the purcell papers-2-第16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！




There　are　few　forms　upon　which　the

mantle　of　mystery　and　romance　could

seem　to　hang　more　ungracefully　than

upon　that　of　the　uncouth　and　clownish

Schalkenthe　Dutch　boorthe　rude　and

dogged；　but　most　cunning　worker　in　oils；

whose　pieces　delight　the　initiated　of　the

present　day　almost　as　much　as　his　manners

disgusted　the　refined　of　his　own；　and　yet

this　man；　so　rude；　so　dogged；　so　slovenly；

I　had　almost　said　so　savage；　in　mien　and

manner；　during　his　after　successes；　had

been　selected　by　the　capricious　goddess；　in

his　early　life；　to　figure　as　the　hero　of　a

romance　by　no　means　devoid　of　interest　or

of　mystery。



Who　can　tell　how　meet　he　may　have

been　in　his　young　days　to　play　the　part　of

the　lover　or　of　the　herowho　can　say　that

in　early　life　he　had　been　the　same　harsh；

unlicked；　and　rugged　boor　that；　in　his

maturer　age；　he　provedor　how　far　the

neglected　rudeness　which　afterwards

marked　his　air；　and　garb；　and　manners；

may　not　have　been　the　growth　of　that

reckless　apathy　not　unfrequently　produced

by　bitter　misfortunes　and　disappointments

in　early　life？



These　questions　can　never　now　be　answered。



We　must　content　ourselves；　then；

with　a　plain　statement　of　facts；　or　what

have　been　received　and　transmitted　as

such；　leaving　matters　of　speculation　to

those　who　like　them。



When　Schalken　studied　under　the

immortal　Gerard　Douw；　he　was　a　young

man；　and　in　spite　of　the　phlegmatic

constitution　and　unexcitable　manner　which　he

shared；　we　believe；　with　his　countrymen；

he　was　not　incapable　of　deep　and　vivid

impressions；　for　it　is　an　established　fact　that

the　young　painter　looked　with　considerable

interest　upon　the　beautiful　niece　of　his

wealthy　master。



Rose　Velderkaust　was　very　young；

having；　at　the　period　of　which　we　speak；

not　yet　attained　her　seventeenth　year；　and；

if　tradition　speaks　truth；　possessed　all　the

soft　dimpling　charms　of　the　fail；　light…

haired　Flemish　maidens。　Schalken　had

not　studied　long　in　the　school　of　Gerard

Douw；　when　he　felt　this　interest　deepening

into　something　of　a　keener　and　intenser

feeling　than　was　quite　consistent　with　the

tranquillity　of　his　honest　Dutch　heart；

and　at　the　same　time　he　perceived；　or

thought　he　perceived；　flattering　symptoms

of　a　reciprocity　of　liking；　and　this　was

quite　sufficient　to　determine　whatever

indecision　he　might　have　heretofore

experienced；　and　to　lead　him　to　devote

exclusively　to　her　every　hope　and　feeling　of　his

heart。　In　short；　he　was　as　much　in　love

as　a　Dutchman　could　be。　He　was　not

long　in　making　his　passion　known　to　the

pretty　maiden　herself；　and　his　declaration

was　followed　by　a　corresponding　confession

upon　her　part。



Schalken；　however；　was　a　poor　man；

and　he　possessed　no　counterbalancing

advantages　of　birth　or　position　to　induce

the　old　man　to　consent　to　a　union　which

must　involve　his　niece　and　ward　in　the

strugglings　and　difficulties　of　a　young　and

nearly　friendless　artist。　He　was；　therefore；

