STILL MORE MUSIC
AND now each morning there was a song rehearsal on the pasture, for
Vinzi had organized a choir among the boys who had good voices. Some of
them could not sing, and others would not, but that was not amiss for
some had to watch the herd while the rest practised.
Vinzi had long known that Jos and Vereli had the best voices, and he
chose them as leaders of his choir, Jos of the high voices, Vereli of
the low, and they did their work capitally. They also helped in keeping
order, for as soon as the lads learned anything by heart, they wanted
to begin singing as soon as Vinzi had given the keynote on his shawm
and did not like to be restrained. Jos and Vereli understood this was
not according to Vinzi's wishes, and often had much ado to keep the
noisy singers quiet until their time came.
Thus the week passed and Sunday came, the day Vinzi had chosen to carry
out his project. Had his choir not been sufficiently well-trained, he
would gladly have waited another week, for Sunday it must be, in order
to fulfil his plan.
Jos and Vinzi marched up the mountain with their troupe of singers.
The procession grew as it advanced, other boys joining them from the
scattered cottages along the way. Some who were not singers came too,
just to listen and to see what happened.
As usual, the grandfather was sitting on his bench in the warm
sunshine, letting the refreshing mountain breeze fan his ruddy cheeks.
He looked questioningly on the approaching crowd. Vinzi, Jos and Vereli
were in the lead and came up to within a few feet of the old man. The
others grouped themselves about and Vinzi began to play a merry tune.
But soon the notes changed into a sadder strain, and finally sounded
like real lamentations, as though someone were begging for mercy. Here
the choir joined in and sang softly, as though to awake hope with the
words:
"Yes, the holy hymn of grace."
And then the shawm again sounded its plaintive strain until the choir
repeated in louder and fuller volume:
"Yes, the holy hymn of grace."
Once more came the pleading tones of the pipe, but when the chorus took
up the refrain again, it was in loud rejoicing:
"Yes, the holy hymn of grace
Sounds through all eternity."
And in unison voices and shawm concluded in a triumphant song of joy.
There was a moment of intense silence; the grandfather sat speechless,
hands folded over his knees. Then one of the boys ran off, others
quickly followed, and then the whole crowd rapidly dispersed over the
green meadow where a large herd of cows from the valley was grazing
under the care of comrades of the choir boys.
Vereli alone remained with Jos and Vinzi, but he also suddenly
disappeared; he never did stay long where absolute quiet reigned. When
the grandfather at last looked up, it seemed he had just returned from
far away.
"You sang a beautiful song for me," he said kindly. "Where did you find
it? Of course, Vinzi, you taught it to the others?"
"I got it from you," replied Vinzi.
"Hm, hm!" muttered the grandfather. "You seem to understand what is
said to you. But the music, where did you find it?"
"That came to me because I wanted to sing the hymn you could no longer
remember," explained Vinzi.
"It is good of you to wish to give pleasure to an old man. But wait! I
had almost forgotten something," and the grandfather fumbled around in
his pockets. "I have thought of you too, and told Father Silvanus about
your wanting a certain kind of song. You can see how kind he is, for he
has brought it to me already. But he made one condition: if you find
the tune for it, you must go up there and sing the song to him. Here it
is at last," and he pulled out a long sheet of paper.
As Vinzi took it, the grandfather continued, "Now I have something more
to say. Jos, you know the cellar. Go, bring me the cheese which has
been cut and one of the large loaves of bread. Vinzi will go with you,
for it will be too heavy for you to carry alone. Take it out to the
boys who sang to me. They are sure to be on the pasture. You have given
me a feast; now hold one for yourselves. Take a cup from the kitchen
and take turns drinking. Xaver will milk."
The grandfather always called Vereli by his surname Xaver, for the
boy's father and grandfather, his own first-born son, had been called
by the same name.
The two boys ran off to carry out his commission, and their burdens
made them pant as they came up the steep cellar stairs. In spite of
that, they hurried off with happy faces.
"Come back again, boys," said the grandfather, as they held out their
hands in grateful farewell. "Make another happy Sunday for me."
