louisa of prussia and her times-第9节

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England；　and　of　all　the　glory　and　honor　that　were　showered　upon　him
there。〃

〃Well；　as　far　as　that　is　concerned；　I　should　think　it　was　entirely
unnecessary　for　my　master　to　make　a　trip　to　England；〃　exclaimed
Catharine。　〃He　has　not　returned　a　more　famous　man　than　he　was
already　when　he　went　away。　The　English　were　unable　to　add　to　his
glory；　for　he　was　already　the　most　celebrated　man　in　the　whole　world
when　he　went　there；　and　if　that　had　not　been　the　case；　they　would
not　have　invited　him　to　come　and　perform　his　beautiful　music　before
them；　for　then　they　would　not　have　known　that　he　is　such　a　splendid
musician。〃

〃But　they　were　delighted　to　see　him；　Catharine；　and　I　tell　you　they
have　perfectly　overwhelmed　him　with　honors。　Every　day　they　gave　him
festivals；　and　even　the　king　and　queen　urged　him　frequently　to　take
up　his　abode　in　England。　The　queen　promised　him　splendid　apartments
in　Windsor　Castle；　and　a　large　salary；　and　in　return　my　husband　was
to　do　nothing　but　to　perform　every　day　for　an　hour　or　so　before　her
majesty；　or　sing　with　her。　Nevertheless；　he　had　the　courage　to
refuse　the　brilliant　offers　of　the　king　and　queen；　and　do　you　know；
Catharine；　why　he　rejected　them？〃

Catharine　knew　it　well　enough；　she　had　frequently　heard　the　story
from　her　mistress　during　the　two　years　since　the　doctor　had　returned
from　England；　but　she　was　aware　that　the　lady　liked　to　repeat　it；
and　she　liked　it　very　much；　too；　to　hear　people　talk　about　her
beloved　master's　fame　and　glory；　having　faithfully　served　him
already　for　more　than　twenty　years。　Hence　she　said；　with　a　kind…
hearted　smile：

〃No；　indeed；　I　don't　know　it；　and　I　cannot　comprehend　why　the　doctor
said　no　to　the　king　and　queen　of　England。〃

〃He　did　so　for　my　sake；　Catharine！〃　said　the　lady；　and　an　expression
of　joyful　pride　shed　a　lustre　of　beauty　and　tenderness　over　her　kind
old　face。　〃Yes；　I　tell　you；　it　was　solely　for　my　sake　that　my
husband　came　home　again。　'Remain　with　us！'　said　the　king　to　him。
'You　shall　have　every　thing　the　queen　has　offered　you。　You　shall
live　at　Windsor；　and　sing　once　a　day　with　the　queen。　Of　you；　my　dear
doctor；　I　shall　not　be　jealous；　for　you　are　an　excellent　and　honest
German　gentleman。'　And　when　the　king　had　told　him　that；　my　husband
bowed　respectfully；　and　replied：　'Your　majesty；　it　is　my　highest
pride　to　maintain　this　reputation。　But　just　because　I　am　an　honest
German；　I　must　tell　you　that　I　cannot　stay　hereI　cannot　leave　my
country　and　my　wife　forever！'〃

〃'Oh；　as　far　as　that　is　concerned；'　exclaimed　the　king；　'we　shall
send　for　your　wife。　She　shall　live　with　you　at　Windsor。'　But　my
husband　laughed　and　said：　'She　will　never　come；　your　majesty。　She
would　not　cross　the　Danube　in　a　skiff；　much　less　make　a　trip　beyond
the　sea。　And；　therefore；　there　is　nothing　left　to　me　but　to　return
myself　to　my　little　wife。'　And　he　did　so；　and　left　the　king；　and　the
queen；　and　all　the　noble　lords　and　ladies；　and　came　back　to　Vienna；
and　to　his　little　wife。　Say；　Catharine；　was　not　that　well　done　of
him？〃

