d watchful care. But with true German
caution, the father guarded them from bad effects of over-excitement or
indulgence. All sorts of presents were constantly given them, among
which were many jewels and beautiful articles of clothing, but the
clothes were only used on concert nights or special occasions, the
jewellery was kept locked up in a box, and the children were only
allowed to see or handle it when they had been especially good.

When Paris was the headquarters of the travellers, all possible honour
was given them, and the concerts in the French capital brought the
Mozarts a substantial sum and they were received very kindly in a visit
to the Court of Versailles; of which visit little Nannerl said later,
that her only recollection was of the Marquise de Pompadour standing
Wolfgang on a table, that he wanted to kiss her, and when she drew
back, he said indignantly:

"Who is she that she will not let me kiss her? The Empress kissed me."

The King's daughters were very kind to the children, and on New Year's
Day, 1764, the Mozart family dined with the royal family. Wolfgang sat
next to the Queen, who talked to him in German, translating the
conversation to Louis Fifteenth, while near Wolfgang sat his father and
his mother, and Nannerl sat on the opposite side of the table by the
Dauphin.

After playing at Versailles the little musicians became the fashion in
Paris, and every circle was open to them, while Wolfgang's reputation
as a musical genius was steadily growing, and he had already composed
two sonatas which were really good pieces of work from an artistic
point of view.

Leaving Paris at last, the Mozarts arrived in London, and after taking
lodgings, they hastened to adopt English customs.

"How do you suppose," wrote Leopold Mozart, to a friend, "my wife and
girl look in English hats, and the great Wolfgang in English clothes?"

Almost immediately they were requested to play at Buckingham House,
before the King and Queen, where they met with exceptional kindness and
appreciation, and the London visit was an unqualified success, one
brilliant performance following another in quick succession, until it
seemed as if the quaint, charming little music-king who made such an
imposing appearance on the stage, must be really as old and grown-up as
he seemed when playing in public.

But while they were in England, in lodgings in Chelsea, which was then
open country, Leopold Mozart was very ill for a time, so