登陆注册
5380000000037

第37章

Rowland began to think of the Baden episode as a bad dream, or at the worst as a mere sporadic piece of disorder, without roots in his companion's character.

They passed a fortnight looking at pictures and exploring for out the way bits of fresco and carving, and Roderick recovered all his earlier fervor of appreciation and comment.

In Rome he went eagerly to work again, and finished in a month two or three small things he had left standing on his departure.

He talked the most joyous nonsense about finding himself back in his old quarters.On the first Sunday afternoon following their return, on their going together to Saint Peter's, he delivered himself of a lyrical greeting to the great church and to the city in general, in a tone of voice so irrepressibly elevated that it rang through the nave in rather a scandalous fashion, and almost arrested a procession of canons who were marching across to the choir.He began to model a new statue--a female figure, of which he had said nothing to Rowland.

It represented a woman, leaning lazily back in her chair, with her head drooping as if she were listening, a vague smile on her lips, and a pair of remarkably beautiful arms folded in her lap.With rather less softness of contour, it would have resembled the noble statue of Agrippina in the Capitol.

Rowland looked at it and was not sure he liked it.

"Who is it? what does it mean?" he asked.

"Anything you please!" said Roderick, with a certain petulance.

"I call it A Reminiscence."

Rowland then remembered that one of the Baden ladies had been "statuesque," and asked no more questions.This, after all, was a way of profiting by experience.A few days later he took his first ride of the season on the Campagna, and as, on his homeward way, he was passing across the long shadow of a ruined tower, he perceived a small figure at a short distance, bent over a sketch-book.As he drew near, he recognized his friend Singleton.

The honest little painter's face was scorched to flame-color by the light of southern suns, and borrowed an even deeper crimson from his gleeful greeting of his most appreciative patron.

He was making a careful and charming little sketch.

On Rowland's asking him how he had spent his summer, he gave an account of his wanderings which made poor Mallet sigh with a sense of more contrasts than one.He had not been out of Italy, but he had been delving deep into the picturesque heart of the lovely land, and gathering a wonderful store of subjects.

He had rambled about among the unvisited villages of the Apennines, pencil in hand and knapsack on back, sleeping on straw and eating black bread and beans, but feasting on local color, rioting, as it were, on chiaroscuro, and laying up a treasure of pictorial observations.

He took a devout satisfaction in his hard-earned wisdom and his happy frugality.Rowland went the next day, by appointment, to look at his sketches, and spent a whole morning turning them over.

Singleton talked more than he had ever done before, explained them all, and told some quaintly humorous anecdote about the production of each.

"Dear me, how I have chattered!" he said at last."I am afraid you had rather have looked at the things in peace and quiet.

I did n't know I could talk so much.But somehow, I feel very happy;I feel as if I had improved."

"That you have," said Rowland."I doubt whether an artist ever passed a more profitable three months.You must feel much more sure of yourself."Singleton looked for a long time with great intentness at a knot in the floor."Yes," he said at last, in a fluttered tone, "I feel much more sure of myself.I have got more facility!" And he lowered his voice as if he were communicating a secret which it took some courage to impart.

"I hardly like to say it, for fear I should after all be mistaken.

But since it strikes you, perhaps it 's true.It 's a great happiness;I would not exchange it for a great deal of money.""Yes, I suppose it 's a great happiness," said Rowland.

"I shall really think of you as living here in a state of scandalous bliss.I don't believe it 's good for an artist to be in such brutally high spirits."Singleton stared for a moment, as if he thought Rowland was in earnest;then suddenly fathoming the kindly jest, he walked about the room, scratching his head and laughing intensely to himself."And Mr.Hudson?"he said, as Rowland was going; "I hope he is well and happy.""He is very well," said Rowland."He is back at work again.""Ah, there 's a man," cried Singleton, "who has taken his start once for all, and does n't need to stop and ask himself in fear and trembling every month or two whether he is advancing or not.When he stops, it 's to rest!

And where did he spend his summer?"

"The greater part of it at Baden-Baden."

"Ah, that 's in the Black Forest," cried Singleton, with profound simplicity.

"They say you can make capital studies of trees there.""No doubt," said Rowland, with a smile, laying an almost paternal hand on the little painter's yellow head.

"Unfortunately trees are not Roderick's line.Nevertheless, he tells me that at Baden he made some studies.Come when you can, by the way," he added after a moment, "to his studio, and tell me what you think of something he has lately begun."Singleton declared that he would come delightedly, and Rowland left him to his work.

