the madonna of the future-第5部分

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seamed　and　cracked　with　time　and　wind…sown　with　a　tender　flora　of　its

own；　down　to　the　full　domes　and　slender　towers　of　Florence　and　over

to　the　blue　sweep　of　the　wide…mouthed　cup　of　mountains　into　whose

hollow　the　little　treasure　city　has　been　dropped。　　I　had　proposed；　as

a　diversion　from　the　painful　memories　evoked　by　Mrs。　Coventry's　name；

that　Theobald　should　go　with　me　the　next　evening　to　the　opera；　where

some　rarely…played　work　was　to　be　given。　　He　declined；　as　I　half

expected；　for　I　observed　that　he　regularly　kept　his　evenings　in

reserve；　and　never　alluded　to　his　manner　of　passing　them。　　〃You　have

reminded　me　before；〃　I　said；　smiling；　〃of　that　charming　speech　of　the

Florentine　painter　in　Alfred　de　Musset's　'Lorenzaccio'：　　'I　do　no

harm　to　anyone。　　I　pass　my　days　in　my　studio；　On　Sunday　I　go　to　the

Annunziata　or　to　Santa　Mario；　the　monks　think　I　have　a　voice；　they

dress　me　in　a　white　gown　and　a　red　cap；　and　I　take　a　share　in　the

choruses；　sometimes　I　do　a　little　solo：　　these　are　the　only　times　I

go　into　public。　　In　the　evening；　I　visit　my　sweetheart；　when　the

night　is　fine；　we　pass　it　on　her　balcony。'　　I　don't　know　whether　you

have　a　sweetheart；　or　whether　she　has　a　balcony。　　But　if　you　are　so

happy；　it's　certainly　better　than　trying　to　find　a　charm　in　a　third…

rate　prima　donna。〃



He　made　no　immediate　response；　but　at　last　he　turned　to　me　solemnly。

〃Can　you　look　upon　a　beautiful　woman　with　reverent　eyes？〃



〃Really；〃　I　said；　〃I　don't　pretend　to　be　sheepish；　but　I　should　be

sorry　to　think　I　was　impudent。〃　　And　I　asked　him　what　in　the　world　he

meant。　　When　at　last　I　had　assured　him　that　I　could　undertake　to

temper　admiration　with　respect；　he　informed　me；　with　an　air　of

religious　mystery；　that　it　was　in　his　power　to　introduce　me　to　the

most　beautiful　woman　in　Italy〃A　beauty　with　a　soul！〃



〃Upon　my　word；〃　I　cried；　〃you　are　extremely　fortunate；　and　that　is　a

most　attractive　description。〃



〃This　woman's　beauty；〃　he　went　on；　〃is　a　lesson；　a　morality；　a　poem！

It's　my　daily　study。〃



Of　course；　after　this；　I　lost　no　time　in　reminding　him　of　what；

before　we　parted；　had　taken　the　shape　of　a　promise。　　〃I　feel

somehow；〃　he　had　said；　〃as　if　it　were　a　sort　of　violation　of　that

privacy　in　which　I　have　always　contemplated　her　beauty。　　This　is

friendship；　my　friend。　　No　hint　of　her　existence　has　ever　fallen　from

my　lips。　　But　with　too　great　a　familiarity　we　are　apt　to　lose　a　sense

of　the　real　value　of　things；　and　you　perhaps　will　throw　some　new

light　upon　it　and　offer　a　fresher　interpretation。〃



We　went　accordingly　by　appointment　to　a　certain　ancient　house　in　the

heart　of　Florencethe　precinct　of　the　Mercato　Vecchioand　climbed　a

dark；　steep　staircase；　to　the　very　summit　of　the　edifice。　　Theobald's

beauty　seemed　as　loftily　exalted　above　the　line　of　common　vision　as

his　artistic　ideal　was　lifted　above　the　usual　practice　of　men。　　He

passed　without　knocking　into　the　dark　vestibule　of　a　small　apartment；

and；　flinging　open　an　inner　door；　ushered　me　into　a　small　saloon。

The　room　seemed　mean　and　sombre；　though　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　white

