christie johnstone-第7部分

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〃Oh；　dear；　no；〃　replied　old　Groove；　〃not　where　I　was〃

〃Why；　what　was　the　matter？〃

〃The　flies　kept　buzzing　and　biting；　and　sticking　in　the　work。　That's　the
worst　of　out　o'　doors！〃

〃The　flies！　is　that　all？　Swear　the　spiders　in　special　constables　next
time；〃　cried　Gatty。　〃We　shall　win　the　day；〃　and　light　shone　into　his
hazel　eye。

〃The　world　will　not　always　put　up　with　the　humbugs　of　the　brush；　who；　to
imitate　Nature；　turn　their　back　on　her。　Paint　an　out　o'　door　scene
indoors！　I　swear　by　the　sun　it's　a　lie！　the　one　stupid；　impudent　lie　that
glitters　among　the　lies　of　vulgar　art；　like　Satan　among　Belial；　Mammon
and　all　those　beggars。

〃Now　look　here；　the　barren　outlines　of　a　scene　must　be　looked　at；　to　be
done；　hence　the　sketching　system　slop…sellers　of　the　Academy！　but　the
million　delicacies　of　light；　shade；　and　color　can　be　trusted　to　memory；
can　they？

〃It's　a　lie　big　enough　to　shake　the　earth　out　of　her　course；　if　any　part
of　the　work　could　be　trusted　to　memory　or　imagination；　it　happens　to　be
the　bare　outlines；　and　they　can't。　The　million　subtleties　of　light　and
color；　learn　them　by　heart；　and　say　them　off　on　canvas！　the　highest　angel
in　the　sky　must　have　his　eye　upon　them；　and　look　devilish　sharp；　too；　or
he　shan't　paint　them。　I　give　him　Charles　Gatty's　word　for　that。〃

〃That's　very　eloquent；　I　call　it；〃　said　Jones。

〃Yes；〃　said　poor　old　Groove；　〃the　lad　will　never　make　a　painter。〃

〃Yes；　I　shall；　Groove；　at　least　I　hope　so；　but　it　must　be　a　long　time
first。〃

〃I　never　knew　a　painter　who　could　talk　and　paint　both；〃　explained　Mr。
Groove。

〃Very　well；〃　said　Gatty。　〃Then　I'll　say　but　one　word　more；　and　it　is
this。　The　artifice　of　painting　is　old　enough　to　die；　it　is　time　the　art
was　born。　Whenever　it　does　come　into　the　world；　you　will　see　no　more　dead
corpses　of　trees；　grass　and　water；　robbed　of　their　life；　the　sunlight；
and　flung　upon　canvas　in　a　studio；　by　the　light　of　a　cigar；　and　a
lieand〃

〃How　much　do　you　expect　for　your　picture？〃　interrupted　Jones。

〃What　has　that　to　do　with　it？　With　these　little　swords〃　（waving　his
brush）；　〃we'll　fight　for　nature…light；　truth　light；　and　sunlight　against
a　world　in　armsno；　worse；　in　swaddling　clothes。〃

〃With　these　little　swerrds；〃　replied　poor　old　Groove；　〃we　shall　cut　our
own　throats　if　we　go　against　people's　prejudices。〃

The　young　artist　laughed　the　old　daubster　a　merry　defiance；　and　then
separated　from　the　party；　for　his　lodgings　were　down　the　street。

He　had　not　left　them　long；　before　a　most　musical　voice　was　heard；　crying：

〃A　caallerr　owoo！〃

And　two　young　fishwives　hove　in　sight。　The　boys　recognized　one　of　them　as
Gatty's　sweetheart。

〃Is　he　in　love　with　her？〃　inquired　Jones。

Hyacinth　the　long…haired　undertook　to　reply。

〃He　loves　her　better　than　anything　in　the　world　except　Art。　Love　and　Art
are　two　beautiful　things；〃　whined　Hyacinth。

〃She；　too；　is　beautiful。　I　have　done　her；〃　added　he；　with　a　simper。

〃In　oil？〃　asked　Groove。

〃In　oil？　no；　in　verse；　here；〃　and　he　took　out　a　paper。

〃Then　hadn't　we　better　cut？　you　might　propose　reading　them；〃　said　poor
old　Groove。

〃Have　you　any　oysters？〃　inquired　Jones　of　the　Carnie　and　the　Johnstone；
who　were　now　alongside。

〃Plenty；〃　answered　Jean。　〃Hae　ye　ony　siller？〃

The　artists　looked　at　one　another；　and　didn't　all　speak　at　once。

〃I；　madam；〃　said　old　Groove；　insinuatingly；　to　Christie；　〃am　a　friend　of
Mr。　Gatty's；　perhaps；　on　that　account；　you　would　_lend_　me　an　oyster　or
two。〃

