“Restrain yourself, dear Mozart,” said Count Herbenstein, gently placing his hand on the vice chapelmaster’s shoulder. “We all know the Archbishop, and what to expect from him. Believe me, you are not lowered in our estimation by his aspersions. Do not let them disturb you. Seek consolation in your beautiful art. I know that you are a great violin virtuoso, and that you have written a famous ‘Violin School.’[9] I have thought for some time of asking you to write me some nice chamber music, for which I will advance you twenty-five ducats.” “Oh, you are too generous, Herr Count,” replied Mozart, delightedly. “It will be a welcome addition to my meagre income, and I will thankfully undertake your kind commission. It will help to pay the expenses of a journey to Vienna, which I am going to make as soon as possible with my Wolfgang.” “Ah! so you are going with your little son to Vienna,” said Count Herbenstein. The conversation now took a new turn. “Is it really true that your little Wolfgang is such an extraordinary genius as I hear on all sides?” Whenever his son was mentioned, Father Mozart was aflame with enthusiasm. “Certainly it is, Herr Count,” he replied, excitedly. “I cannot say too much for that child. It is perfectly astonishing the progress Wolfgang has made in such short time. It absolutely surprises me. Just think of it, notwithstanding his hands are so little, he already plays the piano finely; better, indeed, than his sister, who is older than he, and who is not without talent herself. When he has been to a concert, he can play every piece by memory.” “This is really extraordinary,” said the Count. “And does he actually play intelligently and correctly?” “Correctly and sometimes brilliantly,” answered Father Mozart. “He learns with incredible facility. It hardly takes him half an hour to learn a minuet or any other small concert piece, and play it clearly and neatly.” “Impossible! Impossible!” exclaimed the Count. “Do you not believe me, Herr Count?” said Father Mozart. “If you will give me the honor of your company and go home with me, you shall have proof of my statements, and see for yourself that I have not exaggerated.” The Count consented to go, for he was really curious to see the little Wolfgang. “All right, dear friend, I will go with you,” he said. “Your Wolfgang must be a marvellous little fellow if all they say of him is true.”