〃Of　course　it　was；〃　said　Catharine；　〃the　fact　was；　our　good　doctor
loved　his　wife　better　than　the　queen；　and　all　the　high　born　people
who　treated　him　so　well　in　England。　And；　besides；　he　knew　that
people　hereabouts　treat　him　with　as　much　deference　as　over　there；
and　that　if　he　only　desired　it；　he　could　hold　daily　intercourse　with
the　emperor；　the　princes；　and　the　highest　dignitaries　in　the
country。　But　he　does　not　care　for　it。　The　fact　is；　our　master　is　by
far　too　modest；　he　is　always　so　quiet　and　unassuming；　that　nobody；
unless　they　knew　him；　would　believe　for　a　single　moment　that　he　is
so　far…famed　a　man；　and　then　he　dresses　so　plainly；　while　he　might
deck　himself　with　all　the　diamond　rings　and　breast…pins；　the
splendid　watches　and　chains；　which　the　various　sovereigns　have　given
to　him。　But　all　these　fine　things　he　keeps　shut　up　in　his　desk；　and
constantly　wears　the　old　silver　watch　which　he　has　had　already　God
knows　how　long！〃

〃Why；　Catharine；　that　was　the　wedding…present　I　gave　him；〃　said　the
good　wife；　proudly；　〃and　just　for　that　reason　my　husband　wears　it
all　the　time；　although　he　has　watches　by　far　more　beautiful　and
valuable。　At　the　time　I　gave　him　that　watch；　both　of　us　were　very
poor。　He　was　a　young　music…teacher；　and　I　was　a　hairdresser's
daughter。　He　lived　in　a　small　room　in　my　father's　house；　and　as　he
often　could　not　pay　the　rent；　he　gave　me　every　day　a　lesson　on　the
piano。　But　in　those　lessons；　I　did　not　only　learn　musicI　learned
to　love　him；　too。　He　asked　me　to　become　his　wife；　and　on　our
wedding…day；　I　gave　him　the　silver　watch；　and　that　is　just　the
reason　why　he　wears　it　all　the　time；　although　he　has　by　far　better
ones。　His　wife's　present　is　more　precious　to　him　than　what　kings　and
emperors　have　given　to　him。〃

〃But　he　might　wear　at　least　a　nice　gold　chain　to　it；〃　said
Catharine。　〃Why；　I　am　sure　he　has　no　less　than　a　dozen　of　them。　But
he　never　wears　one　of　them；　not　even　the　other　day　when　the　Princess
Esterhazy　called　for　him　with　her　carriage　to　drive　with　him　to　the
emperor。　The　doctor　wore　on　that　occasion　only　a　plain　blue　ribbon；
on　which　his　own　name　was　embroidered　in　silver。〃

〃Well；　there　is　a　story　to　that　ribbon；〃　said　the　mistress；
thoughtfully。　〃My　husband　brought　it　likewise　from　Loudon；　and　he
got　it　there　on　one　of　his　proudest　days。　I　did　not　know　the　story
myself；　for　you　are　aware　my　husband　is　always　so　modest；　and　never
talks　about　his　great　triumphs　in　Loudon；　and　I　would　not　have
learned　any　thing　about　the　ribbon　if　he　had　not　worn　it　the　other
day　when　he　accompanied　the　princess　to　the　emperor。　Ah；　Catharine；
it　is　a　very　beautiful　and　touching　story！〃

Catharine　did　not　know　this　story　at　all；　hence　she　asked　her
mistress　with　more　than　usual　animation　to　tell　her　all　about　the
ribbon。

The　doctor's　wife　assented　readily。　She　sat　down　on　a　chair　at
Catharine's　side；　and　looked　with　a　pleasant　smile　at　the　cat　who
had　come　up　to　her；　and；　purring　comfortably；　lay　down　on　the　hem　of
her　dress。

