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what is lacking。 It is all such truthtruth to the life； everywhere
your pen falls it leaves a photograph 。 。 。 。 Possibly you will not
be a fully accepted classic until you have been dead one hundred years
it is the fate of the Shakespeares of all genuine professionsbut then
your books will be as common as Bibles； I believe。 In that day I shall
be in the encyclopedias too； thus： 〃Mark Twain； history and occupation
unknown； but he was personally acquainted with Howells。〃
Though in humorous form； this was a sincere tribute。 Clemens always
regarded with awe William Dean Howells's ability to dissect and
photograph with such delicacy the minutiae of human nature； just as
Howells always stood in awe of Mark Twain's ability to light； with a
single flashing sentence； the whole human horizon。
CXXI
PARIS； ENGLAND； AND HOMEWARD BOUND
They decided to spend the spring months in Paris； so they gave up their
pleasant quarters with Fraulein Dahlweiner； and journeyed across Europe；
arriving at the French capital February 28； 1879。 Here they met another
discouraging prospect； for the weather was cold and damp； the cabmen
seemed brutally ill…mannered； their first hotel was chilly； dingy；
uninviting。 Clemens； in his note…book； set down his impressions of their
rooms。 A paragraph will serve：
Ten squatty； ugly arm…chairs； upholstered in the ugliest and
coarsest conceivable scarlet plush； two hideous sofas of the same
uncounted armless chairs ditto。 Five ornamental chairs； seats
covered with a coarse rag； embroidered in flat expanse with a
confusion of leaves such as no tree ever bore； six or seven a dirty
white and the rest a faded red。 How those hideous chairs do swear
at the hideous sofa near them！ This is the very hatefulest room I
have seen in Europe。
Oh； how cold and raw and unwarmable it is！
It was better than that when the sun came out； and they found happier
quarters presently at the Hotel Normandy； rue de l'Echelle。
But； alas； the sun did not come out often enough。 It was one of those
French springs and summers when it rains nearly every day； and is
distressingly foggy and chill between times。 Clemens received a bad
impression of France and the French during that Parisian…sojourn； from
which he never entirely recovered。 In his note…book he wrote： 〃France
has neither winter； nor summer； nor morals。 Apart from these drawbacks
it is a fine country。〃
The weather may not have been entirely accountable for his prejudice； but
from whatever cause Mark Twain； to the day of his death； had no great
love for the French as a nation。 Conversely； the French as a nation did
not care greatly for Mark Twain。 There were many individual Frenchmen
that Mark Twain admired； as there were many Frenchmen who admired the
work and personality of Mark Twain； but on neither side was there the
warm； fond； general affection which elsewhere throughout Europe he
invited and returned。
His book was not yet finished。 In Paris he worked on it daily； but
without enthusiasm。 The city was too noisy； the weather too dismal。
His note…book says：
May 7th。 I wish this terrible winter would come to an end。 Have had
rain almost without intermission for two months and one week。
May 28th。 This is one of the coldest days of this most damnable and
interminable winter。
It was not all gloom and discomfort。 There was congenial company in
Paris； and dinner…parties； and a world of callers。 Aldrich the
scintillating ＇ Of Aldrich Clemens used to say： 〃When Aldrich speaks it
seems to me he is the bright face of the moon； and I feel like the other
side。〃 Aldrich； unlike Clemens； was not given to swearing。 The Parisian
note…book has this memorandum： 〃Aldrich gives his seat in the horse…car
to a crutched cripple； and discovers that what he took for a crutch is
only a length of walnut beading and the man not lame； whereupon Aldrich
uses the only profanity that ever escaped his lips： 'Damn a dam'd man who
would carry a dam'd piece of beading under his dam'd arm！'〃＇ was there；
also Gedney Bunce； of Hartford； Frank Millet and his wife； Hjalinar
Hjorth Boyesen and his wife； and a Mr。 and Mrs。 Chamberlain； artist
people whom the Clemenses had met pleasantly in Italy。 Turgenieff； as in
London； came to call； also Baron Tauchnitz； that nobly born
philanthropist of German publishers； who devoted his life； often at his
personal cost； to making the literature of other nations familiar to his
own。 Tauchnitz had early published the 'Innocents'； following it with
other Mark Twain volumes as they appeared； paying always； of his own will
and accord； all that he could afford to pay for this privilege； which was
not really a privilege； for the law did not require him to pay at all。
He traveled down to Paris now to see the author； and to pay his respects
to him。 〃A mighty nice old gentleman；〃 Clemens found him。 Richard
Whiteing was in Paris that winter； and there were always plenty of young
American painters whom it was good to know。
They had what they called the Stomach Club； a jolly organization； whose
purpose was indicated by its name。 Mark Twain occasionally attended its
sessions； and on one memorable evening； when Edwin A。 Abbey was there；
speeches were made which never appeared in any printed proceedings。 Mark
Twain's address that night has obtained a wide celebrity among the clubs
of the world； though no line of it； or even its title has ever found its
way into published literature。
Clemens had a better time in Paris than the rest of his party。 He could
go and come； and mingle with the sociabilities when the abnormal weather
kept the others housed in。 He did a good deal of sight…seeing of his own
kind； and once went up in a captive balloon。 They were all studying
French； more or less； and they read histories and other books relating to
France。 Clemens renewed his old interest in Joan of Arc； and for the
first time appears to have conceived the notion of writing the story of
that lovely character。
The Reign of Terror interested him。 He reread Carlyle's Revolution； a
book which he was never long without reading； and they all read 'A Tale
of Two Cities'。 When the weather permitted they visited the scenes of
that grim period。
In his note…book he comments：
〃The Reign of Terror shows that； without distinction or rank； the
people were savages。 Marquises； dukes； lawyers； blacksmiths； they
each figure in due proportion to their crafts。〃
And again：
〃For 1；000 years this savage nation indulged itself in massacre；
every now and then a big massacre or a little one。 The spirit is
peculiar to FranceI mean in Christendomno other state has had
it。 In this France has always walked abreast； kept her end up with
her brethren； the Turks and the Burmese。 Their chief traitslove
of glory and massacre。〃
Yet it was his sense of fairness that made him write； as a sort of
quittance：
〃You perceive I generalize with intrepidity from single instances。
It is the tourists' custom。 When I see a man jump from the Vendome
Column I say； 'They l