SURPRISES, BUT NOT ONLY FOR RUSSLI
During the months of September and October Vinzenz Lesa was always
very busy. He usually went about in excellent spirits, as he had good
reason to rejoice over the blessings of his harvest. But this fall he
was often silent and could be seen standing still, staring in front of
him absent-mindedly. Apparently his thoughts were busy with something
which worried him. His son’s future occupied him day and night and left
him no peace, for he loved Vinzi dearly and was as proud of him as only
a father can be. Every one was fond of Vinzi, but he wished him to
realize his fortunate prospects. Thousands would envy him the smooth,
carefree life which lay before him. All he needed was to have his eyes
opened.
Vinzenz Lesa, after pondering deeply for a long, long while finally
reached a conclusion. One day he entered the living room and found his
wife busy mending his old coat. Needless to say, her thoughts were
also busied with the same problem constantly occupying them both.
“I am going to take the boy away on Sunday,” he said upon entering.
“I’ll take him to my brother in Freiburg, who will be only too glad to
get Vinzi. There is always lots of work till winter time. Vinzi can’t
count on many distractions there, so it will be good for him if he has
plenty to do.”
Mrs. Lesa’s work slipped out of her hands. Pale with dread, she gazed
at her husband.
“Have you thought about the condition your brother is in, Vinzenz?
Do you remember what name they call him by?” she asked, dreadfully
frightened. In her mind’s eye she saw Vinzi before her, staring in
front of him as he was wont to do, and her brother-in-law’s pathetic
figure right beside him.
“That does not matter,” answered her husband. “My brother is not
vicious he only hates giving orders. He does not like to work, but
his mind is quite clear enough to know that the place needs a master
besides a servant. That is why he wants me to come back or send him my
boy. Vinzi is not stupid. As soon as he sees that he can give orders,
he’ll get a liking for it, which is the first step to knowledge. It is
the best way out for him, believe me! I have thought it out and I mean
to go on Sunday.”
Mrs. Lesa wished to raise other objections, but everything she said
seemed only to confirm her husband’s statement that he had found the
right place for Vinzi, so she remained silent. When her husband had
gone and she was left alone with her own thoughts, she remembered her
great grief when Vinzi had been sent away before. How differently
things had gone with him from what she had feared. She had really
been ungrateful to God, for he had brought her lad to kindly people.
Why should she begin to worry and doubt again, as if she knew better
what was good for Vinzi? She would put everything into His hands, with
the confidence that the good Father in Heaven meant well with all His
children and would lead hers also to final happiness. This thought
calmed her. She decided to talk it all over with Vinzi, who as yet knew
nothing of his near departure. She found it better to prepare him by
telling him about the farm of his ancestors. Then he would understand
that he was sent away because some one was needed on the place.
That evening, when she heard Vinzi coming home, she called him in. He
had been out in the woods all day with his father. As the father had
work to do in the barn and stable, he would not miss the boy. Stefeli,
who ran in at once, was sent off on an errand to the barn in the hope
that she would probably remain a considerable time with her old friends
in the stable.
But Stefeli had noticed that the mother had something special in mind
regarding Vinzi and as she wanted to hear it all, she returned in a
twinkling. The mother, however, was not desirous of her presence.
“Go over to the barnyard,” she said, “and look for eggs in every nook
and corner. You know that the chickens lay them sometimes where one
least suspects them. Bring them here afterwards, but be sure to look
everywhere.”
Stefeli ran as fast as she could go, but she had barely left the house,
when she came running back. Flinging open the door, she cried, “He is
coming back! He is coming back!”
The next moment she was gone again. The mother and Vinzi looked at each
other. The same thought had flashed through their heads, but it seemed
so impossible that they did not dare to mention it.
The door opened again, and what they had thought impossible really had
come to pass. Stefeli triumphantly entered at the side of Mr. Delrick,
whose hand she was holding. The surprise was so great for Vinzi and
Mrs. Lesa that neither could say a word, but pure joy gleamed from
their faces.
“I changed my plans,” said Mr. Delrick after the first greetings. “My
friends are returning to Germany another way, and therefore I had to
come back once more. Your relatives up there loaded me with greetings
for Vinzi and I am glad to bring them to him myself. If I had gone
to Germany another way I could not have done so, and the good people
insisted on my delivering them. They treated me as an old friend
because I brought them Vinzi’s greetings.”
Vinzi’s eyes gleamed with pleasure and the bliss of remembrance.
“Did you see them all? The grandfather and Pater Silvanus, too?” he
asked expectantly.
“Yes, everybody, and they all seem to love you, Vinzi,” replied Mr.
