Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-21

Gods Curse on Me for Having SLAM
dered the Beauty 1 Love.
penss adding not seldom some further do
nation in the express term and condition
that Giraldo should observe absolute fde-
ity in his representation and not permit
himself the least fiattery. For some desired
themselves to court her. and others in
tended their sons to ask her hand. If the
their hopes. Thus Glraldo, although but
two or three years above thirty, grew both
In fame and wealth, and was very often in
debted to the princess for the favor of a
visit to his house. that he might again cor
rect his memory of her face.
NOW, what several princes had done be-
fore, 1t CHANGED that the King of Glotten-
berg also did: and Giraldo, to all appear
ances much pleased, accepted the command
and prayed the princess to visit him; for
he said. this picture was to be larger and
more elaborate than the rest, and there
fore needed more study. of her So the
princess went many times, and the portrait
destined for the King of Glottenberg (who
was said to be seeking q suitable alliance
TOT his eldest SOM grew before her eyes
Into the most perfect and beautiful pre-
sentiment OF her which the skill of Giraldo
had ever accomplished, and surpassed even
that first picture which he had painted by
KING Rudolfs command. And the king had
no doubt that, so soon as the picture had
reached the court of Glottenberg an en-
bassy would come from there to demand
the hand of his sister for the crown prince,
a proposal which he would have rec eived
with much pleasure and qualification.
Il do not think" said Osra, tossing her
head, that any such embassy will come,
sire. For four or five pictures have been
manner. but no embassies have come 1t
seems that my poor features do not find
approval in the courts Of Europe"
And her tone it must be confessed, was
nj he Drir
Knew that she was beautiful, as, indeed,
all beautiful ladies are. by the benevolence
OF heaven, permitted to. How much greater
mischief might they work II such knowl-
That's true enough" cried Rudolf.
And do not understand the meaning of
it. But it will not be at Glottenberg.
For my good brother, the king. has eyes
in his head and his son sees no less well.
I met them in my travels and 1 can speak
of 1t. Most certainly an embassy will
come from Gutenberg before we are
month older"
Yet. strange to say, the same thing fol-
lowed on the dispatch of the portrait
(Which Giraldo sent by a certain trusty
employ as had happened before; no EN-
bassy came, and the King of Glottenbers
excused himself from paying a visit to
Strelsau. which he and his son had prom
ised on the invitation of King Rudolf.
Therefore Rudolf was very vexed and Osra
also. thinking herself scorned. was sore at
heart. although she bore herself more
proudly than before And, being very
greatly disturbed in her mind concerning
her beauty, she went herself again to
Giraldo and charged him to paint her once
mere.
"And this picture" she said 'fs for my
own eyes and mine alone. Therefore. Sig
nor, paint 1t faithfully and spare me not.
For If woman be ugly. 1t is well she
should know it, and 1t seems that nobody
in the kingdom will tell me the truth. al
though 1 get hints enough of 1T from
abroad" And she frowned and flushed
and was greatly out Of temper, as any
beautiful lady would in such a case most
naturally be.
Giraldo bowed very low, seeking to hide
the sudden red that dyed his cheek and to
conceal the great joy which the command
Of the princess gave him. For by reason
of having SO often painted the princess of
having so curiously studied her face, and
of having spent so much time In her COM
pany, listening to her conversation and en-
joying her wit and grace, this hopeless
young man had become so hopelessly and
desperately her lover that he no longer
cared to use his brush in the service of
any other lady or lord, and stayed at Strel-
sau solely that he night again and again
depict the face that he loved, and save
when she sat before him he seemed now
unable to ply his art at all, and had he not
received so many commands for pictures
of her he would have sat all day long idle,
thinking of her-which indeed was what he
did in the intervals between his labor on
ner But Sne, SUCH
presumption and folly on his part, thought
that he was glad merely because she would
pay him well. so she promised him more
and more, II only he would paint her faith
fully. And he gave her his word that he
would paint her in every respect most
faithfully.
For ] desire to know" said she, what
am in truth like: for my mirror says one
thing and the King of Glottenberg-" But
here she stopped, remembering that such
n alters were not fit for Giraldo's ears.
Yet he must have understood for strange
cunning exultant smile came on his lips
as he turned away and set himself to mix
the colors on his palette. Thus ne began
this last picture and the princess came
every day and stayed long, so that Giraldo
m, pht be able to render her likeness in
every most minute respect with perfect
fidelity.
''For," she thought, resentfully, either
1 have no eyes or they have none in Glot-
tenberg."
But wher she had thus been visiting
GiraIdo for hard upon a month and the
picture was nearly finished, and was at
once the most lovely and the most faithful
of all that Giraldo had painted, 1t CHANGED
that letters came to the king from noble
man of France who was we'll known to
kim and had known the princess as well,
the Marquis de Merosailles. And the mar
quis wrote to the king in the greatest in
dignation end scorn, upbraiding the king
and saying, What is this, sire? Do you
keep a mailman at your court and call him
O painter? / have been at Gutenberg;
and when l spoke there as 1t is my humble
duty and my true delight to speak every
where, of the Incompatible beauty of your
majesty's sister. the Princess Osra, the
nothing but laugh. And / fought three
duels with gentlemen of the court on this