from Francis Galton’s Hereditary Genius:
It is said that, after his wife had died in his arms, he rushed to the piano to express his grief; but soon, becoming interested in the airs he was originating, he forgot both his grief and the cause of it so completely, that, when his servant interrupted him to ask about communicating the recent event to the neighbors, Giorgio jumped up in a puzzle, and went to his wife’s room to consult her.