disobeyed。 Not by Adam himself； but by his temperamentwhich he
did not create and had no authority over。 For the temperament is
the man； the thing tricked out with clothes and named Man is merely
its Shadow； nothing more。 The law of the tiger's temperament is；
Thou shaft kill； the law of the sheep's temperament is； Thou shalt
not kill。 To issue later commands requiring the tiger to let the
fat stranger alone； and requiring the sheep to imbrue its hands in
the blood of the lion is not worth while； for those commands can't
be obeyed。 They would invite to violations of the law of
temperament； which is supreme； and takes precedence of all other
authorities。 I cannot help feeling disappointed in Adam and Eve。
That is； in their temperaments。 Not in them； poor helpless young
creaturesafflicted with temperaments made out of butter； which
butter was commanded to get into contact with fire and be melted。
What I cannot help wishing is； that Adam and Eve had been postponed；
and Martin Luther and Joan of Arc put in their placethat splendid
pair equipped with temperaments not made of butter； but of asbestos。
By neither sugary persuasions nor by hell…fire could Satan have
beguiled them to eat the apple。
There would have been results！ Indeed yes。 The apple would be
intact to…day； there would be no human race； there would be no you；
there would be no me。 And the old； old creation…dawn scheme of
ultimately launching me into the literary guild would have been
defeated。
CCLXXXIX
THE DEATH OF JEAN
He decided to go home for the holidays； and how fortunate it seems now
that he did so！ We sailed for America on the 18th of December； arriving
the 21st。 Jean was at the wharf to meet us； blue and shivering with the
cold； for it was wretchedly bleak there； and I had the feeling that she
should not have come。
She went directly； I think； to Stormfield； he following a day or two
later。 On the 23d I was lunching with Jean alone。 She was full of
interest in her Christmas preparations。 She had a handsome tree set up
in the loggia； and the packages were piled about it； with new ones
constantly arriving。 With her farm management； her housekeeping； her
secretary work； and her Christmas preparations； it seemed to me that she
had her hands overfull。 Such a mental pressure could not be good for
her。 I suggested that for a time at least I might assume a part of her
burden。
I was to remain at my own home that night； and I think it was as I left
Stormfield that I passed jean on the stair。 She said； cheerfully； that
she felt a little tired and was going up to lie down； so that she would
be fresh for the evening。 I did not go back； and I never saw her alive
again。
I was at breakfast next morning when word was brought in that one of the
men from Stormfield was outside and wished to see me immediately。 When I
went out he said： 〃Miss Jean is dead。 They have just found her in her
bath…room。 Mr。 Clemens sent me to bring you。〃
It was as incomprehensible as such things always are。 I could not
realize at all that Jean； so full of plans and industries and action less
than a day before； had passed into that voiceless mystery which we call
death。
Harry Iles drove me rapidly up the hill。 As I entered Clemens's room he
looked at me helplessly and said：
〃Well； I suppose you have heard of this final disaster。〃
He was not violent or broken down with grief。 He had come to that place
where； whatever the shock or the ill…turn of fortune； he could accept it；
and even in that first moment of loss he realized that； for Jean at
least； the fortune was not ill。 Her malady had never been cured； and it
had been one of his deepest dreads that he would leave her behind him。
It was believed； at first； that Jean had drowned； and Dr。 Smith tried
methods of resuscitation； but then he found that it was simply a case of
heart cessation caused by the cold shock of her bath。
The Gabrilowitsches were by this time in Europe； and Clemens cabled them
not to come。 Later in the day he asked me if we would be willing to
close our home for the winter and come to Stormfield。 He said that he
should probably go back to Bermuda before long； but that he wished to
keep the house open so that it would be there for him to come to at any
time that he might need it。
We came； of course； for there was no thought among any of his friends but
for his comfort and peace of mind。 Jervis Langdon was summoned from
Elmira； for Jean would lie there with the others。
In the loggia stood the half…trimmed Christmas tree； and all about lay
the packages of gifts； and in Jean's room； on the chairs and upon her
desk； were piled other packages。 Nobody had been forgotten。 For her
father she had bought a handsome globe； he had always wanted one。 Once
when I went into his room he said：
〃I have been looking in at Jean and envying her。 I have never greatly
envied any one but the dead。 I always envy the dead。〃
He told me how the night before they had dined together alone； how he had
urged her to turn over a part of her work to me； how she had clung to
every duty as if now； after all the years； she was determined to make up
for lost time。
While they were at dinner a telephone inquiry had come concerning his
health； for the papers had reported him as returning from Bermuda in a
critical condition。 He had written this playful answer：
MANAGER ASSOCIATED PRESS；
New York。
I hear the newspapers say I am dying。 The charge is not true。 I
would not do such a thing at my time of life。 I am behaving as good
as I can。
Merry Christmas to everybody！ MARK TWAIN。
Jean telephoned it for him to the press。 It had been the last secretary
service she had ever rendered。
She had kissed his hand； he said； when they parted； for she had a severe
cold and would not wish to impart it to him； then happily she had said
good night； and he had not seen her again。 The reciting of this was good
to him； for it brought the comfort of tears。
Later； when I went in again； he was writing：
〃I am setting it down；〃 he said〃everything。 It is a relief to me to
write it。 It furnishes me an excuse for thinking。〃
He continued writing most of the day； and at intervals during the next
day； and the next。
It was on Christmas Day that they went with Jean on her last journey。
Katie Leary； her baby nurse； had dressed her in the dainty gown which she
had worn for Clara's wedding； and they had pinned on it a pretty buckle
which her father had brought her from Bermuda； and which she had not
seen。 No Greek statue was ever more classically beautiful than she was；
lying there in the great living…room； which in its brief history had seen
so much of the round of life。
They were to start with jean at about six o'clock； and a little before
that time Clemens （he was unable to make the journey） asked me what had
been her favorite music。 I said that she seemed always to care most for
the Schubert Impromptu。 ＇Op。 142； No。 2。＇ Then he said：
〃Play it when they get ready to leave with her； and add the Intermezzo
for Susy and the Largo for Mrs。 Clemens。 When I hear the music I shall
know that they are starting。 Tell them to set lanterns at the door； so I
can look down and see them go。〃
So I sat at the organ and began playing as they lifted and bore her away。
A soft； heavy snow was falling； and the gloom of those shortest days was
closing in。 There was not the least wind or noise； the whole world was
muffled。 The lanterns at the door threw their light out on the thickly
falling flakes。 I remained at the organ； but the little group at the
door saw him come to the window abovethe light on his white hair as he
stood mournfully gazing down； watching Jean going away from him for the
last time。 I played steadily on as he had instructed； the Impromptu； the
Intermezzo from 〃Cavalleria；〃 and Handel's Largo。 When I had finished I
went up and found him。
〃Poor little Jean；〃 he said； 〃but for her it is so good to go。〃
In his own story of it he wrote：
From my windows I saw the hearse and the carriages wind along the
road and gradually grow vague and spectral in the falling snow； and
presently disappear。 Jean was gone out of my life； and would not
come back any more。 The cousin she had played with when they were
babies togetherhe and her beloved old KatieWere conducting her
to her distant childhood home； where she will lie by her mother's
side once more； in the company of Susy and Langdon。
He did not come down to dinner； and when I went up afterward I found him
curiously agitated。 He said：
〃For one who does not believe in spirits I have had a most peculiar
experience。 I went into the bath…room just now and closed the door。
You know how warm it always is in there； and there are no draughts。 All
at once I felt a cold current of air about me。 I thought the door must
be open； but it was closed。 I said； 'Jean； is this you trying to let me
know you have found the others？' Then the cold