〃Yes；〃　said　she；　〃the　story　of　that　ribbon　is　quite　touching；　and　I
do　not　know　really；　Catharine；　but　I　will　have　to　shed　a　few　tears
while　telling　it。　It　was　in　Loudon；　when　my　husband　had　just
returned　from　Oxford；　where　the　university　had　conferred　upon　him
the　title　of　Doctor　of〃

〃Yes；　yes；　I　know；〃　grumbled　Catharine；　〃that　is　the　reason　why　we
now　have　to　call　him　doctor；　which　does　not　sound　near　as　imposing
and　distinguished　as　our　master's　former　title　of　Kapellmeister。〃

〃But　then　it　is　a　very　high　honor　to　obtain　the　title　of　doctor　of
music　in　England；　Catharine。　The　great　composer　Handel　lived　thirty
years　in　England　without　receiving　it；　and　my　husband　had　not　been
there　but　a　few　months　when　they　conferred　the　title　upon　him。　Well；
then；　on　the　day　after　his　return　from　Oxford；　he　was　invited　to　the
house　of　a　gentleman　of　high　rank　and　great　wealth；　who　gave　him　a
brilliant　party。　A　large　number　of　ladies　and　gentlemen　were
present；　and　when　my　husband　appeared　among　them　they　rose　and　bowed
as　respectfully　as　though　he　were　a　king。　When　the　doctor　had
returned　the　compliment；　he　perceived　that　every　lady　in　the　room
wore　in　her　hair　a　ribbon　of　blue　silk；　on　which　his　name　had　been
embroidered　in　silver。　His　host　wore　the　same　name　in　silver　beads
on　his　coat…facings；　so　that　he　looked　precisely　as　if　he　were　my
husband's　servant；　and　dressed　in　his　livery。　Oh；　it　was　a　splendid
festival　which　Mr。　Shawthat　was　the　gentleman's　namegave　him　on
that　day。　At　length　Mr。　Shaw　asked　the　doctor　to　give　him　a
souvenir；　whereupon　he　presented　him　with　a　snuff…box　he　had
purchased　in　the　course　of　the　day　for　a　few　shillings；　and　when　my
husband　requested　the　lady　of　the　house；　whom　he　pronounces　the　most
beautiful　woman　on　earth；　to　give　him　likewise　a　souvenir；　Mrs。　Shaw
thereupon　took　the　ribbon　from　her　head　and　handed　it　to　him；　and　my
husband　pressed　it　to　his　lips；　and　assured　her　he　would　always　wear
that　ribbon　on　the　most　solemn　occasions。　You　see；　Catharine；　he
keeps　his　promise　religiously；　for　he　wore　the　ribbon　the　other　day
when　he　was　called　to　the　imperial　palace。　But　my　story　is　not
finished　yet。　Your　master　called　a　few　days　after　that　party　on　Mr。
Shaw；　when　the　latter　showed　him　the　snuff…box　he　had　received　from
my　husband。　It　was　enclosed　in　a　handsome　silver　case；　a　beautiful
lyre　was　engraved　on　the　lid；　with　an　inscription　stating　that　my
great　and　illustrious　husband　had　given　him　the　box。　＇Footnote：　The
inscription　was：　〃Ex　dono　celeberrimi　Josephi　Haydn。〃＇　How　do　you
like　my　story；　Catharine？〃

〃Oh；　it　is　beautiful；〃　said　the　old　servant；　thoughtfully；　〃only；
what　you　said　about　that　beautiful　Mrs。　Shaw　did　not　exactly　please
me。　I　am　sure　the　doctor　got　the　parrot　also　from　her；　and　for　that
reason　likes　the　bird　so　well；　although　it　screeches　so　horribly；
and　doubtless　disturbs　him　often　in　his　studies。〃

〃Yes；　he　got　the　bird　from　Mrs。　Shaw；〃　replied　her　mistress；　with　a
smile。　〃She　taught　Paperl　to　whistle　three　airs　from　my　husband's
finest　quartets；　singing　and　whistling　the　music　to　the　bird　every
day　during　three　or　four　weeks　for　several　ho