The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1879-03-27

and purity which [ have never seen
united but in noble lady who would
disdain to sit to a poor artist"
The animated and ardent glance of
Van Dyck embarrassed Lucy; it told
her that he had at last found the object
his fancy had depicted. The Duchess
however had not observed it, and asked:
"Who is this noble lady?''
"The Virgin herself, madam" Bow
ing profoundly and giving a parting
glance at Lucy, he added elf l gain
the prize you shall see me again, madam,
if not l leave England"
He took immediate possession of his
apartments, where he could at the same
time paint his Madonna and copy the
frescoes for the chapel. With his mind
full of the celestial face he had just seen
he seized his pencil and endeavored to
trace her lineaments. But the extreme
sensibility so useful to art when time has
Gained it was now his chief obstacle.
He felt too deeply to succeed in express
ing the idea which filed his soul. The
day passed in fruitless attempt and the
night surprised him, dissatisfied and
respondent.
In the meantime Lucy had suffered
severely for the preference shown her
by Van Dyck. The envy and jealousy
of her companions found vent in i'm
pertinent sarcasms; so that, on separat-
ing for the night, her mind was filled
with his idea and, after her nightly
prayer, his name was the last on her
lips.
It was midnight. The heavens shone
with a thousand sparkling stars and a
dark light spread itself on the old Alb
hey, which stood solitary and alone
among its ruins.
A window of the palace opened and a
shadow passed slowly along the bal
cony and staircase, crossed along the
court and reached the monastery.
| 1t would be difficult to say how this
figure had left the palace and penetrat-
ed so far; but she must have been we'll
acquainted with all the turnings, for in
a short time she crossed the long ave-
nue. and, arriving at one end of the gal
leries of the chapel she found herself in
the painters work-room, and passing
lightly on seated herself, without look
ing around her, Immediately in front of
his easel.
Oh, surprise! Oh, joy! this being so
calm, so beautiful, is Lucy! The de-
spending artist who had been unable to
retrace her features on his canvas, now
beheld a living model before his eyes.
What could have induced her to come /?
What idea could have given her the
courage and resolution? He threw
himself on his knees before her, but
Lucy motioning him to rise pointed to
his pencil. Her look penetrated him
with flame so pure that he forgot the
reality of his vision-his astonishment
seemed to him want of faith. Trans
ported by his imagination to an ethereal
sphere he seemed above the earth and
in the midst of the sublime concerts of
angels; he beheld Mary, environed by
divine rays. He was no longer the
powerless artist who had just thrown at
his feet his unsuccessful pencil-the
artist replaced the man. Mute and
breathless, inspired by mysterious
strength, he seized his palette. His
colors gave the form and his soul the
life-in few hours he created the most
beautiful and most pure of Virgins.
When the young girl saw that after
tracing her features he was occupied in
imparting to his picture the soul which
animated him, she rose silently and with
a calm and assured step left the monas-
terry by the same road she had come.
Van Dyck, with wondering eyes, OPP
pressed breathing, made not the slight
est effort to detain her. In his eyes she
was no longer mortal, aid in her de-
parture he thought he saw the Madonna
returning to her native skies. En-
chanted by his execution and excite
ment he fell asleep in his armchair. On
awakening his first thought was to ex-
anime his canvas. Transported with
joy at his success he thanked on his
knees the angel or woman who had so
favored him. In vain he endeavored
again to impart the ideality which ex-
listed in his imagination. He had so
combined the thoughts of the Madonna
and of Lucy that he determined to dis
cover the truth, and wrote the follow
ing billet to the young girl:
"Tell me if you are indeed an angel :;
if you do not wish to deprive of his
senses the poor artist to whom you
have condescended to appear this night,
tell me if you are the Virgin OR NOR
tal?'
1t was part of the duty of the Dow
ager Duchess to open the billets adj
dressed to the young ladies confided to
her charge. What was her astonish-
ment at reading this epistle.
:" Horror!" cried she, ga child of
high family to violate her duty in seek
ing painter at midnight"
She rang and sent for the guilty one,
but her rage redoubled when Lucy,
with her customary gentleness, denied
all knowledge of the cause of her re-
proaches. The Duchess, who expected
to witness in her great confusion or
candid avowal, would listen to nothing.
The alarm was given in the palace, and
it was decided that Tucv. disoracod