At Ferrara both he and his violin met with a different reception. A singer had failed him, and he had induced a danseuse who had a pretty voice to come to the rescue. Some graceless fellow in the audience hissed her singing, which caused PAGANINI to take a revenge little suited to the occasion. In his last solo he imitated the cries of various animals, and suddenly advancing to the foot-lights, caused his violin to bray like an ass, with the exclamation, "This is for him who hissed" Instead of laughter, the pit rose in fury, and would have soon made short work of him and his violin, had he not escaped by a back door. It appears that the country folk round Ferrara called the town's people, whom they hated, "asses," and were in the habit of singing out "hee-haw!" whenever they had to allude to them, hence the angry reception of PAGANINI'S musical repartee.