two　unfinished　manuscripts　which　he　wished　me　to
〃throw　away；〃　as　he　briefly　expressed　it；　for　he　had　not　many　words　left
now。　　I　assured　him　that　I　would　take　care　of　them；　and　he　pressed　my
hand。　　It　was　his　last　word　to　me。

Once　or　twice　that　morning　he　tried　to　write　some　request　which　he　could
not　put　into　intelligible　words。

And　once　he　spoke　to　Gabrilowitsch；　who；　he　said；　could　understand　him
better　than　the　others。　　Most　of　the　time　he　dozed。

Somewhat　after　midday；　when　Clara　was　by　him；　he　roused　up　and　took　her
hand；　and　seemed　to　speak　with　less　effort。

〃Good…by；〃　he　said；　and　Dr。　Quintard；　who　was　standing　near；　thought　he
added：　〃If　we　meet〃but　the　words　were　very　faint。　　He　looked　at　her　for
a　little　while；　without　speaking；　then　he　sank　into　a　doze；　and　from　it
passed　into　a　deeper　slumber；　and　did　not　heed　us　any　more。

Through　that　peaceful　spring　afternoon　the　life…wave　ebbed　lower　and
lower。　　It　was　about　half　past　six；　and　the　sun　lay　just　on　the　horizon
when　Dr。　Quintard　noticed　that　the　breathing；　which　had　gradually　become
more　subdued；　broke　a　little。　　There　was　no　suggestion　of　any　struggle。　
The　noble　head　turned　a　little　to　one　side；　there　was　a　fluttering　sigh；
and　the　breath　that　had　been　unceasing　through　seventy…four　tumultuous
years　had　stopped　forever。

He　had　entered　into　the　estate　envied　so　long。　　In　his　own　wordsthe
words　of　one　of　his　latest　memoranda：

〃He　had　arrived　at　the　dignity　of　deaththe　only　earthly　dignity　that　is
not　artificialthe　only　safe　one。　　The　others　are　traps　that　can　beguile
to　humiliation。

〃Deaththe　only　immortal　who　treats　us　all　alike；　whose　pity　and　whose
peace　and　whose　refuge　are　for　allthe　soiled　and　the　purethe　rich　and
the　poorthe　loved　and　the　unloved。〃




CCXCIV

THE　LAST　RITES

It　is　not　often　that　a　whole　world　mourns。　　Nations　have　often　mourned　a
heroand　racesbut　perhaps　never　before　had　the　entire　world　really
united　in　tender　sorrow　for　the　death　of　any　man。

In　one　of　his　aphorisms　he　wrote：　〃Let　us　endeavor　so　to　live　that　when
we　come　to　die　even　the　undertaker　will　be　sorry。〃　　And　it　was　thus　that
Mark　Twain　himself　had　lived。

No　man　had　ever　so　reached　the　heart　of　the　world；　and　one　may　not　even
attempt　to　explain　just　why。　　Let　us　only　say　that　it　was　because　he　was
so　limitlessly　human　that　every　other　human　heart；　in　whatever　sphere　or
circumstance；　responded　to　his　touch。　　From　every　remote　corner　of　the
globe　the　cables　of　condolence　swept　in；　every　printed　sheet　in
Christendom　was　filled　with　lavish　tribute；　pulpits　forgot　his　heresies
and　paid　him　honor。　　No　king　ever　died　that　received　so　rich　a　homage　as
his。　　To　quote　or　to　individualize　would　be　to　cheapen　this　vast
offering。

We　took　him　to　New　York　to　the　Brick　Church；　and　Dr。　Henry　van　Dyke　spoke
only　a　few　simple　words；　and　Joseph　Twichell　came　from　Hartford　and
delivered　brokenly　a　prayer　from　a　heart　wrung　with　double　grief；　for
Harmony；　his　wife；　was　nearing　the　journey's　end；　and　a　telegram　that
summoned　him　to　her　death…bed　came　before　the　services　ended。

