Sound of Music | Friedrich Von Trapp

Chapter 5: The Festival

Tonight is the night of the festival and we were secretly leaving the house, trying to not make any sound.

"Why doesn't Father turn the motor on?" Marta asks Maria.

"Because he doesn't want anyone to hear us!" Kurt yelled as he continued to push the car.

"What will Frau Schmidt and Franz say when they discover we're gone?" Louisa asks.

"They'll be able to answer truthfully. They didn't know anything about it if anyone asks them," Maria tells them.

"Will we be coming back?" Liels asked.

"Someday, Liesl. I do hope someday," 

"Are Father and Uncle Max going to push the car all the way to Switzerland?" Gretl asked.

When we made it outside the gate, we were about to get in but was interrupted by a bright light.

"Something wrong with your car, Captain?" The voice called out as we turn to see Herr Zeller.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, we couldn't get it started," The Captain lies, hoping it worked.

"Karl. Fix Captain Von Trapp's car so that it will start," Karl started the car and it turned on perfectly. "Excellent, Karl," he said as he turned back to us. "I've not asked you where you and your family are going. Nor have you asked me why I'm here,"

"Well, apparently, we're both suffering from a deplorable lack of curiosity," The Captain says with a laugh as he leans on the car door.

"You were sent a telegram, which you did not answer. A telegram from Admiral von Schreiber of the navy of the Third Reich,"

"I was under the impression, Herr Zeller, that the contents of the telegram in Austria are private! At least the Austria... I know,"

"I have my orders. And they are to take you personally to Bremerhaven tonight where you will accept your commission,"

"I'm afraid that's going to be quiet... impossible. You, see, we, uh--uh, all of us--the entire family--will be... singing in the festival tonight. As a matter of fact, that's where we were going now. Couldn't possibly let them down now,"

"I just hope we're not too late," Maria hopes.

"And you ask me to believe that you, Captain Von Trapp, are singing in a concert?"

"Believe me, it will be a performance beyond anything even I've dreamt of," Max says with a smile.

"Like you, Herr Zeller, I, too, am a man of... hidden talents," Captain says with a smile as well.

"Yes, um--Here. The program," Max pulls out the program and hands it to Herr Zeller.

"It says here only the names of the children,"

"It says 'The Von Trapp Family Singers,' and I'm the head of the von Trapp family, am I not?"

"And these, um--these travel clothes that you're all wearing?"

"Costumes," I said, coming up with an excuse as Herr Zeller gave me a look, making me gulp.

"Herr Zeller, the night air is not good for the children's voices," Maria says as everything went silent.

"Well, a slight delay in my orders will not be serious. Therefore, you will sing. You will all sing but only because that's the way I want it to be. It will demonstrate that nothing in Austria has changed. And when you are finished singing, you, Captain von Trapp, will be taken to Bremerhaven. Now, if you will all get into your car, we will escort the von Trapp Family Singers to the festival,"