The news of this calamity to the world of music spread swiftly through
the country, and was known in Paris the next day, where M. Mali-bran,
the divorced husband of the dead singer, was then living. As the fortune
which Mme. de Beriot had made by her art was principally invested in
France, and there were certain irregularities in the French law which
opened the way for claims of M. Malibran on her estate, De Beriot was
obliged to hasten to Paris before his wife's funeral to take out letters
of administration, and thus protect the future of the only child left by
his wife, young Charles de Beriot, who afterward became a distinguished
pianist, though never a professional musician. As the motives of this
sudden disappearance were not known, De Beriot was charged with the
most callous indifference to his wife. But it is now well known that
his action was guided by a most imperative necessity, the welfare of
his infant son, all that was left him of the woman he had loved so
passionately. The remains of Mme. de Beriot were temporarily interred
in the Collegiate Church in Manchester, but they were shortly afterward
removed to Laeken, near Brussels. Over her tomb in the Laeken churchyard
the magnificent mausoleum surmounted with her statue was erected by
De Beriot. The celebrated sculptor Geefs modeled it, and the work is
regarded as one of the _chefs-d'ouvre_ of the artist.

IV.

M. de Beriot did not recover from this shock for more than a year, but
remained secluded at his country place near Brussels. It was not till
Pauline Garcia (subsequently Mme. Viardot) made her _debut_ in concert
in 1837, that De Beriot again appeared in public before one of the most
brilliant audiences which had ever assembled in Brussels. In honor of
this occasion the Philharmonic Society of that city caused two medals
to be struck for M. de Beriot and Mlle. Garcia, the molds of which were
instantly destroyed. The violinist gave a series of concerts assisted
by the young singer in Belgium, Germany, and France, and returned to
Brussels again on the anniversary of their first concert, where they
appeared in the Theatre de la Renaissance before a most crowded and
enthusiastic audience. Among the features of the performance which
called out the warmest applause was Panseron's grand duo for voice and
violin, "Le Songe de Tartini," Mlle. Garcia both singing and playing
the piano-forte accompaniment with remarkable skill. Two years afterward
Mile. Ga