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magic。　This　masterpiece　of　her　art　and　her　joy　was　a　votive　offering

to　their　wedded　felicity。



Another　year　of　ease　and　comfort　went　by。　The　history　of　their　life

may　be　given　in　three　words：　THEY　WERE　HAPPY。　No　event　happened　to

them　of　sufficient　importance　to　be　recorded。







CHAPTER　VI



RETRIBUTION



At　the　beginning　of　the　year　1819　the　picture…dealers　requested

Ginevra　to　give　them　something　beside　copies；　for　competition　had　so

increased　that　they　could　no　longer　sell　her　work　to　advantage。　Madame

Porta　then　perceived　the　mistake　she　had　made　in　not　exercising　her

talent　for　〃genre〃　painting；　which　might；　by　this　time；　have　brought

her　reputation。　She　now　attempted　portrait…painting。　But　here　she　was

forced　to　compete　against　a　crowd　of　artists　in　greater　need　of　money

than　herself。　However；　as　Luigi　and　Ginevra　had　laid　by　a　few　savings；

they　were　not；　as　yet；　uneasy　about　the　future。



Toward　the　end　of　the　winter　of　that　year　Luigi　worked　without

intermission。　He；　too；　was　struggling　against　competitors。　The　payment

for　writing　had　so　decreased　that　he　found　it　impossible　to　employ

assistance；　he　was　forced；　therefore；　to　work　a　much　longer　time

himself　to　obtain　the　same　emolument。　His　wife　had　finished　several

pictures　which　were　not　without　merit；　but　the　dealers　were　scarcely

buying　those　of　artists　with　reputations；　consequently；　her　paintings

had　little　chance。　Ginevra　offered　them　for　almost　nothing；　but

without　success。



The　situation　of　the　household　now　began　to　be　alarming。　The　souls　of

the　husband　and　wife　floated　on　the　ocean　of　their　happiness；　love

overwhelmed　them　with　its　treasures；　while　poverty　rose；　like　a

skeleton；　amid　their　harvest　of　joy。　Yet；　all　the　while；　they　hid　from

each　other　their　secret　anxiety。　When　Ginevra　felt　like　weeping　as　she

watched　Luigi's　worn　and　suffering　face；　she　redoubled　her　caresses；

and　Luigi；　keeping　his　dark　forebodings　in　the　depths　of　his　soul；

expressed　to　his　Ginevra　the　tenderest　love。　They　sought　a

compensation　for　their　troubles　in　exalting　their　feelings；　and　their

words；　their　joys；　their　caresses　became　suffused；　as　it　were；　with　a

species　of　frenzy。　They　feared　the　future。　What　feeling　can　be

compared　in　strength　with　that　of　a　passion　which　may　cease　on　the

morrow；　killed　by　death　or　want？　When　they　talked　together　of　their

poverty　each　felt　the　necessity　of　deceiving　the　other；　and　they

fastened　with　mutual　ardor　on　the　slightest　hope。



One　night　Ginevra　woke　and　missed　Luigi　from　her　side。　She　rose　in

terror。　A　faint　light　shining　on　the　opposite　wall　of　the　little

court…yard　revealed　to　her　that　her　husband　was　working　in　his　study

at　night。　Luigi　was　now　in　the　habit　of　waiting　till　his　wife　was

asleep；　and　then　going　up　to　his　garret　to　write。　Four　o'clock　struck。

Ginevra　lay　down　again；　and　pretended　to　sleep。　Presently　Luigi

returned；　overcome　with　fatigue　and　drowsiness。　Ginevra　looked　sadly

on　the　beautiful；　worn　face；　where　toil　and　care　were　already　drawing

lines　of　wrinkles。



〃It　is　for　me　he　spends　his　nights　in　writing；〃　she　said　to　herself；

weeping。



A　thought　dried　her　tears。　She　would　imitate　Luigi。　That　same　day　she

went　to　a　print…shop；　and；　by　help　of　a　letter　of　recommendation　she