The pair really did find the singers on the great open pasture space,
and the Tower Boys were with them. Shouts of joy welcomed the laden
messengers, and the whole crowd quickly sat down on the grass and the
feast started, for boys have astonishing appetites, and many of those
from the little cottages had only potatoes for their daily fare.
Vinzi sat down behind the boys for he wished to be alone, to read the
words of the song. Would the melody he had heard so clearly fit itself
to the words? On drawing out the paper, he found the writing so plain
it was very easy to read and he read the words over and over again.
Suddenly such a longing gripped him that he could not sit there any
longer. He must go up to the field of roses, to listen to the melody
and to sing it to himself. He slipped quietly away from the boys who
were engrossed in their eating and drinking and ran up the mountain
until he reached the sunny field. Seating himself in his former place,
alpine roses on every side of him, he pulled out the paper again and
read:
Behold on high in beaming sun
The glowing clouds like roses,
No thorns to mar the beauty there,
No other flower can compare
To that glowing as of roses.
In beaming sun as in delight
Foams the cascade from rocky height,
Garbed in a cloak of spotless white,
Dauntless and shimmering in its flight
Foams the cascade from rocky height.
In beaming sun in glowing rays,
How proudly stand those peaks!
While mortals frail oft go astray
And soon, alas, must pass away,
Forever stand those peaks.
Within the glow of beaming sun
How soon all sorrows cease!
Oh, valley-dwellers, 'tis Heaven's call,
Will ye not hearken one and all?
For there your sorrows cease.
It was so late that night when Vinzi came running down the mountain
that he found the entire family had gathered in front of the house
to watch for his coming. Jos had returned several hours before and
had told how the grandfather had enjoyed the singing and had shown
his hospitality by providing a feast, and how Vinzi had suddenly
disappeared from the pasture where they had eaten it.
"Vinzi, Vinzi!" his cousin called out as he saw him coming. "We had
almost begun to believe you had run away."
"I certainly never would do that!" Vinzi assured him, all out of
breath. "I was sitting up there among the alpine roses and entirely
forgot the time."
"Perhaps you made some pipes?" asked Russli.
"Tomorrow, Russli, tomorrow for that," said Vinzi with understanding,
as the father hurried them into the house. He wanted a little Sunday
music too, he said, but first of all they must have supper.
Vinzi spent many happy hours in his rose field during the following
days, and was able to do so with a clear conscience. Jos knew what was
in course of preparation, and it was he who sent Vinzi up there every
morning immediately they reached the pasture, so he could have long
hours in which to compose the new song. Jos found it hard to wait until
it was ready to be practised.
Vinzi called his chorus together in a few days, and this time
everything went so well that their progress seemed really wonderful to
him. They had only to listen to the melody the shawm played, and then
they sang all the song, for the tune quickly caught and pleased the
ear, and they carried it through with great zest.
Vinzi had to accompany the song only a few times with Jos and Vereli
as leading voices until the herd boys all over the different pastures
could sing it. As soon as they gathered in the morning, one boy would
call out to the other, "Let's sing our song!" for it was the general
feeling that it was their very own.
The next Sunday the boys proceeded up to the grandfather, who had
heard something about the proposed visit. He watched the approaching
procession with pleasure. It was much larger than on the first
occasion, and the boys were so enthusiastic that they hardly waited
until they reached his bench to begin their song and their voices
increased in power to its end.
"Bravo! Bravo!" exclaimed the delighted grandfather. "Sing it again!"
Instantly the lively singers repeated it with undiminished power.
When Vinzi found that the song was going so well, he tugged at Jos's
sleeve, and he in turn signalled to Vereli who stood close by, and the
three slipped away like lizards. This plan had been agreed upon as
Vinzi desired to carry out the grandfather's commission; but he thought
it would be improper to make much noise near the quiet hospice above,
and if his chorus knew what he and his two companions had in mind, the
whole crowd would run after them.
