194 THE HORSE OF MR. VON OSTEN 



which indicated the tone in question, and Hans would 

 tap it. Thus arose the tale of the horse's absolute tonal 

 memory. This tale gained much support at the time, 

 from an experience which has been recounted to me by 

 the well-known composer, Professor Max Schillings. 

 It shows more clearly than any other report how very 

 confused were the threads that had been spun in the whole 

 matter. In order to test the horse's musical ability Prof. 

 Schillings played, let us say, three tones upon the accus- 

 tomed instrument. Complying with Mr. von Osten's 

 wish. Prof. Schillings always indicated which three he 

 was about to play. The horse always tapped them cor- 

 rectly. In order to make a decisive test, Prof. Schillings 

 then played, without anyone's knowledge, a note that was 

 in reality a third below the one he had indicated to Mr. 

 von Osten. Curiously enough, Hans tapped, as a matter 

 of fact, the number indicating the note that was actually 

 struck, and it was only in the third repetition and after 

 many exhortations on the part of the master " to have 

 a care ", that the horse finally tapped the number in- 

 dicating the note Mr. von Osten had in mind and which 

 in truth was the wrong one. This curious experiment 

 seemed to those to whom Professor Schillings commu- 

 nicated it, to yield conclusive evidence of the horse's 

 absolute hearing. As a matter of fact, however. Prof. 

 Schillings had unwittingly, and, contrary to any inten- 

 tion on his part, inspired the horse. Standing, as he did, 

 just behind the right shoulder of the horse, he was able 

 to interrupt Hans (who had begun to tap in response to 

 a move on the part of Mr. von Osten,) by means of an 

 involuntary movement which did the work of a closing 

 signal. At the same time Mr. von Osten, likewise stand- 

 ing to the right of the horse and expecting more taps. 



