ONCE A WEEK.
280
my life at first but in hand trembled when she
Such was
v
wa8
than all, that at the door which hid her from I stood p before my eyes. I could canvas, and found
,
For the first time for years brain no longer drowned of my Log The spiritual essence of my heart. g that had so long guided my arm deserted me, Celt that only the powerless clay re:
The blood How came this change I dreaded truth the me throat told my ?
I.
surging to I loved.
—
thought the horizon the clear, pure expanse in which my soul had toiled and dreamed, became a chaos a fire burned in my breast, and I tremThrough all that night I sat with my
With
this
still
my hands, and the first light upon the untouched picture found me more resolute. When she came I met her which
fell
at the door perhaps my looks alarmed her I do not know perhaps she guessed the truth. but she pressed my hand with the tenderest sympathy, and looked kindly into my eyes. I never thought her hand so soft, or her eyes so
iruL
Consider,
my
what
father,
I
was
—
.
a poor motherless student, trying to pick out bright tints from the world's colourless face sheltered so well under the shadow of poverty, that even my friends' eyes had forgotten to
—
look for me.
was the
It
I
What then was that first
touch of the beach to
the fainting swimmer ; the to the young mother ; the
the sick-bed.
Id to
smile worth
spoken word
first
first
It
breath of the
promised me for encouragement ;
for contempt,
Can you forgive That evening I found my-
for the cold wind, sunshine.
my fcelf
father?
at her
'
my
<lays passed
away before
was
I returned
and unhappy. when she drew her hand from mine I with a firm clasp, and prayed for ...
lit
fox
I
restless
of keeping it for ever ; yet at these ironld turn away with a little laugh,
and then bid
DM
'
wait.'
know
I
a .
Stranger still to of one who had
when
me
my
asked her
1
pointing to the picture, I
questioned
completed.
was
I
The to
1
Chad don<
before
th<
have
2<J,
1864.
for its
heightened, and
it
beauty spoke to
Still it was with a softer tenderness. to know its fate In my eagerness changed. 1^ did not wait until the colours dried, but despatched a messenger at once to the address In the which its purchaser had. left with me.
me
meantime
employed myself in preparing for
I
I disposed the light regulated the disorder of my room,
- and wishing, in my silly vanity, to study the
force of a first impression, I covered tghe paintthis terrible reception.
carefully,
Scarcely had I in this manner ing with a veil. laid the last offering on the altar of my idol, than I heard a step upon the stairs. I cannot tell
you
that I endured in the next few
all
moments
—my temples throbbed
I replied to the
knock
at
my
painfully,
and
door in a voice
husky with emotion. I had to repeat the words before my first and last patron heard me, and entered the room. He was a man of middle age and combined in his manner an appearance of hearty good humour with an air of unmisThe greeting he bestowed takable nobility. upon me was cordial and encouraging, and he asked in a loud cheerful voice, how my work had prospered. I replied that I intended and leaving that resolution to his judgment
as I placed
kindly, and severity. his seat
him
in a suitable light, he smiled assured me that I need not fear his
I
he
remember
also that as
said,
laughingly,
he took
The court
is
open/ "
my father, I weary you with these but you will forgive me when you remember that they express only the natural minuteness of a man who has little more to Perhaps,
details
observe and less to tell. At a reassuring glance from the generous face opposite me I drew aside the cloth hastily, as we snatch the iron from a wound, and casting my eyes on the ground, I waited. There ensued a few moments of profound silence a silence which my visitor was
—
the
first
to break.
" Is that face a conception of your own ? " The tone in which these words were uttered induced me to look up. The speaker had risen from his chair and had advanced towards the '
'
picture, in front of
which he stood,
pale, calm,
and motionless.
"
'
"
'
Is that face a conception of
No,
your own
'
?
signor.'
" You had "'lhad.' '
a model, doubtless
f
1
"
His eyes glanced rapidly round the room, again to the picture, and then from the picture to my face. My head sank before that impassible
!
more than ever
if possible,
was,
face buried in
[Feb.
—perhaps
glance.
I
shuddered, for this silence After a long pause the
seemed terrible to me.
calm voice spoke again.