"The Million Pound Note": Henry Adams Stays in America

In Mark Twain's short story "The Million Pound Bank Note" (1893), the protagonist Henry Adams is an American clerk stranded in London after a sailing accident. He is given the note by two wealthy brothers as a social experiment—he does not travel there by choice, nor does he "end up" there by his own design.

The story follows his month in London using the uncashable note as credit, winning fame, fortune, and a wife. He remains in London throughout the narrative; there is no return journey to America depicted. The premise is a satirical exploration of money, credit, and class in Victorian London.