curtains　swaying　gently　at　an　open　window。　　At　a　table；　near　a　lamp；

sat　a　woman　dressed　in　black；　working　at　a　piece　of　embroidery。　　As

Theobald　entered　she　looked　up　calmly；　with　a　smile；　but　seeing　me

she　made　a　movement　of　surprise；　and　rose　with　a　kind　of　stately

grace。　　Theobald　stepped　forward；　took　her　hand　and　kissed　it；　with

an　indescribable　air　of　immemorial　usage。　　As　he　bent　his　head　she

looked　at　me　askance；　and　I　thought　she　blushed。



〃Behold　the　Serafina！〃　said　Theobald；　frankly；　waving　me　forward。

〃This　is　a　friend；　and　a　lover　of　the　arts；〃　he　added；　introducing

me。　　I　received　a　smile；　a　curtsey；　and　a　request　to　be　seated。



The　most　beautiful　woman　in　Italy　was　a　person　of　a　generous　Italian

type　and　of　a　great　simplicity　of　demeanour。　　Seated　again　at　her

lamp；　with　her　embroidery；　she　seemed　to　have　nothing　whatever　to

say。　　Theobald；　bending　towards　her　in　a　sort　of　Platonic　ecstasy；

asked　her　a　dozen　paternally　tender　questions　as　to　her　health；　her

state　of　mind；　her　occupations；　and　the　progress　of　her　embroidery；

which　he　examined　minutely　and　summoned　me　to　admire。　　It　was　some

portion　of　an　ecclesiastical　vestmentyellow　satin　wrought　with　an

elaborate　design　of　silver　and　gold。　　She　made　answer　in　a　full　rich

voice；　but　with　a　brevity　which　I　hesitated　whether　to　attribute　to

native　reserve　or　to　the　profane　constraint　of　my　presence。　　She　had

been　that　morning　to　confession；　she　had　also　been　to　market；　and　had

bought　a　chicken　for　dinner。　　She　felt　very　happy；　she　had　nothing　to

complain　of　except　that　the　people　for　whom　she　was　making　her

vestment；　and　who　furnished　her　materials；　should　be　willing　to　put

such　rotten　silver　thread　into　the　garment；　as　one　might　say；　of　the

Lord。　　From　time　to　time；　as　she　took　her　slow　stitches；　she　raised

her　eyes　and　covered　me　with　a　glance　which　seemed　at　first　to　denote

a　placid　curiosity；　but　in　which；　as　I　saw　it　repeated；　I　thought　I

perceived　the　dim　glimmer　of　an　attempt　to　establish　an　understanding

with　me　at　the　expense　of　our　companion。　　Meanwhile；　as　mindful　as

possible　of　Theobald's　injunction　of　reverence；　I　considered　the

lady's　personal　claims　to　the　fine　compliment　he　had　paid　her。



That　she　was　indeed　a　beautiful　woman　I　perceived；　after　recovering

from　the　surprise　of　finding　her　without　the　freshness　of　youth。　　Her

beauty　was　of　a　sort　which；　in　losing　youth；　loses　little　of　its

essential　charm；　expressed　for　the　most　part　as　it　was　in　form　and

structure；　and；　as　Theobald　would　have　said；　in　〃composition。〃　　She

was　broad　and　ample；　low…browed　and　large…eyed；　dark　and　pale。　　Her

thick　brown　hair　hung　low　beside　her　cheek　and　ear；　and　seemed　to

drape　her　head　with　a　covering　as　chaste　and　formal　as　the　veil　of　a


nun。　　The　poise　and　carriage　of　her　head　were　admirably　free　and

noble；　and　they　were　the　more　effective　that　their　freedom　was　at

moments　discreetly　corrected　by　a　little　sanctimonious　droop；　which

harmonised　admirably　with　the　level　gaze　of　her　dark　and　quiet　eye。

A　strong；　serene；　physical　nature；　and　the　placid　temper　which　comes

of　no　nerves　and　no　troubles；　seemed　this　lady's　comfortable　portion。

She　was　dressed　in　plain　dull　black；　save　for　a　sort　of　dark　blue

kerchief　which　was　folded　across　her　bosom　and　exposed　a　glimpse　of

her　massive　throat。　　Over　this　kerchief　was　suspended　a　little　silver

