The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-13

own work." he said bluntly. looking at
me. 1.-The Mysterious Master has been at
work again. How did he discover you?"
/ explained the whole circumstances.
"Ah. you are lucky. indeed" he respond
ed. This is not the first picture of his that
have had, yet I would know his work
amid 10000 canvases."
But who is hep I inquired anxiously
HE refused to tell me his name"
Nobody knows" responded the dealer
"AIl that am aware of is that sometimes
students bring me pictures, as you have
done, and 1 find in them merit which GER
tainly shows that the student has never
painted them. I call him the Maestro
Misterioso'"
HE is master" declared. admiring
the picture.
Undoubtedly. Such technique is pos
sessed by no other living painter. 1t is be-
cause of that am able to offer you thou
sand lire for the picture"
A thousand lireI I stood open-mouthed.
ut was more than you expected. eh?" he
rejoined, with a laugh.
I admitted that ii was, inwardly wonder
ing why he should be so generous. But he
placed in my hands ten pink bank notes.
each for hundred lire. and returned to
my high-up studio with redoubled energy
and worked on. day by day. awaiting the
wizen-faced old fellows return.
Weeks passed. however, until one morn
ing. while was busy, he entered, accom-
panied by Filomena. He seemed rather
more feeble, and a single glance at the girl
whose sweet face, with the clear blue eyes.
was such an exact replica. of that exquisite
little Madonna of Van Dyck in the Pitt
Palace. showed that she had sadly changed.
Her cheeks had lost their roundness. her
face was pale, and she was evidently un-
well.
talking quite naturally She was ingenious,
frank. and altogether charming.
/ told the signore how I had sold the
picture to Ferroni, at which he smiled, and
then proceeded to quiz and criticise my new
work. pointing out defect in foreshorten-
ing that had not before noticed. and in
dicating the errors with his thin bony hand.
But you are Improving rapidly-Piano,
ST lavera, Gene" he said, encouragingly.
and after giving me some technical instruc-
ton, added: "And now let me see what I
can make of it."
He threw aside his shabby coat, took I'D
my palette, mixed some colors with great
care, and then, in silence set to work.
Thus / stood chatting with Filomena. lis
tening enraptured by her charming FIoren-
tine accent, that to me always sounds so
sweet and musical Yes. she could paint a
little, she admitted. but she loved music
best. Did she like Florence? Oh, yes. She
had travelled great deal. and seen many
cities-London, Paris. Vienna. Rome, Brus-
sels-but she was glad that she was back
again in Firenze la Bella She laughed
when / repeated the old Tuscan proverb
"Legge Florentina; fatta la sera guasta
la mattina,'' but declared that she had
found her native Florence the gay old city
of Dante, the most delightful of all she had
seen.
We chatted about the galleries and the
antiquities and 1 could not refrain from
saying:
'Firenze non ST muove, sc tutta non ST
duole"
"Ah!' she laughed. that is quite true
It's charm lays in the fact that the vandals
have not touched it like so many of our old
cities. And you find 1t pleasant, too"
'I have but little time to see its beau
ties" answered. az work always Work
work, but with such little result-ah, so
very little!'
She sighed.
You are not alone" she answered in a
low. sweet voice; "others striving just
as you are. Others are working-and de-
spairing. 1t was ever so in this city of
art"
The old man finished at last and threw
down the brushes saying:
III think now IL will do. Take II to that
old rogue, Ferroni, and make him give
you two thousand for It. It is worth that.
but the old Jew always likes an epitaph -
l stood before the easel dumfounded
The effect was perfect. He was indeed the
Mysterious Master. I thanked him but he
waved me aside, declaring that it was moth
ing.
The pair left soon afterward and as
Filomena took leave of me felt her tiny
white hand tremble for an instant in mine
Was it possible that she could ever love
me? Then sat for a long time thinking
more of her than of my completed work
AS the old man had suggested Ferroni
gave me 1000 lire for the picture, and a
Ia Maria Novella with a view to painting
Strozzi Chapel as a background, I sud-
denly encountered Filomena. She was go
ing up to Fiesole to deliver message for
the signore, and, obtaining her permission,
accompanied her. How well / remember
that sunny afternoon as we strolled about
the ancient little town perched high upon
its hill, where the women were plating
their straws; how we gazed down upon
the Duomo and the red roofs of Florence
with Arno winding away like a silver
thread to sun-blanched old Pisa and the
distant sea! 1 became intoxicated by her
marvellous beauty. for her face was pure
as one OF Donatellos angels; she was the
perfect incarnation Of grace, sweetness and
charming simplicity. 1 had lost my heart
to her at the first moment that we met.
and now, strolling at her side, i was In
ecstasy. for her voice was soft and sympa-
thetic and, knowing my trials and tribua-
tions. she urging me to not lose
heart. I would have laid bare to her the
secret of my love there and then. but /
dared not. No. The Mysterious Master
would never hear of his daughter marry
ing starving student.
Beneath the shadow of the grim old Porta