Mozart's Sister (7 page)

"Eat, Nannerl," Mama said. "I know it's nearly midnight, but
you must eat so we can get to bed. It's been a long day."

Too long.

Soon after we had talked with the prince, a footman had
approached us with a message that we were to perform before Maximilian III Joseph, the elector of Bavaria, at eight that evening. I'd
been so excited.

It turned out I could have stayed home.

I pushed the plate of food away, knowing it was rude, knowing
the innkeeper's wife had made a special effort to get us something
to eat at this late hour. But I didn't care. The chance to play for
Maximilian in the palace was gone. For me. Gone for me.

I watched as Wolfie slathered butter on his bread and ate ravenously. He'd worked up an appetite performing tonight. For the
entire concert had been his-except for two women who sang a
few songs. The rest of the time my brother played the violin and
clavier and created a constant stream of instant variations, making
the audience gasp and clap. Over and over they gasped and
clapped.

For him.

"I'm sorry they ran out of time," Mama said, patting my hand.

Papa reached across the table and chucked me under my chin.
"No long faces. When a concert is going well, one does not change
direction and risk the disfavor of the audience."

Wolfie put his feet up on his chair, his shins against the table. He
pulled his bread apart, shoving the pieces into his mouth. "I played
and played...."

"Yes, you did," Mama said.

I pushed my plate away and stood. "May I go to bed now? I'm
tired."

Mama glanced at Papa. He motioned me over to his side. "We
are going to be in Munich awhile longer, Nannerl. Tomorrow night
the two of you . . ." He looked at Wolfie, then noticing his feet on
the chair, motioned for him to put them down. ". . . the two of you are to perform for Duke Clemons. And perhaps we can arrange
another concert for the elector." He pulled my hand to his lips and
kissed it. "I want all the world to hear the talent of my lovely daughter."

I nodded, kissed Papa good night, and let Mama take me up to
our room. I believed what Papa said. He did want the world to hear
my talent.

But he wanted them to hear my brother's more.

Papa and Mama had some papers on the table between thembills. Papa tossed them into a mess and sat back with a groan.

"You knew we would have expenses, Leopold," Mama said.
"We planned for expenses."

"But we also planned to be paid for our services. It's been five
days since Wolfgang played before the elector, and there's been no
payment, not even a present. Do they think we can sit around for
days on end, building up expenses while we wait for them to
remember the debt they owe?"

Mama straightened the bills. "I heard that your old violin student Tomasini performed twice for the elector, was in town for
three weeks waiting for payment, and has only just been paid-and
then, only seventy florins."

"Ali, but did he get the usual gold watch?" He sighed deeply.
"Oh yes, this is such a charming custom, to keep people waiting for
presents so that one has to be content if one makes what one
spends."

"We have been invited to the gala dinner given by the elector
tonight. Perhaps he will offer payment then, or request another concert."

"I do want to play for him," I said.

"And we want you to play for him." Papa sighed. "We must be
patient."

His words sounded hollow-for he was rarely patient but I
held my tongue.

Suddenly Papa stood and called to Wolfie, who was playing with some blocks in a corner. "Wolfgang, come here"

Wolfie came close, banging two blocks together as he marched
to an inner cadence. Papa took them away and got his attention.
"Tonight at the dinner, if we have the elector's ear, I want you to
tell him we are leaving tomorrow"

"But we aren't leav-"

Papa stopped Mama's words with a look. "If I nod to you and
touch my cheek like this, I want you to say that aloud. Understand?"

"Yes, Papa," Wolfie said.

Mania straightened the pile of bills. "So you think he will invite
us to stay if he believes we are leaving?"

"When we left the palace on the night Wolfgang performed, I
heard the elector say that he regretted not hearing our little girl."
He smiled at me. "See, liebchen? Papa will take care of everything.
Just as I promised."

All would be well. If Wolfie remembered his line....

