shall be done, papa--the Emperor's
commands shall be obeyed!'

Fired with zeal to deserve the confidence thus reposed in his powers,
Mozart set himself to work to accomplish his gigantic task. In a short
time, with assiduous labour, he had produced no fewer than five
hundred and fifty-eight pages of music, and 'La finta Semplice,' as
the opera was called, was ready for rehearsal. In the meanwhile,
however, the envious ones had formed themselves into a cabal with the
object of hindering, and, if possible, preventing its production. All
kinds of mean and untrue things were whispered about the work, of
which not a single note had yet been seen or heard by any of these
detractors. The music was declared to be worthless, and when this
slander had been disproved by the testimony of those who were capable
judges, another sprang up to the effect that the work was the
production, not of Mozart himself, but of his father. This, too, was
swept aside only to be supplanted by a fresh outburst of jealousy.
Before long these evil reports found their way to the singers and
performers, who, from being at first loud in their praises of the
opera, began to express a disinclination to take part in the
performance, for fear of losing their reputation. Then Affligio, the
manager who had undertaken to produce the work, in like manner began
to draw back, and put off the rehearsals from time to time. Finally,
after a series of such postponements, when brought to bay by Leopold's
insistence, the manager declared that he would produce the opera if
the father desired it, but that it should not benefit the Mozarts, as
he would take care that it should be hissed off the stage. The Emperor
was powerless to interfere, as Affligio held the theatre independently
of the Court, and nothing remained to be done but to withdraw the
opera.

This was a great blow to Mozart and his father, but, though
momentarily crushed by disappointment, they comforted each other with
the hope that the work would see the light at a later period. It was
now imperative that they should return to Salzburg immediately, more
especially as Leopold had received an intimation from the Archbishop
that his salary must cease so long as he stayed away. Their
circumstances were, in fact, much straitened owing to the ill success
of their visit, and during the weary months of suspense and waiting
they had been living upon the profits of their previous travels. They
were not allowed to l