taly, in which Mme. Malibran renewed the
enthusiasm which she had first created in the public mind, and a series
of brilliant concerts which also added to De Beriot's prestige, they
returned to Paris to wait for the divorce of Mme. Malibran from her
husband, which had been dragging its way through the courts. The much
longed for release came in 1836, and the union of hearts and
lives, whose sincerity and devotion had more than half condoned its
irregularity, was sanctified by the Church. The happiness of the
artistic pair was not destined to be long. Only a month afterward Mme.
de Beriot, who was then singing in London, had a dangerous fall from
her horse. Always passionately fond of activity and exercise, she was an
excellent horsewoman, and was somewhat reckless in pursuing her favorite
pursuit. The great singer was thrown by an unruly and badly trained
animal, and received serious internal injuries. Her indomitable spirit
would not, however, permit her to rest. She returned to the Continent
after the close of the London season, to give concerts, in spite of her
weak health, and gave herself but little chance of recovery, before
she returned again to England in September to sing at the Manchester
festival, her last triumph, and the brilliant close of a short and very
remarkable life. She was seized with sudden and severe illness, and died
after nine days of suffering. During this period of trial to De Beriot,
he never left the bedside of his dying wife, but devoted himself
to ministering to her comfort, except once when she insisted on his
fulfilling an important concert engagement. Racked with pain as she was,
her greatest anxiety was as to his artistic success, fearing that his
mental anguish would prevent his doing full justice to his talents. It
is said that her friends informed her of the vociferous applause which
greeted his playing, and a happy smile brightened her dying face. She
died September 22, 1836, at the age of twenty-eight, but not too soon to
have attained one of the most dazzling reputations in the history of
the operatic stage. M. de Beriot was almost frantic with grief, for a
profound love had joined this sympathetic and well-matched pair, and
their private happiness had not been less than their public fame.*

* For a full sketch of Mme. Malibran de Beriot's artistic and
personal career, the reader is referred to "Great Singers,
Malibran to Tietjens," Appletons' "Handy-Volume Series."