Having once gained the road, the three boys soon reached the great
stone building which Vinzi remembered so well. When they stood in the
doorway, Vereli gave the bell-cord such a jerk that the clang sounded
all through the building. A small old man opened the door a little.
"What do you want?" he asked.
"To see Father Silvanus," replied Vereli quickly.
Peering at the three boys rather suspiciously, the old doorkeeper said
with deliberation, "Such boys! To want to summon Father Silvanus for a
joke! What do you want of him?"
"Let's go," suggested Vinzi softly. "Father Silvanus certainly has no
time for us."
But Vereli was not so easily put off and said unabashed, "We carry
a message from grandfather and wish to give it to Father Silvanus
himself, as we were told to do."
At this, the old man opened the door a little wider and let the three
boys step in. "You can wait here," said he abruptly and went down the
dim passage.
The boys heard his shuffling step long after he was out of sight, and
after a while other footsteps, firm and rapid, approaching.
"That's Father Silvanus!" exclaimed Vereli, but already the priest
stood before them in his long robe and gazed at them searchingly.
"You are one of the boys at the Tower; you bear their mark," he said to
Vereli. "Who are your companions?"
"This boy belongs to Lorenz Lesa and the other one is his cousin, Vinzi
Lesa of Leuk."
A peculiar smile flitted over the priest's face on hearing the latter
name, and looking at Vinzi, he said pleasantly, "Come along with me."
He led them down the long corridor, opened a door in the rear and
invited all three to enter. It was a very large room with dark panelled
walls, against which stood ancient leather chairs with high backs. In
the center of the room was an immense square table, but Vinzi's eyes
had been instantly attracted by something in the corner and he kept
gazing at it. It looked like Alida's piano, only taller.
The priest now stood right in front of the boys and inquired what the
grandfather desired.
Vinzi felt that it was his duty to report and said if the kind father
wished it, they would be pleased to sing the song which he had given
the old man.
"Good! I will be pleased to listen," said the priest, and when he
noticed that Vinzi hesitated, he added, "Do you want to ask something
else, lad?"
"Shall I sing with them, or shall I play?"
"Play, play; I must hear the shawm too," said Father Silvanus with a
kindly smile.
Instantly the music started, and Vinzi, sure of his two singers and
gaining courage from the priest's kind manner, did not play the melody,
but an accompaniment which he had often practised by himself.
When the song was at an end, Father Silvanus looked at Vinzi with real
affection. Placing his hand on the boy's shoulder and gazing straight
into his eyes, he said, "My boy, I want to know something; tell me the
truth about it. Had you heard the tune you have just been playing, or a
similar one, perhaps, with other words?"
[Illustration]
"No; the melody belongs entirely to this one. I did not find it until
after I got your words from grandfather," answered Vinzi innocently,
looking up into his questioner's face with his large, honest eyes.
"Will you sing all the verses again for me? And I want your
accompaniment too."
Highly pleased, the three boys repeated it.
"Good!" exclaimed Father Silvanus. "Now you shall hear how my harmonium
plays it. I wonder if you will like it."
He went up to the tall organ in the corner, opened it and started to
play. Vinzi listened with bated breath. What wonderfully touching notes
they were!
Was it possible? It sounded so familiar! Yes, that was his own melody,
and the accompaniment of the shawm with it. But how deep and how full!
Even after the notes had died away, Vinzi stood in silent ecstasy.
Father Silvanus looked at him with a smile and asked pleasantly,
"Should it sound like that, my boy? Was it correctly played?"
"Oh, it was much more beautiful than ours!" exclaimed Vinzi, still
overpowered.
"But it was your song, my lad; I added but little to it," said the
priest in kindest accents. "Come up closer; did you never hear this
kind of instrument?"
"No," answered Vinzi as he stepped up and examined the harmonium
closely, "but I have heard a piano."
The priest questioned him further, so Vinzi told about the few music
lessons he had enjoyed with Alida.
The priest smiled sympathetically and, stroking the boy's curly black
hair, he asked, "My lad, would it give you pleasure to learn to play my
instrument?"