to　wait　until　time　had　furnished　him　with

opportunity；　and　accident　with　success；　and

then；　if　his　labours　were　found　sufficiently

lucrative；　it　was　to　be　hoped　that　his

proposals　might　at　least　be　listened　to　by　her

jealous　guardian。　Months　passed　away；

and；　cheered　by　the　smiles　of　the　little

Rose；　Schalken's　labours　were　redoubled；

and　with　such　effect　and　improvement　as

reasonably　to　promise　the　realisation　of　his

hopes；　and　no　contemptible　eminence　in

his　art；　before　many　years　should　have

elapsed。



The　even　course　of　this　cheering

prosperity　was；　however；　destined　to

experience　a　sudden　and　formidable

interruption；　and　that；　too；　in　a　manner　so

strange　and　mysterious　as　to　baffle　all

investigation；　and　throw　upon　the　events

themselves　a　shadow　of　almost　supernatural　horror。



Schalken　had　one　evening　remained　in

the　master's　studio　considerably　longer

than　his　more　volatile　companions；　who

had　gladly　availed　themselves　of　the

excuse　which　the　dusk　of　evening　afforded；

to　withdraw　from　their　several　tasks；　in

order　to　finish　a　day　of　labour　in　the

jollity　and　conviviality　of　the　tavern。



But　Schalken　worked　for　improvement；

or　rather　for　love。　Besides；　he　was　now

engaged　merely　in　sketching　a　design；　an

operation　which；　unlike　that　of　colouring；

might　be　continued　as　long　as　there　was

light　sufficient　to　distinguish　between

canvas　and　charcoal。　He　had　not　then；

nor；　indeed；　until　long　after；　discovered　the

peculiar　powers　of　his　pencil；　and　he　was

engaged　in　composing　a　group　of　extremely

roguish…looking　and　grotesque　imps　and

demons；　who　were　inflicting　various

ingenious　torments　upon　a　perspiring　and

pot…bellied　St。　Anthony；　who　reclined　in

the　midst　of　them；　apparently　in　the　last

stage　of　drunkenness。



The　young　artist；　however；　though

incapable　of　executing；　or　even　of

appreciating；　anything　of　true　sublimity；

had　nevertheless　discernment　enough　to

prevent　his　being　by　any　means　satisfied

with　his　work；　and　many　were　the　patient

erasures　and　corrections　which　the　limbs

and　features　of　saint　and　devil　underwent；

yet　all　without　producing　in　their　new

arrangement　anything　of　improvement　or

increased　effect。



The　large；　old…fashioned　room　was

silent；　and；　with　the　exception　of　himself；

quite　deserted　by　its　usual　inmates。　An

hour　had　passednearly　twowithout

any　improved　result。　Daylight　had

already　declined；　and　twilight　was　fast　giving

way　to　the　darkness　of　night。　The

patience　of　the　young　man　was　exhausted；

and　he　stood　before　his　unfinished　production；

absorbed　in　no　very　pleasing　ruminations；

one　hand　buried　in　the　folds　of　his

long　dark　hair；　and　the　other　holding　the

piece　of　charcoal　which　had　so　ill　executed

its　office；　and　which　he　now　rubbed；　without

much　regard　to　the　sable　streaks　which

it　produced；　with　irritable　pressure　upon

his　ample　Flemish　inexpressibles。



'Pshaw！'　said　the　young　man　aloud；

'would　that　picture；　devils；　saint；　and　all；

were　where　they　should　bein　hell！'