had　obtained　from　Elie　Magus；　one　of　her　picture…dealers；　she　obtained

an　order　for　the　coloring　of　lithographs。　During　the　day　she　painted

her　pictures　and　attended　to　the　cares　of　the　household；　then；　when

night　came；　she　colored　the　engravings。　This　loving　couple　entered

their　nuptial　bed　only　to　deceive　each　other；　both　feigned　sleep；　and

left　it；Luigi；　as　soon　as　he　thought　his　wife　was　sleeping；　Ginevra

as　soon　as　he　had　gone。



One　night　Luigi；　burning　with　a　sort　of　fever；　induced　by　a　toil　under

which　his　strength　was　beginning　to　give　way；　opened　the　casement　of

his　garret　to　breathe　the　morning　air；　and　shake　off；　for　a　moment；

the　burden　of　his　care。　Happening　to　glance　downward；　he　saw　the

reflection　of　Ginevra's　lamp　on　the　opposite　wall；　and　the　poor　fellow

guessed　the　truth。　He　went　down；　stepping　softly；　and　surprised　his

wife　in　her　studio；　coloring　engravings。



〃Oh；　Ginevra！〃　he　cried。



She　gave　a　convulsive　bound　in　her　chair；　and　blushed。



〃Could　I　sleep　while　you　were　wearing　yourself　out　with　toil？〃　she

said。



〃But　to　me　alone　belongs　the　right　to　work　in　this　way；〃　he　answered。



〃Could　I　be　idle；〃　she　asked；　her　eyes　filling　with　tears；　〃when　I

know　that　every　mouthful　we　eat　costs　a　drop　of　your　blood？　I　should

die　if　I　could　not　add　my　efforts　to　yours。　All　should　be　in　common

between　us：　pains　and　pleasures；　both。〃



〃She　is　cold！〃　cried　Luigi；　in　despair。　〃Wrap　your　shawl　closer　round

you；　my　own　Ginevra；　the　night　is　damp　and　chilly。〃



They　went　to　the　window；　the　young　wife　leaning　on　the　breast　of　her

beloved；　who　held　her　round　the　waist；　and；　together；　in　deep　silence；

they　gazed　upward　at　the　sky；　which　the　dawn　was　slowly　brightening。

Clouds　of　a　grayish　hue　were　moving　rapidly；　the　East　was　growing

luminous。



〃See！〃　said　Ginevra。　〃It　is　an　omen。　We　shall　be　happy。〃



〃Yes；　in　heaven；〃　replied　Luigi；　with　a　bitter　smile。　〃Oh；　Ginevra！

you　who　deserved　all　the　treasures　upon　earth〃



〃I　have　your　heart；〃　she　said；　in　tones　of　joy。



〃Ah！　I　complain　no　more！〃　he　answered；　straining　her　tightly　to　him；

and　covering　with　kisses　the　delicate　face；　which　was　losing　the

freshness　of　youth；　though　its　expression　was　still　so　soft；　so　tender

that　he　could　not　look　at　it　and　not　be　comforted。



〃What　silence！〃　said　Ginevra；　presently。　〃Dear　friend；　I　take　great

pleasure　in　sitting　up。　The　majesty　of　Night　is　so　contagious；　it

awes；　it　inspires。　There　is　I　know　not　what　great　power　in　the

thought：　all　sleep；　I　wake。〃



〃Oh；　my　Ginevra；〃　he　cried；　〃it　is　not　to…night　alone　I　feel　how

delicately　moulded　is　your　soul。　But　see；　the　dawn　is　shining；come

and　sleep。〃



〃Yes；〃　replied　Ginevra；　〃if　I　do　not　sleep　alone。　I　suffered　too　much

that　night　I　first　discovered　that　you　were　waking　while　I　slept。〃



The　courage　with　which　these　two　young　people　fought　with　misery

received　for　a　while　its　due　reward；　but　an　event　which　usually　crowns

the　happiness　of　a　household　to　them　proved　fatal。　Ginevra　had　a　son；

who　was；　to　use　the　popular　expression；　〃as　beautiful　as　the　day。〃　The

sense　of　motherhood　doubled　the　strength　of　the　young　wife。　Luigi

borrowed　money　to　meet　the　expenses　of　Ginevra's　confinement。　At　first

she　did　not　feel　the　fresh　burden　of　their　situation；　and　the　pair

