Beethoven invited Marie Bigot to go for a ride. The weather is beautiful and Marie is almost certainly on her own so that there is no reason why they should not go on an excursion together.
Marie Bigot was a recognized and brilliant pianist. Her husband Paul was Prince Rasumowsky's librarian. Beethoven became fairly well acquainted with the Bigots in winter 1806/07, as he was often at the Palais Rasumowsky. However in March 1807 the relationship noticeably cooled. Paul Bigot was apparently not happy with the very familiar tone which Beethoven used with his wife.
Marie had declined the invitation to take a ride. As the correspondence which followed shows, this invitation had also been the cause of tension. Paul Bigot did not want his wife to be seen in public alone with the composer without the company of someone else. Although Beethoven declared his intentions were honourable, the Bigots - well at least Paul Bigot - considered his behaviour towards Marie improper.
