31.

Venice, Feb. 20, 1771.

I am still well, and, thank God, in the land of the living.  Madame de’ Amicis has been singing at S. Benedetto.  Say to Herr Johannes that the Widerischen Berlein family are constantly speaking of him (particularly Madlle.  Catherine), so he must soon return to Vienna to encounter the attacca—­that is, in order to become a true Venetian, you must allow yourself to be bumped down on the ground.  They wished to do this to me also, but though seven women tried it, the whole seven together did not succeed in throwing me down.  Addio!

The travellers arrived again at home towards the end of March, 1771.  The marriage of the Archduke Ferdinand with the Princess of Modena, which took place in the October of that year, was attended with great festivities, and recalled the father and son to Italy in the course of a few months, Wolfgang having received a command from the Empress Maria Theresa to compose a dramatic serenata in honor of these nuptials.

32.

Verona, August 18, 1771.

Dearest sister,—­

I have not slept more than half an hour, for I don’t like to sleep after eating.  You may hope, believe, think, be of opinion, cherish the expectation, desire, imagine, conceive, and confidently suppose, that we are in good health; but I can tell you so to a certainty.  Wish Herr von Heffner a happy journey from me, and ask him if he has seen Annamindl?

[Wolfgang, who was then fifteen, had taken advantage of his leisure during their short stay in Salzburg to fall in love for the first time.  We shall find frequent allusions to this subject.  See also No. 25.]

33.

Milan, August 23, 1771.

My very dear sister,—­

We suffered much from heat in the course of our journey, and the dust constantly dried us up so impertinently that we should have been choked, or died of thirst, if we had not been too sensible for that.  For a whole month past (say the Milanese) there has been no rain here; to-day a slight drizzle began, but the sun has now come out again, and it is once more very warm.  What you promised me (you well know my meaning, you kind creature!) don’t fail to perform, I entreat.  I shall be indeed very grateful to you.  I am at this moment actually panting from the heat—­I tear open my waistcoat!  Addio—­good-bye!

Wolfgang.

Above us we have a violinist, below us is another, next to us a singing-master, who gives lessons, and, in the room opposite, a hautboy-player.  This is famous for a composer—­it inspires so many fine thoughts.

34.

Milan, August 31, 1771.

My dearest sister,—­