In his intense happiness Vinzi could not be sure he had heard aright,
so just looked mutely up at the priest with flashing eyes.
"You mean to say yes?"
"A thousand times yes!" Vinzi exclaimed.
"Good! Ask your Cousin Lorenz what he has to say about it and bring
me the answer tomorrow morning. If he has no objection, we can play a
little every morning."
Shaking hands with each boy and saying a kind word to him, Father
Silvanus opened the door. Once outside, the trio went merrily down
the mountain, but Vinzi moved along as though in a dream and left the
lively conversation to Jos and Vereli. He could hear nothing but the
kind words of Father Silvanus: "Would it give you pleasure to learn to
play my instrument?" Give pleasure? It would be happiness beyond his
conception.
Vereli had said good-bye and turned off to the Tower without Vinzi
noticing it, and the two boys were soon home. At the supper table
Jos recounted everything that had happened and told how kind Father
Silvanus had been and his plan for Vinzi, if his father consented.
"Of course," said the latter. "I am very pleased if Vinzi can learn
something beautiful."
So early the next morning Vinzi went up to Father Silvanus and with a
radiant face informed him of his cousin's verdict.
"Then we will start at once," said the priest and led the way to the
great room and organ.
This lesson was quite different from those Alida had given, and the
teacher had as little idea of the flight of time as the pupil. One
hour, then a second was gone when the ringing of a bell reminded the
priest of the time. He quickly closed his instrument, shook Vinzi's
hand and said, "We will continue tomorrow. Come as early as you did
today."
Vinzi departed so full of his good fortune that he had to run to the
grandfather at once to tell him of all the unexpected and unbelievable
things which had happened.
Each day now grew more lovely for Vinzi. The further Father Silvanus
took him in his art, the greater his desire to proceed. When the priest
had to leave Vinzi, he permitted his pupil to remain at the organ to
practise, and there he would sit for hours. He was never disturbed by
any sound in the silent house and time passed unnoticed.
When the sun's rays gleamed at a certain angle above the organ, he knew
evening was near, and then he closed the instrument and slipped quietly
through the passage and out to the road. This left him just sufficient
time for a visit to grandfather, and then a quick run down to his
cousins and their comrades, where his coming always created jubilation.
Ear splitting noises always followed his arrival, for every owner of a
pipe wanted Vinzi to hear what he had learned to play. Vinzi could not
help wondering how the number of pipes had increased so during the time
he had not been coming to the pasture. Had the boys discovered how to
make them, or where did they get them?
His bargain with Russli was not forgotten. The little fellow was at
his side every morning as they started out and every evening as they
returned, he claimed his new pipe.
"Russli, you have pipes enough now," remarked Vinzi one day as he
wandered along behind the cows with his little comrade on the homeward
way. "By this time you should have learned not to worry the cows
without always expecting a pipe as a reward."
"And so I have," assented Russli, "and, besides, I have so much to do."
Vinzi was surprised at this statement for he had been so mischievous
only because he had much idle time on his hands. So he inquired, "What
have you to do?"
"I will show you, but no one else must know," answered Russli
mysteriously, and he led Vinzi off the road over to the old larches.
"Tell me one other thing," Vinzi began again. "Have you piled the pipes
in a heap, or have you given them away to the herd boys who have none?
So many of them have good pipes now, not like those they would carve
for themselves."
"I have given away no pipes," replied Russli in a tone of resentment,
for he was hurt that Vinzi should question his good sense. "You can see
for yourself."
As he spoke the words Russli bent over and lifted up several pieces
of moss-covered earth which had been so cleverly packed together the
ground had looked untouched. Laying them carefully to one side, he
scraped away the loose earth beneath and disclosed a large hole. He
turned back a strong paper which had been folded as a cover, allowing
Vinzi to look inside, and there he saw a collection of all kinds
of objects: a pile of nuts, some prunes, boxes of matches, colored
marbles, old knives and tobacco boxes, a little pump, a leather purse,
and a brass watch chain.
"What is this, Russli? To whom do these things belong?" asked Vinzi in
astonishment.
