Pitti Gallery； the /Christ bearing His Cross/ in the Borghese
collection； and the /Marriage of the Virgin/ in the Brera at Milan。
The /Saint John the Baptist/ of the Tribuna； and /Saint Luke painting
the Virgin's portrait/ in the Accademia at Rome； have not the charm of
the /Portrait of Leo X。/； and of the /Virgin/ at Dresden。
And yet they are all of equal merit。 Nay； more。 The /Stanze/； the
/Transfiguration/； the panels； and the three easel pictures in the
Vatican are in the highest degree perfect and sublime。 But they demand
a stress of attention； even from the most accomplished beholder； and
serious study； to be fully understood； while the /Violin…player/； the
/Marriage of the Virgin/； and the /Vision of Ezekiel/ go straight to
the heart through the portal of sight； and make their home there。 It
is a pleasure to receive them thus without an effort； if it is not the
highest phase of art； it is the happiest。 This fact proves that； in
the begetting of works of art； there is as much chance in the
character of the offspring as there is in a family of children； that
some will be happily graced； born beautiful； and costing their mothers
little suffering； creatures on whom everything smiles； and with whom
everything succeeds； in short； genius； like love； has its fairer
blossoms。
This /brio/； an Italian word which the French have begun to use； is
characteristic of youthful work。 It is the fruit of an impetus and
fire of early talentan impetus which is met with again later in some
happy hours； but this particular /brio/ no longer comes from the
artist's heart； instead of his flinging it into his work as a volcano
flings up its fires； it comes to him from outside； inspired by
circumstances； by love； or rivalry； often by hatred； and more often
still by the imperious need of glory to be lived up to。
This group by Wenceslas was to his later works what the /Marriage of
the Virgin/ is to the great mass of Raphael's； the first step of a
gifted artist taken with the inimitable grace； the eagerness； and
delightful overflowingness of a child； whose strength is concealed
under the pink…and…white flesh full of dimples which seem to echo to a
mother's laughter。 Prince Eugene is said to have paid four hundred
thousand francs for this picture； which would be worth a million to
any nation that owned no picture by Raphael； but no one would give
that sum for the finest of the frescoes； though their value is far
greater as works of art。
Hortense restrained her admiration； for she reflected on the amount of
her girlish savings； she assumed an air of indifference； and said to
the dealer：
〃What is the price of that？〃
〃Fifteen hundred francs；〃 replied the man； sending a glance of
intelligence to a young man seated on a stool in the corner。
The young man himself gazed in a stupefaction at Monsieur Hulot's
living masterpiece。 Hortense； forewarned； at once identified him as
the artist； from the color that flushed a face pale with endurance；
she saw the spark lighted up in his gray eyes by her question； she
looked on the thin； drawn features； like those of a monk consumed by
asceticism； she loved the red； well…formed mouth； the delicate chin；
and the Pole's silky chestnut hair。
〃If it were twelve hundred；〃 said she； 〃I would beg you to send it to
me。〃
〃It is antique； mademoiselle；〃 the dealer remarked； thinking； like all
his fraternity； that； having uttered this /ne plus ultra/ of bric…a…
brac； there was no more to be said。
〃Excuse me； monsieur；〃 she replied very quietly； 〃it was made this
year； I came expressly to beg you； if my price is accepted； to send
the artist to see us； as it might be possible to procure him some
important commissions。〃
〃And if he is to have the twelve hundred francs； what am I to
get？ I am the dealer；〃 said the man； with candid good…humor。
〃To be sure！〃 replied the girl； with a slight curl of disdain。
〃Oh！ mademoiselle； take it； I will make terms with the dealer；〃
cried the Livonian； beside himself。
Fascinated by Hortense's wonderful beauty and the love of art she
displayed； he added：
〃I am the sculptor of the group； and for ten days I have come here
three times a day to see if anybody would recognize its merit and
bargain for it。 You are my first admirertake it！〃
〃Come； then； monsieur； with the dealer； an hour hence。Here is my
father's card；〃 replied Hortense。
Then； seeing the shopkeeper go into a back room to wrap the group in a
piece of linen rag； she added in a low voice； to the great
astonishment of the artist； who thought he must be dreaming：
