the purcell papers-2-第15部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



and　to　send　me　home；　but　for　one　reason；

I　would　have　done　it　long　ago：　there　was

a　little　child；　his　and　minethe　dearest；

the　loveliest。'　She　could　not　go　on　for　a

minute　or　two。　'The　little　child　that　is

lying　there；　on　that　bed；　but　it　is　dead

and　gone；　and　there　is　no　reason　NOW　why

I　should　delay　any　more　about　it。'



She　put　her　hand　into　her　breast；　and

took　out　a　letter；　which　she　opened。　She

put　it　into　my　hands。　It　ran　thus：



　　　　　'DEAR　MASTER　RICHARD；

　　　'My　little　child　is　dead；　and　your

happiness　is　all　I　care　about　now。　Your

marriage　with　me　is　displeasing　to　your

family；　and　I　would　be　a　burden　to　you；

and　in　your　way　in　the　fine　places；　and

among　the　great　friends　where　you　must

be。　You　ought；　therefore；　to　break　the

marriage；　and　I　will　sign　whatever　YOU

wish；　or　your　family。　I　will　never　try

to　blame　you；　Master　Richarddo　not

think　itfor　I　never　deserved　your

love；　and　must　not　complain　now　that

I　have　lost　it；　but　I　will　always　pray

for　you；　and　be　thinking　of　you　while

I　live。'



While　I　read　this　letter；　I　was　satisfied

that　so　far　from　adding　to　the　poor

girl's　grief；　a　full　disclosure　of　what　had

happened　would；　on　the　contrary；　mitigate

her　sorrow；　and　deprive　it　of　its　sharpest

sting。



'Ellen；'　said　I　solemnly；　'Richard

O'Mara　was　never　unfaithful　to　you；　he

is　now　where　human　reproach　can　reach

him　no　more。'



