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her bonnet straight must have cooled off then。 The man didn't know
the very alphabet of drawing！ His strong point； he intimated； was
his sentiment； but is it a consolation； when one has been painted a
fright； to know it has been done with peculiar gusto？ One by one； I
confess； we fell away from the faith； and Mr。 Theobald didn't lift
his little finger to preserve us。 At the first hint that we were
tired of waiting； and that we should like the show to begin； he was
off in a huff。 'Great work requires time； contemplation； privacy；
mystery！ O ye of little faith！' We answered that we didn't insist
on a great work； that the five…act tragedy might come at his
convenience； that we merely asked for something to keep us from
yawning； some inexpensive little lever de rideau。 Hereupon the poor
man took his stand as a genius misconceived and persecuted； an ame
meconnue； and washed his hands of us from that hour！ No； I believe
he does me the honour to consider me the head and front of the
conspiracy formed to nip his glory in the buda bud that has taken
twenty years to blossom。 Ask him if he knows me； and he will tell
you I am a horribly ugly old woman； who has vowed his destruction
because he won't paint her portrait as a pendant to Titian's Flora。
I fancy that since then he has had none but chance followers；
innocent strangers like yourself； who have taken him at his word。
The mountain is still in labour； I have not heard that the mouse has
been born。 I pass him once in a while in the galleries； and he fixes
his great dark eyes on me with a sublimity of indifference； as if I
were a bad copy of a Sassoferrato！ It is a long time ago now that I
heard that he was making studies for a Madonna who was to be a resume
of all the other Madonnas of the Italian schoollike that antique
Venus who borrowed a nose from one great image and an ankle from
another。 It's certainly a masterly idea。 The parts may be fine； but
when I think of my unhappy portrait I tremble for the whole。 He has
communicated this striking idea under the pledge of solemn secrecy to
fifty chosen spirits； to every one he has ever been able to button…
hole for five minutes。 I suppose he wants to get an order for it；
and he is not to blame； for Heaven knows how he lives。 I see by your
blush；〃 my hostess frankly continued； 〃that you have been honoured
with his confidence。 You needn't be ashamed； my dear young man； a
man of your age is none the worse for a certain generous credulity。
Only allow me to give you a word of advice： keep your credulity out
of your pockets！ Don't pay for the picture till it's delivered。 You
have not been treated to a peep at it； I imagine！ No more have your
fifty predecessors in the faith。 There are people who doubt whether
there is any picture to be seen。 I fancy； myself； that if one were
to get into his studio； one would find something very like the
picture in that tale of Balzac'sa mere mass of incoherent scratches
and daubs； a jumble of dead paint！〃
I listened to this pungent recital in silent wonder。 It had a
painfully plausible sound； and was not inconsistent with certain shy
suspicions of my own。 My hostess was not only a clever woman； but
presumably a generous one。 I determined to let my judgment wait upon
events。 Possibly she was right； but if she was wrong； she was
cruelly wrong！ Her version of my friend's eccentricities made me
impatient to see him again and examine him in the light of public
opinion。 On our next meeting I immediately asked him if he knew Mrs。
Coventry。 He laid his hand on my arm and gave me a sad smile。 〃Has
she taxed YOUR gallantry at last？〃 he asked。 〃She's a foolish woman。
She's frivolous and heartless； and she pretends to be serious and
kind。 She prattles about Giotto's second manner and Vittoria
Colonna's liaison with 'Michael'one would think that Michael lived
across the way and was expected in to take a hand at whistbut she
knows as little about art； and about the conditions of production； as
I know about Buddhism。 She profanes sacred words；〃 he added more
vehemently； after a pause。 〃She cares for you only as some one to
band teacups in that horrible mendacious little parlour of hers； with
its trumpery Peruginos！ If you can't dash off a new picture every
three days； and let her hand it round among her guests； she tells
them in plain English that you are an impostor！〃
This attempt of mine to test Mrs。 Coventry's accuracy was made in the
course of a late afternoon walk to the quiet old church of San
Miniato； on one of the hill…tops which directly overlook the city；
from whose gates you are guided to it by a stony and cypress…bordered
walk； which seems a very fitting avenue to a shrine。 No spot is more
propitious to lingering repose than the broad terrace in front of the
church； where； lounging against the parapet； you may glance in slow
alternation from the black and yellow marbles of the church facade；
seamed and cracked with time and wind…sown with a tender flora of its
own； down to the full domes and slender towers of Florence and over
to the blue sweep of the wide…mouthed cup of mountains into whose
hollow the little treasure city has been dropped。 I had proposed； as
a diversion from the painful memories evoked by Mrs。 Coventry's name；
that Theobald should go with me the next evening to the opera； where
some rarely…played work was to be given。 He declined； as I half
expected； for I observed that he regularly kept his evenings in
reserve； and never alluded to his manner of passing them。 〃You have
reminded me before；〃 I said； smiling； 〃of that charming speech of the
Florentine painter in Alfred de Musset's 'Lorenzaccio'： 'I do no
harm to anyone。 I pass my days in my studio； On Sunday I go to the
Annunziata or to Santa Mario； the monks think I have a voice； they
dress me in a white gown and a red cap； and I take a share in the
choruses； sometimes I do a little solo： these are the only times I
go into public。 In the evening； I visit my sweetheart； when the
night is fine； we pass it on her balcony。' I don't know whether you
have a sweetheart； or whether she has a balcony。 But if you are so
happy； it's certainly better than trying to find a charm in a third…
rate prima donna。〃
He made no immediate response； but at last he turned to me solemnly。
〃Can you look upon a beautiful woman with reverent eyes？〃
〃Really；〃 I said； 〃I don't pretend to be sheepish； but I should be
sorry to think I was impudent。〃 And I asked him what in the world he
meant。 When at last I had assured him that I could undertake to
temper admiration with respect； he informed me； with an air of
religious mystery； that it was in his power to introduce me to the
most beautiful woman in Italy〃A beauty with a soul！〃
〃Upon my word；〃 I cried； 〃you are extremely fortunate； and that is a
most attractive description。〃
〃This woman's beauty；〃 he went on； 〃is a lesson； a morality； a poem！
It's my d