His playing charmed and captivated the audience, although he was almost
overcome with exhaustion. After taking some food and wine he appeared
again, and this time he asked for a theme on which to improvise. He was
given three, and, instead of making a selection, he took all three and
interwove them in so brilliant a manner that he carried the audience by
storm. He was at once engaged for the next concert, and made such
success that he was accompanied to his hotel by a torchlight procession,
and his carriage drawn home by the excited people.

Ole Bull continued his triumphant course through Italy. At Lucca he
played at the duke's residence, where the queen-dowager met with a
surprise, as Ole refused to begin playing until she stopped talking. At
Naples he experienced the misfortune of having his violin stolen, and he
was obliged to buy a Nicholas Amati, for which he paid a very high
price. After playing and making a great success in Rome, he returned to
Paris, where he now found the doors of the Grand Opéra open to him, and
he gave several concerts there.

In 1836 he married Félicie Villernot, the granddaughter of the lady in
whose house he had met with so much kindness during his first stay in
Paris.

Following the advice of Rossini, he went to London, where he made his
usual success, notwithstanding the intrigues of certain musicians, who
endeavoured to discredit him. Such was his popularity in England that he
received for one concert, at Liverpool, the sum of £800, and in sixteen
months' time he gave two hundred and seventy-four concerts in the United
Kingdom.

He now decided to visit Germany, and on his way through Paris he made