Berlin at one thousand
thalers a month.

Her popularity at Olmutz was so great that before she left that place
she was honored by the inhabitants with a musical serenade and
torchlight procession.

It happened that about this time Meyerbeer, the composer, was casting
his eye over the operatic world for a singer to whom he felt that he
could entrust the creation of the part of Selika in his yet unpublished
"L'Africaine." He heard of Lucca, and when she was singing at Prague he
came over from Berlin on purpose to hear her. So pleased was he with her
performance that after the opera he desired to be presented to her, and
on being taken to her room, he rushed up to her and kissed her
vehemently on both cheeks, much to the surprise and embarrassment of the
young lady, who had no idea as to his identity. A modern prima donna,
not long ago, experienced a similar burst of enthusiasm from an unknown
elderly gentleman who also shed tears. After he had gone, and she had
recovered from her surprise, she missed a very valuable piece of
jewelry. It is only proper, therefore, for all composers intending to
make a demonstration to send word before-hand. On the following day
Meyerbeer called at her hotel and offered Mlle. Lucca an engagement at
Berlin, which she accepted, and which took effect at the end of her
Prague engagement, eight months later.

During these eight months Lucca received a proposal of marriage from the
young Prince Lobkowitz, who had fallen desperately in love with her; but
she did not listen to his appeals, and the unfortunate prince was
rejected. Some time after this event, which was so mortifying as to
probably affect his disposition, he sought and found death on the field
of honor, becoming involved in a duel.

Lucca now went to Berlin. Meyerbeer took her under his own immediate
charge, and she appeared in three of his greatest characters, Alice in
"Roberto," Bertha in "Il Prophete," and Vielka in the "Camp of Silesia."
She was in her eighteenth year, and her beauty both of person and voice
excited the greatest admiration and drove the Berlin public wild with
rapture. Under Meyerbeer's supervision she gained splendid triumphs and
was appointed court singer for life.

During this time of triumph in Berlin she was visited by Adelina Patti,
whose fame was also spreading over Europe; in fact, if one may judge by
financial results, Patti's star was much higher in the heavens than that
of Lucca, for whereas Lucc