CHAPTER XI

THE OLD SONG ONCE MORE

Autumn was here. In Lesa’s household it had come much too soon for every one, and the children could not believe that their days on the pasture were nearly over. Hugo and Alida would soon have to go right into the heart of a large city far away. Jos would go home to his mountain, while poor Stefeli would be left behind, unhappy and alone.

“I don’t want to be always alone,” said Stefeli determinedly, when they had discussed their prospects on one of their last days together. “I’ll send a letter to Uncle Lorenz. You know he promised me something.”

“I suppose Vinzi will soon come back,” said Alida, “and he’ll be wonderful company for you. We would have had lots more fun if he had been with us this summer. There were so many things I wanted to talk to him about, things none of you could understand.”

The same day Vinzenz Lesa said to his wife, “I hope Lorenz won’t come yet to fetch Jos home. It has been such a good year that we still have our hands full. Things have to be done on every side and I can’t do them without the boy. He has the best memory and such good ideas; common sense, besides, enough for three, and a love and interest in the work as if it were all for himself, instead of for us. He just wants to keep the farm in good shape. I would give half the place to have such a son. It would mean so much to me.”

“Let’s be glad he is still with us,” replied the wife, “and I think he’ll stay yet for a while. Good Cousin Lorenz hasn’t even warned us yet.”

Mr. Delrick sent word from time to time, and a letter had come rather lately with the usual good news. Vinzi was well and everything going smoothly. Mr. Delrick seemed to be in no hurry for Vinzi’s return, though the year of his absence was practically over.

A few days later when the children walked into the room one night a large letter lay on the table.

“That’s from papa,” cried Alida, upon seeing the handwriting. It was addressed to Mr. Lesa.

“Now everything is over,” said Hugo, who had come in also. “You’ll find that we’ll have to go now, Alida.”

The children were quite frightened, for even while they had discussed their departure, none of them had realized how near it really was. Even Jos, who had joined them, made large, bewildered eyes. He had never quite pictured to himself the end of their bliss, and just lately least of all, when he and Hugo had been drawn so closely to each other in friendship. Should this all be over for good now, with their separation?

As soon as the father came in, he took up the letter, only to put it aside again. He only read letters when there was nothing else to do, and supper was more important. When Mrs. Lesa had brought it in and had looked after every one’s needs, she asked her husband if she should open the letter. She knew that the children, who had recognized their father’s handwriting, were most anxious to hear it. As he willingly agreed, she first read the message to herself. All she told them, however, was that Mr. Thornau would arrive in a few days to fetch his children home. They would hear about the rest the next day. A deep silence followed. Soon the four children quietly stole away from the table, one by one. They met outside under the large walnut tree according to a previous plan. Here, under the old tree as a staunch witness, they gave each other the solemn promise to do everything in their power to reunite next summer. They longed to spend as perfect a summer together again. When the children had gone to bed and Vinzenz Lesa had lit his pipe, Mrs. Lesa sat down beside him to read aloud Mr. Thornau’s letter. He was writing from Dresden, where he had stopped a few days. He had gone there to see Mr. Delrick, who had decided to join him on his trip to Switzerland. This would give him an opportunity personally to bring the parents news about their son. But, as Mr. Thornau’s time was extremely limited, he unfortunately would have to take the last train to Leuk on Sunday evening and leave again with the earliest train on Monday. He therefore made them a proposal. If the Lesa family, including their little daughter, would bring his children to Freiburg on Sunday, they could all spend a pleasant day together in that city. As Freiburg was Mr. Lesa’s former home, Mr. Thornau had a hope that it was possible to persuade Mr. Lesa to go there. They might arrive early on Sunday afternoon, and he and Mr. Delrick would meet them at the train, as they expected to reach Freiburg earlier.

In conclusion he said that Mr. Lesa and his wife would, by doing him this favor, crown their former kindness to his children. A refusal of his expectations would mean no less to him than a hailstorm to Mr. Lesa’s fields.

Vinzenz Lesa remained silent for quite a while. Then he asked, “Does he write nothing about our boy?”

Mrs. Lesa answered that the only thing about Vinzi was what she had read, namely, that Mr. Delrick was anxious to give them news about the boy in person.

