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tried to drown its notes with Haydn's beautiful melody。
Conrad smiled blissfully。 〃My Paperl has a long breath；〃 he said；
〃and the nightingale will be unable to cope with him； Rupert will
out…sing it。〃
But the nightingale； as if irritated by this rivalry； now seemed to
put forth its whole art and strength。 The ringing trills were
followed by long； sweet； flute…notes； which filled the air like a
joyous hymn of tenderness； drowning the voices of all other birds；
and the sighing breeze； and seemed to arouse the flowers from their
sweet slumber； till they trembled with blissful transports； and
softly raised their flowery crowns toward the blooming elder； in
whose dark foliage was concealed the nightingale； Nature's great and
yet modest artiste。
Yes； all Nature seemed to listen with blissful attention to this
wonderful song of the nightingale； and even the parrot could no
longer resist the charm。 Paperl hesitated； then commenced again；
hesitated a second time； and was silent。
Haydn dropped his clasped hands slowly； and turned his eyes from
heaven to earth。 〃I knew it full well；〃 he murmured； 〃the oracle has
decided my fate； and Joseph Haydn's 'Creation' is silenced by God's
creation。 Come into the house； Conrad； I am cold and tired。 But
first give me a few of my fragrant friends； my dear flowers。 They
shall speak to me in my room of the splendor and beauty of the
world。〃
Conrad gathered hastily a full bouquet of roses； pinks； and elder…
flowers； dried the tears filling his eyes； and conducted his master
carefully back into the house。
He had just seated him in his easy…chair； and placed the embroidered
cushion under his feet； when the shrill street…bell resounded in the
hall。
〃Go and see who is there；〃 said Haydn； holding the bouquet in both
his hands； and contemplating it with loving eyes。
Conrad slipped out of the room and returned in a few minutes。
〃There is a stranger from Berlin；〃 he said； 〃who begged me urgently
to admit hint to Dr。 Haydn； Mr。 Schmid； the manager of the theatre；
is with him； and requests you to see the stranger； who； he says； is
a celebrated poet。〃
〃If Schmid is with him； let them come in；〃 said Haydn； mildly； 〃it
will doubtless be the last time I shall see my dear old…friend on
earth。〃
Conrad threw open the door； and beckoned the gentlemen； who were
standing outside； to come in。 The two crossed the threshold softly
on tiptoe； and with faces expressive of profound reverence； as if
seized with compassion or pious awe； they stood still at the door；
and gazed with eyes full of tenderness upon Haydn； who； at this
moment； overcome perhaps by the spring air； had closed his eyes； and
not heard the entrance of the visitors。
〃That is he；〃 whispered one of the two； a man of a tall； erect form；
with a face radiant with understanding and sagacity。 〃That is he！〃
he repeated； fixing his ardent eyes on the composer。
〃Yes； that is Joseph Haydn；〃 said the other； in a low voice； and an
expression of profound grief overspread his broad； good…natured
face。 〃But hush！ he opens his eyes。〃
And he approached Haydn； who held out both his hands to him； and
greeted him with a gentle smile。
〃Do you come to bid farewell to your old friend once more previous
to his death？〃 he asked； mildly。 〃Do you wish to take leave of me；
my dear friend Schmid？〃
〃No； I do not come to bid you farewell； but wish you good…day；〃 said
Schmid； warmly； 〃and pray you to receive this gentleman here kindly。
It is Iffland； the celebrated actor and poet from Berlin。 He had
come to Vienna before the French took the city； and after its
capture he could no longer get out： they detained him； and it was
not until now that； by dint of the most pressing solicitations； he
received permission to return to Berlin。〃
〃But I could not leave Vienna without seeing the great Haydn；〃
exclaimed Iffland； in his fine； sonorous voice。 〃What would the
people of Berlin think of me if I had not seen the most illustrious
genius of our time？〃
〃Sir；〃 said Haydn； with a sigh； 〃look at me； and learn from my
weakness how fragile man is with all his glory。〃
〃Man alone is fragile； but genius is immortal；〃 exclaimed Iffland；
〃and Joseph Haydn is a genius whose glory will never die。〃
〃Let my footman tell you the glory of the nightingale and the
parrot；〃 said Haydn； with a faint smile。 〃The works of man are
perishable； but the works of God last forever。〃
〃But the works of man come likewise from God； for it was He who gave
him the strength to create them；〃 replied Iffland； warmly。 〃Did not
the great and glorious creations of your genius come just as much
from God as the flowers which you hold in your hand； and the
perfumes of which delight you so visibly？〃
〃Yes； these flowers are beautiful；〃 said Haydn； musingly。
〃The bouquet is doubtless a gift from one of the many fair admirers
of our maestro？〃 asked Schmid； laughing。
Haydn looked up to him smilingly and shook his head gently。 〃No；〃 he
said； 〃it is the last souvenir of Nature； to which I have bidden
farewell。 I worshipped to…day in the open air； and this is the
rosary with which I will pray。 Ah； I love Nature so passionately！〃
〃And you have taught those whose eyes and ears were closed against
the holy charms of Nature； how to see and hear；〃 said Iffland。 〃Your
‘Seasons' is the most glorious hymn on God's splendid world。〃
〃Yes； the 'Seasons；'〃 cried Haydn； almost vehemently； 〃gave me the
death…blow。 It was so difficult for me to derive enthusiasm from the
words of the text。 The words said so little； really so very little！
Frequently a single passage caused me a great deal of trouble for
several days； and I did not succeed after all in expressing the idea
I wished to convey to the hearers。 The words were a dead weight on
my music。 Well； it is all over now。 Yes； you see； it is all over
now。 The ‘Seasons' is to blame for it； for it exhausted my last
strength。 I have had to work hard all my lifetime； I had to suffer
hunger； thirst； and cold in my wretched attic； whence I had to
descend a hundred and thirty steps before reaching the street。
Privations； hard work； hunger； in short； all that I suffered in my
youth； are now exerting their effects on me and prostrating me。 But
it is an honorable defeatit is hard work to which I am succumbing。
However； God assisted me。 I never felt it more strikingly than this
very day； and therefore I am so happy； oh！ so happy； that I must
shed tears of blissful emotion。 Do not laugh at me on this account。
I am a weak old man； and when any thing affects me profoundly； I
must weep。 It was otherwise in former years。 Ah； in former years！〃
He turned his tearful eyes toward the window； and gazed into
vacancy。 〃In former years my mind was strong and vigorous；〃 he
sighed； 〃and when I wrote my 'Creation；' a manly fire filled my
heart。〃
〃Your enthusiasm is imprinted on your great work； and it will never
disappear from it；〃 said Iffland。 〃Joseph Haydn's 'Creation' is
immortal and full of eternal youth。 The Viennese proved it to you on
hearing your sublime music the other day。〃
〃But I proved to them that I had become so feeble that I could no
longer bear listening to m