Twains Letters vol 2 1867-1875 | Page 7

be answered, but it was, and promptly. So we sailed back to
Yalta.
We all went to the palace at noon, today, (3 miles) in carriages and on
horses sent by the Emperor, and we had a jolly time. Instead of the
usual formal audience of 15 minutes, we staid 4 hours and were made a
good deal more at home than we could have been in a New York
drawing- room. The whole tribe turned out to receive our
party-Emperor, Empress, the oldest daughter (Grand-Duchess Marie, a
pretty girl of 14,) a little Grand Duke, her brother, and a platoon of
Admirals, Princes, Peers of the Empire, etc., and in a little while an
aid-de-camp arrived with a request from the Grand Duke Michael, the
Emperor's brother, that we would visit his palace and breakfast with
him. The Emperor also invited us, on behalf of his absent eldest son
and heir (aged 22,) to visit his palace and consider it a visit to him.

They all talk English and they were all very neatly but very plainly
dressed. You all dress a good deal finer than they were dressed. The
Emperor and his family threw off all reserve and showed us all over the
palace themselves. It is very rich and very elegant, but in no way
gaudy.
I had been appointed chairman of a committee to draught an address to
the Emperor in behalf of the passengers, and as I fully expected, and as
they fully intended, I had to write the address myself. I didn't mind it,
because I have no modesty and would as soon write to an Emperor as
to anybody else--but considering that there were 5 on the committee I
thought they might have contributed one paragraph among them,
anyway. They wanted me to read it to him, too, but I declined that
honor--not because I hadn't cheek enough (and some to spare,) but
because our Consul at Odessa was along, and also the Secretary of our
Legation at St. Petersburgh, and of course one of those ought to read it.
The Emperor accepted the address--it was his business to do it--and so
many others have praised it warmly that I begin to imagine it must be a
wonderful sort of document and herewith send you the original draught
of it to be put into alcohol and preserved forever like a curious reptile.
They live right well at the Grand Duke Michael's their breakfasts are
not gorgeous but very excellent--and if Mike were to say the word I
would go there and breakfast with him tomorrow. Yrs aff SAM.
P. S. [Written across the face of the last page.] They had told us it
would be polite to invite the Emperor to visit the ship, though he would
not be likely to do it. But he didn't give us a chance--he has requested
permission to come on board with his family and all his relations
tomorrow and take a sail, in case it is calm weather. I can, entertain
them. My hand is in, now, and if you want any more Emperors feted in
style, trot them out.
The next letter is of interest in that it gives us the program and volume
of his work. With all the sight seeing he was averaging a full four
letters a week--long letters, requiring careful observation and inquiry.
How fresh and impressionable and full of vigor he was, even in that
fierce southern heat! No one makes the Mediterranean trip in summer
to-day, and the thought of adding constant letter-writing to steady
travel through southern France, Italy, Greece, and Turkey in blazing
midsummer is stupefying. And Syria and Egypt in September!

To Mrs. Jane Clemens and family, in St. Louis:
CONSTANTINOPLE, Sept. 1, '67.
DEAR FOLKS,--All well. Do the Alta's come regularly? I wish I knew
whether my letters reach them or not. Look over the back papers and
see. I wrote them as follows: 1 Letter from Fayal, in the Azores Islands.
1 from Gibraltar, in Spain. 1 from Tangier, in Africa. 2 from Paris and
Marseilles, in France. 1 from Genoa, in Italy. 1 from Milan. 1 from
Lake Como. 1 from some little place in Switzerland--have forgotten the
name. 4 concerning Lecce, Bergamo, Padua, Verona, Battlefield of
Marengo, Pestachio, and some other cities in Northern Italy. 2 from
Venice. 1 about Bologna. 1 from Florence. 1 from Pisa. 1 from
Leghorn. 1 from Rome and Civita Vecchia. 2 from Naples. 1 about
Pazzuoli, where St. Paul landed, the Baths of Nero, and the ruins of
Baia, Virgil's tomb, the Elysian Fields, the Sunken Cities and the spot
where Ulysses landed. 1 from Herculaneum and Vesuvius. 1 from
Pompeii. 1 from the Island of Ischia. 1 concerning the Volcano of
Stromboli, the city and Straits of