“Do you know why he doesn’t want to bring him?” asked Lesa further.

“We can’t know that,” replied the wife.

“But we can guess, and I’ll tell you why. The reason is that Mr. Delrick realizes that he mustn’t make him into a travelling musician. He is in no hurry to bring him home, because he has turned his thoughts further than ever from farming and he is afraid to tell me. I know he is a good man, but he has made a mistake. Everybody dislikes admitting such a thing.”

Vinzenz Lesa blew such thick clouds of smoke from his pipe that his wife found it advisable to let them disperse a little. Then she said cautiously, “I think we had better hear first what Mr. Delrick has to say. It will be a blessing to be able to talk to him. What do you say about going to Freiburg?”

“I wouldn’t think of going,” said her husband curtly. “You don’t suppose I’ll go as far as that for no reason whatever. Why should I go to Freiburg, as if I had nothing else to do?”

“Nobody who knows you could possibly think that,” said his wife. “Besides, Mr. Thornau hasn’t fixed it on a Sunday for nothing. He knows well enough you wouldn’t come during the week. He asks us most politely, and it would have been easy for him to tell any other person to fetch the children home. Apparently, he would value it very much if we took the children to him. I must admit, Vinzenz, that I have grown extremely fond of them. They have both clearly shown me how they hate to leave. I’d love to go and put them into his hands myself.”

“Why don’t you go with them, then?” he retorted, still showing an obstinate disinclination in his voice. “You had better go to Freiburg. You are sufficient escort for them.”

“No, Vinzenz, I won’t do it,” answered his wife with firm decision. “You can see from the letter that Mr. Thornau wants you, too. You also know that I couldn’t settle with Mr. Delrick what is further to be done about the boy. We’ll either go together, or we won’t go at all. It is for you to decide.”

The silence which followed proved too long for Mrs. Lesa and she began again. “I don’t really see why we shouldn’t go to Freiburg as long as they ask us to. Don’t you remember how delighted we used to be as children when father and mother would take us there on a Sunday? We were the happiest creatures on earth sitting in the high carriage between them with such exciting adventures before us. We really should do it for memory’s sake. We always went to church first and heard the beautiful organ. Do you remember how your mother insisted on doing this first of all? Wouldn’t it give you pleasure to go back? It also would give you a splendid chance to run over to your farm. You ought to have looked it over long ago, and you are sure to find lots of things to attend to. Now that Jos is with us, you can leave much more easily than afterward. You’ll have a lot of important things to do there, and if nothing special takes you there, you’ll never make up your mind to go. You had better take the journey before something actually goes wrong and you might have reason to blame yourself for not having gone before.”

The thought that the trip might have a good side had begun to take hold of Vinzenz Lesa. Very deliberately, but still unwillingly, he replied, “How did you think of all these things? I don’t see how we could be away so long. It would take at least three days.”

“Not for everybody,” replied Mrs. Lesa promptly, for she had thought out everything minutely. “We can easily attend to things here on Sunday morning before leaving. We’ll be in Freiburg early in the afternoon and that same evening I’ll travel home as far as I can with the children, in order to get here as soon as possible on Monday morning.”

“How many children do you expect to bring home? The two strangers will have gone and you yourself have only one.”

This time the husband had found the words first.

“Only our two, Jos and Stefeli; I don’t mean to bring strangers home,” his wife said calmly.

“What! You want to take Jos along, too?” said Vinzenz Lesa much excited. “That would make it out of the question for me to go. If Jos isn’t home to keep things in order, I won’t even budge from here! Count on that.”

But Mrs. Lesa began to show him how easily their hired man could look after the simple work in the stable which had to be done on Sunday. Monday morning Jos would be back again. In this way nothing would be neglected. “Just think, Vinzenz,” concluded his wife, “what Jos has done for us. He has been with us a long while and we have not done the slightest thing for him. I am sure it would give him pleasure to go along. We owe it only to him if you have time now to look over your other farm to see what has to be done there. You can easily stay away a week, for I promise to look after the farm if I have Jos, so you won’t need to grumble.”

