[Illustration: THE QUEEN OF SHEBA.
_Veronese._]

The group opposite, of which the Queen forms the centre, is also painted
with Veronese's highest skill; but contains no point of interest bearing
on our present subject, except its connection by a chain of descending
emotion. The Queen is wholly oppressed and subdued; kneeling, and nearly
fainting, she looks up to Solomon with tears in her eyes; he, startled
by fear for her, stoops forward from the throne, opening his right hand,
as if to support her, so as almost to drop the sceptre. At her side her
first maid of honour is kneeling also, but does not care about Solomon;
and is gathering up her dress that it may not be crushed; and looking
back to encourage a negro girl, who, carrying two toy-birds, made of
enamel and jewels, for presentation to the King, is frightened at seeing
her Queen fainting, and does not know what she ought to do; while
lastly, the Queen's dog, another of the little fringy paws, is wholly
unabashed by Solomon's presence, or anybody else's; and stands with his
forelegs well apart, right in front of his mistress, thinking everybody
has lost their wits; and barking violently at one of the attendants, who
has set down a golden vase disrespectfully near him.

_Modern Painters_ (London, 1860).

THE LAST JUDGEMENT

(_MICHAEL ANGELO_)

ALEXANDRE DUMAS

While Michael Angelo worked upon his _Moses_, Clement VII., following
the example of Julius II., would not leave him alone for a moment. It
was a trick of all these Popes to exact from the poor artist something
different to what he was doing at the time. To obtain some respite, he
was forced to promise the Pope that he would occupy himself at the same
time with the cartoon of _The Last Judgment_. But Clement VII. was not a
man to be put off with words; he supervised the work in person, and
Buonarroti was obliged to pass continually from the chisel to the pencil
and from the pen to the mallet. _The Last Judgment!_ _Moses!_ these are
two works of little importance and easy to do off-hand! And yet he had
to. His Holiness would not listen to reason.

One day it was announced to Michael Angelo that he would not receive his
accustomed visit: Clement VII. was dead. The artist breathed freely just
during the Conclave.

The new Pope, Paul III., had nothing more pressing to do than to present
himself in Buonarroti's studio, followed pompously by ten cardinals. The
newly-elected Pope wa