Among the great maestro’s papers was found the following amusing story: “One day,” Paganini begins, “I was wandering about the streets of Vienna, when all of a sudden a thunder-storm came up. The rain came down in torrents and seemed to increase every minute. For once I was alone, which happened very rarely, as my valet generally accompanied me. I was very far from my lodgings and already so wet, that I was beginning to fear for my health. So I looked about for a cab. Three passed me, as the drivers did not understand Italian, and I did not speak German. The fourth stopped at my call, the driver was a countryman of mine.
“Before entering I asked his price. ‘Five gulden, the price of a ticket to Paganini’s concert,’ he said.
“‘You rascal,’ I cried indignantly, ‘to ask five gulden for such a short ride! Paganini plays on one string of his violin; you could hardly run your cab on one wheel.’
“‘Oh, it isn’t so difficult as people think, to play on one string. I am musical too, and I doubled the price of my fares to-day, in order to hear the great violinist they call Paganini.’
“I said nothing more, entered the cab, and in ten minutes was at my hotel. I gave the man the five gulden and also a ticket to my concert. The next day just before the concert began, a great crowd was at the door of the concert hall when I arrived, and one of the ushers called to me: ‘There is a dirty, uncouth-looking man at the door, who insists on being admitted.’
“It was my driver of the day before, whom I permitted to enter in spite of his appearance, hoping that he would lose himself in the crowd. But when, at the beginning of the concert, I stepped on the platform, there he was as close to me as he could get, among the elegantly dressed women of the first row. The applause was enthusiastic; my driver’s knew no bounds. Several times he had to be severely reproved for disturbing the rest of the audience. I never had a more appreciative listener.
“Early the next morning he came to my rooms. ‘Sir,’ he said, in the most respectful tone, ‘you can do me a great favor. I have a family, am poor, and your countryman; you are wealthy and famous. You hold my fortune in your hand.’
“‘What do you mean by that?’
“‘Permit me to put at the back of my cab the two words: “Paganini’s cabriolet.”’
“‘Very well,’ said I laughingly, ‘you may put on it whatever you like.’