"To me. I exchanged each piece with the boys for a pipe. Now do you
see?" And Russli looked quite proudly at his stock-in-trade.
"But what are you going to do with all this?" asked the bewildered
Vinzi.
"Keep it until I exchange it for something better. You know the pipes
are only wood," said Russli confidentially.
Vinzi laughed and said, "You must become a merchant, Russli, for you
seem to understand all about trade. But now you won't have anything
more to do, because our bargain is ended."
"Oh, yes, I'll have much to do every day," said Russli importantly.
"Every morning I have to open the hole and clear away the earth to
count over my things to see that nothing has been stolen in the night.
Then it all has to be packed again and covered over and the moss firmly
set so no one will notice the place. In the afternoon I have to sit
close by and watch so no one discovers it and starts digging."
Vinzi did not have any trading instinct and so the enthusiasm that
urged Russli to such constant efforts to guard his treasures was beyond
his understanding. However, he was well satisfied that these new
activities took up the little chap's time. At least he left the cows in
peace and did it without the prospect of new pipes.
The month of August passed and the first autumn mists descended upon
the mountains. Several times messages had come up from Leuk that it
would soon be time for Vinzi to return home; they had imposed long
enough on the kindness of their relatives. Would their cousin take the
first opportunity of sending the boy home with some one? Each time word
was sent back to Leuk that the summer was not over, that no one wanted
to let Vinzi go, that he was well and happy. Wouldn't his parents
permit him to stay a little longer on the mountain?
One day toward evening Father Lorenz entered the house and found his
wife preparing supper in her usual easy way. He seated himself in a
chair for he had no special work to do until the boys returned with
the cattle. For a while he sat deep in thought, then asked, "Have you
noticed, Josepha, how Vinzi has changed?"
"How so?" she inquired.
"With one bound, he seems to have grown a whole year older, perhaps
two," explained Lorenz. "And this has happened since he has been
spending most of his time with Father Silvanus. I notice it in
everything he does: the way he plays, sings, and talks. It is as though
he had stepped from shadow into sunshine."
"I don't quite understand what you mean," replied his wife, "but I have
always said Vinzi looks as fresh and trim as a young apple tree. And
now I will say this: If Vinzi were a beggar-boy, I'd adopt him and love
him as much as my other three. I can say that truthfully."
"Yes, you can say that," responded her husband with a smile. "But, you
know, if the lad were a vagabond and had no mother, he would not be the
boy he is. He comes from parents who look after their children and has
lived in an orderly household. That's why he is the boy he is."
Heavy steps approached the door at this moment, but it was not the
tramping of the boys, which was always accompanied with loud yodels, so
Lorenz went to open the door and asked, "Who is there?"
A large, powerful man whom he at once recognized as a dealer in fruit
at Leuk held out his hand and said, "I haven't seen you for a long
time, Lesa. How are things going with you? I come on an errand for your
cousin in Leuk."
Lorenz was disturbed at these words, for he felt sure his old friend
had come on Vinzi's account. He often drove over the mountain and yet
scarcely ever turned out of his way to call on him. However, he invited
him to step in and make himself comfortable while they talked.
The fruit dealer explained that this was impossible as he had left his
cart standing on the road, and his horses were none the tamest. He must
deliver his message as quickly as he could: Vinzenz Lesa had wanted
to write a letter, but had not had the time after he had heard that a
wagon was going over the mountain. He had had barely time to tell him
he wished he would bring his son down with him, for it was time he
returned. The fruit dealer added that he would return in two days, when
his business would be done, and would then take the boy along with him.
Lorenz could say nothing, he was so dumbfounded at the thought that
Vinzi must go.
"Well, Lesa, good-bye until Thursday. I may be here as early as eight
o'clock in the morning," and the man looked questioningly at his silent
host. "You understand me, don't you?"
"Yes, yes, only too well!" answered Lorenz. "The boy shall be ready;
you will not have to wait for him, you may depend upon that."
