"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."