gave　themselves　wholly　up　to　the　joy　of　possessing　a　child。　It　was

their　last　happiness。



Like　two　swimmers　uniting　their　efforts　to　breast　a　current；　these　two

Corsican　souls　struggled　courageously；　but　sometimes　they　gave　way　to

an　apathy　which　resembled　the　sleep　that　precedes　death。　Soon　they

were　obliged　to　sell　their　jewels。　Poverty　appeared　to　them　suddenly；

not　hideous；　but　plainly　clothed；　almost　easy　to　endure；　its　voice

had　nothing　terrifying；　with　it　came　neither　spectres；　nor　despair；

nor　rags；　but　it　made　them　lose　the　memory　and　the　habits　of　comfort；

it　dried　the　springs　of　pride。　Then；　before　they　knew　it；　came　want；

want　in　all　its　horror；　indifferent　to　its　rags；　treading　underfoot

all　human　sentiments。



Seven　or　eight　months　after　the　birth　of　the　little　Bartolomeo；　it

would　have　been　hard　to　see　in　the　mother　who　suckled　her　sickly　babe

the　original　of　the　beautiful　portrait；　the　sole　remaining　ornament　of

the　squalid　home。　Without　fire　through　a　hard　winter；　the　graceful

outlines　of　Ginevra's　figure　were　slowly　destroyed；　her　cheeks　grew

white　as　porcelain；　and　her　eyes　dulled　as　though　the　springs　of　life

were　drying　up　within　her。　Watching　her　shrunken；　discolored　child；

she　felt　no　suffering　but　for　that　young　misery；　and　Luigi　had　no

courage　to　smile　upon　his　son。



〃I　have　wandered　over　Paris；〃　he　said；　one　day。　〃I　know　no　one；　can　I

ask　help　of　strangers？　Vergniaud；　my　old　sergeant；　is　concerned　in　a

conspiracy；　and　they　have　put　him　in　prison；　besides；　he　has　already

lent　me　all　he　could　spare。　As　for　our　landlord；　it　is　over　a　year

since　he　asked　me　for　any　rent。〃



〃But　we　are　not　in　want；〃　replied　Ginevra；　gently；　affecting　calmness。



〃Every　hour　brings　some　new　difficulty；〃　continued　Luigi；　in　a　tone　of

terror。



Another　day　Luigi　took　Ginevra's　pictures；　her　portrait；　and　the　few

articles　of　furniture　which　they　could　still　exist　without；　and　sold

them　for　a　miserable　sum；　which　prolonged　the　agony　of　the　hapless

household　for　a　time。　During　these　days　of　wretchedness　Ginevra　showed

the　sublimity　of　her　nature　and　the　extent　of　her　resignation。



Stoically　she　bore　the　strokes　of　misery；　her　strong　soul　held　her　up

against　all　woes；　she　worked　with　unfaltering　hand　beside　her　dying

son；　performed　her　household　duties　with　marvellous　activity；　and

sufficed　for　all。　She　was　even　happy；　still；　when　she　saw　on　Luigi's

lips　a　smile　of　surprise　at　the　cleanliness　she　produced　in　the　one

poor　room　where　they　had　taken　refuge。



〃Dear；　I　kept　this　bit　of　bread　for　you；〃　she　said；　one　evening；　when

he　returned；　worn…out。



〃And　you？〃



〃I？　I　have　dined；　dear　Luigi；　I　want　nothing　more。〃



And　the　tender　look　on　her　beseeching　face　urged　him　more　than　her

words　to　take　the　food　of　which　she　had　deprived　herself。



Luigi　kissed　her；　with　one　of　those　kisses　of　despair　that　were　given

in　1793　between　friends　as　they　mounted　the　scaffold。　In　such　supreme

moments　two　beings　see　each　other；　heart　to　heart。　The　hapless　Luigi；

comprehending　suddenly　that　his　wife　was　starving；　was　seized　with　the

fever　which　consumed　her。　He　shuddered；　and　went　out；　pretending　that

some　business　called　him；　for　he　would　rather　have　drunk　the　deadliest

poison　than　escape　death　by　eating　that　last　morsel　of　bread　that　w