Vinzenz Lesa was a just man, eager to act upon what he felt to be right. He was glad to give Jos a well-earned holiday and to have the opportunity besides of carrying out a needful undertaking. After weighing the matter carefully, he finally declared, “All right, we’ll go then, but tell Jos about it as soon as possible. He can plan things out beforehand so everything will stay in order while he is gone.”

“Tomorrow,” said Mrs. Lesa, happy at having such pleasant prospects to tell the children, especially her ever-willing Jos.

At the news of their coming expedition the children showed unbounded delight. Alida and Stefeli jumped from sheer enthusiasm and Hugo said, “Now everything isn’t quite over yet. It will be much easier for us to go away if everybody comes along.”

Jos could hardly realize the treat that lay before him. It was too wonderful to be taken to Freiburg and see the city and get a glimpse of the fine country on the way. From joy and astonishment he could scarcely say a word. It would be his first journey, for he had never been away from his mountain except when he had come to Leuk.

Sunday arrived. The whole company travelled gaily across the beautiful country which lay gleaming in the brightest sunshine. The trip proved even more delightful than they had anticipated. Alida and Stefeli never stopped talking, and Hugo kept busy either joining in with them or pointing out the interesting things along the way, which they would have overlooked on account of their constant chatter. Jos, on the contrary, was so absorbed in the new, beautiful things on every side that he never took his eyes from the landscape and remained in the deepest silence, attentively gazing out.

Thus the hours flew by unnoticed. Quite surprised, the children jumped up from their seats when the father said, “Look out, now, we are nearly at Freiburg.”

In a few minutes the name was actually called out and the train stopped. Mrs. Lesa looked out of the window expectantly to see if the gentlemen had come to meet them. Sure enough, there they were. But the mother uttered a low sigh. She had hoped till the last moment that Mr. Delrick, as a surprise, had brought their boy with him. But Vinzi wasn’t there.

Loud cries of joy beside her drew her attention to the two children, who flung themselves upon their father. Mr. Thornau now held them both in his arms and responded to their stormy greetings with exclamations of joyous surprise. He held his son a short distance from him and looked at him happily.

“And is this supposed to be my thin, frail Hugo, who had neither spirit nor strength. You look as sunburnt as a woodsman, with your fat cheeks and beaming eyes. Mrs. Lesa,” he called to the mother, “what did you do with him? He is a different creature. And is this stalwart gipsy girl really my Alida? The blood throbs through your brown cheeks with health. Mrs. Lesa, Mrs. Lesa, how on earth did you do it?”

“Oh, we know, we know how,” cried out the children simultaneously, and immediately began to relate to the father how they had spent their delicious summer days. It would have been impossible for Mrs. Lesa to give any information now.

After greeting her husband, Mr. Delrick took Mrs. Lesa’s hand. Just is if he had read from her eyes what was in her heart, he said, “Don’t worry about Vinzi, Mrs. Lesa. He is perfectly well, and he is still a great joy to me. The reason why he is not here is not a bad one, you must believe me. Oh, here is my little Stefeli, too, and another old friend besides,” he continued, turning toward the children. “I am glad Jos came, too, for he must belong entirely to your family by now.”

“Yes, like our own,” said Mrs. Lesa, putting her arms around the boy. “Thank God that we have him.”

“I’d like to ask what you think about a plan we made,” continued Mr. Delrick. “I wonder what Mr. Lesa will say. Our friend, Mr. Thornau, has asked us all to dinner today at a hotel quite near the beautiful old Nicholas church. So we thought it would be pleasant to go there first of all and then have a nice, quiet time together.”

Mrs. Lesa glanced at her husband, for she wanted him to decide. She herself was most anxious to go to the church immediately. Old memories had risen in Vinzenz Lesa’s mind as soon as he had set his foot in Freiburg. As a child he had known nothing more wonderful than to drive to Freiburg on a Sunday, and his little girl neighbor had felt the same. He had always loved to enter the tall, quiet church holding his mother’s hand. Whenever he heard the sounds of the wonderful organ, they revealed to him a different world, one quite apart from his daily life.

“I’d be only too glad to go to church first,” he began. “It is but suitable that we should go, as it is Sunday today.”

