Chapter 25 Summary

Twain cannot understand how the independent state of Italy, fallen to ruins and bankruptcy, can have such expensive, elaborate road and railways. He criticizes the Italian government for taxing the great wealth of its churches, but instead of feeding their poor, they build straighter, smoother roads and fancy buildings. At one point, Mark Twain stands before one of the great cathedrals worshiping it, when he sees a group of poor people. Disgusted at their existence, he turns to them and tells them they should rob a church.

Then Twain says that since he is in a bad mood anyway, why not just attack everyone. When he visits the mausoleum of the Medici family, he is critical of them as well. The Medici family were known for being tyrants of Florence and yet they were the ones who helped finance some of our great...