〃Na；〃　said　Jean；　sternly。

〃Hyacinth；〃　said　Jones；　sarcastically；　〃give　them　your　verses；　perhaps
that　will　soften　them。〃

Hyacinth　gave　his　verses；　descriptive　of　herself；　to　Christie。　This
youngster　was　one　of　those　who　mind　other　people's　business。

_Alienis　studiis　delectatus　contempsit　suum。_

His　destiny　was　to　be　a　bad　painter；　so　he　wanted　to　be　an　execrable
poet。

All　this　morning　he　had　been　doggreling；　when　he　ought　to　have　been
daubing；　and　now　he　will　have　to　sup　off　a　colored　print；　if　he　sups　at
all。

Christie　read；　blushed；　and　put　the　verses　in　her　bosom。

〃Come　awa；　Custy；〃　said　Jean。

〃Hets；〃　said　Christie；　〃gie　the　puir　lads　twarree　oysters；　what　the　waur
will　we　be？〃

So　they　opened　the　oysters　for　them；　and　Hyacinth　the　long…haired　looked
down　on　the　others　with　sarcastico…benignant　superiority。　He　had
conducted　a　sister　art　to　the　aid　of　his　brother　brushes。

〃The　poet's　empire；　all　our　hearts　allow；　But　doggrel's　power　was　never
known　till　now。〃


CHAPTER　VII。

AT　the　commencement　of　the　last　chapter；　Charles　Gatty；　artist；　was　going
to　usher　in　a　new　state　of　things；　true　art；　etc。　Wales　was　to　be　painted
in　Wales；　not　Poland　Street。

He　and　five　or　six　more　youngsters　were　to　be　in　the　foremost　files　of
truth；　and　take　the　world　by　storm。

This　was　at　two　o'clock；　it　is　now　five；　whereupon　the　posture　of
affairs；　the　prospects　of　art；　the　face　of　the　world；　the　nature　of
things；　are　quite　the　reverse。

In　the　artist's　room；　on　the　floor；　was　a　small　child；　whose　movements；
and　they　were　many；　were　viewed　with　huge　dissatisfaction　by　Charles
Gatty；　Esq。　This　personage；　pencil　in　hand；　sat　slouching　and　morose；
looking　gloomily　at　his　intractable　model。

Things　were　going　on　very　badly；　he　had　been　waiting　two　hours　for　an
infantine　pose　as　common　as　dirt；　and　the　little　viper　would　die　first。

Out　of　doors　everything　was　nothing；　for　the　sun　was　obscured；　and　to　all
appearance　extinguished　forever。

〃Ah！　Mr。　Groove；〃　cried　he；　to　that　worthy；　who　peeped　in　at　that　moment；
you　are　right；　it　is　better　to　plow　away　upon　canvas　blindfold；　as　our
grandfathersno；　grandmothersused；　than　to　kill　ourselves　toiling
after　such　coy　ladies　as　Nature　and　Truth。〃

〃Aweel；　I　dinna　ken；　sirr；〃　replied　Groove；　in　smooth　tones。　〃I　didna
like　to　express　my　warm　approbation　of　you　before　the　lads；　for　fear　of
making　them　jealous。〃

〃They　be　No！〃

〃I　ken　what　ye　wad　say；　sirr；　an　it　wad　hae　been　a　vara　just　an'
sprightly　observation。　Aweel；　between　oursels；　I　look　upon　ye　as　a　young
gentleman　of　amazing　talent　and　moedesty。　Man；　ye　dinna　do　yoursel
justice；　ye　should　be　in　th'　Academy；　at　the　hede　o'　't。〃

〃Mr。　Groove；　I　am　a　poor　fainting　pilgrim　on　the　road；　where　stronger
spirits　have　marched　erect　before　me。〃

〃A　faintin'　pelgrim！　Deil　a　frights　o'　ye；　ye're　a　brisk　and　bonny　lad。
Ah；　sirr；　in　my　juvenile　days；　we　didna　fash　wi　nature；　and　truth；　an　the
like。〃

〃The　like！　What　is　like　nature　and　truth；　except　themselves？〃

〃Vara　true；　sirr；　vara　true；　and　sae　I　doot　I　will　never　attain　the
height　o'　profeeciency　ye　hae　reached。　An'　at　this　vara　moment；　sir；〃
continued　Groove；　with　delicious　solemnity　and　mystery；　〃ye　see　before
ye；　sir；　a　man　wha　is　in　maist　dismal　wanto'　ten　shellen！〃　（A　pause。）
〃If　your　superior　talent　has　put　ye　in　possession　of　that　sum；　ye　would
obleege　me　infinitely　by　a　temporary　accommodation；　Mr。　Gaattie。〃

