The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-12-22

would have had out the hidden beauty,
but the prince checked his freedom,
and the cavalcade rode by But ia
cinta looked out and saw Bea trice as
she passed, and She shook her head
with laugh, for Jacinta had persuaded
Giacomo to bring her with him when
he came to offer his picture Of Saint
Emilia to Count Amadeo, and he had
agreed, binding her by a promise to
abide in their lodging and not wander
alone through Castivano. nor let her
self be seen by the gentlemen Of the
court.
Count Anladeo received their high
nesses and the company with splendid
pomp and graceful courtesy; yet there
was a cloud on his brow, and in his de-
ineanor a sadness, which neither the
admiration paid to his shrine nor the
gay smiles of the princess ladies could
dismiss. And, so soon as he had be-
slowed his guests suitably to their
respective rank and pretensions, he re-
turned again into the shrine and sat
down opposite to the altar, his eyes
travelling round the shrine that he had
built. And he sighed deeply as his
glance returned to the space above the
altar, where there hung q curtain of
Of black velvet. But presently his stew
ard approached him, saying:
My lord, there is yet another paint
er come, bringing "a picture which he
desires to offer"
TIL have no more of them,'' cried
Amadeo, impatiently. 1.-The place of the
picture shall be empty, for my eyes
can I'LL it better far than any painting
that has been brought to me- Give
this painter also what suffices for his
charges and his labor, and let him
CO."
But the steward pleaded with ANA
dec. saying that the man was old,
and that his eyes had filed when told
that Amadeo had declared that he
would look at no more pictures.
Let him come, then" said Amadeo
YEARLY
MY lord" said the steward, humbly
and with some fear. che prevailed on
me to allow him to place the picture in
its place that you might judge of it
the better"
Neither he nor you had the right
to do the thing" said Amadeo, "but
since it is done, pull aside the curtain. -
Then. old Giacomo, who had been
standing concealed behind an arch,
slipped forward and bowed low to
Amadeo, who flung him a careless nod;
and he laid his hand on the string, and,
drawing back the black curtain, dis
played the picture of Saint Emilia
that he had made.
At once Amadeo sprang to his feet,
with loud cry. and stood with clasped
hands and his eyes set greedily on the
picture. Presently, although his gaze
could not leave the picture, he beck
oned with his hand to Giacomo, who
came near to him timidly. And Arma
dec said in a hushed voice, his tones
being full of awe:
How came the vision to you? How
for you also was the veil of heaven
drawn back and the face revealed"
Giacomo, bewildered by the strange
manner Of AmadeO, and remembering
how men had said that the count was
subject to decisions and sometimes was
carried out of his right mind by relig
ious fervor. and especially by his I'M
measured devotion to Saint Emilia,
stammered in his answer. saying lame
ly that he had painted with his best
skill and trusted that the result was
pleasing to his excellency.
But from whom did you get the fea-
tures?" cried Amadeo fiercely.
THE model is something, my lord"
answered Giacomo. But the hand and
held the girl to be, it seemed to Giac-
ONO that his picture was much fairer.
But Amodeos mind was different.
1T is very like her." he whispered
with a sigh, although less beautiful.
And headed to Giacomo, Come, sir,
the picture shall stay in its place at
what price you will, and, L pray you,
come with me to the prince
And he carried Giacomo to the
Prince of Mantivoglia, who sat in the
gardens with his princess and all the
court, and there he presented .Giacomo
to his highness,- commencing his. skill
and genius and praying the prince to
show him some mark of favor.
Fright willingly" cried Prince Wit
torio. But come, let me see for my
SELF And he rose, and, followed by
his way to the shrine where the pic
ture hung. And the princess ladies
were curious above all the rest to see
the picture that Giacomo had painted,
for they perceived q new excitement in
the eyes of Count Amadeo.
Then, they all being come to the
shrine, Amadeo asked his highneSs if
he would command that the curtain
should be drawn back, and his high
ness gave command accordingly. And
at once murmur of admiration rose
from all, and the prince, turning to
Giacomo who stood by, embraced him
and hailed him for a great painter and
a glory to Mantivoglia; while the prin-
cess gave him a gold chain from about
her neck, and, turning to the ladies,
babe them see the marvellous beauty
nothing to the princess, although they
courtseyed in respectful obedience; but
Beatrice nudged LucreZia, Euphemia
whispered to Eugenia, 1T is she!"
Constantia murmured softly, God save
us!' Jessica, Margherita, Cecilia, "a
rata and Theodore laid fingers on lips,
saying, "or your life, not word of
it,"
And they all turned red and appeared
Yprxy Of RI iTacr I1n
deluSiohs of Count Amadeo, and for all
old Giacomo's vain talk about his skill
and his pallet, to them at least it was
plain that this wonderful picture of
Saint Emilia was nothing else than a
portrait of Jacinta, Beatrice's maid,
whom they had beaten and driven
with contumely from the palace at
Mantivoglia.
God send that she be not here"
whispered Beatrice, with a glance of
great apprehension at Count Amadeo.
For although is was veXatious enough
that the count should waste his life in
adoring a saint, and spend on a shrine
what might have been laid out in revel-
ry, feasting, and jewels, it would be
worse by a thousand times that Jacin-
Ia the maid should appear before him
in flesh and blood. since most certainly
in that event he would think very lit
tie more of Saint Emilia.
When all the rest had praised the
picture to their hearts content, and
almost to the satisfaction of Giacomo
himself, Amadeo, still very gloomy,
babe them come to dinner, for he had
spread a magnificent banquet in the
hall of his house; and they sat down,
the prince and princess in the center,
Amadeo over against them, and Giac-
ONO on the princess left hand.