Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1881-01-20

majesty is offered only ON those condi
tionS, fear shall not obtain it,
And why not?"
Because shall not gain the prize,
replied he, with an expression of sad
ness, which was instantly reflected or
the face of Lucy.
why do you refuss this honor? DE-
you fear to fail ?"
"No, madam; but how l shall l repre-
sent as she should be represented the
mother of the Savior? Where shall
lind mOdelT AS he pronounced these
words, his eyes rested on the angelic face
of Lucy. Il have hitherto sought in
vain the combination of mildness, sweet.
ness and candor which should character.
iZe the queen of heaven"
The fire of genius which illuminated
the handsome cOuntenance of Van Dyck
elected the admiration of all observers
"But L should imagine that there
would be no difficulty in obtaining mod,
els for painters"
''The models which can be obtained
for hire are beautiful, without doubt.
have sought in vain for the dignity and
purity which have never seen united
but in a noble lady, who would disclaim
TO SIT to 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, MADAME" Bow
ing profoundly, and giving parting
Orl of / h, ar I L.
prize you shall see Inc again, madame
If not 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 ex-
treme sensibility, so useful to art when
time has claimed it, was now his chief
obstacle. He felt too deeply to succeed
In expressing the idea which filled his
soul. The day passed in fruitless at
tempt, and the night surprised him, dis
satisfied and Respondent.
In the meantime Lucy had suffered
severely for the preference shown by
Van Dyck.. The envy and jealousy of
her companions found vent in imperti-
nent sarcasm, so that, on separating for
the night, her mind was filled with this
idea, and after nightly prayer, his name
was the last on her lips.
1t was midnight. The heavens shone
with thousand sparkling stars and a
dark light spread itself on the old abbey
which stood solitary and alone among
its ruins.
A window of the palace opened, and a
shadow passed slowly along the balcony
and staircase, crossed along the court,
and reached the monastery.
IT. would be difficult to say how this
figure had left the palace and penetrated
so far; but she must have been well ac-
quainted with all the turnings, for in a
short time she crossed the long avenues,
and. arriving at one end of the galleries
of the chapel, she found herself in the
painters wOrk-roOm. and passing lightly
OH, seated herself, without looking
around her, Immediately in front of his
easel.
Oh, surprise! oh, joy! this being, so
calm, so beautiful, is Lucyi The de-
spending artist, who had been unable to
retrace her features on the canvas, now
beheld living model before his eyes.
What could have induced her to come I?
What idea could have given her the
courage and resolution? He threw
himself on his knees before her, but Lu-
cy, motioning him to rise, pointing to his
pencil. Her look penetrated him with a
flame so pure that he forgot the reality
of his vision-his astOnishment seemed
to him a want of faith. Transported 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 successful pencil-the artist repla-
ced the man. Mute and breathless; in
spired 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
appeared to him. she arose silently, and,
with a calm and assured step, left the
monastery by the same road she had
come.
Van Dyck, with wondering eyes and
oppressed breathing, made not the slight
est effort to detain her. In his eyes she
was no longer mortal, and. in her de-
parture he thought lie saw the Madon-
ma departing to her native skies. En-
chanted by his execution and excitement
he fell asleep in his armchair. On AVA
kening, his first thought was to exam
inc canvas. Transported with joy at his
success he thanked, on his knees, the
angel or woman who had so favored
him. In vain he endeayored again to
impart the ideality which existed in his
imagination, He had so combined the
thought of the Madonna and of Lucy,
and he determined to discover the
truth, and wrote the following billet to
the young girl;
"Tell me if indeed you are an angel;
if you do not wish to deprive of his SEN
ses the poor artist, to whom you have
condesceuded to appear this night; tell
me if you are the Vngin or IA mortal"
1t was part of the duty of the dowager
duchess to open the billets addressed to
IlC 1OuAlS W
What was her astonishment at reading
this epistle.
Horror cried she. "A child of high
family to violate her duty in seeking a
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 canse of her reproach-
es. The duchess, who expected to wit
ness in her great confusion or candid
avowal, would listen to nothing. The
alarm was given in the palace, and it
was decided that Lucy, disgraeed should
be sent home to her father.
Her prayers were of no avail; a single
night of respite was alone accorded her,
and she was compelled to sleep in the
apartment of the duchess to avoid fur