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Trilby was the heroine in a novel written by George du Maurier in 1894. It is the story of a young artists' model, Trilby O'Farrell. She fell into the hands of Svengali, a Hungarian musician, who taught her singing under mesmeric influence. Under his Spell her singing was the most beautiful ever heard. When she Sang in public she would place one of her dainty feet on a cushion in front of her. During an appearance before the British public, Svengali, sitting in a box, was fatally stricken. Trilby lost her voice and never regained it. She died, beloved by everyone. The name Trilby was given to all sorts of merchandise. A shoe manufacturer advertised ladies' shoes called "Trilby"- the first choice of milady who thought she had, or desired to have, a beautiful foot like Trilby O'Farrell's.