As　I　said　this；　the　hectic　flush　upon　her

cheek　gave　place　to　a　paleness　so　deadly；

that　I　almost　thought　she　would　drop　lifeless

upon　the　spot。



'Is　heis　he　dead；　then？'　said　she；

wildly。



I　took　her　hand　in　mine；　and　told　her

the　sad　story　as　best　I　could。　She　listened

with　a　calmness　which　appeared　almost

unnatural；　until　I　had　finished　the　mournful

narration。　She　then　arose；　and　going　to

the　bedside；　she　drew　the　curtain　and　gazed

silently　and　fixedly　on　the　quiet　face　of　the

child：　but　the　feelings　which　swelled　at

her　heart　could　not　be　suppressed；　the

tears　gushed　forth；　and　sobbing　as　if　her

heart　would　break；　she　leant　over　the　bed

and　took　the　dead　child　in　her　arms。



She　wept　and　kissed　it；　and　kissed　it　and

wept　again；　in　grief　so　passionate；　so

heartrending；　as　to　draw　bitter　tears　from

my　eyes。　I　said　what　little　I　could　to

calm　herto　have　sought　to　do　more

would　have　been　a　mockery；　and　observing

that　the　darkness　had　closed　in；　I

took　my　leave　and　departed；　being

favoured　with　the　services　of　my　former

guide。



I　expected　to　have　been　soon　called

upon　again　to　visit　the　poor　girl；　but

the　Lodge　lay　beyond　the　boundary　of　my

parish；　and　I　felt　a　reluctance　to　trespass

upon　the　precincts　of　my　brother　minister；

and　a　certain　degree　of　hesitation　in　intruding

upon　one　whose　situation　was　so

very　peculiar；　and　who　would；　I　had　no

doubt；　feel　no　scruple　in　requesting　my

attendance　if　she　desired　it。



A　month；　however；　passed　away；　and　I

did　not　hear　anything　of　Ellen。　I　called

at　the　Lodge；　and　to　my　inquiries　they

answered　that　she　was　very　much　worse

in　health；　and　that　since　the　death　of　the

child　she　had　been　sinking　fast；　and　so

weak　that　she　had　been　chiefly　confined

to　her　bed。　I　sent　frequently　to　inquire；

and　often　called　myself；　and　all　that　I

heard　convinced　me　that　she　was　rapidly

sinking　into　the　grave。



Late　one　night　I　was　summoned　from

my　rest；　by　a　visit　from　the　person　who

had　upon　the　former　occasion　acted　as

my　guide；　he　had　come　to　summon　me　to

the　death…bed　of　her　whom　I　had　then

attended。　With　all　celerity　I　made　my

preparations；　and；　not　without　considerable

difficulty　and　some　danger；　we　made　a

rapid　night…ride　to　the　Lodge；　a　distance

of　five　miles　at　least。　We　arrived　safely；

and　in　a　very　short　timebut　too　late。



I　stood　by　the　bed　upon　which　lay　the

once　beautiful　form　of　Ellen　Heathcote。

The　brief　but　sorrowful　trial　was　past

the　desolate　mourner　was　gone　to　that

land　where　the　pangs　of　grief；　the　tumults

of　passion；　regrets　and　cold　neglect；　are

felt　no　more。　I　leant　over　the　lifeless　face；

and　scanned　the　beautiful　features　which；

living；　had　wrought　such　magic　on　all　that

looked　upon　them。　They　were；　indeed；

much　wasted；　but　it　was　impossible　for

the　fingers　of　death　or　of　decay　altogether

to　obliterate　the　traces　of　that　exquisite

beauty　which　had　so　distinguished　her。

As　I　gazed　on　this　most　sad　and　striking

spectacle；　remembrances　thronged　fast　upon

my　mind；　and　tear　after　tear　fell　upon　the

cold　form　that　slept　tranquilly　and　for　ever。



A　few　days　afterwards　I　was　told　that　a

funeral　had　left　the　Lodge　at　the　dead　of

night；　and　had　been　conducted　with　the

most　scrupulous　secrecy。　It　was；　of　course；

to　me　no　mystery。



Heathcote　lived　to　a　very　advanced　age；

being　of　that　hard　mould　which　is　not

easily　impressionable。　The　selfish　and　the

hard…hearted　survive　where　nobler；　more

generous；　and；　above　all；　more　sympathising

natures　would　have　sunk　for　ever。



Dwyer　certainly　succeeded　in　extorting；

I　cannot　say　how；　considerable　and　advantageous

leases　from　Colonel　O'Mara；　but

after　his　death　he　disposed　of　his　interest

in　these；　and　having　for　a　time　launched

into　a　sea　of　profligate　extravagance；　he

became　bankrupt；　and　for　a　long　time　I

totally　lost　sight　of　him。



The　rebellion　of　'98；　and　the　events

which　immediately　followed；　called　him

forth　from　his　lurking…places；　in　the

character　of　an　informer；　and　I　myself　have

seen　the　hoary…headed；　paralytic　perjurer；

with　a　scowl　of　derision　and　defiance；　brave

the　hootings　and　the　execrations　of　the

indignant　multitude。









