ienna with whom he had much friendly intercourse. Wolfmayer showed
his interest in the master's work in many ways. It may be mentioned that
he offered him a sum equal to several hundreds of dollars to carry out
his project of writing a Requiem Mass. "Write to Stumpf and Smart," he
said to Schindler a few days before his death, when already too weak to
speak above a whisper. His consideration for others was paramount even
in the face of approaching death.

Notwithstanding the hopeful tone which characterized the letters written
during his last illness, there were times when he knew that he was
making a losing fight. Already on January 3, a month after his return
from Gneixendorf, he wrote a letter to his attorney, Dr. Bach, in the
form of a will, in which as may be supposed, his nephew is his sole
heir. No conditions were imposed on the young man, who, had the will
remained in this form, might have squandered the entire amount. (The
estate netted $5000). This was pointed out to Beethoven by his
counsellor, Dr. Bach, and also Von Breuning, who urged on him the
necessity of adding a codicil to the will, in which the principal would
be tied up for life, leaving only the income available. This he resisted
to within a few days before the end, but finally gave in, and, not
without great difficulty, wrote with his own hand a codicil, consisting
of but three lines, in which the income only was to be enjoyed by the
nephew, the principal to revert to his natural or testamentary heirs,
after Karl's death. Breuning, true to his sense of duty, not satisfied
with having gained his point, endeavored, at the risk of antagonizing
the master, to change the words "natural or testamentary heirs," to
"legitimate heirs." Beethoven was obdurate on the point, however,
saying, "the one term is as good as the other." Von Breuning, good
faithful friend that he was, survived Beethoven but one year.

Schindler dwells on the perfect tranquillity of Beethoven in the face of
approaching death. "Plaudite amici, comoedia finita est," he said on
the day when the codicil was written. On the following day at noon, he
received the last rites of the church. The event was no doubt a solemn
one. Soon after, the death-struggle began, and continued without
interruption for two days. Huettenbrenner was a faithful attendant during
these last days. His friend Schubert also called, at least once, and, it
is said, was recognized by Beethoven, although he was unable to