Story-Lives of Great Musicians | Page 3

in response to his
teaching. To give Sebastian lessons on the clavier and send him to the
Lyceum to learn Latin and singing and other school subjects seemed to
Christoph to comprise the full extent of his responsibilities; but that
Sebastian possessed genius which called for sympathy and
encouragement at his hands appears only to have aroused in him a
feeling of coldness and indifference, amounting at times to stern
repression.
Beneath this shadow of ill-feeling Sebastian suffered in silence, but,
fortunately, the force of his genius was too strong to be crushed, and
the spirit which was lacking in his brother's lessons he supplied for
himself. The injustice of the denial with which Christoph had met his
request for the loan of the manuscript music-book had fired him with
the determination to possess himself of the treasure at all costs, and
even the drudgery of playing over and over again pieces which he
already knew by heart appeared to him in the new light of
stepping-stones to the attainment of his cherished desire. Yet for some
time it was difficult to see how the book was to be abstracted without
his brother's knowledge.
One night, long after the other inmates of the house had retired,
Sebastian stood at the open casement of his chamber, buried in thought.
The moon was flooding the valley with her silvery light, rendering the

most distant objects clear and distinct, and throwing into still deeper
shadow the sombre hills which encompassed the town. But the boy had
no thoughts to bestow upon the music of the scene thus spread before
his eyes; his mind was absorbed by a great project which he was
resolved upon carrying out that night, and to which the presence of the
moon lent a promise of success. Perfect stillness reigned in the house,
and Sebastian, deeming that the opportune moment had arrived for
embarking upon his venture, closed the casement and crept softly
downstairs to the parlour.
The moonlight shining into the room revealed the position of every
object, and a glance sufficed to show him that the treasure he sought
was in its accustomed place, but the cupboard, of course, was locked.
He squeezed his little hands through the lattice-bars, and after much
effort managed to reach the manuscript book. To draw it towards him
required even more dexterity, but at length that was accomplished; and
then came the crowning feat--to get it through the bars. During this
time Sebastian had been tormented by fears lest his brother should have
discovered his absence from his bedroom, and nothing but his firm
determination to accomplish his purpose prevented him from quitting
the room and returning to his bed.
For a long time his efforts to pull the book through the bars were in
vain, but after trying each bar in turn he found one which was weaker
than the rest, and having brought the book to this spot, he succeeded at
last in forcing a passage for it by bending the bar, and the coveted
volume was freed from its prison!
Breathless with exertion and excitement, the child hugged his treasure
to his breast and stole back to his chamber. On gaining this haven of
safety, he listened for some time to ascertain whether his movements
had aroused the household, but finding that everything remained as
silent as before, he drew a chair to the little table before the window,
and by the light of the moon, which still streamed into the room, he
feasted his eyes upon the pages before him. Then, taking his pen and
some manuscript music-paper with which he had provided himself, he
began his task of copying out the pieces contained in the book.

An hour or more slipped away in this absorbing occupation, and it was
not until the moon had shifted her position, so that her rays no longer
afforded the necessary light, that Sebastian ceased to ply his pen. Then,
having hidden the book away and removed all traces of his work, the
now wearied little musician sought his pillow and fell fast asleep.
This was but the beginning of endless nights of toil pursued whilst the
house lay hushed in slumber. For six months, whenever the moon sent
her friendly rays through his casement, did Sebastian prosecute his task,
until the night arrived when he found himself at the last page. The fear
of discovery had ceased to haunt him as time went on, and now he
could only reflect with joy at the accomplishment of his long task, and
creep into bed utterly unmindful of everything else--even of the
precaution of putting his work out of sight!
[Illustration: 'By the light of the moon he began his task.']
Alas, for poor Sebastian! he was to pay dearly for this act of