Europe and elsewhere, by Mark Twain [pseud.] [with an appreciation by Brander Matthews and an introduction by Albert Bigelow Paine]

DOWN THE RHONE
"Not in the slightest degree."
He paused. Presently he said:
"My friend, I don't believe a word of it. Don't
you see, yourself, it's a tale that won't wash? Do
you believe it?"
"Yes. I know it's true."
"Weren't you surprised?"
"Clear through to the marrow!"
He had been edging me along back to the house.
He had a deep design; he sprung it on me now.
Said he:
"Stop where you are. I'll mighty soon find out!"
He walked to the door and up the steps, keeping
a furtive eye out toward me and ready to jump for
me if I ran. Then he pretended to pull the bell, and
instantly faced about to observe the effect on me.
But there wasn't any; I walked toward him instead
of running away. That unsettled him. He came
down the steps, evidently perplexed, and said:
"Well, I can't make it out. It may be all right,
but it's too many for me. I don't like your looks
and I won't have such characters around. Go along,
now, and look sharp. If I catch you prowling around
here again I'll run you in."
I found Smith at the Water Color dinner that
night, and asked him if it were merely my face that
had enabled me to borrow the overcoat from a
stranger, but he was surprised and said:
"No! What an idea-and what intolerable conceit! She is my housekeeper, and remembered your
drawling voice from overhearing it a moment that
night four or five years ago in my house; so she knew
I57