At this the little company started off into the town. It was very still in the large old church, and so dark and solemn that the children stepped very lightly before settling down beside their parents. Suddenly the organ began to play, and rich, powerful tones floated through the quiet building. It seemed as if all the heavenly hosts were singing a hymn of praise and joy for all the world.

Stefeli uttered a low cry and violently pulled her mother’s sleeve. “It is Vinzi, mother,” she said in intense excitement. The mother also had recognized her boy’s curly head at her first glance toward the organ. It had so surprised and overcome her that she could barely keep from sobbing aloud.

She wanted her husband to share her deep emotion. Quietly touching him, she whispered, “Vinzenz, it is Vinzi.”

He gave no reply, nor looked up, seemingly unwilling to show he had been moved. The music suddenly changed. From a low plaint it swelled to a tremendous wail, is if a chorus of despairing creatures were cast down by sorrow and contrition. In the midst of this, their grief reached its height and changed into meek, ardent entreaties for help and mercy. At that moment the heavens seemed to open and a clear, lovely chant of angels brought down a message of love and eternal joy. Just in the middle of the angels’ choir, a rich, clear voice rang out and filled the church with the words:

“And the blessed song of mercy--”

Jos, upon hearing the well-known sounds, so much more glorious and inspiring than he had ever imagined them, had been completely carried away. At the ending where he had always joined in he could not stop himself from lustily singing his words to the chorus of angels.

When the last tone faded away a deep silence reigned in the church. After a while both gentlemen rose. Vinzenz Lesa also got up, but he had been obliged to wipe his eyes a number of times.

“How can you believe such a thing,” he said to his wife in a hoarse voice in answer to the words she had whispered to him. “No one can tell me that was Vinzi.”

Mr. Delrick stood immediately behind him. “Mr. Lesa,” he said, patting him on the shoulder, “we don’t need to believe anything till we have gone to the organ to see for ourselves.”

“He can certainly play, I know that,” said Mr. Thornau satisfied. “How did you like it, Alida?”

“Oh, it was wonderful and I wish it were not over yet.”

“Come, let us go along, too. I’d love to see who played,” and taking his daughter’s hand, Mr. Thornau followed the others up to the organ loft. Mr. Delrick had quickly gone ahead, and before the others had arrived, the same joyful melody greeted them again. Vinzenz Lesa, upon entering, stood stock still. At the organ really sat his curly-headed boy. As he was playing, the father could actually hear how he produced those stirring melodies. Nothing helped now, and Lesa had to wipe his eyes repeatedly.

Vinzi had ceased, and his mother finally let Stefeli’s hand go. The child rushed to her brother and tenderly clung to him. Now the father came up with Mr. Delrick.

“Mr. Lesa,” he said, “your son has played you the song of mercy, and I hope you will also be merciful and forgive him if he does not want to become a farmer.”

Lesa had grasped his son’s hand. “More than that, more than that, Vinzi,” he finally said after a great effort to control himself. “You make your parents proud of you and not what I used to think. I never realized such a thing could happen. I never, never knew it. When I used to come to Freiburg as a boy and heard this organ, I thought that people who played it were creatures entirely set apart, not human beings like one of us. You must be most thankful to Mr. Delrick, boy, for we owe him everything. He found the way for you and made this possible.”

“Not I, Mr. Lesa, not I,” Mr. Delrick remonstrated. “Pater Silvanus is the one who knew what was in Vinzi and who knew what ought to be done with him. Let us be grateful to him. You shall also know right away that Vinzi is not losing time with a breadless art. He already has an offer from a church in Dresden to play every Sunday. I suppose you approve of that, Mr. Lesa? He’ll be able to keep on studying at the same time and I think the longer the better. I hope it will suit you to leave him with me for a few more years.”

“Whatever you deem wise, sir,” Lesa replied, unhesitatingly, perfectly convinced that Mr. Delrick’s plans and his would evermore agree. Vinzenz Lesa was pleased that his friend had kept a long silence about Vinzi, until he could really prove his case.

One surprise after another was in store for Vinzi. When Jos suddenly stepped up to him, Vinzi greeted his old friend with the greatest joy.

