cousin betty-第53章

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place；　the　Ancients　have　left　sublime　statues　entirely　clothedthe
/Polyhymnia/；　the　/Julia/；　and　others；　and　we　have　not　found　one…tenth
of　all　their　works；　and　then；　let　any　lover　of　art　go　to　Florence　and
see　Michael　Angelo's　/Penseroso/；　or　to　the　Cathedral　of　Mainz；　and
behold　the　/Virgin/　by　Albert　Durer；　who　has　created　a　living　woman
out　of　ebony；　under　her　threefold　drapery；　with　the　most　flowing；　the
softest　hair　that　ever　a　waiting…maid　combed　through；　let　all　the
ignorant　flock　thither；　and　they　will　acknowledge　that　genius　can　give
mind　to　drapery；　to　armor；　to　a　robe；　and　fill　it　with　a　body；　just　as
a　man　leaves　the　stamp　of　his　individuality　and　habits　of　life　on　the
clothes　he　wears。

Sculpture　is　the　perpetual　realization　of　the　fact　which　once；　and
never　again；　was；　in　painting　called　Raphael！

The　solution　of　this　hard　problem　is　to　be　found　only　in　constant
persevering　toil；　for；　merely　to　overcome　the　material　difficulties　to
such　an　extent；　the　hand　must　be　so　practised；　so　dexterous　and
obedient；　that　the　sculptor　may　be　free　to　struggle　soul　to　soul　with
the　elusive　moral　element　that　he　has　to　transfigure　as　he　embodies
it。　If　Paganini；　who　uttered　his　soul　through　the　strings　of　his
violin；　spent　three　days　without　practising；　he　lost　what　he　called
the　/stops/　of　his　instrument；　meaning　the　sympathy　between　the　wooden
frame；　the　strings；　the　bow；　and　himself；　if　he　had　lost　this
alliance；　he　would　have　been　no　more　than　an　ordinary　player。

Perpetual　work　is　the　law　of　art；　as　it　is　the　law　of　life；　for　art　is
idealized　creation。　Hence　great　artists　and　perfect　poets　wait　neither
for　commission　nor　for　purchasers。　They　are　constantly　creating
to…day；　to…morrow；　always。　The　result　is　the　habit　of　work；　the
unfailing　apprehension　of　the　difficulties　which　keep　them　in　close
intercourse　with　the　Muse　and　her　productive　forces。　Canova　lived　in
his　studio；　as　Voltaire　lived　in　his　study；　and　so　must　Homer　and
Phidias　have　lived。

While　Lisbeth　kept　Wenceslas　Steinbock　in　thraldom　in　his　garret；　he
was　on　the　thorny　road　trodden　by　all　these　great　men；　which　leads　to
the　Alpine　heights　of　glory。　Then　happiness；　in　the　person　of
Hortense；　had　reduced　the　poet　to　idlenessthe　normal　condition　of
all　artists；　since　to　them　idleness　is　fully　occupied。　Their　joy　is
such　as　that　of　the　pasha　of　a　seraglio；　they　revel　with　ideas；　they
get　drunk　at　the　founts　of　intellect。　Great　artists；　such　as
Steinbock；　wrapped　in　reverie；　are　rightly　spoken　of　as　dreamers。
They；　like　opium…eaters；　all　sink　into　poverty；　whereas　if　they　had
been　kept　up　to　the　mark　by　the　stern　demands　of　life；　they　might　have
been　great　men。

At　the　same　time；　these　half…artists　are　delightful；　men　like　them　and
cram　them　with　praise；　they　even　seem　superior　to　the　true　artists；
who　are　taxed　with　conceit；　unsociableness；　contempt　of　the　laws　of
society。　This　is　why：　Great　men　are　the　slaves　of　their　work。　Their
indifference　to　outer　things；　their　devotion　to　their　work；　make
simpletons　regard　them　as　egotists；　and　they　are　expected　to　wear　the
same　garb　as　the　dandy　who　fulfils　the　trivial　evolutions　called
social　duties。　These　men　want　the　lions　of　the　Atlas　to　be　combed　and
scented　like　a　lady's　poodle。

These　artists；　who　are　too　rarely　matched　to　meet　their　fellows；　fall
into　habits　of　solitary　exclusiveness；　they　are　inexplicable　to　the
majority；　which；　as　we　know；　consists　mostly　of　foolsof　the　envious；
the　ignorant；　and　the　superficial。

Now　you　may　imagine　what　part　a　wife　should　play　in　the　life　of　these
glorious　and　exceptional　beings。　She　ought　to　be　what；　for　five　years；
Lisbeth　had　been；　but　with　the　added　offering　of　love；　humble　and
patient　love；　always　ready　and　always　smiling。

