the madonna of the future-第6节

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her　eyes　and　covered　me　with　a　glance　which　seemed　at　first　to　denote

a　placid　curiosity；　but　in　which；　as　I　saw　it　repeated；　I　thought　I

perceived　the　dim　glimmer　of　an　attempt　to　establish　an　understanding

with　me　at　the　expense　of　our　companion。　　Meanwhile；　as　mindful　as

possible　of　Theobald's　injunction　of　reverence；　I　considered　the

lady's　personal　claims　to　the　fine　compliment　he　had　paid　her。



That　she　was　indeed　a　beautiful　woman　I　perceived；　after　recovering

from　the　surprise　of　finding　her　without　the　freshness　of　youth。　　Her

beauty　was　of　a　sort　which；　in　losing　youth；　loses　little　of　its

essential　charm；　expressed　for　the　most　part　as　it　was　in　form　and

structure；　and；　as　Theobald　would　have　said；　in　〃composition。〃　　She

was　broad　and　ample；　low…browed　and　large…eyed；　dark　and　pale。　　Her

thick　brown　hair　hung　low　beside　her　cheek　and　ear；　and　seemed　to

drape　her　head　with　a　covering　as　chaste　and　formal　as　the　veil　of　a


nun。　　The　poise　and　carriage　of　her　head　were　admirably　free　and

noble；　and　they　were　the　more　effective　that　their　freedom　was　at

moments　discreetly　corrected　by　a　little　sanctimonious　droop；　which

harmonised　admirably　with　the　level　gaze　of　her　dark　and　quiet　eye。

A　strong；　serene；　physical　nature；　and　the　placid　temper　which　comes

of　no　nerves　and　no　troubles；　seemed　this　lady's　comfortable　portion。

She　was　dressed　in　plain　dull　black；　save　for　a　sort　of　dark　blue

kerchief　which　was　folded　across　her　bosom　and　exposed　a　glimpse　of

her　massive　throat。　　Over　this　kerchief　was　suspended　a　little　silver

cross。　　I　admired　her　greatly；　and　yet　with　a　large　reserve。　　A

certain　mild　intellectual　apathy　belonged　properly　to　her　type　of

beauty；　and　had　always　seemed　to　round　and　enrich　it；　but　this

bourgeoise　Egeria；　if　I　viewed　her　right；　betrayed　a　rather　vulgar

stagnation　of　mind。　　There　might　have　been　once　a　dim　spiritual　light

in　her　face；　but　it　had　long　since　begun　to　wane。　　And　furthermore；

in　plain　prose；　she　was　growing　stout。　　My　disappointment　amounted

very　nearly　to　complete　disenchantment　when　Theobald；　as　if　to

facilitate　my　covert　inspection；　declaring　that　the　lamp　was　very

dim；　and　that　she　would　ruin　her　eyes　without　more　light；　rose　and

fetched　a　couple　of　candles　from　the　mantelpiece；　which　he　placed

lighted　on　the　table。　　In　this　brighter　illumination　I　perceived　that

our　hostess　was　decidedly　an　elderly　woman。　　She　was　neither　haggard；

nor　worn；　nor　gray；　she　was　simply　coarse。　　The　〃soul〃　which　Theobald

had　promised　seemed　scarcely　worth　making　such　a　point　of；　it　was　no

deeper　mystery　than　a　sort　of　matronly　mildness　of　lip　and　brow。　　I

should　have　been　ready　even　to　declare　that　that　sanctified　bend　of

the　head　was　nothing　more　than　the　trick　of　a　person　constantly

working　at　embroidery。　　It　occurred　to　me　even　that　it　was　a　trick　of

a　less　innocent　sort；　for；　in　spite　of　the　mellow　quietude　of　her

wits；　this　stately　needlewoman　dropped　a　hint　that　she　took　the

situation　rather　less　seriously　than　her　friend。　　When　he　rose　to

light　the　candles　she　looked　across　at　me　with　a　quick；　intelligent

smile；　and　tapped　her　forehead　with　her　forefinger；　then；　as　from　a

sudden　feeling　of　compassionate　loyalty　to　poor　Theobald；　I　preserved

a　blank　face；　she　gave　a　little　shrug　and　resumed　her　work。



What　was　the　relation　of　this　singular　couple？　　Was　he　the　most

ardent　of　friends　or　the　most　reverent　of　lovers？　　Did　she　regard　him

as　an　eccentric　swain；　whose　benevolent　admiration　of　her　beauty　she

was　not　ill　pleased　to　humour　at　this　small　cost　of　having　him　climb

into　her　little　parlour　and　gossip　of　summer　nights？　　With　her　decent

and　sombre　dress；　her　simple　gravity；　and　that　fine　piece　of　priestly

needlework；　she　looked　like　some　pious　lay…member　of　a　sisterhood；

living　by　special　permission　outside　her　convent　walls。　　Or　was　she

maintained　here　aloft　by　her　friend　in　comfortable　leisure；　so　that

he　might　have　before　him　the　perfect；　eternal　type；　uncorrupted　and

untarnished　by　the　struggle　for　existence？　　Her　shapely　hands；　I

observed；　wore　very　fair　and　white；　they　lacked　the　traces　of　what　is

called　honest　toil。



〃And　the　pictures；　how　do　they　come　on？〃　she　asked　of　Theobald；　after

a　long　pause。



〃Finely；　finely！　　I　have　here　a　friend　whose　sympathy　and

encouragement　give　me　new　faith　and　ardour。〃



Our　hostess　turned　to　me；　gazed　at　me　a　moment　rather　inscrutably；

