July 10 Sunday – In Kaltenleutgeben, Austria, Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers.

At a first glance it seemed easy to run over to America—but upon second thought it turns out otherwise. This furnished house is on our hands & paid for in advance till November. The family will not allow me to leave them. We cannot divide the family again after our disastrous experience. If we all go it would end Clara’s music in the middle & the past twelvemonth would be wasted. But this last is the thing we shall do if you decide that my presence is necessary. Then we shall come back to Europe no more. We’ll stand ready to come when you say the word.

I think the Harpers ought to yield that point. They owe me a grace for retiring from the understanding which we arranged, since their retiring was due to the mistake of their own lawyer, who was afraid that the [copyright] renewals of the Innocents & the rest of the Bliss books would belong to Bliss & couldn’t be turned over to Harper; whereas there was not word about renewals in my contracts with Bliss [Note: Harpers objected to Bliss’ plans to market the Uniform Edition, as outlined in the Apr. 20 letter from Bliss to Rogers – see MTHHR 346n1].

Sam was sure that if Rogers had a talk with Henry J. Harper, that the point would be conceded. He added he wasn’t happy about the water-cure—Livy was not as strong as before the treatments. The year of “Austrian exile” for Clara’s sake must not be left half finished. Livy,

…thinks I’d better let the book wait till we go home next spring if the Harpers won’t yield meantime. Well, I robbed my family to feed my speculations, & so I am willing to accommodate myself to their preferences. The loss of the Bourgogne has not helped to persuade them to let me go [MTHHR 351]. Note: the French steamship La Bourgogne sank after a collision on July 4, with 560 souls lost. Sam and Livy blamed themselves and the separation from Susy for her death. The source points out that Rogers met with Harper on July 29 [n2].

Sam also wrote M. Levi, letter not extant but referred to in this NB entry:

Sam’s notebook: “July 10. Wrote M. Levi (care M. Emile Terguem 31 bis Bd Haussmann [ )]“About Play-Acting.” Abt. 4000 words” [NB 42 TS 56].