From page 269 The Life of Mark Twain - The Middle Years 1871-1891:
On October 28 the family railed to Rome, registered at the Hotel d’Allemagne on the Piazza di Spagna, and again settled into a routine. “I don't think I have gathered any matter before or since your visit worth writing up,” he notified Twichell on November 3, adding, “though I do wish you were in Rome to do my sight-seeing for me. Rome interests me as much as East Hartford could, and no more.” Sam, Livy, and Clara Spaulding toured the Pantheon, the Sistine Chapel, and the Raphael Rooms and Loggié in the Palace of the Vatican, and on November 1 they attended High Mass at St. Peter's.
October 29 Tuesday – Bought about a peck of wonderfully big & luscious grapes for 2.50 f. (50 cents). Visited the Church of St. Peter’s & the Pantheon.
October 30 Wednesday – Sam visited the Sistine Chapel, commenting on work by Raphael. He counted 25 courtyards in the Vatican. He noted the Tom of the Virgin and wrote “How she would draw in N.Y.”.
October 31 Thursday – Sam received letters from Will Sage and Joe Twichell about payments required and red tape needed to get the “two boxes of Clocks” through customs. He made a note to do a chapter in his book about “this most scoundrelly & infernal custom house system” .
Sam’s notebook:
Castellini to-day showed us a bracelet took a man 16 months to engrave. allowed us to walk off with jewelry worth 1500 f & never even asked our names or hotel—insisted on our taking it home & examining it at our leisure—Said “To-morrow is a festa—no shops open—bring it back Saturday—no
hurry.” Italians & Swiss seem to trust to the honesty strangers readily. We have noticed this very often.
[Augusto Castellani was a renowned Roman goldsmith and dealer in antiquities.]
November 1 Friday – Sam’s notebook:
“Great festa-day—shops all closed. Attended High Mass in a chapel of St. Peters. Heaps of people of all ages sexes & professions kissing (& scrubbing) St Peter Jupiter’s toe. He looks like a black negro & has short crisp hair”.
November 3 Sunday – Sam wrote from Rome, Italy to Joe Twichell. I do wish you were in Rome to do my sight-seeing for me. Rome interests me as much as East Hartford could & no more. That is, the Rome which the average tourist feels an interest in; but there are other things there which stir me enough to make life worth the living. Livy & Clara [Spaulding] are having a royal time worshipping the old Masters, & I as good a time gritting my ineffectual teeth over them.
Went to Barberini Palace to-day & saw my pet detestation, Beatrice Cenci, by Guido.
...
NOVEMBER 6 WEDNESDAY – SAM’S NOTEBOOK:
“Visited the Catacombs. One mummy (shapeless) & one slender young girl’s long hair & decaying bones—both in stone coffins & both between 15 & 1600 years old.”
.
Yesterday morning [Nov 9] we went to Mr. Vedder’s studio, he certainly has immense genius, he had such a large amount of pictures and such an infinate variety of subjects—we did enjoy the morning so very much—I felt as if I could spend two thousand dollars there if I had it to spend. Livy’s reaction to Rome contrasted with Sam’s note to Twichell on Nov. 3 that it interested him about as much as East Hartford. Before leaving Rome (probably this day) Sam and Livy bought Vedder’s “Head of Medusa” for $250.
NOVEMBER 11 MONDAY – THE CLEMENS FAMILY LEFT ROME AT 10:50 AM, AND RETURNED TO FLORENCE, ITALY AT 6:50 PM, WHERE THEY SPENT THE NIGHT AT THE HOTEL DE NEW YORK. THEY WERE HEADED NORTH TO SPEND THE WINTER IN MUNICH, A 600 MILE TRIP WITH 36 HOURS ON SLOW TRAINS, AND FOUR OVERNIGHT HOTEL STOPS.