The first gospel of all monarchies should be Rebellion; the second should be Rebellion; and the third and all gospels, and the only gospel of any monarchy, should be Rebellion—­against Church and State.

And again: 

I wrote a chapter on this language 13 years ago and tried my level best to improve it and simplify it for these people, and this is the result—­a, word of thirty-nine letters.  It merely concentrates the alphabet with a shovel.  It hurts me to know that that chapter is not in any of their text-books and they don’t use it in the university.

Socially, that winter in Berlin was eventful enough.  William Walter Phelps, of New Jersey (Clemens had known him in America), was United States minister at the German capital, while at the Emperor’s court there was a cousin, Frau von Versen, nee Clemens, one of the St. Louis family.  She had married a young German officer who had risen to the rank of a full general.  Mark Twain and his family were welcome guests at all the diplomatic events—­often brilliant levees, gatherings of distinguished men and women from every circle of achievement.  Labouchere of ‘Truth’ was there, De Blowitz of the ‘Times’, and authors, ambassadors, and scientists of rank.  Clemens became immediately a distinguished figure at these assemblies.  His popularity in Germany was openly manifested.  At any gathering he was surrounded by a brilliant company, eager to do him honor.  He was recognized whenever he appeared on the street, and saluted, though in his notes he says he was sometimes mistaken for the historian Mommsen, whom he resembled in hair and features.  His books were displayed for sale everywhere, and a special cheap edition of them was issued at a few cents per copy.

Captain Bingham (later General Bingham, Commissioner of Police in New York City) and John Jackson were attaches of the legation, both of them popular with the public in general, and especially so with the Clemens family.  Susy Clemens, writing to her father during a temporary absence, tells of a party at Mrs. Jackson’s, and especially refers to Captain Bingham in the most complimentary terms.

“He never left me sitting alone, nor in an awkward situation of any kind, but always came cordially to the rescue.  My gratitude toward him was absolutely limitless.”

She adds that Mrs. Bingham was very handsome and decidedly the most attractive lady present.  Berlin was Susy’s first real taste of society, and she was reveling in it.  In her letter she refers to Minister Phelps by the rather disrespectful nickname of “Yaas,” a term conferred because of his pronounciation of that affirmative.  The Clemens children were not entirely happy in the company of the minister.  They were fond of him, but he was a great tease.  They were quite young enough, but it seemed always to give him delight to make them appear much younger.  In the letter above quoted Susy says: