The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1915-11-02
HIS MASTERPIECE
BY W. E. PRlckETT.


and legs. His sallow face. with its
complement of beady eyes and sharp
features Offset by black mustache
and goatee, marked striking resem-
blance to the being whose name he
bore.
Because of an extremely limited
wardrobe. Diable wore upon all occa-
sions broadcloth suit of ancient pat
tern which, though dilapidated, Ill
fitting and faded, was in keeping with
the other articles of apparel he af-
fected.
Louis worked only when the crav-
ing of the inner man demanded sus-
tenance, and during his leisure hours
he frequented the cafes Of the Quar-
ter or the studios of his bohemian
acquaintance.
The productions Of his brush were
weird and fantastic. Some said he
copied Dore; others claimed that such
productions could only be conceived
by the devil himself
1.-THE face. the name-mon dieu; he
is the devil himself"
The appellation had chung to him
through life and had ranked his
brain till he dreamed devils and was
haunted, during wakeful moments in
the silent hours of the night, by grim
specters that rose out of dark corners
in his room.
Perhaps absinthe. to which he was
rapidly enslaving himself, GOULD ac-
count for the mad fantasies Of his i'm
agination; howbeit, this torture OF
mind and soul increased with the
quantity Of NORWOOD he consumed.
The chaff Of his associates became In
tolerable, so he began to seek unfre-
quented cafes and deserted streets
that he might encounter no one who
knew him or his peculiar cognomen.
At length Diable resolved to por-
tray upon canvas a being 80 gro
tesque, horrible and inhuman that it
would indeed be the devil Of all dew
lis. It should be his masterpiece
Paris would ring with his namei His
acquaintances would taunt him no
more; indeed, with fame and fortune
in his grasp he would forsake the
Quarter and its distasteful associa-
tions, and remove to more preten-
tious domicile, there to live In ease,
happiness and luxury. He would blot
the past forever from his memory.
Inspired by these ambitions he set to
work.
Never had he toiled SO assiduously.
He scarcely took the requisite time
for eating and sleeping. He admitted
no one to his studio; was deserted by
the few friends who remained loyal
to him, and was therefore isolated
from the world about him with the
picture which slowly crept from his
brain to the canvas.
The color seemed to exc from his
soul through fingers and brush, every
touch of which was an atom Of life to
the painting that was converting the
coarse, white surface into colossal
monster. rising from the depths Of
an inferno of fire and torture. Sew
eral weeks OF unceasing application
brought his work near completion,
and the afternoon Of June Q, 1885,.
found Louis Diable putting the finish
ing touches on his great master
piece"
The figure that lowered above him
was an uncanny, composite blending
OF man and the supernatural. though
the long. hairy limbs suggested q
gorilla and the body monstrous
toad. The leering eyes possessed a
snake-like fascination. The moldtng
and treatment of the figure were per
feet, and the flesh fairly seemed to
CULVER In the flames that were licking
its surface.
He was now working on the crea-
lures face. He had painted out and
reprinted 1t dozen times, for each
time 1t strangely resembled his own,
though in which particular feature he
was unable to determine. 1t bothered
him.
He paused moment and. stepping
back few PAGES, studied the face at
tentively through half-closed eyes,
fitting his head first to one side and
then to the other. Was his imagine
ton trucking him7 No; the resem-
blance was undisputably there. But
where. His countenance lighted with
a revelation. 1t was the mouth Like
a spider bouncing upon an enmeshed
victim, he seized brush and petu-
lantly dashed wide daub Of crimson
across the offending feature. He was
amused at the alteration and. with
grunt Of satisfaction, drained gen.
erous draught OF absinthe-the sew
enth he had imbibed that day.
Physical and mental excuses had
reduced Diable to a wreck Of his for
mer self, and this slight relaxation
forced him to realization Of his
condition; so ne drew up an easy
chair before the picture and dropped
languidly into its cushioned depths
to rest moment and smoke cigar
cite before resuming his work.
The tired mind and body soon sue
cumbed to the influences of the alb
sinthe and tobacco, and drowsiness
oyercame him. AS the shadows dark
ened he sank into deep sleep The
half-burned cigarette dropped from
his fingers to the floor and smoldered
there, threatening to ignite the oily
paint spattered about under the easel.
but Louis slept on.
Suddenly he started! The room was
ablaze with light The inferno was
~ he hnf
was spreading around him! The mon
ster was moving and stretching a
bony arm toward him. He heard the
bones crack and the muscles creak
as the arm became released from It's
captivity. He sprang from his chair,
horror-stricken, but was seized rough
ly by the claw-like hand and hurled
to the floor, where he lay, dazed and
helpless. He tried to cry out, but the
smoke and flames which enveloped
him ehoked the cry in his throat.
The devil leaped from the canvas
and danced before him, while It's
mouth widened into CHASTITY grin.
The crimson which Louis had dashed
across It now began to trickle down
the chin to the massive chest, adding
a tinge Of blood to the spectacle.
Louis gazed at the monster with
conflicting emotions Of rage. fright
and disgust. until suffocation reused
him to action. Then, with almost
insane fury. he jumped to his feet
and grappled with his tormentor. He
fought him with desperation, as back
and forth in the inferno they swayed
and struggled together. The char
acteristics Louis had so cunningly
wrought In the demon now came
forth in terrible reality. The crush
ing embrace Of the gorilla arms