the artist of the beautiful-第1部分

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THE　ARTIST　OF　THE　BEAUTIFUL



An　elderly　man；　with　his　pretty　daughter　on　his　arm；　was　passing

along　the　street；　and　emerged　from　the　gloom　of　the　cloudy

evening　into　the　light　that　fell　across　the　pavement　from　the

window　of　a　small　shop。　It　was　a　projecting　window；　and　on　the

inside　were　suspended　a　variety　of　watches；　pinchbeck；　silver；

and　one　or　two　of　gold；　all　with　their　faces　turned　from　the

streets；　as　if　churlishly　disinclined　to　inform　the　wayfarers

what　o'clock　it　was。　Seated　within　the　shop；　sidelong　to　the

window　with　his　pale　face　bent　earnestly　over　some　delicate　piece

of　mechanism　on　which　was　thrown　the　concentrated　lustre　of　a

shade　lamp；　appeared　a　young　man。



〃What　can　Owen　Warland　be　about？〃　muttered　old　Peter　Hovenden；

himself　a　retired　watchmaker；　and　the　former　master　of　this　same

young　man　whose　occupation　he　was　now　wondering　at。　〃What　can　the

fellow　be　about？　These　six　months　past　I　have　never　come　by　his

shop　without　seeing　him　just　as　steadily　at　work　as　now。　It　would

be　a　flight　beyond　his　usual　foolery　to　seek　for　the　perpetual

motion；　and　yet　I　know　enough　of　my　old　business　to　be　certain

that　what　he　is　now　so　busy　with　is　no　part　of　the　machinery　of　a

watch。〃



〃Perhaps；　father；〃　said　Annie；　without　showing　much　interest　in

the　question；　〃Owen　is　inventing　a　new　kind　of　timekeeper。　I　am

sure　he　has　ingenuity　enough。〃



〃Poh；　child！　He　has　not　the　sort　of　ingenuity　to　invent　anything

better　than　a　Dutch　toy；〃　answered　her　father；　who　had　formerly

been　put　to　much　vexation　by　Owen　Warland's　irregular　genius。　〃A

plague　on　such　ingenuity！　All　the　effect　that　ever　I　knew　of　it

was　to　spoil　the　accuracy　of　some　of　the　best　watches　in　my　shop。

He　would　turn　the　sun　out　of　its　orbit　and　derange　the　whole

course　of　time；　if；　as　I　said　before；　his　ingenuity　could　grasp

anything　bigger　than　a　child's　toy！〃



〃Hush；　father！　He　hears　you！〃　whispered　Annie；　pressing　the　old

man's　arm。　〃His　ears　are　as　delicate　as　his　feelings；　and　you

know　how　easily　disturbed　they　are。　Do　let　us　move　on。〃



So　Peter　Hovenden　and　his　daughter　Annie　plodded　on　without

further　conversation；　until　in　a　by…street　of　the　town　they　found

themselves　passing　the　open　door　of　a　blacksmith's　shop。　Within

was　seen　the　forge；　now　blazing　up　and　illuminating　the　high　and

dusky　roof；　and　now　confining　its　lustre　to　a　narrow　precinct　of

the　coal…strewn　floor；　according　as　the　breath　of　the　bellows　was

puffed　forth　or　again　inhaled　into　its　vast　leathern　lungs。　In

the　intervals　of　brightness　it　was　easy　to　distinguish　objects　in

remote　corners　of　the　shop　and　the　horseshoes　that　hung　upon　the

wall；　in　the　momentary　gloom　the　fire　seemed　to　be　glimmering

amidst　the　vagueness　of　unenclosed　space。　Moving　about　in　this

red　glare　and　alternate　dusk　was　the　figure　of　the　blacksmith；

well　worthy　to　be　viewed　in　so　picturesque　an　aspect　of　light　and

shade；　where　the　bright　blaze　struggled　with　the　black　night；　as

if　each　would　have　snatched　his　comely　strength　from　the　other。

Anon　he　drew　a　white…hot　bar　of　iron　from　the　coals；　laid　it　on

the　anvil；　uplifted　his　arm　of　might；　and　was　soon　enveloped　in

the　myriads　of　sparks　which　the　strokes　of　his　hammer　scattered