〃For the benefit of your future prospects； Monsieur Wenceslas； do not
mention the name of the purchaser to Mademoiselle Fischer； for she is
our cousin。〃
The word cousin dazzled the artist's mind； he had a glimpse of
Paradise whence this daughter of Eve had come to him。 He had dreamed
of the beautiful girl of whom Lisbeth had told him； as Hortense had
dreamed of her cousin's lover； and； as she had entered the shop
〃Ah！〃 thought he； 〃if she could but be like this！〃
The look that passed between the lovers may be imagined； it was a
flame； for virtuous lovers have no hypocrisies。
〃Well； what the deuce are you doing here？〃 her father asked her。
〃I have been spending twelve hundred francs that I had saved。 Come。〃
And she took her father's arm。
〃Twelve hundred francs？〃 he repeated。
〃To be exact； thirteen hundred； you will lend me the odd hundred？〃
〃And on what； in such a place； could you spend so much？〃
〃Ah！ that is the question！〃 replied the happy girl。 〃If I have got a
husband； he is not dear at the money。〃
〃A husband！ In that shop； my child？〃
〃Listen； dear little father； would you forbid my marrying a great
artist？〃
〃No； my dear。 A great artist in these days is a prince without a title
he has glory and fortune； the two chief social advantagesnext to
virtue；〃 he added； in a smug tone。
〃Oh； of course！〃 said Hortense。 〃And what do you think of sculpture？〃
〃It is very poor business；〃 replied Hulot； shaking his head。 〃It needs
high patronage as well as great talent； for Government is the only
purchaser。 It is an art with no demand nowadays； where there are no
princely houses； no great fortunes； no entailed mansions； no
hereditary estates。 Only small pictures and small figures can find a
place； the arts are endangered by this need of small things。〃
〃But if a great artist could find a demand？〃 said Hortense。
〃That indeed would solve the problem。〃
〃Or had some one to back him？〃
〃That would be even better。〃
〃If he were of noble birth？〃
〃Pooh！〃
〃A Count。〃
〃And a sculptor？〃
〃He has no money。〃
〃And so he counts on that of Mademoiselle Hortense Hulot？〃 said the
Baron ironically； with an inquisitorial look into his daughter's eyes。
〃This great artist； a Count and a sculptor； has just seen your
daughter for the first time in his life； and for the space of five
minutes； Monsieur le Baron；〃 Hortense calmly replied。 〃Yesterday； you
must know； dear little father； while you were at the Chamber； mamma
had a fainting fit。 This； which she ascribed to a nervous attack； was
the result of some worry that had to do with the failure of my
marriage； for she told me that to get rid of me…〃
〃She is too fond of you to have used an expression〃
〃So unparliamentary！〃 Hortense put in with a laugh。 〃No； she did not
use those words； but I know that a girl old enough to marry and who
does not find a husband is a heavy cross for respectable parents to
bear。Well； she thinks that if a man of energy and talent could be
found； who would be satisfied with thirty thousand francs for my
marriage portion； we might all be happy。 In fact； she thought it
advisable to prepare me for the modesty of my future lot； and to
hinder me from indulging in too fervid dreams。Which evidently meant
an end to the intended marriage； and no settlements for me！〃
〃Your mother is a very good woman； noble； admirable！〃 replied the
father； deeply humiliated； though not sorry to hear this confession。
〃She told me yesterday that she had your permission to sell her
diamonds so as to give me something to marry on； but I should like her
to keep her jewels； and to find a husband myself。 I think I have found
the man； the possible husband； answering to mamma's prospectus〃
〃There？in the Place du Carrousel？and in one morning？〃
〃Oh； papa； the mischief lies deeper！〃 said she archly。
〃Well； come； my child； tell the whole story to your good old father；〃
said he persuasively； and concealing his uneasiness。
Under promise of absolute secrecy； Hortense repeated the upshot of her
various conversations with her Cousin Betty。 Then； when they got home；
she showed the much…talked…of…seal to her father in evidence of the
sagacity of her views。 The father； in the depth of his heart； wondered
at the skill and acumen of girls who act on instinct； discerning the
simplicity of the scheme which her idealized love had suggested in the
course of a single night to his guileless daughter。
〃You will see the masterpiece I have just bought； it is to be brought
home； and that dear Wenceslas is to come with the dealer。The man who
made that group ought to make a fort