"Mon émotion fut indescriptible," Bellini said afterwards in speaking of the incident. "Je me croyais en paradis. Je ne pus ajouter un mot, et je restai comme étourdi."
After the London season of 1833 Mme. Malibran returned to Naples, remaining there till the May of 1834, when she went to Bologna and Milan till the end of June, while July was spent in London. The following August saw her reception at the Court of Lucca, and of this visit a charming description is given in a letter written by the violinist de Bériot, to whom she had promised her hand as soon as her ill-fated marriage with Mons. Malibran should have been dissolved,—a lengthy process in those days.
"LUCCA, August 31, 1834.
"DEAR SISTER,—We arrived at the baths of Lucca yesterday, and have been spending two delightful days. It would be impossible to find a reigning prince with more geniality and amiability than the Duke of Lucca. The same might be said of the queen-mother of Naples.
"The evening which I told you about in my last letter took place at her house on Friday last, Mariette sang ten songs, among the number being the one by Coutiau, which sent everybody into fits of laughter,—not that fashionable affected sort of laugh such as is considered etiquette at the Court functions in France and Belgium, but the hearty gaiety of the people, for here you do not have to put a restraint on yourself at the Court. When you enter the room you make your bow to the Queen and the Duke: after that you put your hat in a corner of the 'salon' and do whatever you like. I should become a furious royalist if we were allowed as much freedom as this at other courts.
"The day after the 'soirée' the Queen sent by her secretary some splendid presents. Maria received a magnificent diamond cluster for her forehead, while I was given a single stone of great value, set in a ring for the little finger of my left hand; so in future I am always sure to have a brilliant cadenza. Then there was a very nice ornament in the shape of an eagle for Mariette's sister, Pauline. But that was not all, for there was a purse of gold, more than sufficient to cover all the expenses of the journey. That is what I call behaving really handsomely.
"The rest of the evening was spent at Prince Poniatowski's. The Duke was present. He had been very full of fun during the dinner, over which he presided, sitting at the middle of the table. In his hand he held a big ruler to kill the wasps, of which there are great numbers in this country. He never missed one of them.
"After dinner he gave himself up to dancing, singing, and romping, taking every one by the hand, as Labarre used to do when he was in good spirits. At last the Duke sat down at the piano and sang a buffo duet from the 'Mariage Secret' in piquant fashion.
"At this moment a little incident interrupted the music, but added considerable picturesqueness to the evening. A couple of bats flew in at the window, attracted by the light, and amused themselves by fluttering and sporting around our heads.
"The ladies all took to their heels and fled into the next room, but the rest of the party, including S.A.R., armed ourselves with sticks and whips, and after two hours' conflict succeeded in killing the bats.