keeps his promise religiously, for he wore the ribbon the other day
when he was called to the imperial palace. But my story is not
finished yet. Your master called a few days after that party on Mr.
Shaw, when the latter showed him the snuff-box he had received from
my husband. It was enclosed in a handsome silver case, a beautiful
lyre was engraved on the lid, with an inscription stating that my
great and illustrious husband had given him the box. [Footnote: The
inscription was: "Ex dono celeberrimi Josephi Haydn."] How do you
like my story, Catharine?"

"Oh, it is beautiful," said the old servant, thoughtfully; "only,
what you said about that beautiful Mrs. Shaw did not exactly please
me. I am sure the doctor got the parrot also from her, and for that
reason likes the bird so well, although it screeches so horribly,
and doubtless disturbs him often in his studies."

"Yes, he got the bird from Mrs. Shaw," replied her mistress, with a
smile. "She taught Paperl to whistle three airs from my husband's
finest quartets, singing and whistling the music to the bird every
day during three or four weeks for several hours, until Paperl could
imitate them; and when my husband took leave of her, she gave him
the parrot."

"But the bird never whistles the tunes any more. I have only heard
Paperl do it once, and that was on the day after the doctor's return
from England." "I know the reason why. The bird hears here every day
so much music, and so many new melodies which the doctor plays on
his piano, that its head has grown quite confused, and poor Paperl
has forgotten its tunes."