238 FAGAXINI 



colours ot Itah'. I pondered on nil this now as I looked 

 at the little island of St. Fereol h'iiig before me in the 

 sea. This bright scene would not have suited the gloomy 

 spirit of Paganini. The lonely- little island would ha\'e 

 pleased him better when the raging elements dro\'e the 

 foaming waves over the rocks. \\-]iile the wind moaned 

 and shrieked across the sea: when Xatm'e pla^■cd weird 

 music on her G string, as he alone knew how to pla\' 

 on this string to his agitated audience. Yes, certainU', 

 this spot amid the surging v.axes would be more appro- 

 priate than a peacetul church\ard lor the gra\'e of 

 Paganini. What a pit^ tliat the stor\- is only an in- 

 vention I Paganini realh' died at Nice, in the \ ia 

 Santa Reparata. of consumption of the throat and not of 

 cholera. In consequence of his illness he had long 

 before lost his voice. As he refused to receive tlie last 

 sacratnents tlie priestliood refused hmi Church burial, 

 and this onh' took place some \'ears atter. Paganini's 

 son, who is still living in Parma, informs me that since 

 ISJt) his father's remains have lain iii the large ciiurch- 

 ^'ard della X'illetta. after the\' had been carried first 

 to Villatranca and then to Cxenoa -— restless e\'en in 

 death. He. the son, had liad a liandsome monument 

 erected over the grave as no suitable place could be 

 found for it in (Tcnoa. Most extraordinar^• stories were 

 current concerning Paganini's life, and these gained credence 

 from his singular appearance, his almost spectral atten- 

 uation and tlie pallor of his countenance, on which, as 

 I leine \\T0te, care, geniLis and hell had graven tlieir 

 inclelible marks, i'aganini himself, too. contributecl in no 



