which Herr van Beethoven is to collect in semi-annual installments, ~pro rata~, against voucher, from each of these contributors.
The undersigned are pledged to pay this annual salary until Herr van Beethoven receives an appointment which shall yield him the equivalent of the above sum.
Should such an appointment not be received and Herr Ludwig van Beethoven be prevented from practising his art by an unfortunate accident or old age, the participants herein grant him the salary for life.
In consideration of this Herr Ludwig van Beethoven pledges himself to make his domicile in Vienna, where the makers of this document live, or in a city in one of the other hereditary countries of His Austrian Imperial Majesty, and to depart from this domicile only for such set times as may be called for by his business or the interests of art, touching which, however, the high contributors must be consulted and to which they must give their consent.
(L. S.) Prince von Lobkowitz, Duke of Raudnitz.
This document bears in Beethoven's hand these words:
Received On February 26, 1809 from the hands of Archduke Rudolph, R. H.
The remarks in a former chapter upon the singular attraction for the young of Beethoven and his works are supported by this contract. Lobkowitz, it is true, was near the master's age, being then 35; but Rudolph and Kinsky were respectively but 21 and 27. Ries, who was then much with Beethoven, asserts that the contract with the King of Westphalia "was all ready; it lacked only the signature" before his Vienna friends moved in the matter and "settled a salary on him for life." He continues:
The first fact I knew; of the second I was in ignorance until suddenly Chapelmaster Reichardt came to me and said: "Beethoven positively would not accept the post in Cassel; would I as Beethoven's only pupil go there on a smaller salary?" I did not believe the first, went at once to Beethoven to learn the truth about it and to ask his advice. I was turned away for three weeks--even my letters on the subject were unanswered. Finally I found Beethoven at the Ridotto. I went to him and told him the reason of my inquiries, whereupon he said in a cutting tone: "~So--do you think that you can fill a position which was offered to me?~" He remained cold and repellant. The next morning I went to him to get an understanding. His servant said to me gruffly: "My master is not at home," although I heard him singing and playing in the next room. Since the servant positively refused to announce me I resolved to go right in; but he sprang to the door and pushed me back. Enraged by this I grabbed him by the throat and hurled him down. Beethoven, hearing the racket, dashed out and found his servant still lying on the floor and me pale as death. Angrily excited, I so deluged him with reproaches that he stood motionless and speechless with surprise. When the matter was finally explained to him he said, "I did not understand it so; I was told that you were trying to get the appointment behind my back." On my assuring him that I had not yet even given an answer, he at once went out with me to make the mistake good. But it was too late; I did not get the appointment, though it would have been a piece of great good fortune for me at that time.