The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1855-04-06


and to glare so wildly around? Castano's
rades, kept in obscurity, debarred from fame
by the selfish reserve of one to whom for the
most part far superior. With his secret.
what far nobler service than he was capable
Of would they have rendered to the art
whose interests Domenico was thus meanly
sacrificing to his own selfish views. Would
not any means be lawful to wrest the secret
from him, and make it their own9 Any
means The motion ofhis hand instructive
ly feeling for his dagger, and the convulsive
contraction of his brow, awolle him to the
consciousness of the full import of his
thoughts and ut that moment Domcnico
entered the room with the already dry de
sign ola new picture. All the pupils gath
cred round him, Ca tano only excepted,
who remained in his place motionless as a
statue, and with his eyes fixed on the mas,
ter while every one else was gazing on the
picture.
"By the chin of St. Agatha" exclaimed
Domenico, al have surpassed myself. This
rough draft is admirable in its colouring
Look, you may pass, your hand over it,
sponge it. See, pour water on it, and it
is only the more. Brilliant Well, l was OBJ
liged to wait long time for Van Eyck to
die, and you must have patience too. have
made my will, Castauo, and there you will
find the secret"
Was it the force of the electric thrill
through his whole frame at these words that
!mpelled Castano, forward, till he stood face to
face with Domenico? He stood gazing sternly,
fiXedly upon the master, as if he would pen
citrate his inmost sool, to drag thence the Sc
cret.
The next moment Ci,stano was on his
knees with clasped handsa and suppliant tones
pouring out tears and prayers, imploring him
to have pity upon him and upon the others,
nay, upon the art itself. lie adjured him to
have mercy upon him, not to press him too
far, not to deliver him over to the fatality
that he felt hurrying him along. "Mercy !"
agan and again he cried, "Mercy on these
men, on me, on yourself"
This tempest of passion was utterly unin-
te!igible to then alt. The other pupils, who
had been examining and testing the mystcr-
ious colouring with finger and eye and ton
gue now gathered round him, while Domen-
leo stared at him, half thinking he must have
been seized with sudden fit of insanity. The
next moment he coldly repeated his unalter-
able determination never to reveal his secret
during his lift lime.
That very night, under murky clouds and
n starless sky, man, wrapped in dark
mantle, made his way with the stealthy steps
of robber or lover in the direction of
Domenico's house, at the top of a long and
narrow street. The slowest-paced clock in
the city had struck the hour of twelve, but
the man in the dark mantle was still waiting
and watching. AT length the figure ola man
was seen approaching from the other end of
the street. lie was singing rs he came along.
it was too dark and too late not to sing,
At the sound, the first conner hastenei for
ward, then stopped as the other drew nearer
and nearer. When they were quite close
to each other, the cloak was thrown back,
and something flashed from under its folds.
Suddenly cry was heard-"Murder help!
help. Then came dull sound of body
falling heavily; there was deep stiffness for
a few moments, and then was heard the dis
tant echo OF footsteps in rapid flight.
The first cries of the victim having reused
the inhabitants of the street, n number of per-
sons soon crowded about him, and recognz-
ed in the mortailv-wounded man, their
neighbour, the celebrated painter, Domeni
co. a surgeon was soon on the spot, but
the painter, feeling that he had received his
deatll-Stroke, and thinking only of the secret
he had to bequeath, positively refused to al
low his wound to be dressed. He sent home
his servants--who by this time had heard of
the assassination of their master, and had
hastcncd to him-ordering them to bring a
small casket containing his will, and the un-
finished picture, the object Of SO much ad-
miration that very morning, and then in
sisted on being Immediately carried to the
house OF his fiwourite pupil and only friend
-Castano. The sad convoy slowly made
its way through the streets till it stop
ped in front of house, the windows of
which were all closed with the exception ofthe
two upper ones--those Of Castano's room.
He is not in bed yet" said one of Domen-
cos servants.a "He is never idie," returned
the other, Il believe he paints in his sleep"
Haste! Let me but see him." the dying
man faintly uttered. One of the attendants
pushed forward before the rest to give some
little notice to Castano Of tho catastrophe.
Had pros6ntnent Of the fearful sight that
awaited him anticipated the announcement,
so that us the door opened he was found
painting as after a long race, and grasping
for breath, with labouring chest and dilated
eyeball, as if under the influence Of some hor-
rible nightmare The herald had but time
,o tall Ia n caxv xyords what had -oc,.,irred