登陆注册
5380000000040

第40章

"And we have been to all the studios."

"Not to all--heaven forbid!" cried Mrs.Light."But to a number that Ihave had pointed out by artistic friends.I delight in studios:

they are the temples of the beautiful here below.And if you are a novice, Mr.Hudson," she went on, "you have already great admirers.

Half a dozen people have told us that yours were among the things to see."This gracious speech went unanswered; Roderick had already wandered across to the other side of the studio and was revolving about Miss Light.

"Ah, he 's gone to look at my beautiful daughter; he is not the first that has had his head turned," Mrs.Light resumed, lowering her voice to a confidential undertone; a favor which, considering the shortness of their acquaintance, Rowland was bound to appreciate.

"The artists are all crazy about her.When she goes into a studio she is fatal to the pictures.And when she goes into a ball-room what do the other women say? Eh, Cavaliere?""She is very beautiful," Rowland said, gravely.

Mrs.Light, who through her long, gold-cased glass was looking a little at everything, and at nothing as if she saw it, interrupted her random murmurs and exclamations, and surveyed Rowland from head to foot.

She looked at him all over; apparently he had not been mentioned to her as a feature of Roderick's establishment.It was the gaze, Rowland felt, which the vigilant and ambitious mamma of a beautiful daughter has always at her command for well-dressed young men of candid physiognomy.Her inspection in this case seemed satisfactory.

"Are you also an artist?" she inquired with an almost caressing inflection.

It was clear that what she meant was something of this kind:

"Be so good as to assure me without delay that you are really the young man of substance and amiability that you appear."But Rowland answered simply the formal question--not the latent one.

"Dear me, no; I am only a friend of Mr.Hudson."Mrs.Light, with a sigh, returned to the statues, and after mistaking the Adam for a gladiator, and the Eve for a Pocahontas, declared that she could not judge of such things unless she saw them in the marble.

Rowland hesitated a moment, and then speaking in the interest of Roderick's renown, said that he was the happy possessor of several of his friend's works and that she was welcome to come and see them at his rooms.She bade the Cavaliere make a note of his address.

"Ah, you 're a patron of the arts," she said."That 's what I should like to be if I had a little money.I delight in beauty in every form.

But all these people ask such monstrous prices.One must be a millionaire, to think of such things, eh? Twenty years ago my husband had my portrait painted, here in Rome, by Papucci, who was the great man in those days.

I was in a ball dress, with all my jewels, my neck and arms, and all that.

The man got six hundred francs, and thought he was very well treated.

Those were the days when a family could live like princes in Italy for five thousand scudi a year.The Cavaliere once upon a time was a great dandy--don't blush, Cavaliere; any one can see that, just as any one can see that Iwas once a pretty woman! Get him to tell you what he made a figure upon.

The railroads have brought in the vulgarians.That 's what I call it now--the invasion of the vulgarians! What are poor we to do?"Rowland had begun to murmur some remedial proposition, when he was interrupted by the voice of Miss Light calling across the room, "Mamma!""My own love?"

"This gentleman wishes to model my bust.Please speak to him."The Cavaliere gave a little chuckle."Already?" he cried.

Rowland looked round, equally surprised at the promptitude of the proposal.

Roderick stood planted before the young girl with his arms folded, looking at her as he would have done at the Medicean Venus.

He never paid compliments, and Rowland, though he had not heard him speak, could imagine the startling distinctness with which he made his request.

"He saw me a year ago," the young girl went on, "and he has been thinking of me ever since." Her tone, in speaking, was peculiar; it had a kind of studied inexpressiveness, which was yet not the vulgar device of a drawl.

"I must make your daughter's bust--that 's all, madame!"cried Roderick, with warmth.

"I had rather you made the poodle's," said the young girl.

"Is it very tiresome? I have spent half my life sitting for my photograph, in every conceivable attitude and with every conceivable coiffure.

I think I have posed enough."

"My dear child," said Mrs.Light, "it may be one's duty to pose.

But as to my daughter's sitting to you, sir--to a young sculptor whom we don't know--it is a matter that needs reflection.

It is not a favor that 's to be had for the mere asking.""If I don't make her from life," said Roderick, with energy, "I will make her from memory, and if the thing 's to be done, you had better have it done as well as possible.""Mamma hesitates," said Miss Light, "because she does n't know whether you mean she shall pay you for the bust.

I can assure you that she will not pay you a sou.""My darling, you forget yourself," said Mrs.Light, with an attempt at majestic severity."Of course," she added, in a moment, with a change of note, "the bust would be my own property.""Of course!" cried Roderick, impatiently.

"Dearest mother," interposed the young girl, "how can you carry a marble bust about the world with you?

Is it not enough to drag the poor original?""My dear, you 're nonsensical!" cried Mrs.Light, almost angrily.

"You can always sell it," said the young girl, with the same artful artlessness.

Mrs.Light turned to Rowland, who pitied her, flushed and irritated.

"She is very wicked to-day!"

The Cavaliere grinned in silence and walked away on tiptoe, with his hat to his lips, as if to leave the field clear for action.

Rowland, on the contrary, wished to avert the coming storm.

"You had better not refuse," he said to Miss Light, "until you have seen Mr.Hudson's things in the marble.