Delrick. “Your good uncle Lorenz and his wife could not tell me enough
about your happy times together.”
Mr. Delrick also described how pleased the three boys had been with
their gifts. They sent their warmest thanks. Russli did not let his
present leave his hands, wherever he walked or stood, he held on to the
red silk bag, filled with fine agate marbles. He had sent a special
message for Vinzi, which Mr. Delrick had not quite understood, but
hoped Vinzi could make out. Russli wanted Vinzi to know that he would
never in his life tickle them any more. He had never thought a surprise
could be so lovely.
At that moment the father entered. In surprise over his guest he stood
stock-still for a moment. Mr. Delrick had risen to greet him.
“Oh, I am glad it’s true,” said Lesa with joyful eyes, shaking the
proffered hand heartily. “I always thought this would happen somehow.
It has been so empty here since you left. Welcome again to our house!”
he added, strengthening this sentiment with a renewed shaking of the
hand. “Let us sit down to supper now; my wife is sure to have something
special for you. She couldn’t be less happy than I am at your coming.”
Mrs. Lesa had already disappeared to prepare supper. The meal passed
most pleasantly, as the joy of seeing Mr. Delrick again had driven away
all gloomy thoughts.
When every one rose from the table, Mr. Delrick said, “I’d like to have
a little talk with you, out on the bench, the way we used to do; but
don’t forget your pipe.”
“Never,” replied Vinzenz Lesa.
Mrs. Lesa understood that Mr. Delrick desired to speak to her husband
alone, so she kept the children with her indoors.
As soon as the men were seated on the bench, Mr. Delrick began: “I
suppose, Mr. Lesa, you have guessed that I had a reason for coming back
and changing my plans.”
“You do nothing without a good reason,” replied the other thoughtfully.
“I must tell you something which is so important that I wanted to lose
no time,” continued Mr. Delrick. “I had planned to spend a day on the
mountain to give Vinzi’s messages in person and to look up his friends
there. First, I called on your worthy cousin, Mr. Lorenz Lesa and his
wife. These good people could not speak enough about Vinzi. They miss
him so much, for he made life exceedingly pleasant for old and young
with his songs and music. I suppose a father likes to hear that?”
The latter nodded.
“Then I visited the old grandfather in the tower, who was greatly
touched by Vinzi’s message. He said that Vinzi had given him the most
beautiful hours he had had for years--the times your boy had trained
the chorus to sing to the old man. It is the grandfather’s dearest
wish to have the boy play for him when he is taking his last journey.
I think that this must have been more than a light little song,
for it could not otherwise have made such a deep impression on the
grandfather. What do you think Mr. Lesa?”
Vinzenz Lesa silently nodded again.
“When I asked the grandfather if Pater Silvanus knew anything about
music, he grew quite talkative. He told me that Pater Silvanus had been
a very fine musician and had spent many years in a college in Rome. He
had sought out the solitude on the mountain voluntarily and had lived
there many years, doing good. I found him just the man I was looking
for,” Mr. Delrick went on, “a man who could give me an opinion on
Vinzi’s talent. So of course I went to see the monk. As soon as he
heard that I came from Vinzi, he was very friendly and immediately
asked me what the boy was doing with his music. Then I told him that
I had come especially to find out what he thought of Vinzi’s gift.
The good monk grew enthusiastic. ‘You ask me if he has talent,’ he
exclaimed. ‘The boy is simply full of music. When I studied with him
I never had the feeling of teaching him anything. It was more like
drawing everything out of him.’ In order that I could judge he told me
that the first melody Vinzi had composed and had worked out by himself
was so original and lovely that he himself often played it. Vinzi had
also composed a tune to some words, and this had simply won every one’s
heart. The cow-herds on the pastures as well as the girls at their
spinning-wheels would often sing it. The young lads whistled it in
the barns and stables, and people all about hummed it and called it
‘Our song.’ No one quite remembered where it had come from, and it had
grown to be the favorite property of the whole mountain-side. I don’t
doubt the boy’s talent any longer, Mr. Lesa, and I hope you also are
convinced that it is worth while to open the way for such a gift and
develop it. I am sure you mean to do so, Mr. Lesa.”
For a while the farmer deeply pondered, blowing clouds of smoke into
the air. Then he said thoughtfully: “And what then? To develop it
will mean to teach the boy to make music till he won’t want to do
anything else. But Vinzenz Lesa wants no musician for a son. They are a
shiftless crowd, and Vinzi has a good home. If he once begins to wander
about, he won’t ever be able to settle down and that will be his ruin.
