“Oh, you are lucky to be allowed to practice so much,” said Vinzi, gazing at the piano with such an expression of longing that Alida suddenly remembered the reward he had been promised.
“I’ll play you the piece now,” she said. “Shut the door and come near to me so that you can hear it well.”
Vinzi obeyed and expectantly posted himself behind the piano stool.
With an eagerness never before exhibited, Alida played her Spring Song through, never once stopping or hesitating till she came to the end. Never had such a thing happened before! To have such a keen listener had made her able to perform unusually well.
VINZI STARED AT HER FINGERS AS IF HER PLAYING WERE A MIRACLE
Vinzi stared at her fingers as if her playing were a miracle. In a mirror which hung over the piano Alida had seen how breathlessly he followed her. This pleased her and when she had finished the piece she began it all over again. In the midst of it she suddenly seemed to be struck by a new idea. She paused abruptly and turning about on her chair she asked, “Would you like to learn how to play the piano?”
Vinzi’s eyes sparkled, but only for a moment; in the next he looked at the floor saying sadly, “Oh, I never could do it.”
“Oh, yes, you could easily,” replied Alida with conviction. “I can teach you and you’ll soon know all I know. You can practice with me and that will be heaps more fun than to sit and play here all alone. You can play a little piece like the one you like so much. It won’t take you long. Do you want to?”
Vinzi’s eyes had grown bigger and bigger with surprise and longing. The incomprehensible joy of playing music like that himself, lay suddenly before him. All he had to do was to say yes. Everything was to be so easy and perfectly natural. He could not believe that he might be granted such happiness.