CHAPTER III
THE SCHOOLMASTER'S VIOLIN
After school Stineli and Rico found their way out of the mass ofchildren and started for home.
"Were you dreaming about your lake when you forgot to sing thismorning?" asked Stineli.
"No, something quite different," answered Rico. "I was watching theteacher, and I am sure that I can play 'Little Lambs,' if I only had aviolin."
The wish must have been a heartfelt one with Rico, for he said it withsuch a deep sigh that Stineli's sympathy was at once aroused and shesaid: "We will buy one together. I have ever so many pennies thatgrandmother gave me--I think twelve in all. How many have you?"
"Not one," said Rico, sadly. "My father gave me some before he wentaway, but my aunt took them. She said that I would only squander themanyway. I know we can't get those."
"Maybe we have enough without them," said Stineli, consolingly."Grandmother will give me more soon, and it can't be, Rico, that aviolin costs much. You know it is only a piece of old wood with fourstrings drawn across it. That ought not to cost a great deal. Ask theteacher to-morrow how much one costs, and then we will try to getone."
So the subject was left, but Stineli secretly resolved to get up earlyto build the fires, because grandmother would notice it and give hersome more pennies.
The following day, after school, Stineli went out without Rico andstood at the corner of the building waiting for him. Rico was to askthe teacher concerning the violin. She waited so long that shewondered what could be keeping him, but finally he appeared.
"What did he say? How much does it cost?" inquired Stineli, eagerly.
"I didn't dare ask him," said Rico in a dejected tone.
"Oh, what a shame!" she exclaimed; but noticing Rico's sadness, sheadded, "It doesn't matter, Rico; you can ask him to-morrow." Then, inher cheerful way, she took his hand and they walked home withoutfurther mention of the subject.
Rico had no better success, however, on the second day nor on thethird. He remained nearly half an hour at the teacher's entrance, notfinding the courage to ring the bell. The fourth evening Stineli saidto herself, "If he doesn't ask the teacher to-night, I will." Thistime, however, as Rico was standing at the door, the teacher came outsuddenly and noticed the boy's hesitating attitude.
"What does this mean, Rico?" he asked, standing surprised andperplexed before him. "Why do you come to a person's door withoutrapping? If you have no business here, why don't you go home? If youwish to tell me something, you may do so now."
"What does a violin cost?" asked Rico, timidly.
The teacher's surprise and mistrust increased.
"Rico," he said severely, "what am I to think of you? Have you comepurposely to ask useless questions, or what is your idea? Will youtell me what object you have in asking me what you did?"
"I only wish to find out what a violin costs," said Rico, stilltrembling at his own boldness.
"You do not understand, Rico; now listen to what I say. One askssomething for a reason, otherwise it would be a useless question. Nowanswer me truthfully, Rico, did you ask me this out of curiosity, ordid some one who wishes to buy a violin send you?"
"I should like to buy one," said Rico, a little more bravely.
"What did you say?" broke out the teacher, impatiently. "Such asenseless boy--and an Italian besides--to wish to buy a violin! Youscarcely know what a violin is. Can you imagine how old I was before Iwas able to buy one? I was twenty-two years old and ready to enter mylife work as teacher. What a child, to think of buying a violin! Now,to show you how foolish you are, I will tell you the price of one. Sixsolid dollars is what I paid for mine. Can you grasp an idea of theamount? We will put it into pennies. If one dollar contains onehundred pennies, then six dollars would contain six times one hundred,which is--Now, Rico, you are not dull at your studies; six times onehundred is--"
"Six hundred pennies," supplemented Rico, softly, for his voice nearlyfailed him as he compared Stineli's twelve pennies with this largesum.
"But further, Rico," continued the teacher, "do you suppose that oneneed only to buy a violin in order to play it? One has to do much morethan that. Just step in and let me show you."
The teacher opened the door as he spoke and took down the violin fromits place on the wall.
"There, take it on your arm and hold the bow in your hand; so, my boy.Now, if you can sound _C, D, E, F,_ I will give you a half dollarright away."
Rico actually had the violin on his arm! His face flushed, as withsparkling eyes he played firmly and correctly, _C, D, E, F_.
"You little rascal!" exclaimed the teacher. "Where did you learn that?Who taught you so that you can find the notes?"
"I know something else too, if I might play it," Rico ventured to say.
"Play it," directed the teacher.
Rico played the melody of the song, "Little Lambs," with the greatestconfidence, his eyes speaking his pleasure.
The teacher had taken a chair and put on his spectacles. He had lookedattentively at Rico's fingers, moving with easy grace, then at hisjoyous countenance, and again at his fingers. The boy had playedcorrectly.
"Come to me, Rico," said the teacher, as he moved his chair to thewindow and put Rico directly in front of him; "I want to talk a littlewith you. You see, your father is an Italian, Rico, and they do allsorts of things down there, they say, that we know nothing of up herein the hills. Now look me in the eyes and tell me the truth. How is itthat you are able to play this tune correctly on my violin?"
Rico looked steadily at the teacher and said frankly, "I learned itfrom you in school, where we sing it so often."
The teacher got up and paced the floor. This put the matter in anentirely different light. So he was himself the cause of thiswonderful intelligence! All his suspicions vanished, and hegood-naturedly took out his pocketbook.
"There is the half dollar, Rico; it belongs to you. You had better gonow, but keep on being attentive to the violin playing. It may be thatyou can make it amount to something, so that in twelve or fourteenyears you can buy a violin for yourself. Good night."
Rico had looked longingly at the violin when he realized that he mustgo, and he now laid it very tenderly on the table. He was ponderingthe last words of the teacher, when Stineli came running to meet him.
"How long it did take you!" she exclaimed. "Did you ask him?"
"Yes, but it is all of no use," said Rico with frowning brow. "Aviolin costs six hundred pennies, and in fourteen years, wheneverybody will probably be dead, he thought I could perhaps buy one.Who wants to live fourteen years from now? There, you may take that; Idon't want it," and he put the half dollar into Stineli's hand.
"Six hundred pennies!" repeated Stineli in amazement. "And how did youget this money?"
Rico told Stineli what had passed between him and the teacher, andagain said, "It is of no use."
Stineli urged Rico to keep the money, but he would not take it again.
"Then I will keep it and put it away with the pennies, and it shallbelong to us both," she said.
Even Stineli felt discouraged, but happier thoughts came to her asthey turned the corner to enter the field and she saw the indicationsof spring on every hand.
"See, Rico, it will be summer in a short time, and we can go to thewoods once more. Let us go this Sunday so that you will be happyagain."
"I shall never be happy again, Stineli, but if you would like to go, Iwill go with you."
They arranged their plans so that they could go the following Sunday.It was not an easy task for Stineli to get away, for Peter, Sam, andUrschli had the measles, and a goat was sick at the stable. She waskept busy from the time she returned from school until late at night.Saturday she worked all day and much later than usual, but did it sowillingly and was so cheerful that her father said: "Stineli is aperfect treasure. She makes us all happy."