beauty of form and beauty of mind-第2章

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moulded　and　formed　the　soft　clay　with　his　fingers。

　　　　〃I　suppose　it　is　only　on　our　account　that　you　perform　this

common…place　work　yourself；　instead　of　leaving　it　to　your　servant　to

do　all　that　sticking　together。〃

　　　　〃It　is　really　necessary　that　I　should　mould　the　clay　myself；〃　he

replied。

　　　　〃Ah；　yes；　you　are　always　so　polite；〃　said　mamma；　with　a　smile；　and

Kaela　silently　pressed　his　hand；　all　soiled　as　it　was　with　the　clay。

　　　　Then　he　unfolded　to　them　both　the　beauties　of　Nature；　in　all　her

works；　he　pointed　out　to　them　how；　in　the　scale　of　creation；　inanimate

matter　was　inferior　to　animate　nature；　the　plant　above　the　mineral；

the　animal　above　the　plant；　and　man　above　them　all。　He　strove　to

show　them　how　the　beauty　of　the　mind　could　be　displayed　in　the　outward

form；　and　that　it　was　the　sculptor's　task　to　seize　upon　that　beauty　of

expression；　and　produce　it　in　his　works。　Kaela　stood　silent；　but

nodded　in　approbation　of　what　he　said；　while　mamma…in…law　made　the

following　confession：…

　　　　〃It　is　difficult　to　follow　you；　but　I　go　hobbling　along　after

you　with　my　thoughts；　though　what　you　say　makes　my　head　whirl　round

and　round。　Still　I　contrive　to　lay　hold　on　some　of　it。〃

　　　　Kaela's　beauty　had　a　firm　hold　on　Alfred；　it　filled　his　soul；

and　held　a　mastery　over　him。　Beauty　beamed　from　Kaela's　every　feature；

glittered　in　her　eyes；　lurked　in　the　corners　of　her　mouth；　and

pervaded　every　movement　of　her　agile　fingers。　Alfred；　the　sculptor；

saw　this。　He　spoke　only　to　her；　thought　only　of　her；　and　the　two

became　one；　and　so　it　may　be　said　she　spoke　much；　for　he　was　always

talking　to　her；　and　he　and　she　were　one。　Such　was　the　betrothal；　and

then　came　the　wedding；　with　bride's…maids　and　wedding　presents；　all

duly　mentioned　in　the　wedding　speech。　Mamma…in…law　had　set　up

Thorwalsden's　bust　at　the　end　of　the　table；　attired　in　a

dressing…gown；　it　was　her　fancy　that　he　should　be　a　guest。　Songs

were　sung；　and　cheers　given；　for　it　was　a　gay　wedding；　and　they　were　a

handsome　pair。　〃Pygmalion　loved　his　Galatea；〃　said　one　of　the　songs。

　　　　〃Ah；　that　is　some　of　your　mythologies；〃　said　mamma…in…law。

　　　　Next　day　the　youthful　pair　started　for　Copenhagen；　where　they　were

to　live；　mamma…in…law　accompanied　them；　to　attend　to　the　〃coarse

work；〃　as　she　always　called　the　domestic　arrangements。　Kaela　looked

like　a　doll　in　a　doll's　house；　for　everything　was　bright　and　new；

and　so　fine。　There　they　sat；　all　three；　and　as　for　Alfred；　a　proverb

may　describe　his　position…　he　looked　like　a　swan　amongst　the　geese。

The　magic　of　form　had　enchanted　him；　he　had　looked　at　the　casket

without　caring　to　inquire　what　it　contained；　and　that　omission　often

brings　the　greatest　unhappiness　into　married　life。　The　casket　may　be

injured；　the　gilding　may　fall　off；　and　then　the　purchaser　regrets

his　bargain。

　　　　In　a　large　party　it　is　very　disagreeable　to　find　a　button　giving

way；　with　no　studs　at　hand　to　fall　back　upon；　but　it　is　worse　still　in

a　large　company　to　be　conscious　that　your　wife　and　mother…in…law　are

talking　nonsense；　and　that　you　cannot　depend　upon　yourself　to

produce　a　little　ready　wit　to　carry　off　the　stupidity　of　the　whole

affair。

　　　　The　young　married　pair　often　sat　together　hand　in　hand；　he　would

talk；　but　she　could　only　now　and　then　let　fall　a　word　in　the　same

melodious　voice；　the　same　bell…like　tones。　It　was　a　mental　relief　when

Sophy；　one　of　her　friends；　came　to　pay　them　a　visit。　Sophy　was　not；

pretty。　She　was；　however；　quite　free　from　any　physical　deformity；

although　Kaela　used　to　say　she　was　a　little　crooked；　but　no　eye；

save　an　intimate　acquaintance；　would　have　noticed　it。　She　was　a　very

sensible　girl；　yet　it　never　occurred　to　her　that　she　might　be　a

dangerous　person　in　such　a　house。　Her　appearance　created　a　new