“So it was you, after all!” he exclaimed. “I heard you singing down in the church and it nearly upset me. I had to think over and over again: ‘Who knows our song and has a voice just like Jos’s?’ But I thought you couldn’t be here, and here you are, after all.” In the greatest surprise he greeted Alida, Hugo and Mr. Thornau. Alida found so many things to talk over with Vinzi about their past and future that Mr. Thornau found it wise to announce that the moment for dinner had arrived. Then all their conversations could be continued at leisure.

However much Mr. Lesa fought against it, he was taken to dinner at the Zohringer Hotel, where he had not set his foot in his life before. Unfortunately the hour of parting came much too soon for them all.

“You don’t know what I have to thank you for,” said Mr. Thornau to Vinzenz Lesa at leave-taking. “My son, who never has shown the slightest inclination nor wish for any occupation, has just informed me that he has decided to become a landowner. After having already chosen the manager for his estate, he insists on getting all his cows from you. He says you have the finest that can be found anywhere, and he knows all about the breed. My daughter has been fighting against studying music for over a year and has not once opened her beautiful piano in spite of all my remonstrances. Now she declares to me that it is her highest wish to take up her lessons again. Hearing her former pupil play so beautifully makes her ambitious to work hard and catch up with him. I really mean it most seriously, Mr. Lesa, when I say that my gratitude for everything that my children have experienced in your house is much greater than I can say. I would love to prove it to you. Don’t you ever expect to get to Hamburg, Mr. Lesa?”

“No, I don’t believe so,” said the latter truthfully. “But we are glad if the children have profited somewhat. We liked to have them and would like them to come again.”

Mr. Thornau pressed Mrs. Lesa’s hand most gratefully, for his children had told him so much about her that he knew she had been a real mother to them. “Will you let the children come back again?” he asked sincerely.

“It would make me quite unhappy if they didn’t come next summer,” she said half sadly, half happily, “and I’ll look forward to their coming every summer.”

Upon taking leave of Mr. Lesa, Mr. Delrick told him that they would see each other again, as he was planning to spend Vinzi’s holidays in Leuk. But first he intended to go to the Simplon in order to show Pater Silvanus how his pupil had progressed. If the father had no objection he would take Vinzi with him. Lesa replied that Mr. Delrick should do whatever he thought best.

Vinzi, who was standing beside them, listened breathlessly. What had his father said? How could he say this when he had forbidden him so emphatically to go back to the mountain?

Anxious to know the truth, he asked a little timidly, “Father, can I really go to the mountain with Mr. Delrick?”

“You may do whatever Mr. Delrick says,” replied the father.

Vinzi’s eyes sparkled with delight. He was to return to the mountain in a few days and see every one he had loved so dearly. He would be able to thank Pater Silvanus, as he fully realized how much he had to be grateful for.

That same hour all separated. The children found it quite impossible to get done with their leave-taking. Whenever they seemed to have finished, they began again. But they were far from sad, as they had the sure prospect of meeting again next summer. Vinzi was to be with them also, as Mr. Delrick had promised to come to Leuk at the beginning of his holidays. Mr. Thornau travelled in the direction of Basle, and Vinzenz Lesa toward Bulle, near his paternal home. Mr. Delrick and Mrs. Lesa, with the three children, journeyed toward Lausanne on the lake of Geneva. Here they spent the night in order to arrive home as soon as possible the next morning.

On the evening of the following day Vinzi went upstairs with his mother. When they came to his little room, he said to her. “Oh, mother, it is so lovely to be at home again; won’t you please come in and say good-night to me the way you used to do?”

Before going to bed that night Stefeli had run outside, as if looking for some one. She found Mr. Delrick sitting on the bench as usual, just as she had expected.

“When you go to the mountain, Mr. Delrick, will you give somebody a message from me?” she inquired, as soon as she had joined him.

After expressing his readiness to do so, Stefeli went on: “Won’t you please tell Uncle Lorenz that Jos mustn’t go home yet. He promised to leave him here till father sends him away, and I know that he’ll never do that.”

