Chapter 9: Us and the Clown

"Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart," said Luna. "Yeah," Lucy sighed. "And right now he's just a little kid," said Luan. "So I guess we did our mission," said Lincoln. "Remember what Wolfie said to Nan?" said Lori. "He said we made him love music again," she said. "So I guess we put him back on the path to giving his gifts to the world," said Lincoln. "Yep, and now we can leave," said Lana. "Whew," they said. Lincoln was ready to get out of his fancy clothes and wig and go home and have a good dinner. "Let's go say goodbye to Wolfie," said Lola.

As Lincoln and his 10 sisters started toward Wolfie, Her Imperial Majesty was laughing something he had said. "You are truly a magician, my little Wolfgang Mozart!" she said. "No, not me," said Wolfie. "Lincoln and his 10 sisters are the true magicians," he said. "Who?" said Her Imperial Majesty. "Over there," said Wolfie, pointing across the room. "Lincoln and your 10 sisters!" he called. All eyes turned to Lincoln and his 10 sisters.

"Look, it's Lincoln of Royal Woods!" said one of the imperial children. Lincoln froze, horrified. "Lincoln is a clown," said Wolfie. "And he plays magic music on his flute and his sisters sing beautiful magic songs," he said. "I just heard them," said Wolfie. "Really?" said Her Imperial Majesty. She raised her eyebrows.

"Well, Lincoln and your 10 sisters," said Her Imperial Majesty. "Perhaps you will perform for all of us here as well," she said. Everyone was silent, waiting for an answer from Lincoln and his sisters.

"Um, well, you see . . . ," Lincoln began. "Sure," said his sisters with big smiles. "We'd love to perform for you," said Lori. Oh, no! thought Lincoln. "Yes, sing for us!" said Wolfie. "Play for us!" he said, clapping his hands. He ran to Lincoln and his 10 sisters and pulled them toward the front of the room.

Lori leaned close to Lincoln. "You play; We'll sing," she whispered. "But the flute won't make magic anymore," Lincoln said out of the corner of his mouth. "Do the best you can," whispered Lucy. The sisters smiled at the crowd. Lincoln could hardly breathe. This is worse than facing the leopard and bear! he thought. "Us, then you," Lola said to Lincoln.

Lincoln reached into his pocket and pulled out the silver flute. His sisters started singing:

We came in a coach,
In a wig and a gown.
We came to Vienna,
Us and the clown.

The sisters turned to Lincoln. As everyone watched him, he held the instrument in a playing position. He desperately hoped a little magic still lingered in the flute. He blew air over the mouthpiece. No sound came out. All anyone could hear was Lincoln's huffing and puffing. Wolfie giggled.

"See, Lincoln's a clown!" he said. Everyone laughed. Okay, thought Lincoln, if they want a clown, I'll be a clown. Lincoln put on a goofy face. He looked into the end of the flute as if searching for its missing sound. He jerked back his head as if something had shot out of the flute and hit him in the eye.

Everyone laughed harder. Lincoln liked hearing their laughter this time. He made a big show of wiping his eye. Then he gave his sisters a silly grin.

The sisters shook their heads and sang:

Our brother's a fool,
He's always around.
Why is it always
Us and the clown?

Lincoln pretended to bonk their own heads with his flute. He tried playing again, but again no sound came out. He turned the flute upside down and shook it as if he were trying to shake out some music.

Lincoln's sisters rolled their eyes, to show they thought Lincoln was hopeless. Then they nodded at him, motioning for him to walk with them. As they moved away from the front of the room, the sisters sang the last verse of their song:

It's time to go,
It's time to leave town.
Good-bye from us, and
Good-bye from the clown.

Crossing the room, Lincoln put the flute to his lips again. As he followed his sisters to the door, he looked at the crowd and winked. Then he started to make up his own flute sounds. "Tweetle-tweetle-tweetle!" he sang. "Toot-toot-ah-roo!" he sang.

The audience laughed. When Lincoln saw Nan laughing hard, it spurred him on, and he did a little dance step. "Peep-peep-peep-ah-lee!" he sang, pretending to play the flute. "Peek-peek-a-boo!" he sang.

At the door, Lincoln and his 10 sisters stopped. Lincoln held the flute to his side and bowed. His 10 sisters curtsied at the same time. The audience laughed and clapped. Together Lincoln and his sisters waved at the crowd.

"Bye, Wolfie!" shouted Luan. The sisters blew kisses to him. "Keep making music!" shouted Luna. "Have a great life, Wolfie!" shouted Lincoln. "Bye Lincoln and your 10 sisters!" yelled Wolfie. "I promise I will never forget you!" he said.

Lincoln bowed very low, and his sisters curtsied again. "Rise," said Her Imperial Majesty, laughing. Lincoln and his 10 sisters straightened up, waved one last time, and slipped out the door.