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finest　quartets；　singing　and　whistling　the　music　to　the　bird　every
day　during　three　or　four　weeks　for　several　hours；　until　Paperl　could
imitate　them；　and　when　my　husband　took　leave　of　her；　she　gave　him
the　parrot。〃

〃But　the　bird　never　whistles　the　tunes　any　more。　I　have　only　heard
Paperl　do　it　once；　and　that　was　on　the　day　after　the　doctor's　return
from　England。〃　〃I　know　the　reason　why。　The　bird　hears　here　every　day
so　much　music；　and　so　many　new　melodies　which　the　doctor　plays　on
his　piano；　that　its　head　has　grown　quite　confused；　and　poor　Paperl
has　forgotten　its　tunes。〃

〃It　has　not　forgotten　its　English　words；　though；〃　murmured
Catharine。　〃What　may　be　the　meaning　of　these　words　which　the　bird　is
screaming　all　the　time？〃

〃That　beautiful　Mrs。　Shaw　taught　Paperl　to　pronounce　them；
Catharine。　I　do　not　know　their　precise　meaning；　but　they　commence　as
follows：　'Forget　me　not；　forget　me　not'　Good　Heaven！　the　bird　has
commenced　screaming　again。　I　am　sure　it　has　not　had　any　sugar　to…
day。　Where　is　Conrad？　He　ought　to　attend　to　the　bird。〃

〃He　has　gone　down　town。　The　doctor　has　given　him　several　errands。〃

〃Good　Heaven！　the　screams　are　almost　intolerable。　Go；　Catharine；　and
give　poor　Paperl　a　piece　of　sugar。〃

〃I　dare　not；　madame；　it　always　snaps　at　me　with　its　abominable　beak；
and　if　the　chain　did　not　prevent　it　from　attacking　me；　it　would
scratch　out　my　eyes。〃

〃I　am　afraid　of　it；　too；〃　said　the　lady；　anxiously；　〃nevertheless　we
cannot　permit　the　bird　to　go　on　in　this　manner。　Just　listen　to　it
it　is　yelling　as　though　it　were　going　to　be　roasted。　It　will　disturb
my　husband；　and　you　know　the　doctor　is　composing　a　new　piece。　Come；
Catharine；　we　must　quiet　the　bird。　I　will　give　him　the　sugar。〃

〃And　I　shall　take　my　knitting…needles　along；　and　if　it　should　try　to
bite；　I　will　hit　it　on　the　beak。　Let　us　go　now；　madame。〃

And　the　two　women　walked　boldly　across　the　anteroom；　toward　the　door
of　the　small　parlor；　in　order　to　commence　the　campaign　against　the
parrot。　The　cat　followed　them　gravely　and　solemnly；　and　with　an　air
as　though　it　had　taken　the　liveliest　interest　in　the　conversation；
and　thought　it　might　greatly　assist　them　in　pacifying　the　screaming
bird。



CHAPTER　VI

JOSEPH　HAYDN


While　the　parrot's　screams　had　rendered　the　mistress　and　her　maid　so
uneasy；　the　most　profound　stillness　and　quiet　reigned　in　the　upper
rooms　of　the　little　house。　Not　a　sound　interrupted　the　silence　of
this　small；　elegantly…furnished　sitting…room。　Even　the　sun
apparently　dared　only　to　send　a　few　stealthy　beams　through　the
windows；　and　the　wind　seemed　to　hold　its　breath　in　order　not　to
shake　the　panes　of　the　small　chamber　adjoining；　venerated　by　all　the
inmates　of　the　house　as　a　sacred　temple　of　art。

