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
it will be for some more sane a