How can you expect me, who realizes all this, to start him on it? No,
sir, you can’t expect this!”
At this unexpected reply Mr. Delrick remained silent. A considerable
time passed till he said calmly after ripe consideration. “Apparently
I can’t get you beyond the idea of his becoming a travelling musician.
But let me make you a proposition. I hope you still have some
confidence in me?”
“I have,” the other replied firmly.
“Good. Then I’ll propose that you should let me have your boy for a
year or longer. I’ll do for him what I would do for my own son. If he
comes back and you still think as you do today, a year among strangers
will not have harmed him. If he is to spend the rest of his life here
on the farm, it won’t be bad if he has learned something. That never
has hurt anybody yet.”
Lesa, after considering, suddenly came to a determination. “That can’t
be, sir,” he said decisively.
Mr. Delrick asked the reason for this sudden statement.
“I can’t possibly send my son into your house for a whole year when you
have paid me more for just a few weeks than was necessary,” Vinzenz
Lesa explained.
Mr. Delrick smiled. “I live alone in a large old house, which is very
still and empty. Having the boy with me will make a most welcome
change, as you can see for yourself. He will bring new life into my
existence. But if you are not yet satisfied, I promise to come to you
as guest as often as I want to and till we are absolutely even. You
know how much I like it here. Please let us settle it, Mr. Lesa. I can
only hope you will never regret it.”
Vinzenz Lesa could not help thinking to himself that a year among
strangers would benefit Vinzi greatly. After all, the boy had seen very
little of other people’s lives. He would meet boys of his own age
struggling for their existence and that might teach him to be grateful
for his own good fortune. To be taken to the paved streets of a city
from his free life in the country might even make him homesick and
anxious to come back before the year was out. The father would not ask
for more.
“I’ll agree,” said Vinzenz Lesa firmly, pressing the proffered hand
to conclude the bargain. “I only want to say one more word. If Vinzi
should wish to come home sooner than we have settled, you must let him
come.”
Mr. Delrick willingly promised. Then he rose in order to communicate
the husband’s new plan to the anxious mother, while his companion took
his accustomed evening trip through the barn and stable. Mrs. Lesa
could find no words to express her gratitude and joy over this new turn
events had taken. Now Vinzi was saved from staying with his dreadful
uncle, and how wonderful was the way by which he had been spared! Even
if she did not quite know what Mr. Delrick meant to do with Vinzi,
she was overjoyed at the prospect that her boy was to spend a whole
year with such a man. Vinzi likewise knew no more about his immediate
future, but looked forward to everything with joyful confidence. Mr.
Delrick had told him that Pater Silvanus’ wishes in regard to him were
to be carried out. This meant that he was going to be happy.
Three days later came another day of parting. No one was sad this time,
because each had some consolation. Only Stefeli rebelled a little, for
it seemed to the poor child that no one on earth was compelled to be as
lonely as she was.
In the winter which followed, Stefeli had to take many a solitary
walk. She had no companion on her way to school and got very weary
going alone twice daily to and fro. As she was of a most sociable
disposition, this occasioned her many a bitter sigh.
From time to time Mr. Delrick sent news about Vinzi. Mrs. Lesa read
the letters aloud to her husband and the reports were always good.
Vinzi was well and busy with his studies. The boy sent hearty greetings
to his family, and the missive always concluded with kind words from
Mr. Delrick. He spoke of his great joy in having the boy with him and
watching his rapid development.
When the father had breathlessly listened to these reports about his
son’s welfare, he often showed some disappointment. He always seemed to
be waiting for some message which did not come. “Is that all?” he would
ask when his wife had finished.
After she had assured him that she had read every word he silently went
away. His wife had guessed long ago that he waited for something which
did not happen. She felt that he would have been more pleased if Vinzi
were less happy and showed some inclination to come home.
This caused new anxieties in her heart and she wondered what would
happen when Vinzi returned. If he did according to his father’s wishes,
he would never be satisfied. And if his father let him do the work the
boy had chosen, a breach would remain between the two, for the father
would never be reconciled to the thought that his son would become a
strolling musician. She remembered the unspeakable joy of her husband
when their son was born. He had indefatigably worked for the little one
and nothing had ever been too good for him. When he looked at his son,
he was glad to be able to say, “He can have everything he wants some
day.” A great pity for her husband surged up in her at these thoughts
and she felt as if she must call Vinzi home. But the next moment she
had to think again, “But then poor Vinzi will feel unhappy.”
In her agitation she was glad that she had nothing whatever to decide
in the matter, but the greatest consolation of all was the knowledge
that One above her, Who saw further and knew everything would decide
the final outcome for them all.