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who takes him in hand and teaches him the right way to handle his
art。 I was talking to Mrs。 Clemens about this the other day； and
grieving because I never mentioned it to you； thereby seeming to
ignore it or to be unaware of it。 Nothing that has passed under
your eye needs any revision before going into a volume； while all my
other stuff does need so much。
In that ancient day； before the wireless telegraph； the voyager； when the
land fell away behind him； felt a mighty sense of relief and rest； which
to some extent has gone now forever。 He cannot entirely escape the world
in this new day； but then he had a complete sense of dismissal from all
encumbering cares of life。 Among the first note…book entries Mark Twain
wrote：
To go abroad has something of the same sense that death brings〃I am no
longer of ye； what ye say of me is now of no consequencebut of how much
consequence when I am with ye and of ye。 I know you will refrain from
saying harsh things because they cannot hurt me； since I am out of reach
and cannot hear them。 This is why we say no harsh things of the dead。〃
It was a rough voyage outside； but the company made it pleasant within。
Halstead and Taylor were good smoking…room companions。 Taylor had a
large capacity for languages and a memory that was always a marvel。 He
would repeat for them Arabian； Hungarian； and Russian poetry； and show
them the music and construction of it。 He sang German folk…lore songs
for them； and the 〃Lorelei；〃 then comparatively unknown in America。 Such
was his knowledge of the language that even educated Germans on board
submitted questions of construction to him and accepted his decisions。
He was wisely chosen for the mission he had to fill； but unfortunately he
did not fill it long。 Both Halstead and Taylor were said to have heart
trouble。 Halstead； however； survived many years。 Taylor died
December 19； 1878。
CXVII
GERMANY AND GERMAN
》From the note…book：
It is a marvel that never loses its surprise by repetition； this
aiming a ship at a mark three thousand miles away and hitting the
bull's…eye in a fogas we did。 When the fog fell on us the captain
said we ought to be at such and such a spot （it had been eighteen
hours since an observation was had）； with the Scilly islands bearing
so and so； and about so many miles away。 Hove the lead and got
forty…eight fathoms； looked on the chart； and sure enough this depth
of water showed that we were right where the captain said we were。
Another idea。 For ages man probably did not know why God carpeted
the ocean bottom with sand in one place； shells in another； and so
on。 But we see now； the kind of bottom the lead brings up shows
where a ship is when the soundings don't； and also it confirms the
soundings。
They reached Hamburg after two weeks' stormy sailing。 They rested a few
days there； then went to Hanover and Frankfort； arriving at Heidelberg
early in May。
They had no lodgings selected in Heidelberg； and leaving the others at an
inn； Clemens set out immediately to find apartments。 Chance or
direction； or both； led him to the beautiful Schloss Hotel； on a hill
overlooking the city； and as fair a view as one may find in all Germany。
He did not go back after his party。 He sent a message telling them to
take carriage and drive at once to the Schloss； then he sat down to enjoy
the view。
Coming up the hill they saw him standing on the veranda； waving his hat
in welcome。 He led them to their roomsspacious apartmentsand pointed
to the view。 They were looking down on beautiful Heidelberg Castle；
densely wooded hills； the far…flowing Neckar； and the haze…empurpled
valley of the Rhine。 By and by； pointing to a small cottage on the
hilltop； he said：
〃I have been picking out my little house to work in； there it is over
there； the one with the gable in the roof。 Mine is the middle room on
the third floor。〃
Mrs。 Clemens thought the occupants of the house might be surprised if he
should suddenly knock and tell them he had come to take possession of his
room。 Nevertheless； they often looked over in that direction and
referred to it as his office。 They amused themselves by watching his
〃people〃 and trying to make out what they were like。 One day he went
over there； and sure enough there was a sign out； 〃Moblirte Wohnung zu
Vermiethen。〃 A day or two later he was established in the very room he
had selected； it being the only room but one vacant。
In A Tramp Abroad Mark Twain tells of the beauty of their Heidelberg
environment。 To Howells he wrote：
Our bedroom has two great glass bird…cages （inclosed balconies）； one
looking toward the Rhine Valley and sunset； the other looking up the
Neckar cul…de…sac； and naturally we spend pearly all our time in
these。 We have tables and chairs in them； we do our reading；
writing； studying； smoking； and suppering in them 。 。 。 。 It
must have been a noble genius who devised this hotel。 Lord； how
blessed is the repose； the tranquillity of this place！ Only two
sounds： the happy clamor of the birds in the groves and the muffled
music of the Neckar tumbling over the opposing dikes。 It is no
hardship to lie awake awhile nights； for this subdued roar has
exactly the sound of a steady rain beating upon a roof。 It is so
healing to the spirit； and it bears up the thread of one's
imaginings as the accompaniment bears up a song。。。。
I have waited for a 〃call〃 to go to workI knew it would come。
Well； it began to come a week ago； my note…book comes out more and
more frequently every day since； three days ago I concluded to move
my manuscripts over to my den。 Now the call is loud and decided at
last。 So to…morrow I shall begin regular； steady work； and stick to
it till the middle of July or August 1st； when I look for Twichell；
we will then walk about Germany two or three weeks； and then I'll go
to work again （perhaps in Munich）。
The walking tour with Twichell had been contemplated in the scheme for
gathering book material； but the plan for it had not been completed when
he left Hartford。 Now he was anxious that they should start as soon as
possible。 Twichell； receiving the news in Hartford； wrote that it was a
great day for him： that his third son had been happily born early that
morning； and now the arrival of this glorious gift of a tramp through
Germany and Switzerland completed his blessings。
I am almost too joyful for pleasure ＇he wrote＇。 I labor with my
felicities。 How I shall get to sleep to…night I don't know； though
I have had a good start； in not having slept much last night。 Oh；
my！ do you realize； Mark； what a symposium it is to be？ I do。 To
begin with； I am thoroughly tired and the rest will be worth
everything。 To walk with you and talk with you for weeks together
why； it's my dream of luxury。 Harmony； who at sunrise this morning
deemed herself the happiest woman on the Continent when I read your