into　the　surrounding　gloom。



〃Now；　that　is　a　pleasant　sight；〃　said　the　old　watchmaker。　〃I　know

what　it　is　to　work　in　gold；　but　give　me　the　worker　in　iron　after

all　is　said　and　done。　He　spends　his　labor　upon　a　reality。　What

say　you；　daughter　Annie？〃



〃Pray　don't　speak　so　loud；　father；〃　whispered　Annie；　〃Robert

Danforth　will　hear　you。〃



〃And　what　if　he　should　hear　me？〃　said　Peter　Hovenden。　〃I　say

again；　it　is　a　good　and　a　wholesome　thing　to　depend　upon　main

strength　and　reality；　and　to　earn　one's　bread　with　the　bare　and

brawny　arm　of　a　blacksmith。　A　watchmaker　gets　his　brain　puzzled

by　his　wheels　within　a　wheel；　or　loses　his　health　or　the　nicety

of　his　eyesight；　as　was　my　case；　and　finds　himself　at　middle　age；

or　a　little　after；　past　labor　at　his　own　trade　and　fit　for

nothing　else；　yet　too　poor　to　live　at　his　ease。　So　I　say　once

again；　give　me　main　strength　for　my　money。　And　then；　how　it　takes

the　nonsense　out　of　a　man！　Did　you　ever　hear　of　a　blacksmith

being　such　a　fool　as　Owen　Warland　yonder？〃



〃Well　said；　uncle　Hovenden！〃　shouted　Robert　Danforth　from　the

forge；　in　a　full；　deep；　merry　voice；　that　made　the　roof　re…echo。

〃And　what　says　Miss　Annie　to　that　doctrine？　She；　I　suppose；　will

think　it　a　genteeler　business　to　tinker　up　a　lady's　watch　than　to

forge　a　horseshoe　or　make　a　gridiron。〃



Annie　drew　her　father　onward　without　giving　him　time　for　reply。



But　we　must　return　to　Owen　Warland's　shop；　and　spend　more

meditation　upon　his　history　and　character　than　either　Peter

Hovenden；　or　probably　his　daughter　Annie；　or　Owen's　old

school…fellow；　Robert　Danforth；　would　have　thought　due　to　so

slight　a　subject。　From　the　time　that　his　little　fingers　could

grasp　a　penknife；　Owen　had　been　remarkable　for　a　delicate

ingenuity；　which　sometimes　produced　pretty　shapes　in　wood；

principally　figures　of　flowers　and　birds；　and　sometimes　seemed　to

aim　at　the　hidden　mysteries　of　mechanism。　But　it　was　always　for

purposes　of　grace；　and　never　with　any　mockery　of　the　useful。　He

did　not；　like　the　crowd　of　school…boy　artisans；　construct　little

windmills　on　the　angle　of　a　barn　or　watermills　across　the

neighboring　brook。　Those　who　discovered　such　peculiarity　in　the

boy　as　to　think　it　worth　their　while　to　observe　him　closely；

sometimes　saw　reason　to　suppose　that　he　was　attempting　to　imitate

the　beautiful　movements　of　Nature　as　exemplified　in　the　flight　of

birds　or　the　activity　of　little　animals。　It　seemed；　in　fact；　a

new　development　of　the　love　of　the　beautiful；　such　as　might　have

made　him　a　poet；　a　painter；　or　a　sculptor；　and　which　was　as

completely　refined　from　all　utilitarian　coarseness　as　it　could

have　been　in　either　of　the　fine　arts。　He　looked　with　singular

distaste　at　the　stiff　and　regular　processes　of　ordinary

machinery。　Being　once　carried　to　see　a　steam…engine；　in　the

expectation　that　his　intuitive　comprehension　of　mechanical

principles　would　be　gratified；　he　turned　pale　and　grew　sick；　as

if　something　monstrous　and　unnatural　had　been　presented　to　him。

This　horror　was　partly　owing　to　the　size　and　terrible　energy　of

the　iron　laborer；　for　the　character　of　Owen's　mind　was

microscopic；　and　tended　naturally　to　the　minute；　in　accordance

with　his　diminutive　frame　and　the　marvellous　smallness　and

delicate　power　of　his　fingers。　Not　that　his　sense　of　beauty　was