Mr. Delrick promised faithfully to deliver her message. He could not help smiling to himself when he remembered how similar were the three messages he was asked to take. Mr. Lesa had begged his cousin Lorenz to leave Jos with him, if possible, as he could hardly live without the boy. A few moments later Jos had appeared, very anxious to let his father know that he could not yet come home. So much had still to be done before the winter, and then spring would be here again. This year’s work could barely be finished before next year’s labors would begin. His Uncle Vinzenz should really not be left alone, for it was settled now that Vinzi would stay away for good. Mr. Delrick said to himself with a smile that Cousin Lorenz would not be able to gainsay this threefold request, especially against his own firm promise.

Mrs. Lesa went into Vinzi’s room and sat down on his bed. This vividly brought back to her the dreadful evening before he had departed for the Simplon. It was the first time Vinzi had been left alone with his mother since his return. He began to pour out his heart to her and told her all about his life in Dresden. He had not written, because his father had said that it was no good. He could not relate enough of Mr. Delrick’s fatherly kindness to him in every way. Vinzi was allowed to study many things, especially music. One splendid teacher taught him to play the organ and the other gave him instructions in the laws of music. From the latter he had learned to understand these and all their marvels. This lesson had been a great joy to him and he had been impatient for it every time.

“But my organ lesson was better yet,” Vinzi added. “Oh, mother, I never realized one could look forward so much to anything. It was always like a great feast to me.”

With boundless happiness the mother looked at the radiant eyes of her boy. “And isn’t it part of your happiness, Vinzi, to live with Mr. Delrick? It must be wonderful to belong to his home and be with him so much!” she inquired.

“Yes, and not a small part of it either,” he cried out. “I am glad you know him, otherwise you could have no idea how kind, affectionate and helpful he is. Everybody in his house is good to me, too, for his sake. Mrs. Wyneken, his housekeeper, who has charge of everything, is as kind to me as if she were my grandmother. Frederick the butler, and Minnie, the maid, both wait on me and won’t let me do anything for myself. It is mostly because they all love to hear me play the organ. Mrs. Wyneken says that Mr. Delrick has grown happy again since I play it. He had lost every one in the world he loved and had been very sad. He has a little organ in a large room downstairs. Mr. Delrick asks me to play it for him every night. Sometimes we can hardly stop. Now you know what my life in Dresden is like. But I cannot say how much I look forward to my little hayloft on the mountain under the stars.”

“Vinzi,” said the mother, “do you ever thank God for all the blessings He has heaped upon you. Do you realize that it is He who has given you everything?”

“Yes, I do, mother,” he replied, looking frankly into her eyes. “I never forget how frightened and troubled I often was. Sometimes we sing one of the songs you taught me in the evening, but I sing them quite differently now. I used only to enjoy the tune, but now I thank and praise God from the bottom of my heart.”

“If you should ever get into a difficult position, Vinzi,” the mother concluded, “you must remember that God often means to work out our good when we fear evil. When I sat on this bed before you went away the first time, I should in my shortsightedness have done everything to keep you home. And just think! That journey proved the beginning of your great happiness.”

Vinzi had listened attentively. “It was the same with me,” he said. “I thought it was the most dreadful thing that could happen to me and it proved just the opposite. I’ll always remember that, mother.”

When the mother left Vinzi’s chamber after a hearty good-night, her heart was filled with gratitude and bliss. Folding her hands she sent up a heartfelt prayer of thanks to Heaven.

What blessings God had sent to her and her household. Her boy’s inmost wish had been fulfilled and his future lay clearly before him. The father was not only satisfied, but actually pleased. He did not despise his Vinzi any more, because he realized that he could be truly proud of the boy and he showed it quite openly in the way he looked at him.

Vinzi had been away a long while and had lived in totally different surroundings. He had learned a great deal, but had remained just as affectionate and simple as when he had gone away. This made his mother extremely happy, and she sent a fervent prayer to God to keep him pious and childlike upon all the paths of his coming life.

THE END

FOOTNOTES:

[A] The Gemmi is a remarkable mountain pass across the Alps.

[B] Miss Country-rat.

[C] The Starer from Leuk.

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES:

Italicized text is surrounded by underscores: _italics_.

Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.

Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized.

Archaic or alternate spelling has been retained.