, and the entire company falls
into consternation; but He inclines His head with downcast looks; the
whole attitude, the motion of the arms, the hands, and everything repeat
with heavenly resignation which the silence itself confirms, "Verily,
verily, there is one amongst you that betrays Me."

[Illustration: THE LAST SUPPER.
_L. da Vinci._]

Before going any farther we must point out a great expedient, by means
of which Leonardo principally animated this picture: it is the motion of
the hands; only an Italian would have discovered this. With his nation
the whole body is expressive, all the limbs take part in describing an
emotion, not only passion but also thought. By various gestures he can
express: "What do I care?"--"Come here!"--"This is a rascal, beware of
him!" "He shall not live long!" "This is a main point. Take heed of
this, my hearers!" To such a national trait, Leonardo, who observed
every characteristic with the greatest attention, must have turned his
searching eye; in this the present picture is unique and one cannot
observe it too much. The expression of every face and every gesture is
in perfect harmony, and yet a single glance can take in the unity and
the contrast of the limbs rendered so admirably.

The figures on both sides of our Lord may be considered in groups of
three, and each group may be regarded as a unit, placed in relation and
still held in connection with its neighbours. On Christ's immediate
right are John, Judas, and Peter.

Peter, the farthest, on hearing the words of our Lord, rises suddenly,
in conformity with his vehement character, behind Judas, who, looking up
with terrified countenance, leans over the table, tightly clutching the
purse with his right hand, whilst with the left he makes an involuntary
nervous motion as if to say: "What may this mean? What is to happen?"
Peter, meanwhile, with his left hand has seized the right shoulder of
John, who is bending towards him, and points to Christ, at the same time
urging the beloved disciple to ask: "Who is the traitor?" He
accidentally touches Judas's side with the handle of a knife held in his
right hand, which occasions the terrified forward movement upsetting the
salt-cellar, so happily brought out. This group may be considered as the
one first thought of by the artist; it is the most perfect.

While now on the right hand of the Lord a certain degree of emotion
seems to threaten immediate revenge, on the left, the liv