stair。 Once； when I arrived； I heard him calling； and going up I found
him highly pleased with the arrangement of two pictures on a chair；
placed so that the glasses of them reflected the sunlight on the ceiling。
He said：
〃They seem to catch the reflection of the sky and the winter colors。
Sometimes the hues are wonderfully iridescent。〃
He pointed to a bunch of wild red berries on the mantel with the sun on
them。
〃How beautifully they light up！〃 he said； 〃some of them in the sunlight；
some still in the shadow。〃
He walked to the window and stood looking out on the somber fields。
〃The lights and colors are always changing there；〃 he said。 〃I never
tire of it。〃
To see him then so full of the interest and delight of the moment； one
might easily believe he had never known tragedy and shipwreck。 More than
any one I ever knew； he lived in the present。 Most of us are either
dreaming of the past or anticipating the futureforever beating the
dirge of yesterday or the tattoo of to…morrow。 Mark Twain's step was
timed to the march of the moment。 There were days when he recalled the
past and grieved over it； and when he speculated concerning the future；
but his greater interest was always of the now； and of the particular
locality where he found it。 The thing which caught his fancy； however
slight or however important； possessed him fully for the time； even if
never afterward。
He was especially interested that winter in the Shakespeare…Bacon
problem。 He had long been unable to believe that the actor…manager from
Stratford had written those great plays； and now a book just published；
'The Shakespeare Problem Restated'； by George Greenwood； and another one
in press； 'Some Characteristic Signatures of Francis Bacon'； by William
Stone Booth； had added the last touch of conviction that Francis Bacon；
and Bacon only； had written the Shakespeare dramas。 I was ardently
opposed to this idea。 The romance of the boy； Will Shakespeare； who had
come up to London and began； by holding horses outside of the theater；
and ended by winning the proudest place in the world of letters； was
something I did not wish to let perish。 I produced all the stock
testimonyBen Jonson's sonnet； the internal evidence of the plays
themselves； the actors who had published thembut he refused to accept
any of it。 He declared that there was not a single proof to show that
Shakespeare had written one of them。
〃Is there any evidence that he didn't？〃 I asked。
〃There's evidence that he couldn't；〃 he said。 〃It required a man with
the fullest legal equipment to have written them。 When you have read
Greenwood's book you will see how untenable is any argument for
Shakespeare's authorship。〃
I was willing to concede something； and offered a compromise。
〃Perhaps；〃 I said； 〃Shakespeare was the Belasoo of that daythe
managerial genius； unable to write plays himself； but with the supreme
gift of making effective drama from the plays of others。 In that case it
is not unlikely that the plays would be known as Shakespeare's。 Even in
this day John Luther Long's 〃Madam Butterfly〃 is sometimes called
Belasco's play； though it is doubtful if Belasco ever wrote a line of
it。〃
He considered this view； but not very favorably。 The Booth book was at
this time a secret； and he had not told me anything concerning it； but he
had it in his mind when he said； with an air of the greatest conviction：
〃I know that Shakespeare did not write those plays； and I have reason to
believe he did not touch the text in any way。〃
〃How can you be so positive？〃 I asked。
He replied：
〃I have private knowledge from a source that cannot be questioned。〃
I now suspected that he was joking； and asked if he had been consulting a
spiritual medium； but he was clearly in earnest。
〃It is the great discovery of the age；〃 he said； quite seriously。 〃The
world will soon ring with it。 I wish I could tell you about it； but I
have passed my word。 You will not have long to wait。〃
I was going to sail for the Mediterranean in February； and I asked if it
would be likely that I would know this great secret before I sailed。 He
thought not； but he said that more than likely the startling news would
be given to the world while I was on the water； and it might come to me
on the ship by wireless。 I confess I was amazed and intensely curious by
this time。 I conjectured the discovery of some documentsome Bacon or
Shakespeare private paper which dispelled all the mystery of the
authorship。 I hinted that he might write me a letter which I could open