We sat at a table with the elector, his sister Maria Antonia, and
the prince-man from the window My stomach was in knots wondering if everything would play out as Papa had planned. I kept
watching Papa for the sign-the tap to his cheek. And I watched
Wolfie, hoping if Papa did give the sign, he'd repeat the right words.
But Wolfie was making his fork-and mine-march across the
tablecloth like twin soldiers. If only Papa had asked me to say the
line. He could trust me.

Suddenly I saw Papa's finger tap his cheek. I jerked my head
toward Wolfie, ready to nudge him.

But I didn't need to. Wolfie set the forks down, smiled at the
elector, and said, "We're leaving town tomorrow and I don't want
to"

Those were more words than Papa had told him to say, but I
didn't think they would hurt. I hoped they wouldn't hurt.

"Well, well," the elector said. "We can't have that" Then he
smiled at me, right at me. "Not when I haven't heard the lovely
Fraulein Mozart play. I should have liked to hear her."

I looked at Papa. The elector looked at Papa. Mama looked at
Papa.

"Well indeed," Papa said. "I guess it would not matter if we
stayed a few more days-if it would give you pleasure"

The elector hit the table with the palm of his hand. "Splendid."

Oh yes. It was splendid. I was going to play.

My chance to perform was delayed two days because the elector
had a day of hunting planned, and then there was a French play he
wanted to attend. But finally it was my night.

And I did well.

The applause!

I got off the bench and offered the audience my best curtsy. But
it was Papa's eyes I sought. And there he was, to the side with Mama
and Wolfie. He was clapping too.

I'd gotten my chance to perform. Papa was proud of me.

The world was good and right. I would hold on to this moment
forever.

We got paid, and it was good pay too, Papa said. One hundred
florins from the elector and seventy-five from the duke. Best of all,
the money took care of our bills. The inn cost forty-seven florins.
That left us a profit of one hundred twenty-eight florins-Papa
made us do the math. I got it right first. Wolfie said "twelve." He
was good at math, but when he didn't want to be bothered, he said
"twelve."

Then we were on our way to Augsburg, the town where Papa
grew up. Papa never said much about his childhood. An hour out
of Munich I wondered about that.

"Papa?"

He sat across from me, making notations in his diary-he'd
made me start a diary too, but I couldn't write in the jostling carriage like he could.

"Papa?" I asked again.

With a sigh he looked up. "I'm busy, Nannerl."

"I was just wondering if we are going to meet any of your family
when we're in Augsburg. Do they know we're coming? Will they
come hear-?"

He snapped his diary shut, and Mama leaned forward and put a
hand on my knee. What had I said?

"We will not meet my family, and I'm sure if they find out about
your concerts, they will purposely stay away."

There was so much anger in his voice. "But why?" I asked. "Isn't
our grandmother still living? I'd like-"

"I don't care what you'd like, young lady. Children should not
dig up what is better buried." He opened his diary. "Now, leave me
be."

I wanted to cry. Why was he so angry at his own mother? I
wanted to meet her. I wanted to meet all the Mozart familyespe-
cially since our own family was so small. We should have been a
family of seven brothers and sisters, yet all but Wolfie and I had died.

Mama patted my knee. She nodded slightly to Papa beside her,
put a finger to her lips, and mouthed, "Later."

Good. Mama would tell me. I'd hear the truth from Mama.

That night at the inn, while Papa worked with Wolfie on his
violin, Mama asked me if I'd like to go for a walk. When she added
"So we can talk" I hoped she would tell me about the Augsburg
Mozarts.

We put on our bonnets and set out alone. It was a warm June
evening and we didn't need a shawl. The sun was just beginning to
set, so I knew our time was limited. Mama had taught me that
women were not to be out walking unaccompanied in the dark.

As we moved past the edge of the inn, I didn't say anything. I
wanted Mama to bring the subject forward.

And she did. "You asked about the Augsburg Mozarts...

"Papa was angry."

"He has a right to be."

We walked past a store selling books. Mama pointed to the sign. "Your grandfather and his father were bookbinders"

I hadn't known that. "I love books."

She nodded but went on. "Your father could have joined them
in the business, but ... they wanted him to become a priest."