He accompanied the man out to where his great wagon stood, loaded with
sacks and drawn by four strong horses. Just as it drove off with a
loud tinkling of bells, the boys came driving their herd, singing and
shouting at the cattle. Should he tell those merry boys the distressing
news? It would put an end to their happiness, he knew that. He had a
soft heart, and could not bring himself to do it, so he greeted the
boys cheerfully and things went along just as usual.
After supper came the time for singing, for this had grown to be a
custom in the house. They sang as happily as birds in spring, all but
the father, for tonight there was a heavy load on his heart. He kept
thinking, "I must tell them tonight. The time is too short to wait any
longer."
At last came the moment for the mother to say, as she did every
evening, "Now we must stop; it has struck nine."
Then he broke the news hurriedly in a few unmistakable words, and they
all received it silently, with surprise and sorrow. The mother was the
first to find her tongue.
"Of course you told him it was out of the question to let Vinzi go day
after tomorrow?" she said with an emotion altogether unusual with her.
"I can't understand what he means, to come and take the boy away, as
though his leaving didn't amount to anything, the way one might tear a
switch out of a hedge. Surely, you told him so?"
"The man did not come to do us any harm," said her husband. "You must
not forget that Vinzi's parents have the right to summon him home, and
one cannot deny that this was a good opportunity."
By this time the boys had recovered sufficiently to express their
feelings, and they raised such an outcry that their father declared the
best thing for them was to go to bed; things would look brighter after
a night's rest.
Vinzi had remained silent all this while, and now as he sat on his
door sill and gazed up at the stars, he was swayed by conflicting
emotions. He was happy at the thought that he would soon see his mother
and Stefeli, and his father too. Perhaps the latter would be kindly
disposed toward him again, as in the old days Vinzi remembered so well.
Then his father would let him ride on his knees, and would say to him—
"Now, Vinzi, lively! As soon as you can ride well, you shall have a
horse."
Vinzi was not quite sure just when his father had begun to change in
his attitude toward him, nor did he know why.
On the other hand, there was the sadness that for him all this lovely
mountain life was at an end. He must leave all these kind people.
And then the music! Yes, all the music! With whom could he continue
his music at home? There was no one. Must all this be ended for him
forever? His heart sank within him at the thought, but next moment it
pulsated with the thought of going home and seeing those he loved.
Even if he must forget all about music at home, thought Vinzi to
himself, he would surely be able to go up to Father Silvanus again some
day, and this was his last consoling thought as he fell asleep.
The next morning there was no time for any discussion as they had to be
off to the pasture as early as possible. Jos and Faz were already off
for the cows, and Vinzi was ready to follow with Russli when his Cousin
Lorenz drew him to one side and said in a low voice, "It has to be,
Vinzi, and you will be glad to get home. I wanted to tell you so that
you could bid good-bye to Father Silvanus and to the grandfather this
morning."
Vinzi knew his cousin's words were final, and he went off in silence,
which did not please Russli at all.
"Say something to me," said the little boy petulantly, after they had
walked a short distance.
"I can't talk very well," replied Vinzi, "something is choking me. But
don't be unhappy, for when I get home I will send you something nice
for your little shop."
"You needn't go home," declared Russli confidently. "Faz has thought of
something to do so you need not go. He told Jos about it at the pump.
Early tomorrow morning he will go up the road and wait for the wagon.
When it stops, he will climb up into the seat and say that he is the
boy from Leuk. Then the man will drive on, and when they have gone
some distance along the other side of the mountain, he will jump off
the wagon and say he is not the right boy after all, and run back. Now
don't you see? The man can't do anything then, for it will be too far
for him to come back."
Vinzi was not at all convinced that this plan would prevent his trip
home, but he felt deeply moved at the thought of Faz taking so much
pains to keep him. He had really had less to do with Faz than with the
other two boys.
"What are you going to send me for my shop?" inquired Russli later.
"I shall not tell you," replied Vinzi. "It must be a surprise; then it
will please you better."
"Is it something to eat?" persisted Russli.
