The Last Night of Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig could hardly catch his breath as she entered the room, smiling at his younger self. Her hair was chocolate brown and wavy; her eyes light brown. His younger self steps forward and kisses her knuckles.

Again the room dissolved and they came to a street. Ludwig’s heart was filled with sadness as he said, “She would not have been with me.”

“Follow me.”

The door in front of them open where Ludwig was bent over his piano, rubbing his ears. Theresa stood over him, concern and sadness etched into her beautiful face.

“Will you not respond?” she asked, her voice quivering. “Ludwig, whatever it is that ails you, tell me. I will always be here for you, can you not see?” Ludwig didn’t answer and she wiped tears from her eyes. “I cannot reach you. Wherever you are, I cannot follow. I love you.”

She left and that was the last time Ludwig had seen her again. Ludwig surveyed the man on the bench, hardly seeing.

“She… She would have stayed?” he asked in a croaked voice, staring at Fate with tear-filled eyes.

“All we can be certain of us what has happened,” she said quietly. “This is what we know.”

“Take it away!” he cried in anguish. “Take it away please! This infernal deafness!”

“If I do so, the Muses will not be able to inspire you with different sounds. The sounds of this world will interfere with the sounds of inspiration, beauty, and love.” Ludwig shook his head then Fate formed a vision. Men, women, boys, girls, and young people flashed before them, each playing a different piece of Ludwig’s music. “These young people will grow to become amazing composers, inspired by your music. Go,” she added and he stared, confused. “Go and play.”

He steps carefully in and sits beside a 10 year-old boy who grinned up at him.

“Will you play with me, mister?” the boy asked and Ludwig smiled.

“Of course I will.”

And they began to play, boy and man. Ludwig made suggestions for the boy on how to hold his fingers and different melodies that will fit to each other. The room seemed to emit a golden light and he felt that there was all the time in the world just to play with this charming young lad. However, all good things have an end.

Before he knew it, he was fading from the bench and the boy continued to play as if Ludwig hadn’t even been there. Fate led him gently back out as he stared at it.

“I don’t understand,” he muttered when they were in an empty stretch of cobble stoned street. “Why show me all of this?”

“So you will understand,” she said simply. “This is who you are, Ludwig van Beethoven. You are a man who, despite the hardships in his life, made it forward and made every single piece of music beautiful. Not only will they remember you and your music, but you will be famous even after death.”

Ludwig frowned at the ground. He finally understood. The past helps in the future. Whatever lessons were learned, whatever hardships were given, it all boiled down to the one simple truth that he must never give up these experiences. He looked up and nodded at Fate who took his hand and suddenly they were back in his room.

Lightning still forked across the sky as he looked around. The clock then struck one and in a flash of flame, Mephistopheles made his return visit. This time, Ludwig was ready for him.

“Still here, I see,” he sneered and Ludwig drew himself to his full height. “Well, have you considered my offer?”

“I have,” Ludwig said in a strong voice. “My answer is no.”

“Very well, hand over the – what?”

“I said no.”

Mephistopheles frowned. “So, Fate has prompted you yet again, has she?” He shot her a venomous look then his eyes strayed to the 10th symphony on the piano. “How about a new deal?” he asked, his voice becoming oily. “If you give me that symphony, I will not take your soul.”

Ludwig considered this for a moment. All his music that he already wrote was in the world, inspiring young minds and making an impact on the world. No one would miss this one, surely. But there was a nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach. The seconds grew longer and longer but no one broke the silence.

And then another figured appeared in the room. Ludwig gasped at the ghost of his beloved composer. Mozart seemed to glide over to Ludwig, ignoring the enraged look on the devil’s face, and shook his head. He spoke but his lips did not move and it sounded as if it were coming from Ludwig’s own head.

Do not take his offer. Do not take his offer. This is your masterpiece. Do not take his offer.

His ghost gave one last significant look and disappeared. Fate’s face was impassive but Twist was crouched at her feet, a mischievous smile still on his lips. The devil regained his composure and cleared his throat.

“Well?”

“No,” Ludwig repeated, his stomach going cold. “I won’t do it.”

