The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1897-08-21

because she would pay him we'll, SO she
promised him more and more, il only
he would paint her faithfully, and he
gave her his word that he would paint
her in every respect most faithfully.
"For | desire to know" said she,
"what 1 am in truth like, for my mir
ror says one thing and the king of Glot-
tenberg''- But here she stopped, re-
membering that such matters were not
fit for Giraldo's ears. Yet he must have
understood, for a strange, cunning, ex-
ultant smile came on his lips as he turn
ed away and sat himself to mix the col
ors on his palette. Thus he began this
last picture, and The princess came ev-
cry day and staid long, SO that Giraldo
might be able to render her likeness in
every most minute respect with perfect
fidelity.
For" she thought re%sentfully,
"either l have no eyes or they have
none in G~lottenberg."
But when she had thus been visiting
Giraldo for hard upon a month and the
picture was nearly finished and was at
once the most lovely and the most faith
full of all that Giraldo had painted, it
CHANGED that letters came to the king
from a nobleman of France who was
well known to him and had known the
princess as well, the Marquis de Nero
%sailles. And the marquis wrote to the
king in the greatest indignation and
scorn, upbraiding the king and saying:
"What is this, sire? Do you keep a mad
man at your court and call him a paint
er? | have been at Glottenberg, and
when l spoke there, as it is my humble
duty and my true delight to speak ev.
erywhere, Of the incompatible beauty
of your majesty's sister. the Princess
Osra, the king, his son, and all the
company did nothing but laugh. And I
fought three duels with gentlemen Of
the court ON this account, and two Of
them |, heaven helping me, wounded,
and one, by some DEVILS trick, wound
ed me. And after this, the matter COM
ing to the king's ear, he sent for me and
excused the laughter by showing me a
picture done by a rascal called Giraldo
at your court, and the picture was
named after your majesty most match
less sister; but, as l am a true son of
tut CDuICu, IL was uuOI6 ike u RuUUtT
wench, and, on my honor and con-
science, it squinted most perceptibly. !
pray you, sire, find out the meaning of
this thing and receive most humble du-
ty and homage from your devoted serv
ant and, since your graciousness sc
wills it,, most obliged and obedient
friend, Henri, Marquis de Merosailles.
/ kiss the hand of the princess"
When the king had read this letter,
he grew very thoughtful, and, unknown
, to Giraldo, he sent and caught the mes.
senger whom Giraldo was wont to in
trust with the pictures and who had
carried the picture of which M. de Me.
Y rosailles wrote to G~lottenberg, and the
king Intercepted the messenger mos
. closely, but got nothing from him save
, that he himself never beheld the pic
1 lures which he carried, but received
. them most carefully packed from Giral
' do and SO delivered them without undo
. ing the coverings and did wait until tn,
! recipient had inspected the picture. 81
. that the fellow did not know anything
= about the picture that had gone t.
y Glottenberg except that it was c~ertainl,
3 the same as Giraldo had intrusted Il
= his hands. But the king was not salts
q fed, and, learning that his sister was a
that moment at Giraldo's house bein,
painted afresh by him, he called half
dozen of gentlemen and set out on horse
q back for the place where Giraldo live,
in the street that runs from the cathe
dral toward the western gate of Strel
: sau. To this day the house stands there
y The princess sat and Giraldo painted
Behind the princess was a window look
: ing on to the street, and behind Girald
u was a second door, which led into a
inner room. On Giraldo's easel stoo
the nearly finished picture, and Giral
~ dos eyes were alight both with love an
- with triumph as he turned from tn
. princess to the picture and from the pic
ture to the princess again, and she, see
y ing something of his admiration, sait
10 with a blush:
SIS it indeed faithful, signor?" Fc
d it seemed even to herself a marvelousl
lovely picture.
' mo, madame" answered he, sc
my imperfect hand cannot be faithfr
y, ~ to perfection"
y 81 pray you, do not tiatter me. Hay
you indeed shown every fault Of m
face?"
-. eff there be a fault in your fac'
g madame, there it is also in my picture.
said Giraldo.
Is The princess was silent for a momen
=, and Their she said:
sit is better, is it not, than the pi,
70 ture you painted for the king of Clio
q tenberg?"
Giraldo painted a stroke or two b,
=; fore he answered carelessly:
t Indeed, madame, it is more faithfl
~ than that which the king of Glottel
W berg has"
"Then less beautiful" asked Osri
~ with a petulant smile.
NAY, / do not say that. Not le
beautiful" he answered.
~ perhaps he would like this one be
~ ter and give me his in exchange, for
~ never saw his after it was finished.
think I will ask the king to write
him."
MT Giraldo had suddenly turned our
ed as the princess MAIDS this suggestion
which she spoke half in sport, half
Tor continuing chagrin at the blindne
re- shown by the court of Glottenber
nd Now he stood staring at her with wi
= oman alarp,oJ ouao anH ha lronpod 1