Vinzi

“ I mean Vinzi. For whom should I do all of it if not for him, and what kind of a boy is he? He has no eyes in his head and shows not the slightest pleasure or interest in taking to pasture the most beautiful cows that can be found far and wide in the whole neighborhood. If I say to him, ‘Just look what wonderful fodder is in this meadow!’ he says ‘yes’ and stares into the distance so one can see that he has neither listened nor really looked at the meadow he is standing in. ”

“ Vinzi went out. The sunset glow was gilding the rocky mountains opposite, the dark spruces had bright, golden tops, and now the bell of the little chapel began to fill the air with its lovely, peaceful music. Vinzi, carried completely away by all the beauty, stood and listened, rooted to the spot. He stood thus until the glow had faded and the chapel bell had stopped.
“Hello!” cried a voice behind him, while a [128] brisk blow fell on his back. Then he was pulled by force to the pump, where the very necessary daily ablutions had to be made before supper. ”

“ The mighty mountain raised its snow-cap high into the air, and raging mountain streams threw their white foam and mist against the shining sun to show a wealth of rainbow color.
Vinzi must have sat dreaming a long time. Suddenly he noticed the sun was directly overhead; it must be near noon. Starting up in surprise, he ran in long leaps over the rose field, carefully choosing his way that he might not injure the blossoms. With a last leap he was again on the road and off in full speed to the meadow slope at the old tower. ”

“ Vinzi had not said a word. When he sat on his threshold later on, looking up at the stars, he was conscious of a deep inner conflict. He looked forward to seeing his mother and Stefeli again, yes and his father, too. Maybe the latter would be kind to him now as he used to be in the old days Vinzi remembered so well, when he would let the boy ride on his knees and would say to him, “Just ride ahead, Vinzi; as soon as you can ride you shall have a horse.” Vinzi could not quite remember when his father had begun to treat him less kindly. ”

“ Vinzi was delighted at being told his share of the day’s work and he went back to Russli.
“Now, Russli,” said Vinzi on reaching the little boy, “watch what I shall make.”
As he settled down on a moss covered rock, the reddish-purple violets beside him exhaled such a sweet perfume that he had to draw in a few deep breaths. Then carefully choosing one of the branches he cut it off where it began to [121] grow more slender and started carving the thicker piece. ”

“ It is not far, just above there; you can see it now."
"Oh, I remember it!" exclaimed Vinzi, as he recalled the great stone house on the road.
"There is always a warm corner in the fireplace ready for me," continued the grandfather. "There I sit all through the winter and listen to the words of the kind monks. Now and again I see someone whom they have saved from a miserable death, buckling on his knapsack with fresh courage. I often hear about how the world is going on down below, and I am always happy to have escaped it all and to be up here." ”

“ They wanted to see how he did it, and Vinzi was only too glad to do so. He played as long as they liked to hear him, while they actually crowded around him and eagerly watched his fingers. The melodies seemed to come somehow of themselves. All he did was to let his fingers leap lightly over the holes, and it looked childishly simple. After watching him each thought that he could now do it, too, and it made every boy eager to try afresh. If one seemingly succeeded fairly well, another boy would say that he could do it as well if only he had his own pipe and took time to practice. ”

“ Good monks live there, who take in people that travel by in winter, half frozen. They have a warm fire for you and a drop of something warm to strengthen you.”
“What is that over there?” asked Vinzi again after a little while, when an old solitary tower showed itself to the right of the road.
“Do you think you have to live there? Don’t make such eyes!” said the young man. “I shouldn’t like to live there myself. It is as quiet here as if it were at the end of the world. But they do grow old here. Ten years ago I saw a man sitting there with his hair and beard as white as the snow on that peak. ”

“ Whenever his uncle Lorenz started to sing, more songs he had known in his youth rose in his memory. Even if Vinzi did not know them, all the uncle had to do was to sing them to the boy a few times and the latter would repeat them perfectly. The rest could follow his piping and in that way learn all the songs. The uncle got a tremendous satisfaction from it all. When such a musical evening had passed the uncle shook Vinzi’s hand three or four times. “You can make one young again with your music,” he would say. “You are piping the joy of youth back into my heart, boy.” ”

“ 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 [232] 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 meant to get here earlier," answered Vinzi, now able to breathe easier. "Black Vereli told me I should come up here to you, that you wished me to play on my pipe."
"So you are the lad who carves these shawms, and who plays so well on them, they say?" said the aged man. "It is nice of you to come up to me. Sit down beside me and tell me to whom you belong and from where you come."
Vinzi seated himself and explained that while he lived in Leuk, he was staying a while with his cousin, Lorenz Lesa.
"I know him," said the old man. "He is a fine man. ”

“ I would keep such a lad at home. One usually sends a boy away when he isn’t quite as he ought to be, or if he has queer ideas in his head that he might lose among strangers. But there are very few boys like Vinzi. Since he has come here I hardly recognize our own. Take Russli, for instance. Every morning he had to be dragged by violence to the fountain, and while he got washed, he usually shrieked like mad. Now he runs over to the stream behind the hay-rick as soon as he is out of bed. He loves to wash himself there, he says, because Vinzi does it, too, and likes it. ”

“ All Vinzi needs is to have a companion, for he can look after himself perfectly well. No boy is a little child any more at twelve.”
“Young enough, to go away alone,” uttered the mother with a sigh. “Does he really have to go on Monday? Tomorrow is Sunday.”
“Nothing could be better,” the husband said decisively. “If a thing has to be done, it is best to have it settled right away. I can’t see anything dreadful in it. He is not going to Australia, and next winter he’ll be home again.” ”

