The priest questioned him further, so Vinzi told about the few music lessons he had enjoyed with Alida.
The priest smiled sympathetically and, stroking the boy's curly black hair, he asked, "My lad, would it give you pleasure to learn to play my instrument?"
In his intense happiness Vinzi could not be sure he had heard aright, so just looked mutely up at the priest with flashing eyes.
"You mean to say yes?"
"A thousand times yes!" Vinzi exclaimed.
"Good! Ask your Cousin Lorenz what he has to say about it and bring me the answer tomorrow morning. If he has no objection, we can play a little every morning."
Shaking hands with each boy and saying a kind word to him, Father Silvanus opened the door. Once outside, the trio went merrily down the mountain, but Vinzi moved along as though in a dream and left the lively conversation to Jos and Vereli. He could hear nothing but the kind words of Father Silvanus: "Would it give you pleasure to learn to play my instrument?" Give pleasure? It would be happiness beyond his conception.
Vereli had said good-bye and turned off to the Tower without Vinzi noticing it, and the two boys were soon home. At the supper table Jos recounted everything that had happened and told how kind Father Silvanus had been and his plan for Vinzi, if his father consented.
"Of course," said the latter. "I am very pleased if Vinzi can learn something beautiful."
So early the next morning Vinzi went up to Father Silvanus and with a radiant face informed him of his cousin's verdict.