STRANGE　EVENT　IN　THE　LIFE　OF　SCHALKEN　THE　PAINTER。



Being　a　Seventh　Extract　from　the　Legacy　of　the　late

Francis　Purcell；　P。　P。　of　Drumcoolagh。



You　will　no　doubt　be　surprised；

my　dear　friend；　at　the　subject　of

the　following　narrative。　What

had　I　to　do　with　Schalken；　or　Schalken

with　me？　He　had　returned　to　his　native

land；　and　was　probably　dead　and　buried；

before　I　was　born；　I　never　visited　Holland

nor　spoke　with　a　native　of　that　country。

So　much　I　believe　you　already　know。　I

must；　then；　give　you　my　authority；　and

state　to　you　frankly　the　ground　upon

which　rests　the　credibility　of　the　strange

story　which　I　am；　about　to　lay　before

you。



I　was　acquainted；　in　my　early　days；

with　a　Captain　Vandael；　whose　father　had

served　King　William　in　the　Low　Countries；

and　also　in　my　own　unhappy　land　during

the　Irish　campaigns。　I　know　not　how　it

happened　that　I　liked　this　man's　society；

spite　of　his　politics　and　religion：　but　so　it

was；　and　it　was　by　means　of　the　free

intercourse　to　which　our　intimacy　gave

rise　that　I　became　possessed　of　the　curious

tale　which　you　are　about　to　hear。



I　had　often　been　struck；　while　visiting

Vandael；　by　a　remarkable　picture；　in

which；　though　no　connoisseur　myself；　I

could　not　fail　to　discern　some　very　strong

peculiarities；　particularly　in　the　distribu…

tion　of　light　and　shade；　as　also　a　certain

oddity　in　the　design　itself；　which　interested

my　curiosity。　It　represented　the　interior

of　what　might　be　a　chamber　in　some

antique　religious　buildingthe　foreground

was　occupied　by　a　female　figure；　arrayed

in　a　species　of　white　robe；　part　of　which　is

arranged　so　as　to　form　a　veil。　The　dress；

however；　is　not　strictly　that　of　any　religious

order。　In　its　hand　the　figure　bears

a　lamp；　by　whose　light　alone　the　form　and

face　are　illuminated；　the　features　are

marked　by　an　arch　smile；　such　as　pretty

women　wear　when　engaged　in　successfully

practising　some　roguish　trick；　in　the

background；　and；　excepting　where　the　dim　red

light　of　an　expiring　fire　serves　to　define

the　form；　totally　in　the　shade；　stands　the

figure　of　a　man　equipped　in　the　old　fashion；

with　doublet　and　so　forth；　in　an　attitude

of　alarm；　his　hand　being　placed　upon　the

hilt　of　his　sword；　which　he　appears　to　be

in　the　act　of　drawing。



'There　are　some　pictures；'　said　I　to　my

friend；　'which　impress　one；　I　know　not

how；　with　a　conviction　that　they　represent

not　the　mere　ideal　shapes　and　combinations

which　have　floated　through　the　imagination

of　the　artist；　but　scenes；　faces；　and

situations　which　have　actually　existed。　When

I　look　upon　that　picture；　something　assures

me　that　I　behold　the　representation　of　a

reality。'



Vandael　smiled；　and；　fixing　his　eyes　upon

the　painting　musingly；　he　said：



'Your　fancy　has　not　deceived　you；　my

good　friend；　for　that　picture　is　the　record；

and　I　believe　a　faithful　one；　of　a　remarkable

and　mysterious　occurrence。　It　was

painted　by　Schalken；　and　contains；　in　the

face　of　the　female　figure；　which　occupies

the　most　prominent　place　in　the　design；　an

accurate　portrait　of　Rose　Velderkaust；　the

niece　of　Gerard　Douw；　the　first　and；　I

believe；　the　only　love　of　Godfrey　Schalken。

My　father　knew　the　painter　well；　and　from

Schalken　himself　he　learned　the　story　of

the　mysterious　drama；　one　scene　of　which

the　picture　has　embodied。　This　painting；

which　is　accounted　a　fine　specimen　of

Schalken's　style；　was　bequeathed　to　my

father　by　the　artist's　will；　and；　as　you

have　observed；　is　a　very　striking　and

interesting　production。'



I　had　only　to　request　Vandael　to　tell

the　story　of　the　painting　in　order　to　be

gratified；　and　thus　it　is　that　I　am　enabled

to　submit　to　you　a　faithful　recital　of　what

I　heard　myself；　leaving　you　to　reject　or　to

allow　the　evidence　upon　which　the　truth

of　the　tradition　depends；　with　this　one

assurance；　that　Schalken　was　an　honest；

blunt　Dutchman；　and；　I　believe；　wholly

incapable　of　committing　a　flight　of

imagination；　and　further；　that　Vandael；　from

whom　I　heard　the　story；　appeared　firmly

convinced　of　its　truth。



There　are　few　forms　upon　which　the

mantle　of　mystery　and　romance　could

seem　to　hang　more　ungracefully　than