“ Vinzi climbed in through the extremely low door, where a grown up person was obliged to stoop. A tall, strongly-built man was straightening up the hay.
“Good evening!” Vinzi called out. “Does this barn belong to Lorenz Lesa?”
“It does, what do you want with him?” the man called back.
“He is our cousin. I belong to Vinzenz Lesa in Leuk and father sends you his good greetings. He said you knew about my coming here,” Vinzi went on confidentially, for he hoped [103] that this man who had already won his trust might be his uncle. ”

“ Next day the afternoon sun was shining down upon the bench before Lesa’s house when he took his seat there as usual and called to Vinzi to come to him.
“You know that you are to go to our cousin’s on the mountain,” he began when the boy was sitting beside him. “It is beautiful there and you’ll soon like it. You are going there for your own good and I hope you’ll remember to do honor to your parents. Your fellow-traveller knows the house you are to go to. You are expected there, though they do not know the exact day of your coming. All you have to tell them is who you are. ”

“ When lunch was over and the cows had settled down to rest, Vinzi looked steadily towards the mountains. Suddenly rising from the ground he said, “It must be two o’clock now. Yesterday the sun was just above that rocky peak when I got back. In an hour it will be above the peak.”
“Yes, Vinzi. The sooner you go the sooner you’ll be back. I want to hear all about it,” said Stefeli.
Vinzi lost no time. As he was climbing up the steps at Mrs. Troll’s he found Alida waiting for him. “You came at just the right time,” she called to him; “they are both away and we’ll [54] be entirely alone. ”

“ Vinzi heartily shook the proffered hands and answered their salutations. Meanwhile the father had come in.
“You must know each other’s names, boys,” he said, stepping towards the group. “Your cousin’s is Vinzi, which is short for Vinzenz. My three are called Joseph, Bonifaz and Maurus. But these are their calendar names, and we call them Jos, Faz and Russli. I think you had [108] better sit down now, for the potatoes have cooled off enough to eat.”
“Oh, I am glad,” said the mother with satisfaction, “then they won’t burn their throats today. Usually they do when they are in such a hurry.” ”

“ 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, [227] 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. ”

“ You don’t look dirty: come with us, Vinzi, you are clean enough.”
“No, no, Russli,” Vinzi answered. “One must wash every morning and besides it makes one feel better. Oh, what nice, clear water.” So saying Vinzi kneeled down and taking up handfuls he poured the fresh water over his face again and again, and also drank one handful after another.
This made a deep impression on Russli, for Vinzi looked refreshed and radiant. Meditating deeply the little boy said, “I’ll come and wash myself here with you and I’ll drink afterwards like you, too. I’ll do it every day from now on.” ”

“ On Monday morning the sun had only just flushed the tops of the mountains before rising above the wooded heights, when, early as it was, Stefeli, already neatly washed and dressed, rushed into Vinzi’s little chamber. She found him still fast asleep.
“Wake up, Vinzi,” she cried out. “The man has just brought back the cows from the pond and as soon as we have had breakfast, father wants us to go up to the pasture to watch them. The man has to come back when we get there. We’ll take lunch with us and stay all day long because it’s too far to come all the way home. ”

“ Vinzi jumped up and ran over to the pump, and bathed his eyes again and again to remove all traces of tears.
"You're all right; come along now," urged Stefeli. "Mr. Delrick never comes down to breakfast, father takes no notice and mother, will say nothing. Do come along!"
The two went in, and when Vinzi took his seat with bowed head, his father gave him one keen glance. Then he pushed away his half-empty cup, rose, and went outdoors. The sight of tears always upset Vinzenz Lesa, particularly those of his son, who was more precious to him than all his possessions. ”

“ The next day he appeared again and quickly [143] ran to Vinzi. “I have to mind the cows today, but the others can stay,” he said breathlessly. “But I have a message for you. I showed grandfather the pipe and he made me play on it. When he said I didn’t know how to play, I told him that you could do it better than anybody else. So he wants you to come and play for him sometimes. Won’t you come some day when I have to stay up there? Please come tomorrow, if you can,” Vereli called back as he ran away.
“I must ask uncle first. Where shall I go if he lets me?” Vinzi called after the boy. ”

“ 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.” ”

“ Vinzi finally was able to say.
“Good! Tell your uncle Lorenz about it and let me know tomorrow morning what he says. If he doesn’t object, we can play a little every morning.”
Giving his hand to the boys, Pater Silvanus, after saying a kind word to each of them in turn, opened the door and let them out, and they strolled gaily down the mountain-side. Vinzi was walking in a perfect dream beside his companions, who were both talking with animation. He kept on hearing Pater Silvanus’ words, “Would you get pleasure from learning how to [181] play my instrument?” Give him pleasure? ”

“ Stefeli wanted to know.
After meditating a little Vinzi answered, “I don’t know what the profession is in which I could do what I like best of all.”
“What do you like to do best? I never saw you do it, I think,” Stefeli said, quite surprised that she should not know.
“I like above all to listen to the bells and all the sounds in the branches of the trees. Also [39] those that drift down from the mountains on all sides. Can you hear how it seems to sing everywhere about us? Can you hear it?” Vinzi’s eyes grew more large and gleaming while he listened. ”