A　short；　sudden　laugh；　uttered　start



lingly　close　to　his　ear；　instantly　responded

to　the　ejaculation。



The　artist　turned　sharply　round；　and

now　for　the　first　time　became　aware　that

his　labours　had　been　overlooked　by　a

stranger。



Within　about　a　yard　and　a　half；　and

rather　behind　him；　there　stood　what　was；

or　appeared　to　be；　the　figure　of　an　elderly

man：　he　wore　a　short　cloak；　and　broad…

brimmed　hat　with　a　conical　crown；　and　in

his　hand；　which　was　protected　with　a

heavy；　gauntlet…shaped　glove；　he　carried　a

long　ebony　walking…stick；　surmounted　with

what　appeared；　as　it　glittered　dimly　in　the

twilight；　to　be　a　massive　head　of　gold；

and　upon　his　breast；　through　the　folds

of　the　cloak；　there　shone　what　appeared

to　be　the　links　of　a　rich　chain　of　the　same

metal。



The　room　was　so　obscure　that　nothing

further　of　the　appearance　of　the　figure

could　be　ascertained；　and　the　face　was

altogether　overshadowed　by　the　heavy　flap

of　the　beaver　which　overhung　it；　so　that

not　a　feature　could　be　discerned。　A

quantity　of　dark　hair　escaped　from

beneath　this　sombre　hat；　a　circumstance

which；　connected　with　the　firm；　upright

carriage　of　the　intruder；　proved　that　his

years　could　not　yet　exceed　threescore　or

thereabouts。



There　was　an　air　of　gravity　and

importance　about　the　garb　of　this　person；　and

something　indescribably　odd；　I　might　say

awful；　in　the　perfect；　stone…like　movelessness

of　the　figure；　that　effectually　checked

the　testy　comment　which　had　at　once

risen　to　the　lips　of　the　irritated　artist。

He　therefore；　as　soon　as　he　had　suf…

ficiently　recovered　the　surprise；　asked　the

stranger；　civilly；　to　be　seated；　and　desired

to　know　if　he　had　any　message　to　leave　for

his　master。



'Tell　Gerard　Douw；'　said　the　unknown；

without　altering　his　attitude　in　the

smallest　degree；　'that　Mynher　Vanderhauseny

of　Rotterdam；　desires　to　speak

with　him　to…morrow　evening　at　this

hour；　and；　if　he　please；　in　this　room；　upon

matters　of　weightthat　is　all。　Good…night。'



The　stranger；　having　finished　this

message；　turned　abruptly；　and；　with　a

quick　but　silent　step；　quitted　the　room；

before　Schalken　had　time　to　say　a　word　in

reply。



The　young　man　felt　a　curiosity　to　see　in

what　direction　the　burgher　of　Rotterdam

would　turn　on　quitting　the　studio；

and　for　that　purpose　he　went　directly

to　the　window　which　commanded　the

door。



A　lobby　of　considerable　extent

intervened　between　the　inner　door　of　the

painter's　room　and　the　street　entrance；　so

that　Schalken　occupied　the　post　of

observation　before　the　old　man　could　possibly

have　reached　the　street。



He　watched　in　vain；　however。　There

was　no　other　mode　of　exit。



Had　the　old　man　vanished；　or　was　he

lurking　about　the　recesses　of　the　lobby

for　some　bad　purpose？　This　last　suggestion

filled　the　mind　of　Schalken　with　a

vague　horror；　which　was　so　unaccountably

intense　as　to　make　him　alike　afraid　to

remain　in　the　room　alone　and　reluctant　to

pass　through　the　lobby。



However；　with　an　effort　which　ap…

peared　very　disproportioned　to　the

occasion；　he　summoned　resolution　to　leave

the　room；　and；　having　double…locked　the

door　and　thrust　the　key　in　his　pocket；

without　looking　to　the　right　or　left；　he

traversed　the　passage　which　had　so

recently；　perhaps　still；　contained　the　person

of　his　mysterious　visitant；　scarcely　venturing

to　breathe　till　he　had　arrived　in　the

open　street。



'Mynher　Vanderhausen；'　said　Gerard

Douw　within　himself；　as　the　appointed

hour　approached；　'Mynher　Vanderhausen

of　Rotterdam！　I　never　heard　of　the　man

till　yesterday。　What　can　he　want　of　me？

A　portrait；　perhaps；　to　be　painted；　or　a

younger　son　or　a　poor　relation　to　be

apprenticed；　or　a　collection　to　be　valued；　or

pshaw　I　there's　no　one　in　Rotterdam　to

leave　me　a