Mark　Twain；　dressed　in　the　white　he　loved　so　well；　lay　there　with　the
nobility　of　death　upon　him；　while　a　multitude　of　those　who　loved　him
passed　by　and　looked　at　his　face　for　the　last　time。　　The　flowers；　of
which　so　many　had　been　sent；　were　banked　around　him；　but　on　the　casket
itself　lay　a　single　laurel　wreath　which　Dan　Beard　and　his　wife　had　woven
from　the　laurel　which　grows　on　Stormfield　hill。　　He　was　never　more
beautiful　than　as　he　lay　there；　and　it　was　an　impressive　scene　to　see
those　thousands　file　by；　regard　him　for　a　moment　gravely；　thoughtfully；
and　pass　on。　　All　sorts　were　there；　rich　and　poor；　some　crossed
themselves；　some　saluted；　some　paused　a　little　to　take　a　closer　look；　but
no　one　offered　even　to　pick　a　flower。　　Howells　came；　and　in　his　book　he
says：

　　　　　I　looked　a　moment　at　the　face　I　knew　so　well；　and　it　was　patient
　　　　　with　the　patience　I　had　so　often　seen　in　it：　something　of　a　puzzle；
　　　　　a　great　silent　dignity；　an　assent　to　what　must　be　from　the　depths　of
　　　　　a　nature　whose　tragical　seriousness　broke　in　the　laughter　which　the
　　　　　unwise　took　for　the　whole　of　him。

That　night　we　went　with　him　to　Elmira；　and　next　daya　somber　day　of
rainhe　lay　in　those　stately　parlors　that　had　seen　his　wedding…day；　and
where　Susy　had　lain；　and　Mrs。　Clemens；　and　Jean；　while　Dr。　Eastman　spoke
the　words　of　peace　which　separate　us　from　our　mortal　dead。　　Then　in　the
quiet；　steady　rain　of　that　Sunday　afternoon　we　laid　him　beside　those
others；　where　he　sleeps　well；　though　some　have　wished　that；　like　De　Soto；
he　might　have　been　laid　to　rest　in　the　bed　of　that　great　river　which　must
always　be　associated　with　his　name。




CCXCV

MARK　TWAIN'S　RELIGION

There　is　such　a　finality　about　death；　however　interesting　it　may　be　as　an
experience；　one　cannot　discuss　it　afterward　with　one's　friends。　　I　have
thought　it　a　great　pity　that　Mark　Twain　could　not　discuss；　with　Howells
say；　or　with　Twichell；　the　sensations　and　the　particulars　of　the　change；
supposing　there　be　a　recognizable　change；　in　that　transition　of　which　we
have　speculated　so　much；　with　such　slender　returns。　　No　one　ever　debated
the　undiscovered　country　more　than　he。　　In　his　whimsical；　semi…serious
fashion　he　had　considered　all　the　possibilities　of　the　future　state
orthodox　and　otherwiseand　had　drawn　picturesquely　original　conclusions。　
He　had　sent　Captain　Stormfield　in　a　dream　to　report　the　aspects　of　the
early　Christian　heaven。　　He　had　examined　the　scientific　aspects　of　the
more　subtle　philosophies。　　He　had　considered　spiritualism；
transmigration；　the　various　esoteric　doctrines；　and　in　the　end　he　had
logically　made　up　his　mind　that　death　concludes　all；　while　with　that　less
logical　hunger　which　survives　in　every　human　heart　he　had　never　ceased　to　
expect　an　existence　beyond　the　grave。　　His　disbelief　and　his　pessimism
were　identical　in　their　structure。　　They　were　of　his　mind；　never　of　his
heart。

Once　a　woman　said　to　him：

〃Mr。　Clemens；　you　are　not　a　pessimist；　you　only　think　you　are。〃　　And　she
might　have　added；　with　equal　force　and　truth：

〃You　are　not　a　disbeliever　in　immortality；　you　only　think　you　are。〃

Nothing　could　have　conveyed　more　truly　his　attitude　toward　life　and
death。　　His　belief　in　God；　the　Creator；　was　absolute；　but　it　was　a　God
far　removed　from　the　Creator　of　his　early　teaching。　　Every　man　builds　his
God　according　to　his　own　capacities。　　Mark　Twain's　God　was　of　colossal
proportionsso　vast；　indeed；　that　the　constellated　stars　were　but
molecules　in　His　veinsa　God　as　big　as　space　itself。