and　then　tapping　her　forehead　with　the　gesture　she　had　used　a　minute

before；　〃He　has　a　magnificent　genius！〃　she　said；　with　perfect

gravity。



〃I　am　inclined　to　think　so；〃　I　answered；　with　a　smile。



〃Eh；　why　do　you　smile？〃　she　cried。　　〃If　you　doubt　it；　you　must　see

the　bambino！〃　　And　she　took　the　lamp　and　conducted　me　to　the　other

side　of　the　room；　where　on　the　wall；　in　a　plain　black　frame；　hung　a

large　drawing　in　red　chalk。　　Beneath　it　was　fastened　a　little　howl

for　holy　water。　　The　drawing　represented　a　very　young　child；　entirely

naked；　half　nestling　back　against　his　mother's　gown；　but　with　his　two

little　arms　outstretched；　as　if　in　the　act　of　benediction。　　It　was

executed　with　singular　freedom　and　power；　and　yet　seemed　vivid　with

the　sacred　bloom　of　infancy。　　A　sort　of　dimpled　elegance　and　grace；

mingled　with　its　boldness；　recalled　the　touch　of　Correggio。　　〃That's

what　he　can　do！〃　said　my　hostess。　　〃It's　the　blessed　little　boy　whom

I　lost。　　It's　his　very　image；　and　the　Signor　Teobaldo　gave　it　me　as　a

gift。　　He　has　given　me　many　things　besides！〃



I　looked　at　the　picture　for　some　time　and　admired　it　immensely。

Turning　back　to　Theobald　I　assured　him　that　if　it　were　hung　among　the

drawings　in　the　Uffizi　and　labelled　with　a　glorious　name　it　would

hold　its　own。　　My　praise　seemed　to　give　him　extreme　pleasure；　he

pressed　my　hands；　and　his　eyes　filled　with　tears。　　It　moved　him

apparently　with　the　desire　to　expatiate　on　the　history　of　the

drawing；　for　he　rose　and　made　his　adieux　to　our　companion；　kissing

her　band　with　the　same　mild　ardour　as　before。　　It　occurred　to　me　that

the　offer　of　a　similar　piece　of　gallantry　on　my　own　part　might　help

me　to　know　what　manner　of　woman　she　was。　　When　she　perceived　my

intention　she　withdrew　her　hand；　dropped　her　eyes　solemnly；　and　made

me　a　severe　curtsey。　　Theobald　took　my　arm　and　led　me　rapidly　into

the　street。



〃And　what　do　you　think　of　the　divine　Serafina？〃　he　cried　with

fervour。



〃It　is　certainly　an　excellent　style　of　good　looks！〃　I　answered。



He　eyed　me　an　instant　askance；　and　then　seemed　hurried　along　by　the

current　of　remembrance。　　〃You　should　have　seen　the　mother　and　the

child　together；　seen　them　as　I　first　saw　themthe　mother　with　her

head　draped　in　a　shawl；　a　divine　trouble　in　her　face；　and　the　bambino

pressed　to　her　bosom。　　You　would　have　said；　I　think；　that　Raphael　had

found　his　match　in　common　chance。　　I　was　coming　in；　one　summer　night；

from　a　long　walk　in　the　country；　when　I　met　this　apparition　at　the

city　gate。　　The　woman　held　out　her　hand。　　I　hardly　knew　whether　to

say；　'What　do　you　want？'　or　to　fall　down　and　worship。　　She　asked　for

a　little　money。　　I　saw　that　she　was　beautiful　and　pale；　she　might

have　stepped　out　of　the　stable　of　Bethlehem！　　I　gave　her　money　and

helped　her　on　her　way　into　the　town。　　I　had　guessed　her　story。　　She；

too；　was　a　maiden　mother；　and　she　had　been　turned　out　into　the　world

in　her　shame。　　I　felt　in　all　my　pulses　that　here　was　my　subject

marvellously　realised。　　I　felt　like　one　of　the　old　monkish　artists

who　had　had　a　vision。　　I　rescued　the　poor　creatures；　cherished　them；

watched　them　as　I　would　have　done　some　precious　work　of　art；　some

lovely　fragment　of　fresco　discovered　in　a　mouldering　cloister。　　In　a

monthas　if　to　deepen　and　sanctify　the　sadness　and　sweetness　of　it

allthe　poor　little　child　died。　　When　she　felt　that　he　was　going　she

held　him　up　to　me　for　ten　minutes；　and　I　made　that　sketch。　　You　saw　a

feverish　haste　in　it；　I　suppose；　I　wanted　to　spare　the　poor　little

mortal　the　pain　of　his　position。　　After　that　I　doubly　valued　the

mother。　　She　is　the　simplest；　sweetest；　most　natural　creature　that

ever　bloomed　in　this　brave　old　land　of　Italy。　　She　lives　in　the

memory　of　her　child；　in　her　gratitude　for　the　scanty　kindness　I　have

been　able　to　show　her；　and　in　her　simple　religion！　　She　is　not　even

conscious　of　her　beauty；　my　admiration　has　never　made　her　vain。

Heaven　knows　that　I　have　made　no　secret　of　it。　　You　must　have

observed　the　singular　transparency　of　her　expression；　the　lovely

modesty　of　her　glance。　　And　was　there　ever　such　a　truly　virginal

brow；　such　a　natural　classic　elegance　in　the　wave　of　the　hair　and　the

arch　of　the　forehead？　　I　have　studied　her；　I　may　say　I　know　her。　　I

have　absorbed　her　little　by　little；　my　mind　is　stamped　and　imbued；

and　I　have　determined　now　to　clinch　the　impression；　I　shall　at　last

invite　her　to　sit　for　me！〃



〃'At　lastat　last'？〃　I　repeated；　in　much　amazement。　　〃Do　you　mean

that　she　has　never　done