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Neal； and suggested that Mr。 Clemens was ready now to receive the
members。
That was enough。 They began to arrive immediately。 John Sharp Williams
came first； then Boutell； from Illinois； Littlefield； of Maine； and after
them a perfect procession； including all the leading lightsDalzell；
Champ Clark； McCallone hundred and eighty or so in all during the next
three or four hours。
Neal announced each name at the door； and in turn I announced it to
Clemens when the press was not too great。 He had provided boxes of
cigars； and the room was presently blue with smoke； Clemens in his white
suit in the midst of it； surrounded by those darker figuresshaking
hands； dealing out copyright gospel and anecdoteshappy and wonderfully
excited。 There were chairs； but usually there was only standing room。
He was on his feet for several hours and talked continually； but when at
last it was over； and Champ Clark； who I believe remained longest and was
most enthusiastic in the movement； had bade him good…by； he declared that
he was not a particle tired； and added：
〃I believe if our bill could be presented now it would pass。〃
He was highly elated； and pronounced everything a perfect success。 Neal；
who was largely responsible for the triumph； received a ten…dollar bill。
We drove to the hotel and dined that night with the Dodges； who had been
neighbors at Riverdale。 Later； the usual crowd of admirers gathered
around him； among them I remember the minister from Costa Rica； the
Italian minister； and others of the diplomatic service； most of whom he
had known during his European residence。 Some one told of traveling in
India and China； and how a certain Hindu 〃god〃 who had exchanged
autographs with Mark Twain during his sojourn there was familiar with
only two other American namesGeorge Washington and Chicago； while the
King of Siam had read but three English booksthe Bible； Bryce's
American Commonwealth； and The Innocents Abroad。
We were at Thomas Nelson Page's for dinner next eveninga wonderfully
beautiful home； full of art treasures。 A number of guests had been
invited。 Clemens naturally led the dinner…talk； which eventually drifted
to reading。 He told of Mrs。 Clemens's embarrassment when Stepniak had
visited them and talked books； and asked her what her husband thought of
Balzac； Thackeray； and the others。 She had been obliged to say that he
had not read them。
〃'How interesting！' said Stepniak。 But it wasn't interesting to Mrs。
Clemens。 It was torture。〃
He was light…spirited and gay； but recalling Mrs。 Clemens saddened him；
perhaps； for he was silent as we drove to the hotel； and after he was in
bed he said； with a weary despair which even the words do not convey：
〃If I had been there a minute earlier； it is possibleit is possible
that she might have died in my arms。 Sometimes I think that perhaps
there was an instanta single instantwhen she realized that she was
dying and that I was not there。〃
In New York I had once brought him a print of the superb 〃Adams
Memorial；〃 by Saint…Gaudensthe bronze woman who sits in the still court
in the Rock Creek Cemetery at Washington。
On the morning following the Page dinner at breakfast； he said：
〃Engage a carriage and we will drive out and see the Saint…Gaudens
bronze。〃
It was a bleak； dull December day； and as we walked down through the
avenues of the dead there was a presence of realized sorrow that seemed
exactly suited to such a visit。 We entered the little inclosure of
cedars where sits the dark figure which is art's supreme expression of
the great human mystery of life and death。 Instinctively we removed our
hats； and neither spoke until after we had come away。 Then：
〃What does he call it？〃 he asked。
I did not know； though I had heard applied to it that great line of
Shakespeare's〃the rest is silence。〃
〃But that figure is not silent；〃 he said。
And later； as we were driving home：
〃It is in deep meditation on sorrowful things。〃
When we returned to New York he had the little print framed； and kept it
always on his mantelpiece。
CCLII
THEOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
》From the Washington trip dates a period of still closer association with
Mark Twain。 On the way to New York he suggested that I take up residence
in his housea privilege which I had no wish to refuse。 There was room
going to waste； he said； and it would be handier for the early and late
billiard sessions。 So； after that； most of the days and nights I was
there。
Looking back on that time now； I see pretty vividly three quite distinct
pictures。 One of them； the rich； red interior of the billiard…room with
the brilliant； green square in the center； on which the gay balls are
rolling； and bending over it that luminous white figure in the instant of
play。 Then there is the long； lighted drawing…room with the same figure
stretched on a couch in the corner； drowsily smoking； while the rich
organ tones fill the place summoning for him scenes and faces which
others do not see。 This was the hour between dinner and billiardsthe
hour which he found most restful of the day。 Sometimes he rose； walking
the length of the parlors； his step timed to the music and his thought。
Of medium height； he gave the impression of being tall…his head thrown
up； and like a lion's； rather large for his body。 But oftener he lay
among the cushions； the light flooding his white hair and dress and
heightening his brilliant coloring。
The third picture is that of the dinner…tablealways beautifully laid；
and always a shrine of wisdom when he was there。 He did not always talk；
but it was his habit to do so； and memory holds the clearer vision of him
when； with eyes and face alive with interest； he presented some new angle
of thought in fresh picturesqueness of speech。 These are the pictures
that have remained to me out of the days spent under his roof； and they
will not fade while memory lasts。
Of Mark Twain's table philosophies it seems proper to make rather
extended record。 They were usually unpremeditated； and they presented
the man as he was； and thought。 I preserved as much of them as I could；
and have verified phrase and idea； when possible； from his own notes and
other unprinted writings。
This dinner…table talk naturally varied in character from that of the
billiard…room。 The latter was likely to be anecdotal and personal； the
former was more often philosophical and commentative； ranging through a
great variety of subjects scientific； political； sociological； and
religious。 His talk was often of infinitythe forces of creationand
it was likely to be satire of the orthodox conceptions； intermingled with
heresies of his own devising。
Once； after a period of general silence； he said：
〃No one who thinks can imagine the universe made by chance。 It is too
nicely assembled and regulated。 There is； of course； a great Master
Mind； but it cares nothing for our happiness or our unhappiness。〃
It was objected； by one of those present； that as the Infinite Mind
suggested perfect harmony； sorrow and suffering were defects which that
Mind must feel and eventually regulate。
〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃not a sparro