on the ship； but he was firm in his refusal。 He had passed his word； he
repeated； and the news might not be given out as soon as that； but he
assured me more than once that wherever I might be； in whatever remote
locality； it would come by cable； and the world would quake with it。
I was tempted to give up my trip； to be with him at Stormfield at the
time of the upheaval。
Naturally the Shakespeare theme was uppermost during the remaining days
that we were together。 He had engaged another stenographer； and was now
dictating； forenoons； his own views on the subjectviews coordinated
with those of Mr。 Greenwood； whom he liberally quoted； but embellished
and decorated in his own gay manner。 These were chapters for his
autobiography； he said； and I think he had then no intention of making a
book of them。 I could not quite see why he should take all this
argumentary trouble if he had； as he said； positive evidence that Bacon；
and not Shakespeare； had written the plays。 I thought the whole matter
very curious。
The Shakespeare interest had diverging by…paths。 One evening； when we
were alone at dinner； he said：
〃There is only one other illustrious man in history about whom there is
so little known；〃 and he added； 〃Jesus Christ。〃
He reviewed the statements of the Gospels concerning Christ； though he
declared them to be mainly traditional and of no value。 I agreed that
they contained confusing statements； and inflicted more or less with
justice and reason； but I said I thought there was truth in them； too。
〃Why do you think so？〃 he asked。
〃Because they contain matters that are self…evidentthings eternally and
essentially just。〃
〃Then you make your own Bible？〃
〃Yes； from those materials combined with human reason。〃
〃Then it does not matter where the truth； as you call it； comes from？〃
I admitted that the source did not matter； that truth from Shakespeare；
Epictetus； or Aristotle was quite as valuable as from the Scriptures。 We
were on common ground now。 He mentioned Marcus Aurelius； the Stoics； and
their blameless lives。 I； still pursuing the thought of Jesus； asked：
〃Do you not think it strange that in that day when Christ came； admitting
that there was a Christ； such a character could have come at allin the
time of the Pharisees and the Sadducees； when all was ceremony and
unbelief？〃
〃I remember；〃 he said； 〃the Sadducees didn't believe in hell。 He brought
them one。〃
〃Nor the resurrection。 He brought them that； also。〃
He did not admit that there had been a Christ with the character and
mission related by the Gospels。
〃It is all a myth；〃 he said。 〃There have been Saviours in every age of
the world。 It is all just a fairy tale； like the idea of Santa Claus。〃
〃But；〃 I argued； 〃even the spirit of Christmas is real when it is
genuine。 Suppose that we admit there was no physical Saviourthat it is
only an ideaa spiritual embodiment which humanity has made for itself
and is willing to improve upon as its own spirituality improves； wouldn't
that make it worthy？〃
〃But then the fairy story of the atonement dissolves； and with it
crumbles the very foundations of any established church。 You can create
your own Testament； your own Scripture； and your own Christ； but you've
got to give up your atonement。〃
〃As related to the crucifixion； yes； and good riddance to it； but the
death of the old order and the growth of spirituality comes to a sort of
atonement； doesn't it？〃
He said：
〃A conclusion like that has about as much to do with the Gospels and
Christianity as Shakespeare had to do with Bacon's plays。 You are
preaching a doctrine that would have sent a man to the stake a few
centuries ago。 I have preached that in my own Gospel。〃
I remembered then； and realized that； by my own clumsy ladder； I had
merely mounted from dogma； and superstition to his platform of training
the ideals to a higher contentment of soul。
CCLXXVII
〃IS SHAKESPEARE DEAD？〃
I set out on my long journey with much reluctance。 However； a series of
guests with various diversions had been planned； and it seemed a good
time to go。 Clemens gave me letters of introduction； and bade me
Godspeed。 It would be near the end of April before I should see him
again。
Now and then on the ship； and in the course of my travels； I remembered
the great news I was to hear concerning Shakespeare。 In Cairo； at
Shepheard's； I looked eagerly through English newspapers； expecting any
moment to come upon great head…lines； but I was always disappointed。
Even on the return voyage there was no one I could find who had heard an