thereby　diminished　into　a　sense　of　prettiness。　The　beautiful　idea

has　no　relation　to　size；　and　may　be　as　perfectly　developed　in　a

space　too　minute　for　any　but　microscopic　investigation　as　within

the　ample　verge　that　is　measured　by　the　arc　of　the　rainbow。　But；

at　all　events；　this　characteristic　minuteness　in　his　objects　and

accomplishments　made　the　world　even　more　incapable　than　it　might

otherwise　have　been　of　appreciating　Owen　Warland's　genius。　The

boy's　relatives　saw　nothing　better　to　be　doneas　perhaps　there

was　notthan　to　bind　him　apprentice　to　a　watchmaker；　hoping　that

his　strange　ingenuity　might　thus　be　regulated　and　put　to

utilitarian　purposes。



Peter　Hovenden's　opinion　of　his　apprentice　has　already　been

expressed。　He　could　make　nothing　of　the　lad。　Owen's　apprehension

of　the　professional　mysteries；　it　is　true；　was　inconceivably

quick；　but　he　altogether　forgot　or　despised　the　grand　object　of　a

watchmaker's　business；　and　cared　no　more　for　the　measurement　of

time　than　if　it　had　been　merged　into　eternity。　So　long；　however；

as　he　remained　under　his　old　master's　care；　Owen's　lack　of

sturdiness　made　it　possible；　by　strict　injunctions　and　sharp

oversight；　to　restrain　his　creative　eccentricity　within　bounds；

but　when　his　apprenticeship　was　served　out；　and　he　had　taken　the

little　shop　which　Peter　Hovenden's　failing　eyesight　compelled　him

to　relinquish；　then　did　people　recognize　how　unfit　a　person　was

Owen　Warland　to　lead　old　blind　Father　Time　along　his　daily

course。　One　of　his　most　rational　projects　was　to　connect　a

musical　operation　with　the　machinery　of　his　watches；　so　that　all

the　harsh　dissonances　of　life　might　be　rendered　tuneful；　and　each

flitting　moment　fall　into　the　abyss　of　the　past　in　golden　drops

of　harmony。　If　a　family　clock　was　intrusted　to　him　for

repair；one　of　those　tall；　ancient　clocks　that　have　grown　nearly

allied　to　human　nature　by　measuring　out　the　lifetime　of　many

generations；he　would　take　upon　himself　to　arrange　a　dance　or

funeral　procession　of　figures　across　its　venerable　face；

representing　twelve　mirthful　or　melancholy　hours。　Several　freaks

of　this　kind　quite　destroyed　the　young　watchmaker's　credit　with

that　steady　and　matter…of…fact　class　of　people　who　hold　the

opinion　that　time　is　not　to　be　trifled　with；　whether　considered

as　the　medium　of　advancement　and　prosperity　in　this　world　or

preparation　for　the　next。　His　custom　rapidly　diminisheda

misfortune；　however；　that　was　probably　reckoned　among　his　better

accidents　by　Owen　Warland；　who　was　becoming　more　and　more

absorbed　in　a　secret　occupation　which　drew　all　his　science　and

manual　dexterity　into　itself；　and　likewise　gave　full　employment

to　the　characteristic　tendencies　of　his　genius。　This　pursuit　had

already　consumed　many　months。



After　the　old　watchmaker　and　his　pretty　daughter　had　gazed　at　him

out　of　the　obscurity　of　the　street；　Owen　Warland　was　seized　with

a　fluttering　of　the　nerves；　which　made　his　hand　tremble　too

violently　to　proceed　with　such　delicate　labor　as　he　was　now

engaged　upon。



〃It　was　Annie　herself！〃　murmured　he。　〃I　should　have　known　it；　by

this　throbbing　of　my　heart；　before　I　heard　her　father's　voice。

Ah；　how　it　throbs！　I　shall　scarcely　be　able　to　work　again　on　this

exquisite　mechanism　to…night。　Annie！　dearest　Annie！　thou　shouldst

give　firmness　to　my　heart　and　hand；　and　not　shak