He met a number of his last winter's friends again, and called upon Madame Grandoni, upon Miss Blanchard, and upon Gloriani, shortly after their return.The ladies gave an excellent account of themselves.

Madame Grandoni had been taking sea-baths at Rimini, and Miss Blanchard painting wild flowers in the Tyrol.Her complexion was somewhat browned, which was very becoming, and her flowers were uncommonly pretty.

Gloriani had been in Paris and had come away in high good-humor, finding no one there, in the artist-world, cleverer than himself.

同类推荐
  • 父师善诱法

    父师善诱法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说八吉祥神咒经

    佛说八吉祥神咒经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 菌谱

    菌谱

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Wildfire

    Wildfire

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 俨山集

    俨山集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • Shelley

    Shelley

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 列国录之一生一遇

    列国录之一生一遇

    《刺客列传》同人文讲述七国间的爱恨情仇。陵光缘何杀共主,七位国主间究竟发生过什么么?青梅竹马为何反目成仇?死去的蹇、孟去了哪里?
  • 天才密码

    天才密码

    《天才密码》理性哲理,它熔文学、哲学于一炉,集日记、随笔、杂感、言论于一体,以箴言的方式重点探讨人生激情与梦想,天才和灵感,创新之道及潜能开发等问题。我主张按照人的自然的天性开发个人潜能,寻找天才的金矿,充分发挥个人的主观能动性和创造力,从而达到人生成功的彼岸。
  • 邪凤妖娆:极品召唤师

    邪凤妖娆:极品召唤师

    因为一条神秘的点赞微信,她穿越到了妖兽大陆,成了召唤师世家的私生女古蓝降雪。获得异宝剑灵,附赠萌兽妖宠,振兴家族使命,从教训世家骄横大小姐开始!勇者之路上,她是妖兽猎人,太虚妖魔拿来祭剑,妖孽美男拿来踹倒,纵横三界,终将唤醒她幻世神裔之血!
  • 痴情天子

    痴情天子

    慈宁宫位于紫禁城的最深处,两尊威猛高大的麒麟镇守在门前,四周古柏森森,优雅恬静,因为是皇太后的寝宫所以显得神秘和庄重。东暖阁里,皇太后——大清顺治皇帝爱新觉罗·福临的额娘端坐在上首,四周围坐着一群妃嫔命妇。她们喝着奶茶聊着天,消磨时光。今天皇太后有点特别,没有像往日掺和妃嫔命妇的闲聊,两眼紧盯着暖阁门外,不住询问时间,像是在等待什么人。“苏嘛,现在什么时辰啦?” 皇太后问。苏嘛答道:“皇太后,今儿怎么啦?您已是第三遍问我了。回太后,现在辰时已过,巳时未到。”“哦,快到巳时。”
  • 穿越从贞观开始

    穿越从贞观开始

    程处机穿越成为了程咬金的第三子程处弼。“三郎,赶紧想个办法,我们把高昌国给灭了!”程咬金抚着那根扇子似的胡子说道。“三郎,想个办法,朕要御驾亲征!”李世民看着远方的高句丽王朝说道。“夫君,您在想个办法,本殿下想当女皇。”高阳公主偷偷在程处弼耳边说道。“……”
  • 怪案侦探趣味百科(趣味智力测验百科)

    怪案侦探趣味百科(趣味智力测验百科)

    本套丛书最大的特点是,标题提问简单明了,正文讲述精炼扼要,一问一答,相得益彰,详略得当,通俗易懂。正文还有趣味小版块,是对主要内容的适当补充、引申、扩展、点评、启发和引导等,用以开拓思维和引导知识,具有很强的启迪性。本套丛书涉及到少年儿童必须知道的许多知识领域,具有很强的系统性、实用性和现代性,是一套小小的百科全书,非常适合少年儿童阅读和收藏。
  • 多难兴邦

    多难兴邦

    从屈辱到崛起,中国等待了太久。当五千年的画卷在“鸟巢”轻盈舒展,这一刻,我们等了整整一百年。一百年来,世界格局改变太多,不变的是我们对崛起的求索。世界是国家、民族同进步、共生存的大舞台,无论是和平年代还是战争时期,大国始终是这个舞台上的主角,演绎一段激扬年华。
  • 当我们身处在真实的游戏世界时

    当我们身处在真实的游戏世界时

    身为学生,却对网游痴迷,然后突然被带进了游戏的世界,算是报应???
  • 七元召魔伏六天神咒经

    七元召魔伏六天神咒经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。