"Oh, that is easily done when one has to practise so much. All one has to do is to play the notes that are written there," she explained.
"Then you are fortunate to be able to do so much practising," said Vinzi, and he gazed at the piano with such longing that Alida suddenly remembered the reward he had asked.
"Now I will play for you," she said.
Vinzi stared at her flying fingers in amazement and Alida saw in the mirror above the piano how he followed her playing. That pleased her and she repeated the Spring Song but stopped suddenly in the middle of it, whirled around on the stool and asked, "Would you like to learn to play the piano?"
Vinzi's eyes sparkled, but only for a moment; the next, he gazed at the floor and said sadly, "That I can never do."
"Why, yes, you can very easily," returned Alida with conviction. "I can teach you. You will soon learn all I know, and you can practise with me. That will be much more fun than for me to sit alone. Then you can play little pieces like this one that pleases you so much."
Vinzi's eyes grew larger and larger with astonishment and longing. Unbelievable happiness was suddenly before him; he need only say yes. He could not grasp it.
"If it pleases you, say yes quickly, that you really wish it," said Alida a little impatiently. "Then you must come here every day at two o'clock, like today, because then Miss Landrat takes a walk with Hugo and I have to practise until three o'clock or sometimes even later, until they return. So we will be quite alone and I will teach you everything."
In a voice that trembled, he said, "There is nothing I would like better."
"Then everything is all settled!" declared Alida with satisfaction. "Come tomorrow—or would you like to start today?"