Garcia the Centenarian And His Times Part 31

LAST DAYS.

(1905-1906.)

On the Sunday evening after the Centenary Banquet, Senor Garcia was present at a more private dinner, attended by the laryngologists, who had come together to do homage to the founder of their art. He was brighter than at the larger gathering, while he not only smoked a cigarette, as he had done at the banquet, but drank a gla.s.s of lager beer with relish. He told many interesting stories of his early days; and once, in trying to fix the time of some reminiscence, he said, "Oh, about twenty-three or thirty years ago: I do not like these little dates"! With the greatest good nature he signed his name on some forty menu cards. The following is the text of his speech in French:--

"Vous ne vous attendez pas, sans doute, a ce que je fa.s.se un discours. Si j'ose prendre la parole, c'est pour vous exposer, en quelques mots, une pensee qui m'obsede et que le grand eclat donne a la presentation qui a eu lieu a fait naitre dans mon esprit.

"Le role des personnages qui ont figure dans cette celebration aurait du etre interverti; les felicitations, les compliments vous appartiennent, et c'est a vous et a vos societes qu'ils auraient du etre adresses.

"Il est de tout evidence que le pet.i.t instrument doit les succes qu'il a obtenus absolument et uniquement a vous, Messieurs, et aux a.s.sociations sur lesquelles vous presidez. Prive du puissant appui de votre science, il serait tombe dans un oubli complet (et ego quoque).

"Par suite je me considere comme un usurpateur insigne qui accepte ce qui, en realite, vous appartient, et c'est par acquit de conscience que je le confesse.

"Ne pouvant pas changer ce qui est, je termine ces mots en exprimant ma tres vive reconnaissance aux societes laryngologiques que vous representez, et a vous, Messieurs, qui, sans souci des inconvenients des voyages, etes venus de tous pays, meme les plus lointains, pour feliciter le centenaire et, plus encore, pour l'honorer de leur approbation scientifique. Ainsi comble, saura-t'il jamais manifester l'intensite de son appreciation, de sa reconnaissance?

"Je ne pourrais conclure ces remarques sans exprimer mon admiration pour Sir Felix Semon, dont l'infatigable perseverance, unie a une rare puissance d'organization, a reussi, a travers de nombreux obstacles, a organizer cette grande demonstration, inspiree uniquement par le desir d'honorer un vieil ami. Merci! Encore, Merci!"

A few days later Senor Manuel Garcia went to dine with Hermann Klein, who had come over from New York for a few weeks, and here the centenarian renewed his acquaintance with his pupil's younger brother, Charles. The meeting took him back over thirty years, to those days in Bentinck Street when Charles Klein, then a st.u.r.dy, dark little fellow of eight, used to go out regularly to fetch the maestro's lunch of sponge-cake from a baker's round the corner in Welbeck Street. Much water had pa.s.sed under the bridge since these days, and he had now come over from a sojourn of many years in America, a man of forty, and one of New York's most successful playwrights.

In the following July I went up to spend a Sunday afternoon with the centenarian. It was quite impossible to believe that he was indeed in his 101st year. He actually displayed more vivacity than at the time when I was commencing lessons with him, while even in those days my mother had a.s.serted that he seemed more hale and active than he had been when she in her turn was studying under him twenty-five years before.

Truly as he grew older he appeared to become younger.

Charles Klein came to call on the maestro on this same afternoon, and was put through many searching questions with regard to the latest phases of American thought and character. When tea arrived our host displayed the most extraordinary energy, jumping up and insisting upon getting a small table upon which the playwright might rest his cup and plate. The latter he watched with anxiety. When it was empty, he promptly fetched a plate of scones, and with the most wonderful humour and good spirits pressed the guest to take some more. As for his own wants, it was perfectly futile for one to offer to take charge of his cup. Nothing would satisfy him but that he should himself take it over to be refilled. When I rose to go, the maestro insisted on coming to the front door, as in the old days, and in shaking hands said, "I shall hope to see you here soon again."

For the next nine months Manuel Garcia led a life almost incredible in one of such age. He continued to rise early, go to bed late, and enjoy walks, drives, theatres, concerts, and dinners as thoroughly as a man forty years his junior.

His hale old age he would ascribe to his mental and physical activity, his moderate living (he did not touch wine or spirits until he was ninety), and his good digestion.

