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deemed herself the happiest woman on the Continent when I read your
letter to her； widened her smile perceptibly； and revived another
degree of strength in a minute。 She refused to consider her being
left alone； but： only the great chance opened to me。
SHOESMark； remember that ever so much of our pleasure depends upon
your shoes。 Don't fail to have adequate preparation made in that
department。
Meantime； the struggle with the 〃awful German language〃 went on。 It was
a general hand…to…hand contest。 From the head of the household down to
little Clara not one was exempt。 To Clemens it became a sort of
nightmare。 Once in his note…book he says：
〃Dreamed all bad foreigners went to German heaven； couldn't talk； and
wished they had gone to the other place〃； and a little farther along；
〃I wish I could hear myself talk German。〃
To Mrs。 Crane； in Elmira； he reported their troubles：
Clara Spaulding is working herself to death with her German； never
loses an instant while she is awakeor asleep； either； for that
matter； dreams of enormous serpents； who poke their heads up under
her arms and glare upon her with red…hot eyes； and inquire about the
genitive case and the declensions of the definite article。 Livy is
bully…ragging herself about as hard； pesters over her grammar and
her reader and her dictionary all day； then in the evening these two
students stretch themselves out on sofas and sigh and say； 〃Oh；
there's no use！ We never can learn it in the world！〃 Then Livy
takes a sentence to go to bed on： goes gaping and stretching to her
pillow murmuring； 〃Ich bin Ihnen sehr verbundenIch bin Ihnen sehr
verbundenIch bin Ihnen sehr verbundenI wonder if I can get that
packed away so it will stay till morning〃and about an hour after
midnight she wakes me up and says； 〃I do so hate to disturb you； but
is it 'Ich Ben Jonson sehr befinden'？〃
And Mrs。 Clemens wrote：
Oh； Sue dear； strive to enter in at the straight gate； for many
shall seek to enter it and shall not be able。 I am not striving
these days。 I am just interested in German。
Rosa； the maid； was required to speak to the children only in German；
though Bay at first would have none of it。 The nurse and governess tried
to blandish her； in vain。 She maintained a calm and persistent attitude
of scorn。 Little Susy tried； and really made progress； but one； day she
said； pathetically：
〃Mama； I wish Rosa was made in English。〃
Yet a little later Susy herself wrote her Aunt Sue：
I know a lot of German； everybody says I know a lot。 I give you a
million dollars to see you； and you would give two hundred dollars
to see the lovely woods that we see。
Even Howells； in far…off America； caught the infection and began a letter
in German； though he hastened to add； 〃Or do you prefer English by this
time？ Really I could imagine the German going hard with you； for you
always seemed to me a man who liked to be understood with the least
possible personal inconvenience。〃
Clemens declared more than once that he scorned the 〃outrageous and
impossible German grammar；〃 and abandoned it altogether。 In his note…
book he records how two Germans； strangers in Heidelberg； asked him a
direction； and that when he gave it； in the most elaborate and correct
German he could muster； one of them only lifted his eyes and murmured：
〃Gott im Himmel！〃
He was daily impressed with the lingual attainments of foreigners and his
own lack of them。 In the notes he comments：
Am addressed in German； and when I can't speak it immediately the
person tackles me in French； and plainly shows astonishment when I
stop him。 They naturally despise such an ignoramus。 Our doctor
here speaks as pure English； as I。
On the Fourth of July he addressed the American students in Heidelberg in
one of those mixtures of tongues for which he had a peculiar gift。
The room he had rented for a study was let by a typical German family；
and he was a great delight to them。 He practised his German on them； and
interested himself in their daily affairs。
Howells wrote insistently for some assurance of contributions to the
Atlantic。
I must begin printing your private letters to satisfy the popular
demand；〃 he said。 〃People are constantly asking when you are going to
begin。〃
Clemens replied that he would be only too glad to write for the Atlantic
if his contributions could be copyrighted in Canada； where pirates were
persistently enterprising。
I do not know that I have any printable stuff just nowseparatable
stuff； that isbut I shall have by and by。 It is very gratifying to
hear that it is wanted by anybody。 I stand always prepared to hear the
reverse； and am constantly surprised that it is delayed so long。
Consequently it is not going to astonish me when it comes。
The Clemens party enjoyed Heidelberg； though in different ways。 The
children romped and picnicked in the castle grounds； which adjoined the
hotel； Mrs。 Clemens and Miss Spaulding were devoted to bric…a…brac
hunting； picture…galleries； and music。 Clemens took long walks； or made
excursions by rail and diligence to farther points。 Art and opera did
not appeal to him。 The note…book says：
I have attended operas； whenever I could not help it； for fourteen
years now； I am sure I know of no agony comparable to the listening
to an unfamiliar opera。 I am enchanted with the airs of 〃Trovatore〃
and other old operas which the hand…organ and the music…box have
made entirely familiar to my ear。 I am carried away with delighted
enthusiasm when they are sung at the opera。 But oh； how far between
they are！ And what long； arid； heartbreaking and headaching
〃between…times〃 of that sort of intense but incoherent noise which
always so reminds me of the time the orphan asylum burned down。
Sunday night； 11th。 Huge crowd out to…night to hear the band play
the 〃Fremersberg。〃 I suppose it is very low…grade musicI know it
must be low…grade musicbecause it so delighted me； it so warmed
me； moved me； stirred me； uplifted me； enraptured me； that at times
I could have cried； and at others split my throat with shouting。
The great crowd was another evidence that it was low…grade music；
for only the few are educated up to a point where high…class music
gives pleasure。 I have never heard enough classic music to be able
to enjoy it； and the simple truth is I detest it。 Not mildly； but
with all my heart。
What a poor lot we human beings are anyway！ If base music gives me
wings； why should I want any other？ But I do。 I want to like the
higher music because the higher and better like it。 But you see I
want to like it without taking the necessary trouble； and giving the
thing the necessary amount of time and attention。 The natural
suggestion is； to get into that upper tier； that dress…circle； by a
liewe will pretend we like it。 This lie； this pretense； gives to
opera what