atmosphere　in　the　doll's　house；　and　air　was　really　required；　they

all　owned　that。　They　felt　the　want　of　a　change　of　air；　and

consequently　the　young　couple　and　their　mother　travelled　to　Italy。

　　　　〃Thank　heaven　we　are　at　home　again　within　our　own　four　walls；〃

said　mamma…in…law　and　daughter　both；　on　their　return　after　a　year's

absence。

　　　　〃There　is　no　real　pleasure　in　travelling；〃　said　mamma；　〃to　tell

the　truth；　it's　very　wearisome；　I　beg　pardon　for　saying　so。　I　was　soon

very　tired　of　it；　although　I　had　my　children　with　me；　and；　besides；

it's　very　expensive　work　travelling；　very　expensive。　And　all　those

galleries　one　is　expected　to　see；　and　the　quantity　of　things　you　are

obliged　to　run　after！　It　must　be　done；　for　very　shame；　you　are　sure　to

be　asked　when　you　come　back　if　you　have　seen　everything；　and　will　most

likely　be　told　that　you've　omitted　to　see　what　was　best　worth　seeing

of　all。　I　got　tired　at　last　of　those　endless　Madonnas；　I　began　to

think　I　was　turning　into　a　Madonna　myself。〃

　　　　〃And　then　the　living；　mamma；〃　said　Kaela。

　　　　〃Yes；　indeed；〃　she　replied；　〃no　such　a　thing　as　a　respectable　meat

soup…　their　cookery　is　miserable　stuff。〃

　　　　The　journey　had　also　tired　Kaela；　but　she　was　always　fatigued；

that　was　the　worst　of　it。　So　they　sent　for　Sophy；　and　she　was　taken

into　the　house　to　reside　with　them；　and　her　presence　there　was　a　great

advantage。　Mamma…in…law　acknowledged　that　Sophy　was　not　only　a

clever　housewife；　but　well…informed　and　accomplished；　though　that

could　hardly　be　expected　in　a　person　of　her　limited　means。　She　was

also　a　generous…hearted；　faithful　girl；　she　showed　that　thoroughly

while　Kaela　lay　sick；　fading　away。　When　the　casket　is　everything；

the　casket　should　be　strong；　or　else　all　is　over。　And　all　was　over

with　the　casket；　for　Kaela　died。

　　　　〃She　was　beautiful；〃　said　her　mother；　〃she　was　quite　different

from　the　beauties　they　call　'antiques；'　for　they　are　so　damaged。　A

beauty　ought　to　be　perfect；　and　Kaela　was　a　perfect　beauty。〃

　　　　Alfred　wept；　and　mamma　wept；　and　they　both　wore　mourning。　The

black　dress　suited　mamma　very　well；　and　she　wore　mourning　the　longest。

She　had　also　to　experience　another　grief　in　seeing　Alfred　marry　again；

marry　Sophy；　who　was　nothing　at　all　to　look　at。　〃He's　gone　to　the　very

extreme；〃　said　mamma…in…law；　〃he　has　gone　from　the　most　beautiful　to

the　ugliest；　and　he　has　forgotten　his　first　wife。　Men　have　no

constancy。　My　husband　was　a　very　different　man；…　but　then　he　died

before　me。〃

　　　　〃'Pygmalion　loved　his　Galatea；'　was　in　the　song　they　sung　at　my

first　wedding；〃　said　Alfred；　〃I　once　fell　in　love　with　a　beautiful

statue；　which　awoke　to　life　in　my　arms；　but　the　kindred　soul；　which　is

a　gift　from　heaven；　the　angel　who　can　feel　and　sympathize　with　and

elevate　us；　I　have　not　found　and　won　till　now。　You　came；　Sophy；　not　in

the　glory　of　outward　beauty；　though　you　are　even　fairer　than　is

necessary。　The　chief　thing　still　remains。　You　came　to　teach　the

sculptor　that　his　work　is　but　dust　and　clay　only；　an　outward　form　made

of　a　material　that　decays；　and　that　what　we　should　seek　to　obtain　is

the　ethereal　essence　of　mind　and　spirit。　Poor　Kaela！　our　life　was

but　as　a　meeting　by　the　way…side；　in　yonder　world；　where　we　shall　know

each　other　from　a　union　of　mind；　we　shall　be　but　mere　acquaintances。〃

　　　　〃That　was　not　a　loving　speech；〃　said　Sophy；　〃nor　spoken　like　a

Christian。　In　a　future　state；　where　there　is　neither　marrying　nor

giving　in　marriage；　but　where；　as　you　say；　souls　are　attracted　to　each

other　by　sympathy；　there　everything　beautiful　develops　itself；　and

is　raised　to　a　higher　state　of　existence：　her　soul　will　acquire　such

completeness　that　it　may　harmonize　with　yours；　even　more　than　mine；

and　you　will　then　once　more　utter　your　first　rapturous　exclamation

of　your　love；　'Beautiful；　most　beautiful！'〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

。