cross。　　I　admired　her　greatly；　and　yet　with　a　large　reserve。　　A

certain　mild　intellectual　apathy　belonged　properly　to　her　type　of

beauty；　and　had　always　seemed　to　round　and　enrich　it；　but　this

bourgeoise　Egeria；　if　I　viewed　her　right；　betrayed　a　rather　vulgar

stagnation　of　mind。　　There　might　have　been　once　a　dim　spiritual　light

in　her　face；　but　it　had　long　since　begun　to　wane。　　And　furthermore；

in　plain　prose；　she　was　growing　stout。　　My　disappointment　amounted

very　nearly　to　complete　disenchantment　when　Theobald；　as　if　to

facilitate　my　covert　inspection；　declaring　that　the　lamp　was　very

dim；　and　that　she　would　ruin　her　eyes　without　more　light；　rose　and

fetched　a　couple　of　candles　from　the　mantelpiece；　which　he　placed

lighted　on　the　table。　　In　this　brighter　illumination　I　perceived　that

our　hostess　was　decidedly　an　elderly　woman。　　She　was　neither　haggard；

nor　worn；　nor　gray；　she　was　simply　coarse。　　The　〃soul〃　which　Theobald

had　promised　seemed　scarcely　worth　making　such　a　point　of；　it　was　no

deeper　mystery　than　a　sort　of　matronly　mildness　of　lip　and　brow。　　I

should　have　been　ready　even　to　declare　that　that　sanctified　bend　of

the　head　was　nothing　more　than　the　trick　of　a　person　constantly

working　at　embroidery。　　It　occurred　to　me　even　that　it　was　a　trick　of

a　less　innocent　sort；　for；　in　spite　of　the　mellow　quietude　of　her

wits；　this　stately　needlewoman　dropped　a　hint　that　she　took　the

situation　rather　less　seriously　than　her　friend。　　When　he　rose　to

light　the　candles　she　looked　across　at　me　with　a　quick；　intelligent

smile；　and　tapped　her　forehead　with　her　forefinger；　then；　as　from　a

sudden　feeling　of　compassionate　loyalty　to　poor　Theobald；　I　preserved

a　blank　face；　she　gave　a　little　shrug　and　resumed　her　work。



What　was　the　relation　of　this　singular　couple？　　Was　he　the　most

ardent　of　friends　or　the　most　reverent　of　lovers？　　Did　she　regard　him

as　an　eccentric　swain；　whose　benevolent　admiration　of　her　beauty　she

was　not　ill　pleased　to　humour　at　this　small　cost　of　having　him　climb

into　her　little　parlour　and　gossip　of　summer　nights？　　With　her　decent

and　sombre　dress；　her　simple　gravity；　and　that　fine　piece　of　priestly

needlework；　she　looked　like　some　pious　lay…member　of　a　sisterhood；

living　by　special　permission　outside　her　convent　walls。　　Or　was　she

maintained　here　aloft　by　her　friend　in　comfortable　leisure；　so　that

he　might　have　before　him　the　perfect；　eternal　type；　uncorrupted　and

untarnished　by　the　struggle　for　existence？　　Her　shapely　hands；　I

observed；　wore　very　fair　and　white；　they　lacked　the　traces　of　what　is

called　honest　toil。



〃And　the　pictures；　how　do　they　come　on？〃　she　asked　of　Theobald；　after

a　long　pause。



〃Finely；　finely！　　I　have　here　a　friend　whose　sympathy　and

encouragement　give　me　new　faith　and　ardour。〃



Our　hostess　turned　to　me；　gazed　at　me　a　moment　rather　inscrutably；

and　then　tapping　her　forehead　with　the　gesture　she　had　used　a　minute

before；　〃He　has　a　magnificent　genius！〃　she　said；　with　perfect

gravity。



〃I　am　inclined　to　think　so；〃　I　answered；　with　a　smile。



〃Eh；　why　do　you　smile？〃　she　cried。　　〃If　you　doubt　it；　you　must　see

the　bambino！〃　　And　she　took　the　lamp　and　conducted　me　to　the　other

side　of　the　room；　where　on　the　wall；　in　a　plain　black　frame；　hung　a

large　drawing　in　red　chalk。　　Beneath　it　was　fastened　a　little　howl

for　holy　water。　　The　drawing　represented　a　very　young　child；　entirely

naked；　half　nestling　back　against　his　mo