FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134  
135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   >>   >|  
uty, her gracefulness, and her genius. He told the Count that it was sufficient to read for her once over a poem of Petrarch, and she could repeat it word for word. With the same facility could she compose music for words that struck her fancy. The silvery sweetness of her voice--her light and graceful step--the power of expression she possessed by gesture, look, and mien--he went over all these with a rapture that actually warmed into eloquence, and they who listened heard him with pleasure, and encouraged him to continue. 'We must see your Marietta,' said the Duchess at last. 'You shall bring her here.' Gerald's cheek flushed, but whether with shame, or pride, or displeasure, or all three commingled, it were hard to say. In truth, many a hard conflict went on within him, when, out of his dream of art and its triumphs, he would suddenly awake, and bethink him in what humble estimation men held such as he was; how closely the world insisted on associating poverty with meanness; and how hopeless were the task of him who would try to make himself respected in rags. As these thoughts arose in his mind, he lifted his eyes once more to the portrait, and in bitterness of heart he felt how little resemblance there was in the condition of the youth there represented and himself. 'I see what you are thinking of,' said the Duchess mildly. 'Shall I show you another picture? It is of one you profess to admire greatly--your favourite poet.' 'I pray you do, madam. I long to know his features. It is a face I have painted in fancy often and often.' 'Tell me, then, how you would portray him,' said she, smiling. 'Not regularly handsome; but noble-looking, with the traits of one who had such vigour of life and mind within, that he lived more for his own thoughts than the world, and thus would seem proud to sternness. A high, bold forehead, narrow and indented at the temples, and a deep brow over two fierce eyes. O! what wildly flashing eyes should Alfieri's be when stirred by passion and excitement!' 'And should you find him different from all this--a man of milder mould, more commonplace and less vigorous--will you still maintain that faith in his genius that now you profess?' said the Count, with slow and quiet utterance. 'That will I. How could I, in my presumption, doubt the power that has moved the hearts of thousands?' 'Come, then, and look at him,' said the Duchess, and she arose, and moved into a room fitted
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134  
135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Duchess
 

genius

 

profess

 
thoughts
 

traits

 

vigour

 

regularly

 

handsome

 

smiling

 

admire


greatly

 
favourite
 

picture

 
mildly
 
painted
 

features

 

portray

 

vigorous

 

maintain

 

commonplace


milder

 

thousands

 

hearts

 

fitted

 

utterance

 
presumption
 

forehead

 

narrow

 

indented

 

sternness


temples

 

stirred

 
passion
 

excitement

 

Alfieri

 

flashing

 

thinking

 

fierce

 

wildly

 

associating


eloquence
 
listened
 

warmed

 

possessed

 

gesture

 
rapture
 

pleasure

 
encouraged
 
Gerald
 

continue