Beethoven enjoyed a very good friendship with Anna Maria Countess Erdödy, and lived in her house from autumn 1808 to spring 1809. The note followed a quarrel Beethoven had had with the Countess concerning the behaviour of a servant. Beethoven had obviously behaved wrongly, not knowing the circumstances. He therefore asks the Countess for forgiveness, as he was not deliberately nasty and wishes to be reconciled with her. Beethoven's move out of the Countess' apartment is also probably connected with this quarrel.
