>There is another item in Chapter 16, the Australian's greeted Twain with
>the question/remark "Is he dead?. His play, with that title, was not
>written until 1898 but he was in Melbourne in 1895. I suspect the Aussies
>were harkening back to The Innocents Abroad.
I'm sure it's a reference to Innocents Abroad -- at least it's always seemed
obvious to me. It was one of his most popular books, if not THE most
popular, and it makes perfect sense that people would repeat a famous line
in his presence.
-- Bob G.