In　this　small　chamber；　in　this　temple　of　art；　a　gentleman；
apparently　engaged　in　reading；　was　seated　at　a　table　covered　with
papers　and　music…books；　close　to　an　open　piano。　He　was　no　longer
young；　on　the　contrary；　beholding　only　the　thin　white　hair　hanging
down　on　his　expansive　and　wrinkled　forehead；　and　his　stooping　form；
it　became　evident　that　he　was　an　old　man；　nearly　seventy　years　of
age。　But　as　soon　as　he　raised　his　eyes　from　the　paper；　as　soon　as　he
turned　them　toward　heaven　with　an　air　of　blissful　enthusiasm；　the
fire　of　eternal　youth　and　radiant　joyousness　burst　forth　from　those
eyes；　and　whatever　the　white　hair；　the　wrinkled　forehead；　the
furrowed　cheeks　and　the　stooping　form　might　tell　of　the　long　years
of　his　life；　those　eyes　were　full　of　youthful　ardor　and　strength
only　the　body　of　this　white　haired　man　was　old；　in　his　soul　he　had
remained　younga　youth　of　fervid　imagination；　procreative　power；
and　nervous　activity。

This　venerable　man　with　the　soul；　the　heart；　and　the　eyes　of　a
youth；　was　Joseph　Haydn；　the　great　composer；　whose　glory；　even　at
that　time；　filled　the　whole　world；　although　he　had　not　yet　written
his　greatest　masterpiecesthe　〃Creation〃　and　the　〃Seasons。〃

He　was　working　to…day　at　the　〃Creation。〃　＇Footnote：　Haydn　commenced
the　〃Creation〃　in　1797；　and　finished　it　in　April；　1798。＇　The　poem；
which　had　been　sent　to　him　from　England；　and　which　his　worthy　friend
Von　Swieten　had　translated　into　German；　lay　before　him。　He　had　read
it　again　and　again；　and　gradually　it　seemed　as　if　the　words　were
transformed　into　music；　gradually　he　heard　whisperinglow　at　first；
then　louder；　and　more　sublime　and　majesticthe　jubilant　choirs　of
heaven　and　earth；　that　were　to　resound　in　his　〃Creation。〃

As　yet　he　had　not　written　a　single　note；　he　had　only　read　the　poem；
and　composed　in　reading；　and　inwardly　weighed　and　tried　the　sublime
melodies　which；　when　reduced　to　time　and　measure；　and　combined　into
an　harmonious　whole；　were　to　form　the　new　immortal　work　of　his
genius。　While　thus　reading　and　composing；　the　aged　musician　was
transformed　more　and　more　into　a　youth；　and　the　glowing　enthusiasm
which　burst　forth　from　his　eyes　became　every　moment　more　radiant；
surrounding　his　massive　forehead　with　a　halo　of　inspiration；　and
shedding　the　purple　lustre　of　ecstatic　joy　upon　his　furrowed　cheeks。

〃Yes；　yes；　it　will　do。　I　shall　succeed！〃　he　exclaimed　suddenly；　in　a
loud　and　full　voice。　〃God　will　give　me　the　strength　to　complete　this
work；　but　it　must　be　commenced　with　Himstrength　and　inspiration
come　from　Him　alone！〃

And　Joseph　Haydn；　perhaps　not　quite　conscious　of　what　he　was　doing；
knelt　down　and　with　folded　hands；　and　beaming　eyes　lifted　up　to
heaven；　he　prayed：　〃O；　Lord　God；　give　me　Thy　blessing　and　Thy
strength；　that　I　may　gloriously　and　successfully　carry　out　this
work；　which　praiseth　Thee　and　Thy　creation。　Breathe　Thy　Holy　Spirit
into　the　words　which　Thou　speakest　in　my　work。　Speak　through　me　to
Thy　creatures；　and　let　my　music　be　Thy　language！〃

He　paused；　but　remaining　on　his　knees；　continued　to　look　up　to
heaven。　Then　he　rose　slowly；　and　like　a　seer　or　a　somnambulist；　with
eyes　opened　but　seeing　nothing；　he　went　to　his　piano　without　knowing
what　he　was　doing。　He　sat　down　on　the　stool；　and　did　not　know　it；
his　hands　touched　the　keys　and　drew　magnificent　chords　from　them；
and　he　did　not　hear　them。　He　only　heard　the　thousands　of　seraphic
voices　which　in　his　breast　chanted　sublime　anthems；　he　only　heard
the　praise　of　his　own　winged　soul　which；　in　divine　ecstasy；　soared
far　into　the　realm　of　eternal　harmonies。