It was as if all the lights had been extinguished. Anger poured from Mephistopheles like water and Ludwig stepped back in fright. Mephistopheles grabbed Ludwig’s arm and dragged him to his window. He pointed to a homeless child, curled up by a street lamp. She was asleep but shivering all the same.

“Do you know who that little girl is?” he sneered.

“Why should I?”

The devil gave a fake sad sigh. “That poor child is motherless. Left by her father on the sidewalk because she reminded her too much of her mother. Ah, the poor dear. So many hardships already in her young life.” His eyes flashed. “However, she can be spared if you give me that symphony.” Ludwig clenched his jaw and shook his head again. “Let me make myself clear,” Mephistopheles growled.

The lightning struck again but the child did not wake. Mephistopheles positioned himself beside Ludwig but pointed at the girl as he spoke.

“Every misfortune that will befall that child,” he said quietly, “will be on your hands. I will make her life miserable. That is all she will ever know: misery, loss, and pain. I will cripple her. I will stab her! I will make sure she is MISERABLE until the day she dies. And the best part of it all? She’ll think it’s the lovely Fate that has been so kind this night.”

Ludwig stared at the girl for a very long time. Then he began to pace, thinking furiously. Why should he care? He doesn’t know her. He has no responsibility. She belongs to the man that threw her away! How many graves in that infernal graveyard belong to children? She’s just another one; there are many more. She meant nothing to him. Nothing!

And yet… There was a child much like her. Motherless, ill, treated poorly, alone….

In that moment, Ludwig knew what had to be done. He couldn’t let the devil do this to an innocent child. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, knowing it would be his last.

“Yes,” he said quietly and thunder rumbled ahead as Mephistopheles laughed triumphantly.

Ludwig was about to hand over the symphony when Twist spoke for the first time, “Wait a moment.” His voice was smooth and full of a kind of love for mayhem. “A deal like this requires a contract.” He looked up at Fate. “Do you agree?”

The two surveyed each other and Fate nodded. A quill and parchment materialized on the piano top. She wrote:

“It is agreed upon this night, March 26, 1827, between the undersigned, that the music of the Tenth Symphony, composed by Ludwig van Beethoven, first born son of Johann and Maria van Beethoven, of the city of Bonn, shall henceforth be the property of Mephistopheles. It is also understood that it is his intention to remove any signs of this music from the memory of man for all eternity. In exchange for the destruction of the aforementioned music it is also agreed that Mephistopheles and all his minions will remove themselves from the life of the child presently sleeping in the gutter directly across from the window of this room. This removal of influence is to be commenced immediately upon signing and to be enforced for all eternity.”

Ludwig signed the contract followed by Mephistopheles who was still grinning with malice. Before the ink on the contract could even dry, Mephistopheles snatched up the symphony and thrust it above a candle. To his and Ludwig’s astonishment, the paper did not burn.

Twist let out a cackle of mirth.

“What did you do!?” Mephistopheles roared.

Fate was smiling serenely. “You should have paid more attention,” she said softly. “Ludwig van Beethoven is not the first born child of his parents.” The devil’s eyes were popping with rage yet words seemed to have left him

With a yell of rage, Mephistopheles threw the symphony out of his hands and disappeared forever. Outside, a chariot came by and woke the girl. Ludwig watched as his neighbor – a kindly woman – offered to bring the child into her home. He smiled a little and turned back to Fate and Twist.

“Thank you for helping me,” he muttered.

Twist giggled. “You remember your older brother, don’t you?” he jeered.

“Well of course I –.”

“The contract was for the first born; not the second.”

Still giggling he retreated into the shadows again. Fate sat on his couch and beckoned him over.

“Is this the moment?” he whispered and she nodded.

“Come,” she said quietly and he sat. She directed his head to her lap. “You were never destined to hell. Your soul belongs in heaven; Mephistopheles was lying.”

“The whole time?”

She smiled as she looked down at him. “The whole time. Now lay your head,” she whispered. Her hair that smelled of his mother’s perfume and he closed her eyes as Fate began to sing to him.

One last crack of lightning and Fate was gone. Twist, however, remained behind and took up the symphony. With a wicked grin, he dropped it behind a bookshelf where it will disintegrate during time.

His final breath left and Ludwig van Beethoven’s soul drifted off to heaven to start a new dream.