Your Imperial Highness!
The copyist will be able to begin work on the last movement [of Opus 96] very early tomorrow morning. Since in the meantime I myself have been engaged on several other works, I have not hurried unduly to compose the last movement merely for the sake of being punctual, the more so as in view of Rode’s playing I have had to give more thought to the composition of this movement. In our Finales we like to have fairly noisy passages, but R[ode] does not care for them – and so I have been rather hampered. – However, everything ought to go off well on Tuesday. Whether I shall be able to betake myself to Your Imperial Highness that evening I take the liberty of doubting, notwithstanding my zeal to serve you. But I shall come instead tomorrow morning and tomorrow afternoon in order fully to carry out the wishes of my eminent pupil –
Your Imperial Highness’s
Most humble
Ludwig van Beethoven