Vol 3 Section 1068

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Lyon, and others not named) left for the Hotel de la Ville in Florence. Jean “rallied” and the three arrived at the hotel “about 8 p.m.”

Sam’s notebook: “According to the plan made yesterday with the lawyers, the baggage should have gone at 4, we should be leaving now, & the officer should arrive at 5 to require the Countess Massiglia to take possession. But Jean has fallen ill, & all things are at a standstill. / Jean is threatened with an attack. / 15 minutes later. She has had the attack. Ah, this odious swindle, human life! We got away at 7 p.m.” [NB 47 TS 12-13].

A directive note to an unidentified person (perhaps Isabel Lyon) is in the DV245 file, MTP: “Cellistino [Bruschi] & Carlo [Cosi] must remain in the house day & night until further orders. There must always be two in the house. [line horiz.] They must not admit any one representing her without first telephoning Senator Luchini or Signor Traverso & asking for instructions. / SL Clemens / Emilio [circled] / June 20/04”. Note: Servants at the Villa di Quarto: Celestino Bruschi (footman), Carlo Cosi (Chef), Emilio Talorici (?) coachman [AMT 1: group photo after p.204].

June 21 Tuesday – Sam’s notebook: “Grozzini lives in the city. Goes to Mrs. Ross at 10 fr & cab hire—say 16 fr per visit. At night, 25 fr. / [Horiz. Line separator] / All arrived with the baggage at the Hotel de la Ville. First day of the sad journey home” [NB 47 TS 13].

At the Hotel de la Ville in Florence Sam sent the following form letter to those who had expressed sympathy for the loss of his wife:

TO WHOM THIS SHALL COME:

FOR WHAT YOU HAVE SAID, I THANK YOU MORE THAN I CAN TELL. IF I COULD, I WOULD THANK WITH MY OWN HAND AND PEN EACH FRIEND WHO HAS REMEMBERED ME AND MINE WITH A KINDLY WORD OF SYMPATHY IN THIS HEAVY TIME, BUT I AM NOT ABLE TO DO IT. THEREFORE I BEG THAT THIS GENERAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT MAY BE ACCEPTED AS A TOKEN OF THE GRATITUDE, UNEXPRESSED & INEXPRESSIBLE, WHICH IS IN MY HEART.

S.L. CLEMENS

FLORENCE, ITALY JUNE 1904.

To most he added a line or two. To these he did not (beyond his signature on some): Dr. Titus M. Coan, Robert K. Mackey, Brander Matthews, Theodore Weld Stanton, Elizabeth S. Ward. To the following persons he offered a short note:

Thomas Bailey Aldrich and Lillian W. Aldrich: “…with the best love of those that are left.”

Moncure D. Conway: “I am glad you knew her, dear Conway; for now you know how much we have lost.”

Laura Hawkins Frazer: “It is dear and good of you, Laura, friend of childhood, to say these kind words, and I thank you out of a heart that is hurt beyond healing. Sam.”

John M. Hay: “I am grateful to you & Mrs. Hay for your love & sympathy, & I know it is as you say: that I must bear this burden alone. But I am grown old, & it is heavy—let the time be mercifully short!”

Grace King: “I send my love, Grace King—& hers who is gone.”

Samuel E. Moffett and Mary E. Moffett: “With the love of those that are left.”

Muriel M. Pears: “We are crushed, we are in the dust. I cannot write, but I thank you for your kind good

words, dear Miss Muriel.”

Eduard Pötzl: “Good-bye, dearl Potzl, if we meet no more.”

Percy Spalding and Mrs. Percy Spalding: “She had a deep regard for you & Mr. Spalding, & she

never forgot your kindnesses.”

SLC used mourning border for most letters from Susy’s death on, then from Livy’s death on.