同类推荐
  • 禅宗正脉

    禅宗正脉

    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。
  • 太上灵宝净明飞仙度人经法释例

    太上灵宝净明飞仙度人经法释例

    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。
  • 千百年眼

    千百年眼

    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。
  • 投瓮随笔

    投瓮随笔

    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。
  • 太上黄箓斋仪

    太上黄箓斋仪

    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
  • 你是我余生的甜

    你是我余生的甜

    【新书六月左右发布~】“不要了……”“宝贝,乖,很快的。”女孩眼含泪水,她做出来的菜果然是很难以下咽。“以后还敢不敢戏弄我了?”男人一只手抬起她的下巴,唇角微微勾起一抹淡笑。重生三年前的新婚之夜,她反被病猫丈夫套路。天天做牛做马也就罢了,现在还要提供多方面的服务?千倾晚扶着自己的腰,想到外界传闻冷大少不近女色,高冷总裁,其实这全部都是假象!“我要离婚!”“离吧,反正离了你也只能嫁给我。”【甜宠重生爽文,日更优质精品,主角身心干净。】
  • 冥界历险记

    冥界历险记

    某天,主人公俏俏和她的好朋友小姝参加了一个名叫冥界一日游的旅行团,期间结识了带她的导游皮皮。本以为这只是一次普普通通的旅游,没想到却开启她在冥界的历险之旅。
  • 最神奇的心理学定律

    最神奇的心理学定律

    在这个纷繁复杂的世界,很多事情我们习以为常,很多想法或疑惑萦绕心头,但我们并不了解真相。大多时候,我们不是命运的囚犯,而是心灵的囚犯。因为,我们没有意识到操控着人类的神奇力量——我们的心理!本书阐释了42个神奇的心理定律及效应,它们将引导你绕过生命中的暗礁,理性驾驭人生,驶向成功彼岸!
  • 书剑恩仇录(下卷)(纯文字新修版)

    书剑恩仇录(下卷)(纯文字新修版)

    《书剑恩仇录》是一部讲述清乾隆年间红花会群雄在年轻总舵主陈家洛的率领下,反清复明的故事。清朝大臣陈世倌之子、红花会总舵主陈家洛获悉一个惊天秘密:当朝皇帝乾隆竟是他胞兄。乾隆下江南,兄弟相见,陈家洛以兄弟之情、民族大义力劝乾隆恢复汉室江山,乾隆虚与委蛇,假意答应,一张暗藏杀机的大网却在慢慢撒开……《书剑恩仇录》一书中描写了仁人志士对生命的坚忍、对使命的执著,虽屡遭失败,却不掩人性的光辉。
  • 明伦汇编家范典姑侄部

    明伦汇编家范典姑侄部

    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。
  • 傅少的私有宝

    傅少的私有宝

    她是一只被他救下的失忆小狐狸,从此,偏执狂属性的他视她为所有物。直到她要离开,他化成狼也要咬住她……傅司九:芊芊,你是我的!
  • 底牌

    底牌

    著名富商夏塔纳先生邀请波洛参加一次特殊的私人聚会,同时还邀请了另外三位侦探,包括著名的侦探小说作家、苏格兰场的警司与政府密探。与此同时,到场的还有夏塔纳要展示的特别的收藏:四位完美的凶手。
  • 巴菲特之道(学习篇)

    巴菲特之道(学习篇)

    尽管金融市场经历了多次牛熊的变化,在过去数十年中,沃伦·巴菲特始终像一颗恒星一样地存在着,他的持久耐力可以归因于那些他在伯克希尔-哈撒韦所使用的未变的投资方式。《巴菲特之道》从演化、教育等方面深入分析了巴菲特挑选公司的投资方法。此外,还展示了巴菲特在购买企业以及上市公司股票时,所采用的贯穿始终的选择标准。书中还回顾了几个投资案例,以及在此过程中的心理学因素。
  • 快穿之女配太猖狂

    快穿之女配太猖狂

    某宝系统:“你困惑吗,你不甘吗,你想要虐死小婊砸吗,那就请来我们大千世界,系统带你逆袭带你飞!我是某宝系统,将成为你任务途中的完美伴侣。我的宣言是,道具在手,天下我有!”叶安玖:“我有积分么?”某宝系统:“…没有。”某宝系统:“玖玖,你的任务是消除bug,不是嫁给bug啊!”叶安玖:“我任务失败了吗?”某宝系统:“…没有。”我的宿主和bug私奔了,我该怎么办,在线等,急!--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 篮下我为王

    篮下我为王

    人生至此,你是否觉得遗憾?如果给你一个机会,你愿意重塑你的人生吗?当你带着系统回到过去,得到一副无人可敌的身体,你要做什么?锄强扶弱?拯救世界?带领人类冲出银河系?或者每天准时扶老奶奶过马路什么的?算了吧!我没那么伟大,我就是想自由自在地活着,顺便成为NBA历史上最伟大的球员。我要为所欲为,爱我的人加倍爱我,恨我的人睡觉都在咒骂我!既然你想看我的故事,你必须知道以下几件事:詹姆斯的时代不会到来。杜兰特唯一的夺冠方式就是加入我。至于那个摇头晃脑的小学生我他妈连提都不想提,我要打十个!