San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-05-26
The Handsome Orlando
TRANSLATED FROhl ThD FRENCH OF OIL
WEIR CHANTAL BY BENZ. r. TUCKER.
q women.


Next she kept him at home under all
sorts Of preteXts, and constantly disturb
ed him with visits which she claimed as
Indispensable.
Was he about to settle down TO work?
Was his task beginning to interest him?
\ little tinkle of the bell announced the
arrival of his wife, sustained by one of
her family. Teresa came to assure her
self of his presence in the studio, and to
find out who was posing for him.
Every night, after the 7 o'clock supper
"a cold collation. composed either of the
dessert left from the dinner, or of salad
and fried fish picked in lemon juice, or
of cooked Notwithstanding went
to the Cafe d Europe to meet the other
artists. Generally he contented himself
with the traditional glass of water, so
little money had he at his disposal. The
young couple received only part of the
promised income, the union of the house.
holds lessening the expense. And this
part went for clothing and studio sup
plies.
Monteforte's paintings not selling, he
had no pocket money. They held him
in the attitude of child, and Teresa
would scarcely allow him to go out with
| out her.
Did he try to rebel? The family, united
as one man, took the side of his wife by
their attitude and silence. Then. either
| from Incidence or lassitude, or to avoid
the ennui of discussion, sometimes too
through sort of passive good nature,
| he allowed things to go on.
His rich marriage, which others en-
vied-what misery! He always found
| comfortable meals, to be sure.
His clothes were cared for; he lacked
nothing excepting that necessity-inde-
| pendenCe.
| When he was poor he sometimes paid
for comrades glass of beer at the same
time as his own. When he was poor
beautiful girls posed as his models, ask
ing no reward beyond a gay supper paid
| for by him.
| When he was poor he sang serenades;
| his voicn aroused the reveries of women,
| pretty girls of the port, laundresses with
| glowing checks and statuesque bodies
| modelled IN bronze at once tender ana
| "@rin.
Now h" haI to 'nHure continual IN
u. i'd,!,'. That nrrI OF tranquility
which finally comQuerS the most rebellious
and tn" strongest diminished nm every
day. lie CoUld no longer even receive
his friends il the privacy of his home.
vt first i had h""n necessary to con-
sol" leI's,' tor her poor uH"ppreclated
love. Later. when tn" memory OF tins
.2u~f hay" i""E been cliar"d' Montetorte
w;r bent "l,.tr the ferruie OF daily life, SO
| GulI aud ordinary, that he loIt that he
"u.; eli" ct "naU.
Certainly l." lacked genius; bat now he
newer toun", even III his harFIest hours,
'a"rIJ vision "t 80. the beautiful starry
dream. In this commonplace interior
even tna' joy WAS ""nl"d lam. TIC c"ur-
80 To complain LETT hlm also. lhe hand
| ~o''" tiandp, whose Er;dth. needless
mess ald joy made him a force OF natT"r,
N"~ conquered by thrortour mediocritics.
Iii, present dream. negative happi-
ness, Wa, opasS an afternoon alone, with
ont model, without being disturbed, in
his studio, his last refuge.
tie smoked. Astride his chair, with
YES fixed upon virgin canvas or lost
upon a point in space, he evoked works,
events, s,n~ations, which did not need
to be humanity rrdiilabIe; he also impro-
vi,"d songs, while following with his
look the mobile transformations Of tn
| clouds, images Of his revcric.