Mozart received, as a parting present from Doles, a collection of church pieces by the elder Bach. These he prized highly, and laid them carefully in his portmanteau. The day was passed in quiet conversation with his venerable friend; in the evening a few came in to bid the master adieu, for he was going to start for Vienna with the evening post, and that went at nine.
It was half-past eight; the faces of all the company began to grow sad, but Mozart seemed gayer than ever. Indeed, those who remember this his farewell interview with his friends, say they never knew him in such high spirits. Excitement, even of a painful kind, sometimes produces such effects upon ardent natures; and besides, the composer wished to keep up the spirits of the rest.
“If we should never meet again!” whispered Cecilia, sadly, and Father Doles responded to her melancholy foreboding.
“Let’s have no whimpering!” cried Mozart, laughing. “I will not hear it. I will give you a toast—Long life, and a happy meeting next year!”
The glasses were filled, and rang as they brought them together. Some one observed the sound was like a knell. Mozart brought his down impatiently on the table and shivered it; he laughed again, and hoped their friendship would prove more durable than the fragile glass.
“Master Mozart!” said Hiller, “will you not write us some little piece before you go, just to bring you to our thoughts sometimes, and remind us of this hour? It is possible that we shall never all meet again in this world.”
“Oh, willingly,” answered Mozart. He paused a few moments thoughtfully, and then called to Friedrich to bring him paper and writing materials.
Friedrich obeyed with alacrity, and the master wrote a piece impromptu, while the others were looking on, wondering at him, and exchanging glances.
When he had finished, he tore the paper into five pieces, and keeping one part for himself, divided the others; to Doles, basso primo, to Hiller, basso secondo; Friedrich, tenore primo, Weisse, tenore secondo.
“Now,” he cried, “we have no time to lose; allons—begin!”