Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1869-09-24

|
rested approvingly on his face, he
understood her feelings. and thanked
her, by n look, for her generous SYN
rathy.
"Well, we shall see. Her Majesty
! wishes to renew the ornaments of hcl
chapel, 30 you will be fully employed
A residence will be assigned you il
yonder monastery. There you vii
copy undisturbed. In summer, also
you shall have fit residence, beside.
a pension from Government. This,
think, is paying an artist pretty
we'll"
cart can not bo paid for, my lady
Duchess, and if possessed tho tai
ents to which I aspire, the favor
which you boast could not purehass
thcm."
/ "This is all very well ~ are
proud and wo are noh'' p"' 'e'ei,
tthcless, those hono~ 'ro c''o'''oi''
-you will bc .'oseh painter TO the
Queen If w.. succeed in gaining the
nr;v, -nich is offered for tho most
-, Get head of the Madonna"
{ "Ah, madam, if the patronage OF
Her Majesty is offered mo only on
thcso conditions, | fear snail not
obtain it,"
"And why not?"
"Bccamsc shall not gain the prize, -
replied he, with an expression of sal
ness, which was instpnlIy reflected on
the face Of l.ucy.
"Why do you refuse this hpnor-- --,lo
you fear to fail p
"No: madam but how shall | rep,
resent, rs she should be represented
tho mother Of the Saviour? Where
shall | find Il mohri?"
AS he pronounced these words, hi.,
| eyes r"s!cd on tho angelic face OF
Lucy.
81 havo hitherto sought in vain the
combination Of mildneSs. sweetness.
and r:,ndUr which should characterize
the Virgin
The fire Of genius which illuinina-
tee the handsome c"untcnancc of
Van pyr!l r!i":trd the arbitration 0!
AL observers.
"Bnt | she"ll imagine, that there
would he 30 difficult, il obtaining
models for pa;nl,r%."
"Thc models which can b., obtained
for hire are undoubtedly beautiful. /
have sought in vain for the di;;.ity
and purity, which I havo never seen
united but in a noLic lady. who would
iisdain to sit 10 poor artist
The animated and ardent glance Of
Van Dyck E!uch embarrassed Lucy
It told her he had at last found th,
object his fancy had depicted. The
duchess, however, had observed it,
and asked:
"Who is this noble lady ?"
"Thc Virgin herself, Ma,lamr -
Bowing profoundly, and giving q par
ting glance at Lucy, he added: "If l
gain tho prize, you shall sec me again,
madam; if not, leave England"
Ho took immediate possession Of
his apartments, where he could, at
the same time, .paint his Madonna,
and copy tho frcscocs for the chapel.
With his mind full Of tho celestial
faco ho had just seen, he seized his
pencil, and endeavorcd to trace her
lineaments. But tho extrcme scnsi-
bility, so useful TO art when time has
calmed it, was now his chief obstacle.
He felt too deeply to succeed in cx-
pressing tho idea which filled his
soul. Tho day passed in fruitlcss
attempt, and the night surprised him,
dissatisfied and desponding.
In the meantime Lucy had suffered
severely for tho preference shown her
by Van Dyck. The envy and jealousy
Of her companions found vent in i'm
pertinent sarcasms; so that, on sepa-
rating for the night, her mind was
filled with his idea, and after her
nightly prayer, his name was tho last
On her lips. x
twas midnight, tho heavens shonc
with thousand sparkling stars, and
a soft light spread itself on the old
abbey, which stood solitary and alone
among it's ruins.
A window of the palace opened,
and a shadow passed slowly along
tho balcony and grand staircase, eros
scd along tho court, and reached the
monastery.
1t would be difficult to say how this
figure had left tho palace and penc-
trated so far; but she must have been
well acquainted with>all the turnings,
for, in short time, she crossed the
long avenues, and, arriving at one Of
the galleries Of the chapel, sho found
herself in tho painters work-room,
and, passing lightly on, seated her