told us that shortly after he and Spontini had taken their seats in the almost empty amphitheatre, and as soon as the Bacchus chorus had started, Spontini had said to him:  ’C’est de la Berliner Sing-Academie, allons-nous-en.’  Through an open door a streak of light had fallen on a lonely figure behind one of the columns; Heine had recognised Mendelssohn, and concluded that he had overheard Spontini’s remark.

From the master’s very excited conversations we soon realised very distinctly that he intended to stay longer in Dresden, so as to get all his operas performed.  It was Schroder-Devrient’s idea to save Spontini, in his own interest, from the mortifying disappointment of finding all his enthusiastic hopes in regard to a second performance of Vestalin unfounded, and, if possible, to prevent this second performance during his stay in Dresden.  She pretended to be ill, and the director requested me to inform Spontini of the fact that his production would have to be indefinitely postponed.  This visit was so distasteful to me, that I was glad to make it in Rockel’s company.  He was also a friend of Spontini’s, and his French was moreover much better than mine.  As we were quite prepared for a bad reception, we were really frightened to enter.  Imagine, therefore, our astonishment when we found the master, who had already been informed of the news in a letter from Devrient, in the very brightest spirits.

He told us that he had to leave immediately for Paris, and that from there he was to travel to Rome, the Holy Father having commanded him to come in order to receive the title of ’Count of San Andrea.’  Then he showed us a second document, in which the King of Denmark was supposed to have raised him to the Danish nobility.  This meant, however, only that the title of ‘Ritter’ of the ‘Elephanten-Order’ had been conferred upon him; and although this was indeed a high honour, in speaking about it he only mentioned the word ‘Ritter’ without referring to the particular order, because this seemed to him too ordinary for a person of his dignity.  He was, however, childishly pleased over the affair, and felt that he had been miraculously rescued from the narrow sphere of his Dresden Vestalin production to find himself suddenly transported into regions of glory, from which he looked down upon the distressing ‘opera’ world with sublime self-content.

Meanwhile Rockel and I silently thanked the Holy Father and the King of Denmark from the bottom of our hearts.  We bode an affectionate farewell to the strange master, and to cheer him I promised him seriously to think over his friendly advice with regard to my career as a composer of opera.

Later on I heard what Spontini had said about me, on hearing that I had fled from Dresden for political reasons, and had sought refuge in Switzerland.  He thought that this was in consequence of my share in a plot of high treason against the King of Saxony, whom he looked upon as my benefactor, because I had been nominated conductor of the royal orchestra, and he expressed his opinion about me by ejaculating in tones of the deepest anguish:  ‘Quelle ingratitude!’