emotion, and it was only when the carriage had driven off that he
remembered that he had forgotten to bestow a blessing on his dear
ones. Rushing to the window, he stretched forth his hand, to find that
he was too late--the travellers were already out of sight.

Wolfgang's spirits, however, rose as the towers of Salzburg faded into
the haze of that September morning. No sorrow of parting could stifle
the sense of freedom that was springing up in his breast; he had
escaped from a town which was intimately associated in his mind with
tyranny and oppression, to seek his fortune in a new and wider world,
where he was confident that his gifts would meet with the recognition
they deserved. Thus buoyed with hope and confidence he entered upon a
sea of difficulty and trouble.

[Illustration: '_The carriage which was to convey the travellers
drew up at the door._']

At Munich, where they first halted, Wolfgang endeavoured to secure an
engagement at the Elector's Court; but there was no vacancy, and
although his playing brought forth many promises of future help in
addition to applause, the prospect of obtaining immediate engagements
fell empty to the ground. 'Fine words and bravissimos pay neither the
postboy nor the host,' wrote the practical Leopold Mozart, when
Wolfgang applied to him for advice, and so mother and son went on to
Mannheim. Here, indeed, the prospects seemed to be much brighter.
Mannheim was a thoroughly musical town, and Mozart soon won both
esteem and admiration at the hands of the musicians. The Elector, Karl
Theodor, maintained an excellent orchestra, and with Cannabich, the
conductor, Wolfgang soon became great friends, giving music-lessons
to his daughter Rose. Nevertheless, albeit so gifted, and capable of
winning applause wherever he played, Mozart was constantly looking for
work that would bring in sufficient ready-money to maintain himself
and his mother, until something of a permanent nature could be found
for him. But here again disappointment followed disappointment. He was
desirous of staying the winter in Mannheim, in order to join some
friends who were leaving for Paris in the spring, but he must first
find something to do. He seized upon the opportunity of playing before
the Elector and the Electress as a possible means of securing their
children as pupils, and for some time success in this direction seemed
imminent. But his application was put off from day to day; weeks
passed over,