Your Imperial Highness!
Since in spite of all my efforts I have not been able to secure a copyist who will copy at my home, I am sending you my manuscript. All you need to do is kindly to send to Schlemmer for a good copyist who, however, must copy of the trio [Opus 97] at your palace, because otherwise one can never be sure of not being robbed –– I am better and in a few days I shall again and have the honour of waiting upon you and making up for lost time –– I am always desperately worried if I cannot be zealous in your service and if I cannot be with Your Imperial Highness as often as I should like. It is most certainly true to say at this privation causes me very great suffering. But soon I shall no longer be in such ailing health –– Be so kind as to keep me in your memory. The time will come when I shall prove twofold and threefold that I am worthy of your remembrance.
Your Imperial Highness’s servant
faithful and most obedient servant
Ludwig van Beethoven