Mark　Twain　had　many　moods；　and　he　did　not　always　approve　of　his　own　God；
but　when　he　altered　his　conception；　it　was　likely　to　be　in　the　direction
of　enlargementa　further　removal　from　the　human　conception；　and　the
problem　of　what　we　call　our　lives。

In　1906　he　wrote：　＇See　also　1870；　chap。　lxxviii；　1899；　chap。　ccv；　and
various　talks；　1906…07；　etc。＇
　　　　　Let　us　now　consider　the　real　God；　the　genuine　God；　the　great　God；
　　　　　the　sublime　and　supreme　God；　the　authentic　Creator　of　the　real
　　　　　universe；　whose　remotenesses　are　visited　by　comets　only　comets　unto
　　　　　which　incredible　distant　Neptune　is　merely　an　out　post；　a　Sandy　Hook
　　　　　to　homeward…bound　specters　of　the　deeps　of　space　that　have　not
　　　　　glimpsed　it　before　for　generationsa　universe　not　made　with　hands
　　　　　and　suited　to　an　astronomical　nursery；　but　spread　abroad　through　the
　　　　　illimitable　reaches　of　space　by　the　flat　of　the　real　God　just
　　　　　mentioned；　by　comparison　with　whom　the　gods　whose　myriads　infest　the
　　　　　feeble　imaginations　of　men　are　as　a　swarm　of　gnats　scattered　and
　　　　　lost　in　the　infinitudes　of　the　empty　sky。　　

At　an　earlier　period…the　date　is　not　exactly　fixable；　but　the　stationery
used　and　the　handwriting　suggest　the　early　eightieshe　set　down　a　few
concisely　written　pages　of　conclusions　conclusions　from　which　he　did
not　deviate　materially　in　after　years。　　The　document　follows：

　　　　　I　believe　in　God　the　Almighty。

　　　　　I　do　not　believe　He　has　ever　sent　a　message　to　man　by　anybody；　or
　　　　　delivered　one　to　him　by　word　of　mouth；　or　made　Himself　visible　to
　　　　　mortal　eyes　at　any　time　in　any　place。

　　　　　I　believe　that　the　Old　and　New　Testaments　were　imagined　and　written
　　　　　by　man；　and　that　no　line　in　them　was　authorized　by　God；　much　less
　　　　　inspired　by　Him。

　　　　　I　think　the　goodness；　the　justice；　and　the　mercy　of　God　are
　　　　　manifested　in　His　works：　I　perceive　that　they　are　manifested　toward
　　　　　me　in　this　life；　the　logical　conclusion　is　that　they　will　be
　　　　　manifested　toward　me　in　the　life　to　come；　if　there　should　be　one。

　　　　　I　do　not　believe　in　special　providences。　　I　believe　that　the
　　　　　universe　is　governed　by　strict　and　immutable　laws：　If　one　man's
　　　　　family　is　swept　away　by　a　pestilence　and　another　man's　spared　it　is
　　　　　only　the　law　working：　God　is　not　interfering　in　that　small　matter；
　　　　　either　against　the　one　man　or　in　favor　of　the　other。

　　　　　I　cannot　see　how　eternal　punishment　hereafter　could　accomplish　any
　　　　　good　end；　therefore　I　am　not　able　to　believe　in　it。　　To　chasten　a
　　　　　man　in　order　to　perfect　him　might　be　reasonable　enough；　to
　　　　　annihilate　him　when　he　shall　have　proved　himself　incapable　of
　　　　　reaching　perfection　might　be　reasonable　enough；　but　to　roast　him
　　　　　forever　for　the　mere　satisfaction　of　seeing　him　roast　would　not　be
　　　　　reasonableeven　the　atrocious　God　imagined　by　the　Jews　would　tire
　　　　　of　the　spectacle　eventually。

　　　　　There　may　be　a　hereafter　and　there　may　not　be。　　I　am　wholly
　　　　　indifferent　about　it。　　If　I　am　appointed　to　live　again　I　feel　sure