Louder　and　louder　rolled　the　music　he　drew　from　the　keys；　now　it
burst　forth　into　a　tremendous　jubilee；　then　again　it　died　away　in
melancholy　complaints　and　gentle　whispers；　and　again　it　broke　out
into　a　swelling；　thundering　anthem。

At　length　Haydn　concluded　with　a　sonorous　and　brilliant　passage；　and
then　with　youthful　agility　jumped　up　from　his　seat。

〃That　was　the　prelude；〃　he　said；　aloud；　〃and　now　we　will　go　to
work。〃

He　hastily　threw　the　white　and　comfortable　dressing…gown　from　his
shoulders　and　rapidly　walked　toward　the　looking…glass　which　hung
over　the　bureau。　Every　thing　was　ready　for　his　toilet；　the　footman
having　carefully　arranged　the　whole。　He　put　the　cravat　with　lace
trimmings　around　his　neck　and　arranged　the　tie　before　the　looking…
glass　in　the　most　artistic　manner；　then　he　slipped　into　the　long
waistcoat　of　silver…lined　velvet；　and　finally　put　on　the　long…tailed
brown　coat　with　bright　metal　buttons。　He　was　just　going　to　put　the
heavy　silver　watch；　which　his　wife　had　given　him　on　their　wedding…
day；　into　his　vest…pocket；　when　his　eye　fell　upon　the　blue　ribbon
embroidered　with　silver；　which；　ever　since　his　visit　to　the　imperial
palace；　had　lain　on　the　bureau。

〃I　will　wear　it　on　this　holiday　of　mine；〃　said　Haydn；　with　great
warmth；　〃for　I　think　the　day　on　which　a　new　work　is　begun　is　a
holiday；　and　we　ought　to　wear　our　choicest　ornaments　to　celebrate
it。〃

He　attached　the　ribbon　to　his　watch；　threw　it　over　his　neck；　and
slipped　the　watch　into　his　vest…pocket。

〃If　that　beautiful　Mrs。　Shaw　could　see　me　now；〃　he　whispered；　almost
inaudibly；　〃how　her　magnificent　eyes　would　sparkle；　and　what　a
heavenly　smile　would　animate　her　angelic　features！　Yes；　yes；　I　will
remember　her　smileit　shall　find　an　echo　in　the　jubilant　accords　of
my　Creation。　But　let　us　beginlet　us　begin！〃

He　rapidly　walked　toward　his　desk；　but　stopped　suddenly。　〃Hold　on！〃
said　he；　〃I　really　forgot　the　most　important　thingmy　ring。　While
looking　at　the　precious　ribbon　of　my　beautiful　English　friend；　I　did
not　think　of　the　ring　of　my　great　kingand　still　it　is　the　talisman
without　which　I　cannot　work　at　all。〃

Returning　once；　more　to　the　bureau；　he　opened　a　small　case　and　took
from　it　a　ring　which　he　put　on　his　finger。　He　contemplated　the　large
and　brilliant　diamonds　of　the　ring　with　undisguised　admiration。

〃Yes；〃　he　exclaimed〃yes；　thou　art　my　talisman；　and　when　I　look　at
thee；　it　seems　to　me　as　if　I　saw　the　eyes　of　the　great　king　beaming
down　upon　me；　and　pouring　courage　and　enthusiasm　into　my　heart。　That
is　the　reason；　too；　why　I　cannot　work　unless　I　have　the　ring　on　my
finger。　＇Footnote：　Haydn　had　dedicated　six　quartets　to　Frederick　the
Great；　who　acknowledged　the　compliment　by　sending　him　a　valuable
diamond　ring。　Haydn　wore　this　ring　whenever　he　composed　a　new　work；
and　it　seemed　to　him　as　though　inspiration　failed