The daily gazette., 1877-05-31
BLIND BEATRICE
BY l.. s. G.

When, by favor of fortune, l formed
acquaintance with Beethoven, he was in
the epoch of his car ser between seadtime
and harvest
The great man was then very poor.
Instead of dwelling, as he did later, pro
prietor OF a chateau on Rhine Street vi
his native city, he rented an attic over a
humble little refreshment stall near Ro.
mans Place.
1t was in one of his deplorably con-
trasting moods that found him one
winter evening, sitting at a window in
the moonlight, his face concealed In his
hands, without fire or candle, his frame
lquaking with cold.
soothed his sighs, solicited his CONS
pany, and exhorted him to cast off his
sadness. He went with me, but continu-
ed gloomy and despairing, and refused
every encouragement,
We were travesing a dark, narrow
street near Coblentez gate. Suddenly he
halted
"Hist~ said he, "what sound is
lthat?"
Lending an ear, / heard family the
stains of an old harpsichord issuing from
some house at no great distance. 1t was
a plaintive melody in three time, and, in
sipite of the ingrattude Cfthe instrument
its execution gave to it a sublime tender
ness of expression.
Beethoven looked at me with sparkling
eyes.
"lt is my symphony in F." said he.
THAT is the house. Listen. How well
it is playedw
The dwelling was small and plain. A
light shown through the blinds of the
| window before which, when we reached
the place we stood fapt listeners. The
music continued, and every note was
rendered with the same fidelity and the
same expression. In the midst of the fl
male there was a sudden cessation. A
moments silence ensued, then we heard
| a stifed sigh, with female voice say
ing:
81 cannot go on--I can go no further,
4 tonight, Friedrich"
4 "Why, Beatrice?" -
81 do not know why, except it is be-
cause the symphony is so beautiful that
. worthily. y, what would l not give to
be at Cologne this evening! There is a
concert at the Kaufttdus, and they will
give every variety of choice music"
"Ah, dear sister," returned Friedrich,
isighing, cit is necessary to be rich in
| order to procure such pleasures. Of what
use are regrets, where there is no remedy?
We hardly can pay our rent. Why think
of those things which are above our
reach?"
"You are right, brother, yet in playing
am seized with a longing to hear for
once in my life good music well executed.
But it is useless"
There was something singularly touch
ing in the tone and repetition of these
last words. Beethoven turned to me-
"Let us enter he said eXcitedly.
"Euter? How? For what purpose ?"
| / exclaimed.
81 will play for her," he responded
with enthusiasm. "She has sentiment,
genius, intelligence: l will play for her
and she will appreciate me-"
Before j could restrain him, his hand
was upon the door. 1t needed but the
raising of the latch to open it. follow
ed along an unlighted corridor, to where
a door on the right was standing ajar.
He pushed it ard we found ourselves in
a chamber poor and bare, with little
stove at one end, and few common ar
ticles of furniture neatly arranged.
| A pale young man sat at table en-
ployed in making shoe. Near him,
leaning IN melancholy air upon the in ,
strument she had been playing, was a
Young girl over whose symmetrical
Figure fell a profusion of rich blonde
curls. Both were neatly though very
plainly appareled. Both stated to their
feet at onr unceremonious entrance.
"Pardon me-" spoke my companion,
considerably embarrassed, "pardon me,
butt heard music and was tempted
} within, am musician"
The sister blushed; the brother took q
stern, almost naughty aspect.
"You were wishing to hear" continu-
cd Beethoven-ttthat is, you would like
lin short, shall play you somethingY'
The incident was SO odd and so abrupt,
and the manner of the person who had
spoken so pleasantly eccentric, that the
ice was broken at once; all smiled in
voluntarily.
al thank you," SAID the shoemaker
"but our instrument is bad. and besides
we have no music"
"No music?" repeated my friend, chew
then does the young lady
: He interrupted himself and colored
| for she of whom be was speaking had
lust turned toward him, and in the sad
eyes half vailed by their long lashes he
recognized that she was blind.
he, "but / had not observed before. You
play, then, from memory?
"Entirely."
"And where did you hear this music
since you attend no concert?"
"l heard it from a lady who was ouI
neighbor when we lived at Bruhl two
wears ago. In summer evenings hel
window was always open, and l used to
walk before the house to hear"
"And you have never heard music
! elsewhere?"
.Never-except that Of the streets
She seemed intmidated as Beethoven
addei not word, but the latter calmly seat
ed himself at the harpsichord and com
menced playing. He had no sooner sound
ed the first notes, than OWNED what wa,
to follow, and how sublime he would bs
that evening. l was not mistaken. Never
never during the years l knew him inti
mately, did l hear him play as he played
, for the blind girl and her brother ; nevel
with such energy, such passionate tender
ness, euch infinite gradations of melody
aud OF modulation. He was doubly inspired
and from the instant his fingers began pass
Ii ing over the instrument, Its tones seemed