mark twain, a biography, 1900-1907-第48节

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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　sparrow　falls　but　He　is　noticing；　if　that　is　what
you　mean；　but　the　human　conception　of　it　is　that　God　is　sitting　up　nights
worrying　over　the　individuals　of　this　infinitesimal　race。〃

Then　he　recalled　a　fancy　which　I　have　since　found　among　his　memoranda。　
In　this　note　he　had　written：

　　　　　The　suns　&　planets　that　form　the　constellations　of　a　billion　billion
　　　　　solar　systems　&　go　pouring；　a　tossing　flood　of　shining　globes；
　　　　　through　the　viewless　arteries　of　space　are　the　blood…corpuscles　in
　　　　　the　veins　of　God；　&　the　nations　are　the　microbes　that　swarm　and
　　　　　wiggle　&　brag　in　each；　&　think　God　can　tell　them　apart　at　that
　　　　　distance　&　has　nothing　better　to　do　than　try。　　Thisthe
　　　　　entertainment　of　an　eternity。　　Who　so　poor　in　his　ambitions　as　to
　　　　　consent　to　be　God　on　those　terms？　　Blasphemy？　　No；　it　is　not
　　　　　blasphemy。　　If　God　is　as　vast　as　that；　He　is　above　blasphemy；　if　He
　　　　　is　as　little　as　that；　He　is　beneath　it。

〃The　Bible；〃　he　said；　〃reveals　the　character　of　its　God　with　minute
exactness。　　It　is　a　portrait　of　a　man；　if　one　can　imagine　a　man　with　evil
impulses　far　beyond　the　human　limit。　　In　the　Old　Testament　He　is　pictured
as　unjust；　ungenerous；　pitiless；　and　revengeful；　punishing　innocent
children　for　the　misdeeds　of　their　parents；　punishing　unoffending　people
for　the　sins　of　their　rulers；　even　descending　to　bloody　vengeance　upon
harmless　calves　and　sheep　as　punishment　for　puny　trespasses　committed　by
their　proprietors。　　It　is　the　most　damnatory　biography　that　ever　found
its　way　into　print。　　Its　beginning　is　merely　childish。　　Adam　is　forbidden
to　eat　the　fruit　of　a　certain　tree；　and　gravely　informed　that　if　he
disobeys　he　shall　die。　　How　could　that　impress　Adam？　　He　could　have　no
idea　of　what　death　meant。　　He　had　never　seen　a　dead　thing。　　He　had　never
heard　of　one。　　If　he　had　been　told　that　if　he　ate　the　apples　he　would　be
turned　into　a　meridian　of　longitude　that　threat　would　have　meant　just　as
much　as　the　other　one。　　The　watery　intellect　that　invented　that　notion
could　be　depended　on　to　go　on　and　decree　that　all　of　Adam's　descendants
down　to　the　latest　day　should　be　punished　for　that　nursery　trespass　in
the　beginning。

〃There　is　a　curious　poverty　of　invention　in　Bibles。　　Most　of　the　great
races　each　have　one；　and　they　all　show　this　striking　defect。　　Each
pretends　to　originality；　without　possessing　any。　　Each　of　them　borrows
from　the　other；　confiscates　old　stage　properties；　puts　them　forth　as
fresh　and　new　inspirations　from　on　high。　　We　borrowed　the　Golden　Rule
from　Confucius；　after　it　had　seen　service　for　centuries；　and　copyrighted
it　without　a　blush。　　We　went　back　to　Babylon　for　the　Deluge；　and　are　as
proud　of　it　and　as　satisfied　with　it　as　if　it　had　been　worth　the　trouble；
whereas　we　know　now　that　Noah's　flood　never　happened；　and　couldn't　have
happenednot　in　that　way。　　The　flood　is　a　favorite　with　Bible…makers。　
Another　favorite　with　the　founders　of　religions　is　the　Immaculate
Conception。　　It　had　been　worn　threadbare；　but　we　adopted　it　as　a　new
idea。　　It　was　old　in　Egypt　several　thousand　years　before　Christ　was　born。　
The　Hindus　prized　it　ages　ago。　　The　Egyptians　adopted　it　even　for　some　of
their　kings。　　The　Romans　borrowed　the　idea　from　Greece。　　We　got　it
straight　from　heaven　by　way　of　Rome。　　We　are　still　charmed　with　it。〃

He　would　continue　in　this　strain；　rising　occasionally　and　walking　about
the　room。　　Once；　considering　the　character　of　Godthe　Bible　God…he　said：

〃We　haven't　been　satisfied　with　God's　character　as　it　is　given　in　the　Old
Testament；　we　have　amended　it。　　We　have　called　Him　a　God　of　mercy　and
love　and　morals。　　He　didn't　have　a　single　one　of　those　qualities　in　the
beginning。　　He　didn't　hesitate　to　send　the　plagues　on　Egypt；　the　most
fiendish　punishments　that　could　be　devisednot　for　the　king；　but　for　his
innocent　subjects；　the　women　and　the　little　children；　and　then　only　to
exhibit　His　power　just　to　show　offand　He　kept　hardening　Pharaoh's　heart
so　that　He　could　send　some　further　ingenuity　of　torture；　new　rivers　of
blood；　and　swarms　of　vermin　and　new　pestilences；　merely　to　exhibit
samples　of　His　workmanship。　　Now　and　then；　during　the　forty　years'　
wandering；　Moses　persuaded　Him　to　be　a　little　more　lenient　with　the
Israelites；　which　would　show　that　Moses　was　the　better　character　of　the
two。　　That　Old　Testament　God　never　had　an　inspiration　of　His　own。〃

He　referred　to　the　larger　conception　of　God；　that　Infinite　Mind　which　had
projected　the　universe。　　He　said：

〃In　some　details　that　Old　Bible　God　is　probably　a　more　correct　picture
than　our　conception　of　that　Incomparable　One　that　created　the　universe
and　flung　upon　its　horizonless　ocean　of　space　those　giant　suns；　whose
signal…lights　are　so　remote　that　we　only　catch　their　flash　when　it　has
been　a　myriad　of　years　on　its　way。　　For　that　Supreme　One　is　not　a　God　of
pity　or　mercynot　as　we　recognize　these　qualities。　　Think　of　a　God　of
mercy　who　would　create　the　typhus　germ；　or　the　house…fly；　or　the
centipede；　or　the　rattlesnake；　yet　these　are　all　His　handiwork。　　T