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It is the tourists' custom。 When I see a man jump from the Vendome
Column I say； 'They like to do that in Paris。'〃
Following this implied atonement； he records a few conclusions； drawn
doubtless from Parisian reading and observation：
〃Childish race and great。〃
〃I'm for cremation。〃
〃I disfavor capital punishment。〃
〃Samson was a Jew； therefore not a fool。 The Jews have the best
average brain of any people in the world。 The Jews are the only
race in the world who work wholly with their brains； and never with
their hands。 There are no Jew beggars； no Jew tramps； no Jew
ditchers； hod…carriers； day…laborers； or followers of toilsome
mechanical trade。
〃They are peculiarly and conspicuously the world's intellectual
aristocracy。〃
〃Communism is idiocy。 They want to divide up the property。 Suppose
they did it。 It requires brains to keep money as well as to make
it。 In a precious little while the money would be back in the
former owner's hands and the communist would be poor again。 The
division would have to be remade every three years or it would do
the communist no good。〃
A curious thing happened one day in Paris。 Boyesen； in great excitement；
came to the Normandy and was shown to the Clemens apartments。 He was
pale and could hardly speak； for his emotion。 He asked immediately if。
his wife had come to their rooms。 On learning that she had not； he
declared that she was lost or had met with an accident。 She had been
gone several hours； he said； and had sent no word； a thing which she had
never done before。 He besought Clemens to aid him in his search for her；
to do something to help him find her。 Clemens； without showing the least
emotion or special concentration of interest； said quietly：
〃I will。〃
〃Where will you go first；〃 Boyesen demanded。
Still in the same even voice Clemens said：
〃To the elevator。〃
He passed out of the room； with Boyesen behind him； into the hall。 The
elevator was just coming up； and as they reached it； it stopped at their
landing； and Mrs。 Boyesen stepped out。 She had been delayed by a
breakdown and a blockade。 Clemens said afterward that he had a positive
conviction that she would be on the elevator when they reached it。 It
was one of those curious psychic evidences which we find all along during
his life； or； if the skeptics prefer to call them coincidences； they are
privileged to do so。
Paris； June 1； 1879。 Still this vindictive winter continues。 Had a
raw； cold rain to…day。 To…night we sit around a rousing wood fire。
They stood it for another month； and then on the 10th of July； when it
was still chilly and disagreeable； they gave it up and left for Brussels；
which he calls 〃a dirty； beautiful （architecturally）； interesting town。〃
Two days in Brussels； then to Antwerp； where they dined on the Trenton
with Admiral Roan； then to Rotterdam； Dresden； Amsterdam； and London；
arriving there the 29th of July； which was rainy and cold； in keeping
with all Europe that year。
Had to keep a rousing big cannel…coal fire blazing in the grate all
day。 A remarkable summer； truly！
London meant a throng of dinners； as always： brilliant； notable affairs；
too far away to recall。 A letter written by Mrs。 Clemens at the time
preserves one charming； fresh bit of that departed bloom。
Clara ＇Spaulding＇ went in to dinner with Mr。 Henry James； she
enjoyed him very much。 I had a little chat with him before dinner；
and he was exceedingly pleasant and easy to talk with。 I had
expected just the reverse； thinking one would feel looked over by
him and criticized。
Mr。 Whistler； the artist； was at the dinner； but he did not attract
me。 Then there was a lady； over eighty years old； a Mrs。 Stuart；
who was Washington Irving's love； and she is said to have been his
only love； and because of her he went unmarried to his grave。
＇Mrs。 Clemens was misinformed。 Irving's only 〃love〃 was a Miss
Hoffman。＇ She was also an intimate friend of Madame Bonaparte。
You would judge Mrs。 Stuart to be about fifty； and she was the life
of the drawing…room after dinner； while the ladies were alone；
before the gentlemen came up。 It was lovely to see such a sweet old
age； every one was so fond of her； every one deferred to her； yet
every one was joking her； making fun of her； but she was always
equal to the occasion； giving back as bright replies as possible；
you had not the least sense that she was aged。 She quoted French in
her stories with perfect ease and fluency； and had all the time such
a kindly； lovely way。 When she entered the room； before dinner； Mr。
James； who was then talking with me； shook hands with her and said；
〃Good evening； you wonderful lady。〃 After she had passed 。 。 。
he said； 〃She is the youngest person in London。 She has the
youngest feelings and the youngest interests 。 。 。 。 She is
always interested。〃
It was a perfect delight to hear her and see her。
For more than two years they had had an invitation from Reginald
Cholmondeley to pay him another visit。
So they went for a week to Condover； where many friends were gathered；
including Millais； the painter； and his wife （who had been the wife of
Ruskin）； numerous relatives； and other delightful company。 It was one of
the happiest chapters of their foreign sojourn。 ＇Moncure D。 Conway； who
was in London at the time； recalls； in his Autobiography； a visit which
he made with Mr。 and Mrs。 Clemens to Stratford…on…Avon。 〃Mrs。 Clemens
was an ardent Shakespearian； and Mark Twain determined to give her a
surprise。 He told her that we were going on a journey to Epworth； and
persuaded me to connive with the joke by writing to Charles Flower not to
meet us himself； but send his carriage。 On arrival at the station we
directed the driver to take us straight to the church。 When we entered；
and Mrs。 Clemens read on Shakespeare's grave； 'Good friend； for Jesus'
sake； forbear；' she started back； exclaiming； 'where am I？' Mark
received her reproaches with an affluence of guilt； but never did lady
enjoy a visit more than that to Avonbank。 Mrs。 Charles Flower （nee
Martineau） took Mrs。 Clemens to her heart； and contrived that every
social or other attraction of that region should surround her。〃＇
》From the note…book：
Sunday； August 17；'79。 Raw and cold； and a drenching rain。 Went to
hear Mr。 Spurgeon。 House three…quarters full…say three thousand
people。 First hour； lacking one minute； taken up with two prayers；
two ugly hymns； and Scripture…reading。 Sermon three…quarters of an
hour long。 A fluent talker； good； sonorous voice。 Topic treated in
the unpleasant； old fashion： Man a mighty bad child； God working at
him in forty ways and having a world of trouble with him。
A wooden…faced congregation； just the sort to see no incongruity in
the majesty of Heaven stooping to plead and sentimentalize over
such； and see in their salva