[The following is from the author’s reaction to the palm reading by Mr. Perin, in the entry dated “Monday, January 28, 1907” of the 2nd volume of THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MARK TWAIN.]
I have a sort of a kind of a pulse, it is true, but not every doctor can find it and swear to it. The Marienbad specialist felt around over my breast and back and abdomen and said with quite unnecessary frankness that he could not prove that I hadn’t a heart, but that if I had one it would be an advantage to trade it for a potato.