appeared behind her, while the cat slipped in with her mistress, and
the parrot ejaculated the most frantic and piercing screams.

Haydn started in dismay from his seat and stared at his wife without
being able to utter a single word. It was something unheard of for
him to be disturbed by his wife during his working hours, hence he
very naturally concluded that something unusual, something really
terrible must have occurred, and the frightened looks of his wife,
the pale faces of his servants, plainly told him that he was not
mistaken.

"Oh, husband--poor, dear husband!" wailed his wife, "pack up your
papers, the time for working and composing is past. Conrad has
brought the most dreadful tidings from the city. We are all lost!--
Vienna is lost! Oh, dear, dear! it is awful, and I tell you I am
almost frightened out of my senses!"

And the old lady, trembling like an aspen-leaf, threw herself into
an arm-chair.

"What in Heaven's name is the matter?" asked Haydn--"what is it that
has frightened you thus? Conrad, tell me what is the news?"

"Oh, my dear master," wailed Conrad, approaching the doctor with
folded hands and shaking knees, "it is all up with us! Austria is
lost--Vienna is lost--and consequently we are lost, too! Late
dispatches have arrived from the army. Ah! what do I say?--army? We
have no longer an army--our forces are entirely dispersed--Archduke
Charles has lost another battle--old Wurmser has been driven back--
and General Bonaparte is advancing upon Vienna."