Schindler was at this time living at Beethoven's house, and the plan
decided on was to have Count Lichnowsky and Schuppanzich call there as
if by accident. The conversation would naturally turn to the approaching
concert and leading questions were to be asked Beethoven. His answers in
these years were usually in writing. The gist of these was to be written
out by one of the party, who would then carelessly, or as if in jest,
ask Beethoven to sign the paper, thus committing him to a definite
course. These praise-worthy intentions were carried out with so much
tact and skill that Beethoven not only saw through their innocent ruse,
but discovered in the whole proceeding a deep-laid plot on the part of
these arch-conspirators, whereof he was to be the victim of villainy and
treachery. This dawned on him shortly after the friends had taken their
departure, upon which he wrote the following notes, leaving them on the
piano as was his custom, for Schindler to deliver.
TO THE COUNT MORITZ VON LICHNOWSKY,--
I despise these artifices, visit me no more.
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