“Oh, you cunning one! But the Christian name, the Christian name—that is the question. Well?”
“I cannot prophesy so much in one day,” replied the blushing girl; “I will tell you that some other time.”
“I will tell you to-day,” whispered Sebastian. “She will be called Maria Barbara Bach. She is a dear, fair-haired maiden, and the only person who knows Sebastian through and through.”
“Do not be too sure,” replied Maria Barbara, in some confusion. “Sometimes my prophecies do not come true.” The next instant she had slipped away and disappeared in an adjacent room.
“A year from now,” the young artist said to himself, with all the solemnity of a vow, as his eyes followed her.
The apprehensions of his friends that measures would be taken by his superiors to call him to account were confirmed. He was summoned before the Consistory and sharply reproved for his audacious violation of his duties. His reply shows clearly his real purpose: “He had prolonged his visit to Lübeck solely in the interests of his art and for his own improvement, so that he might come back enriched with experience and many new ideas, which would better fit him for his position; and likewise he thought it would be better for his pupils. Beside this, he had provided a substitute for the organ.”
This brief explanation of his conduct did not satisfy the old stiff-necked superiors, who did not at all understand him. Beside this, the simple members of the congregation, who did not appreciate his efforts to elevate church music, complained that he introduced strange variations in the chorales which they could not follow. This called for further explanation; rather than make which, Sebastian decided to resign his Arnstadt position and look for another.
Just at this time, Johann George Ahle, the highly esteemed organist at St. Blasius’s Church in the old Thuringian imperial city of Mühlhausen, died, and the position was offered to Sebastian. He was ready at once, attended the organ examination, and so highly impressed the wardens with his playing, that they gave him the place. He expressed his satisfaction with the salary, requested and obtained his release from the Council at Arnstadt, and to his great delight found that his place would be filled by his cousin, Johann Ernst. To make the latter’s position easy at the outset, for he was very poor, and beside had an old mother and sick sister to support, Sebastian gave up a considerable part of his back salary for Johann’s benefit. Then he asked for the hand of his loving cousin, received her joyful consent as well as that of her family, and on a wonderfully beautiful, quiet, sunny Autumn morning went to Dornheim, where his faithful friend, Johannes Laurentius Stauber, was settled as minister. In the modest little village church, before the altar hung with festive garlands, the young pair exchanged rings and vows of love, and then, after a quiet, happy day spent in the parsonage, returned to Sebastian’s own simple abode.[24] A few weeks later the happy couple settled in Mühlhausen and joyfully took possession of the organist’s old house. The simple furniture, which they had jointly contributed, was soon cosily and comfortably arranged, and when everything was in its place and evening had come, the young bridegroom seated himself at the little piano, and with a heart overflowing with happiness sang and played the beautiful chorale:
The evening chorale in the new home