ItisnotirrelevanttoClemenstosaythatGrantseemedtolikefindinghimselfincompanywithtwoliterarymen，oneofwhomatleasthecouldmakesureof，andunlikethatsilentmanhewasreputed，hetalkedconstantly，andsofarashemighthetalkedliterature。AtleasthetalkedofJohnPhoenix，thatdelightfulestoftheearlyPacificSlopehumorists，whomhehadknownunderhisrealnameofGeorgeH。Derby，whentheywerefellow—cadetsatWestPoint。Itwasmightypretty，asPepyswouldsay，toseethedelicatedeferenceClemenspaidourplainhero，andthemanlyrespectwithwhichhelistened。WhileGranttalked，hisluncheonwasbroughtinfromsomeunassumingrestaurantnearby，andheaskedustojoinhiminthebakedbeansandcoffeewhichwereservedusinalittleroomoutoftheofficewithaboutthesamecircumstanceasatarailroadrefreshment—counter。Thebakedbeansandcoffeewereofabouttherailroad—refreshmentquality；buteatingthemwithGrantwaslikesittingdowntobakedbeansandcoffeewithJuliusCaesar，orAlexander，orsomeothergreatPlutarchancaptain。OneofthehighestsatisfactionsofClemens’softensupremelysatisfactorylifewashisrelationtoGrant。
ItwashisproudjoytotellhowhefoundGrantabouttosignacontractforhisbookoncertainlyverygoodterms，andsaidtohimthathewouldhimselfpublishthebookandgivehimapercentagethreetimesaslarge。
HesaidGrantseemedtodoubtwhetherhecouldhonorablywithdrawfromthenegotiationatthatpoint，butClemensoverborehisscruples，anditwashisunparalleledprivilege，hisprincelypleasure，topaytheauthorafarlargercheckforhisworkthanhadeverbeenpaidtoanauthorbefore。Hevaluedevenmorethanthissplendidopportunitythesacredmomentsinwhichtheirbusinessbroughthimintothepresenceoftheslowlydying，heroicallylivingmanwhomhewassobefriending；andhetoldmeinwordswhichsurelylostnoneoftheirsimplepathosthroughhisreporthowGrantdescribedhissuffering。
Theprosperity，ofthisventurewasthebeginningofClemens’sadversity，foritledtoexcessesofenterprisewhichwereformsofdissipation。
TheyoungsculptorwhohadcomebacktohimfromParismodelledasmallbustofGrant，whichClemensmultipliedingreatnumberstohisgreatloss，andthesuccessofGrant’sbooktemptedhimtolaunchonpublishingseaswherehisbarkpresentlyfoundered。ThefirstandgreatestofhisdisasterswastheLifeofPopeLeoXIII，whichhecametotellmeof，whenhehadimaginedit，inasortofdeliriousexultation。Hehadnowordsinwhichtopaintthemagnificenceoftheproject，ortoforecastitscolossalsuccess。ItwouldhaveacurrencyboundedonlybythenumberofCatholicsinChristendom。Itwouldbetranslatedintoeverylanguagewhichwasanywherewrittenorprinted；itwouldbecirculatedliterallyineverycountryoftheglobe，andClemens’sbookagentswouldcarrytheprospectusesandthentheboundcopiesoftheworktotheendsofthewholeearth。NotonlywouldeveryCatholicbuyit，buteveryCatholicmust，ashewasagoodCatholic，ashehopedtobesaved。Itwasamagnificentscheme，anditcaptivatedme，asithadcaptivatedClemens；itdazzledusboth，andneitherofussawthefataldefectinit。WedidnotconsiderhowoftenCatholicscouldnotread，howoftenwhentheycould，theymightnotwishtoread。TheeventprovedthatwhethertheycouldreadornottheimmeasurablemajoritydidnotwishtoreadthelifeofthePope，thoughitwaswrittenbyadignitaryoftheChurchandissuedtotheworldwitheverysanctionfromtheVatican。