the interval until he can enter the military service). His language
is still excitable under the impression that I would reprimand him
since he was capable of making an attempt on his life. He has,
however, shown himself quite affectionate toward me. Be assured
that to me fallen humanity is still holy. A warning from you would
probably have good results. It would do no harm to let him know
that unobserved he will be watched while with me. Accept my highest
esteem for yourself, and consider me as one who loves his kind, who
desires only good wherever possible.
Yours respectfully,
BEETHOVEN.

In accordance with the English custom of putting the fool of the family
into the army, Stephen von Breuning had hit upon the plan of a military
career for Karl since all others seemed closed to him. Von Breuning, who
always had a faculty of being of service to Beethoven, was a counsellor
in the war-office. He urged on Beethoven the feasibility of procuring an
appointment for Karl in the army, and interested his superior,
Field-marshal Lieutenant von Stutterheim, in the matter. Beethoven was
not greatly in favor of a military career for the young man. "Uebrigens
bin ich gar nicht fuer den Militaerstandt," he says in a letter to Holz of
September 9, when the subject was first broached. He opposed it for a
while, but finally bowed to the inevitable.

Toward the end of October, and before the negotiations in regard to the
army appointment were concluded, the young man was released from the
hospital, and placed under the control of the master, with the
injunction that he be removed from Vienna at once. At this juncture
brother Johann placed his country house at Gneixendorf at the disposal
of the master and nephew, and thither the two repaired, the elder,
stricken, bowed with grief; the youth, sullen and indifferent. The
master had never entered Johann's house since the summer of 1812, when
he had tried so ineffectually, as noted in a previous chapter, to break
up the relations existing between the pair while the lady was as yet
only the housekeeper. It must have been with great reluctance that he
considered visiting him at all. The sacrifice, if such there was, was
made in the interest of Karl; where this young scapegrace was concerned,
the master was generally willing to sink his own preferences. Th