His piano continued to be a favourite friend, and frequently he would play for an hour in the forenoon and again in the evening. The selections would be mostly s.n.a.t.c.hes from the old Italian operas--especially Rossini, Meyerbeer, and Mozart,--played from memory.

His hearing was excellent, and his sight still comparatively good; indeed, he spent a great deal of time in reading, for he took an interest in everything that went on in the world. His evenings would be pa.s.sed in conversation, or a bout at chess--a game in which he had many a time in the old days tried conclusions with Sir Charles Halle.

Sometimes he would go out for a game of cards with his neighbours.

He went to visit many old friends, and one day actually walked up to the fourth floor in a block of flats, disdaining the lift. He went to register his vote at the general election. During his walks he used to offer adverse criticisms of the motor-omnibuses which were beginning to make their appearance. 'Bus conductors used to get their own back without knowing it, for they would point to "Mon Abri" as they pa.s.sed, and remark to the pa.s.sengers, "That's where the Centurion lives."

In the following autumn I was at work on the little book of reminiscences of my mother and her circle of friends, and at the close of November wrote to Senor Garcia telling him that I wished to devote a portion to his own career, as her chief instructor in singing. This letter at once brought a reply that he would like to see the MS. of that part of the memoir.

Hence there came about what must have been unique in the experience of book publishers, for when the ma.n.u.script was finally returned to them after revision, marked for press, it contained some corrections in the handwriting of one who was within three months of entering his 102nd year.

The coming of the new year appeared to bring with it little visible diminution in the maestro's mental and bodily activity. Indeed, during the winter of 1905-06 he attended quite a number of public dinners, including one at the Savage Club, another given by the "Vagabonds" to Mr and Mrs H. B. Irving, and a third at the Mansion House in honour of the King of Spain, by whose special request the Centenarian was invited to be present.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FACSIMILE OF A LETTER WRITTEN BY MANUEL GARCIA IN HIS HUNDRED-AND-SECOND YEAR.]

On March 17, 1906, he celebrated the entrance into his 102nd year by taking up a guitar and singing a Spanish song, while a few days after this he attended the Philharmonic Concert at the Queen's Hall and keenly enjoyed the music. So active was he still, that he refused with indignation an offer to be helped up or down stairs; but the candle was burning with an unnatural brightness, which could not last.

In the middle of April a letter arrived from the maestro, the perusal of which brought fresh wonder at his amazing vigour. It had been written on the 16th April, and ran as follows:--

CHER MR MACKINLAY.--J'ai lu avec beaucoup de plaisir l'interessant volume qu'avez (_sic_) dedie a la memoire de votre chere mere.

C'est aussi avec grande satisfaction que j'ai appris qu'il a ete apprecie par la presse; c'est une garantie qu'il aura le succes qu'il merite.

Agreez mes compliments et mes felicitations.--Votre sincere M.

GARCIA.

About the same time Hermann Klein received a letter from the old teacher, and the handwriting, he tells me, was not quite so firm as usual. Indeed it is evident that Senor Garcia was not feeling at all himself at this time, for in the note he says--

"As to my health, it is less brilliant than I should like, but it is pa.s.sable;" while a postscript is added showing that he himself realised that his hand was rather shaky: "Can you read this scribble (ce barbouillage)?"

After this there appears to have been considerable improvement, for on May 24 he wrote to congratulate Charles Klein on the success of his new piece at the Duke of York's Theatre, and on this occasion the handwriting was much clearer and steadier than it had been five weeks earlier.

(_Translation_.)

"MON ABRI," CRICKLEWOOD,

LONDON, _24th May 1906_.

DEAR MR KLEIN,--My paper informs me that you have just obtained a great theatrical success. I congratulate you with all my heart.

Would you have the kindness to send me your actual London address?

I have a little parcel for your brother, which I beg you will convey to him. It is a portrait that he has asked of me, which he desires to present to Mme. Sembrich.

One of these days, when I feel in the mood (en train), I shall go to see "The Lion and The Mouse."

My respects to Mrs Klein, and to yourself a hearty and cordial handshake. M. GARCIA.

In June Charles Klein sent a box for the Duke of York's Theatre, and Senor Garcia went to see the piece, which he thoroughly enjoyed. This was the last dramatic performance which he attended, and indeed the drama of his own life was drawing to a close.

On Sunday, July 1, the end came: the beloved maestro pa.s.sed away in his sleep, calmly and peacefully, at the age of 101.