〃Why　did　you　not　come　to　the　point　at　once？〃　cried　Gatty；　bruskly；
〃instead　of　humbling　me　with　undeserved　praise。　There。〃　Groove　held　out
his　hand；　but　made　a　wry　face　when；　instead　of　money；　Gatty　put　a　sketch
into　his　hand。

〃There；〃　said　Gatty；　〃that　is　a　lie！〃

〃How　can　it　be　a　lee？〃　said　the　other；　with　sour　inadvertence。　〃How　can
it　be　a　lee；　when　I　hae　na　spoken　？〃

〃You　don't　understand　me。　That　sketch　is　a　libel　on　a　poor　cow　and　an
unfortunate　oak…tree。　I　did　them　at　the　Academy。　They　had　never　done　me
any　wrong；　poor　things；　they　suffered　unjustly。　You　take　them　to　a　shop；
swear　they　are　a　tree　and　a　cow；　and　some　fool；　that　never　really　looked
into　a　cow　or　a　tree；　will　give　you　ten　shillings　for　them。〃

〃Are　ye　sure；　lad？〃

〃I　am　sure。　Mr。　Groove；　sir；　if　you　can　not　sell　a　lie　for　ten　shillings
you　are　not　fit　to　live　in　this　world；　where　is　the　lie　that　will　not
sell　for　ten　shillings？〃

〃I　shall　think　the　better　o'　lees　all　my　days；　sir；　your　words　are
inspeeriting。〃　And　away　went　Groove　with　the　sketch。

Gatty　reflected　and　stopped　him。

〃On　second　thoughts；　Groove；　you　must　not　ask　ten　shillings；　you　must　ask
twenty　pounds　for　that　rubbish。〃

〃Twenty　pund！　What　for　will　I　seek　twenty　pund？〃

〃Simply　because　people　that　would　not　give　you　ten　shillings　for　it　will
offer　you　eleven　pounds　for　it　if　you　ask　twenty　pounds。〃

〃The　fules；〃　roared　Groove。　〃Twenty　pund！　hem！〃　He　looked　closer　into　it。
〃For　a'；〃　said　he；　〃I　begin　to　obsairve　it　is　a　work　of　great　merit。　I'll
seek　twenty　pund；　an'　I'll　no　tak　less　than　fifteen　schell'n；　at
present。〃

The　visit　of　this　routine　painter　did　not　cheer　our　artist。

The　small　child　got　a　coal　and　pounded　the　floor　with　it　like　a　machine
incapable　of　fatigue。　So　the　wished…for　pose　seemed　more　remote　than
ever。

The　day　waxed　darker　instead　of　lighter；　Mr。　Gatty's　reflections　took
also　a　still　more　somber　hue。

〃Even　Nature　spites　us；〃　thought　he；　〃because　we　love　her。〃

〃Then　cant；　tradition；　numbers；　slang　and　money　are　against　us；　the　least
of　these　is　singly　a　match　for　truth；　we　shall　die　of　despair　or　paint
cobwebs　in　Bedlam；　and　I　am　faint；　weary　of　a　hopeless　struggle；　and　one
man's　brush　is　truer　than　mine；　another's　is　boldermy　hand　and　eye　are
not　in　tune。　Ah！　no！　I　shall　never；　never；　never　be　a　painter。〃

These　last　words　broke　audibly　from　him　as　his　head　went　down　almost　to
his　knees。

A　hand　was　placed　on　his　shoulder　as　a　flake　of　snow　falls　on　the　water。
It　was　Christie　Johnstone；　radiant；　who　had　glided　in　unobserved。

〃What's　wrang　wi'　ye；　my　lad？〃

〃The　sun　is　gone　to　the　Devil；　for　one　thing。〃

〃Hech！　hech！　ye'll　no　be　long　ahint　him；　div　ye　no　think　shame。〃

〃And　I　want　that　little　brute　just　to　do　so；　and　he'd　die　first。〃

〃Oh；　ye　villain；　to　ca'　a　bairn　a　brute；　there's　but　ae　brute　here；　an'
it's　no　you；　Jamie；　nor　meis　it；　my　lamb？〃

She　then　stepped　to　the　window。

〃It's　clear　to　windward；　in　ten　minutes　ye'll　hae　plenty　sun。　Tak　your
tools　noo。〃　And　at　the　word　she　knelt　on　the　floor；　whipped　out　a　paper
of　sugar…plums　and　said　to　him　she　had　christened　〃Jamie。〃　〃Heb！　Here's
sweeties　till　ye。〃　Out　went　Jamie's　arms；　as　if　he　had　been　a　machine　and
she　had　pulled　the　right　string。

〃Ah；　that　will　do；