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in his life； nor ever wished to be。 He wished to be sent back to his
regiment at Malta； and to whatever fate awaited him there。 The case
certainly had its embarrassments； but the American consul contrived to
let our presumptive compatriot slip into the keeping of the British
consul； who promptly shipped him to Malta。 In view of the strained
relations between England and America at that time this was a piece of
masterly diplomacy。
Besides my old Ohio…time friend Moncure D。 Conway； who paid us a visit；
and in his immediate relations with literary Boston seemed to bring the
mountain to Mahomet； I saw no one else more literary than Henry Ward
Beecher。 He was passing through Venice on his way to those efforts in
England in behalf of the Union which had a certain great effect at the
time； and in the tiny parlor of our apartment on the Grand Canal； I can
still see him sitting athletic； almost pugilistic； of presence； with his
strong face； but kind； framed in long hair that swept above his massive
forehead； and fell to the level of his humorously smiling mouth。 His
eyes quaintly gleamed at the things we told him of our life in the
strange place； but he only partly relaxed from his strenuous pose； and
the hands that lay upon his knees were clinched。 Afterwards； as he
passed our balcony in a gondola； he lifted the brave red fez he was
wearing （many people wore the fez for one caprice or another） and saluted
our eagle and us： we were often on the balcony behind the shield to
attest the authenticity of the American eagle。
III。
Before I left Venice； however； there came a turn in my literary luck； and
from the hand I could most have wished to reverse the adverse wheel of
fortune。 I had labored out with great pains a paper on recent Italian
comedy； which I sent to Lowell； then with his friend Professor Norton
jointly editor of the North American Review； and he took it and wrote me
one of his loveliest letters about it； consoling me in an instant for all
the defeat I had undergone； and making it sweet and worthy to have lived
through that misery。 It is one of the hard conditions of this state that
while we can mostly make out to let people taste the last drop of
bitterness and ill…will that is in us； our love and gratitude are only
semi…articulate at the best； and usually altogether tongue…tied。 As
often as I tried afterwards to tell Lowell of the benediction； the
salvation； his letter was to me； I failed。 But perhaps he would not have
understood； if I had spoken out all that was in me with the fulness I
could have given a resentment。 His message came after years of thwarted
endeavor； and reinstated me in the belief that I could still do something
in literature。 To be sure； the letters in the Advertiser had begun to
make their impression； among the first great pleasures they brought me
was a recognition from my diplomatic chief at Vienna； but I valued my
admission to the North American peculiarly because it was Lowell let me
in； and because I felt that in his charge it must be the place of highest
honor。 He spoke of the pay for my article； in his letter； and asked me
where he should send it； and I answered； to my father…in…law； who put it
in his savings…bank； where he lived； in Brattleboro； Vermont。 There it
remained； and I forgot all about it； so that when his affairs were
settled some years later and I was notified that there was a sum to my
credit in the bank； I said； with the confidence I have nearly always felt
when wrong； that I had no money there。 The proof of my error was sent me
in a check； and then I bethought me of the pay for 〃Recent Italian
Comedy。〃
It was not a day when I could really afford to forget money due me； but
then it was not a great deal of money。 The Review was as poor as it was
proud； and I had two dollars a printed page for my paper。 But this was
more than I got from the Advertiser； which gave me five dollars a column
for my letters； printed in a type so fine that the money； when translated
from greenbacks into gold at a discount of 2。80； must have been about a
dollar a thousand words。 However； I was richly content with that； and
would gladly have let them have the letters for nothing。
Before I left Venice I had made my sketches into a book； which I sent on
to Messrs。 Trubner & Co。； in London。 They had consented to look at it to
oblige my friend Conway； who during his sojourn with us in Venice； before
his settlement in London； had been forced to listen to some of it。 They
answered me in due time that they would publish an edition of a thousand；
at half profits； if I could get some American house to take five hundred
copies。 When I stopped in London I had so little hope of being able to
do this that I asked the Trubners if I might； without losing their offer；
try to get some other London house to publish my book。 They said Yes；
almost joyously； and I began to take my manuscript about。 At most places
they would not look at me or it； and they nowhere consented to read it。
The house promptest in refusing to consider it afterwards pirated one of
my novels； and with some expressions of good intention in that direction；
never paid me anything for it； though I believe the English still think
that this sort of behavior was peculiar to the American publisher in the
old buccaneering times。 I was glad to go back to the Trubners with my
book； and on my way across the Atlantic I met a publisher who finally
agreed to take those five hundred copies。 This was Mr。 M。 M。 Hurd； of
Hurd & Houghton； a house then newly established in New York and
Cambridge。 We played ring…toss and shuffleboard together； and became of
a friendship which lasts to this day。 But it was not till some months
later； when I saw him in New York； that he consented to publish my book。
I remember how he said； with an air of vague misgiving； and an effect of
trying to justify himself in an imprudence； that it was not a great
matter anyway。 I perceived that he had no faith in it； and to tell the
truth I had not much myself。 But the book had an instant success； and it
has gone on from edition to edition ever since。 There was just then the
interest of a not wholly generous surprise at American things among the
English。 Our success in putting down the great Confederate rebellion had
caught the fancy of our cousins； and I think it was to this mood of
theirs that I owed largely the kindness they showed my book。 There were
long and cordial reviews in all the great London journals； which I used
to carry about with me like love…letters； when I tried to show them to
other people； I could not understand their coldness concerning them。
At Boston； where we landed on our return home； there was a moment when it
seemed as if my small destiny might be linked at once with that of the
city which later became my home。 I ran into the office of the Advertiser
to ask what had become of some sketches of Italian travel I had sent the
paper； and the managing editor made me promise not to take a place
anywhere before I had heard from him。 I gladly promised； but I did not
hear from him； and when I returned to Boston a fortnight later； I found
tha