"No, nor anything to drink," answered Vinzi. "But I will tell you no
more about it, or it will be no surprise."
At the pasture Vinzi parted from Russli and went on to the hospice as
usual. He had been instructed always to go at once to the great room
and there await Father Silvanus. He always came quickly. But this
morning Vinzi did not stand before the harmonium with sparkling eyes
in happy expectation, as he always did when the priest stepped in.
Today his pupil was quite downcast and when the priest looked at him
questioningly, Vinzi informed him that this would be the last time he
would come; he was going home the next day.
"Oh, what a pity, what a real pity!" exclaimed Father Silvanus slowly.
"But you can keep up your music at home, can't you?"
Vinzi fought back the tears, though his eyes filled in spite of him as
he answered, "No, I believe not."
"Keep up your courage, my boy!" advised Father Silvanus, patting him
kindly on the shoulder. "Keep up your courage! It is always lovely
to go home, and if the Lord thinks music is good for you, it is an
easy thing for Him to send someone across your path who will help you
further. Perhaps you will return to us and we will go on with your
music together."
The priest shook his hand in a fatherly way and accompanied him to the
door, where he gave the lad his blessing, saying heartily: "May God
watch over you!" and then sent him on his way.
Vinzi was scarcely able to stammer his thanks, he had to fight so hard
to keep back the tears, and he was most grateful to the priest for
making his farewell so short, he could not have controlled himself much
longer. Perhaps Father Silvanus had perceived that fact.
Vinzi gazed around him again and again. The mist began to lift, and
everything grew clearer in the sunshine—the snow-capped mountain, the
cascade, the rocky cliffs, and above them all was the deep blue of the
heavens. He looked at it all once more, then ran off to the Tower.
The grandfather had come out when the fog lifted, and was again seated
on his bench.
"You've come early today, and that is right," he called out to the
approaching boy. "But what's wrong, what is the matter?" he added as he
came up close.
When Vinzi explained, he said, "But we will be glad that you could stay
this long. It has been my hope that you could come and sing my hymn for
me when I go to my heavenly home. But perhaps I will be here till next
summer, and then you will come back again. We will say good-bye with
that thought," and the grandfather shook hands with Vinzi in a hearty
way, saying his cousin would be expecting him, and he did not wish to
detain him.
Vinzi hurried toward the house, thinking that the grandfather might be
right. In the meanwhile, Cousin Josepha had been persuaded that Vinzi
must go, and she rejoiced when she saw him coming so soon. It would
give her a chance to talk with him, and that was necessary in order for
her to regain her usual calm, for this sudden leave-taking had quite
upset her.
When they had sat together and chatted as on the day of his arrival,
her complacent mood was fully restored as Vinzi assured her he had
no greater desire than to come up to the mountain again, live in her
house, and occupy his lovely sleeping quarters.
When the family were all sitting together that evening, Father Lorenz
said, "Singing is the best means of driving away sad thoughts," and
began a song himself. The others joined in, and the music continued
until bedtime.
The next morning things did not go just as Faz had planned. The
brothers were ready to go to the pasture and were saying good-bye when
the continuous cracking of a whip on the road told Father Lorenz that
the fruit dealer was arriving earlier than he had said.
Vinzi climbed up to his high seat, and he called a separate farewell
to Lorenz, Josepha and the three boys, after which the horses started
off. Truly sad at heart, all five watched the departing Vinzi, Russli
feeling the least grief because of the surprise he had in prospect.
When the wagon reached the spot from which the Tower in the meadow was
visible, the road was suddenly lined with a crowd of noisy boys. More
and more kept coming, and finally they lifted a shrill "Hurrah!" and
then shouted over and over again, "Come again!" so lustily that all
four horses reared.
[Illustration]
Down below the grandfather sat on his bench and waved his hat high in
the air and Vinzi answered by swinging his.
A window was opened in the hospice above, and a hand waved a friendly
farewell to Vinzi; the hand of Father Silvanus.
One more stretch up the mountain, past the wild beeches and gnarled old
fir-trees, and then came the quick descent to the valley.