Hortense；　enlightened　by　her　anxieties　as　a　mother；　and　driven　by　dire
necessity；　had　discovered　too　late　the　mistakes　she　had　been
involuntarily　led　into　by　her　excessive　love。　Still；　the　worthy
daughter　of　her　mother；　her　heart　ached　at　the　thought　of　worrying
Wenceslas；　she　loved　her　dear　poet　too　much　to　become　his　torturer；
and　she　could　foresee　the　hour　when　beggary　awaited　her；　her　child；
and　her　husband。

〃Come；　come；　my　child；〃　said　Lisbeth；　seeing　the　tears　in　her　cousin's
lovely　eyes；　〃you　must　not　despair。　A　glassful　of　tears　will　not　buy　a
plate　of　soup。　How　much　do　you　want？〃

〃Well；　five　or　six　thousand　francs。〃

〃I　have　but　three　thousand　at　the　most；〃　said　Lisbeth。　〃And　what　is
Wenceslas　doing　now？〃

〃He　has　had　an　offer　to　work　in　partnership　with　Stidmann　at　a　table
service　for　the　Duc　d'Herouville　for　six　thousand　francs。　Then
Monsieur　Chanor　will　advance　four　thousand　to　repay　Monsieur　de　Lora
and　Bridaua　debt　of　honor。〃

〃What；　you　have　had　the　money　for　the　statue　and　the　bas…reliefs　for
Marshal　Montcornet's　monument；　and　you　have　not　paid　them　yet？〃

〃For　the　last　three　years；〃　said　Hortense；　〃we　have　spent　twelve
thousand　francs　a　year；　and　I　have　but　a　hundred　louis　a　year　of　my
own。　The　Marshal's　monument；　when　all　the　expenses　were　paid；　brought
us　no　more　than　sixteen　thousand　francs。　Really　and　truly；　if
Wenceslas　gets　no　work；　I　do　not　know　what　is　to　become　of　us。　Oh；　if
only　I　could　learn　to　make　statues；　I　would　handle　the　clay！〃　she
cried；　holding　up　her　fine　arms。

The　woman；　it　was　plain；　fulfilled　the　promise　of　the　girl；　there　was
a　flash　in　her　eye；　impetuous　blood；　strong　with　iron；　flowed　in　her
veins；　she　felt　that　she　was　wasting　her　energy　in　carrying　her
infant。

〃Ah；　my　poor　little　thing！　a　sensible　girl　should　not　marry　an　artist
till　his　fortune　is　madenot　while　it　is　still　to　make。〃

At　this　moment　they　heard　voices；　Stidmann　and　Wenceslas　were　seeing
Chanor　to　the　door；　then　Wenceslas　and　Stidmann　came　in　again。

Stidmann；　an　artist　in　vogue　in　the　world　of　journalists；　famous
actresses；　and　courtesans　of　the　better　class；　was　a　young　man　of
fashion　whom　Valerie　much　wished　to　see　in　her　rooms；　indeed；　he　had
already　been　introduced　to　her　by　Claude　Vignon。　Stidmann　had　lately
broken　off　an　intimacy　with　Madame　Schontz；　who　had　married　some
months　since　and　gone　to　live　in　the　country。　Valerie　and　Lisbeth；
hearing　of　this　upheaval　from　Claude　Vignon；　thought　it　well　to　get
Steinbock's　friend　to　visit　in　the　Rue　Vanneau。

Stidmann；　out　of　good　feeling；　went　rarely　to　the　Steinbocks'；　and　as
it　happened　that　Lisbeth　was　not　present　when　he　was　introduced　by
Claude　Vignon；　she　now　saw　him　for　the　first　time。　As　she　watched　this
noted　artist；　she　caught　certain　glances　from　his　eyes　at　Hortense；
which　suggested　to　her　the　possibility　of　offering　him　to　the　Countess
Steinbock　as　a　consolation　if　Wenceslas　should　be　false　to　her。　In
point　of　fact；　Stidmann　was　reflecting　that　if　Steinbock　were　not　his
friend；　Hortense；　the　young　and　superbly　beautiful　countess；　would　be
an　adorable　mistress；　it　was　this　very　notion；　controlled　by　honor；
that　kept　him　away　from　the　house。　Lisbeth　was　quick　to　mark　the
significant　awkwardness　that　troubles　a　man　in　the　presence　of　a　woman
with　whom　he　will　not　allow　himself　to　flirt。

〃Very　good…lookingthat　young　man；〃　said　she　in　a　whisper　to
Hortense。

〃Oh；　do　you　think　so？〃　she　replied。　〃I　never　noticed　him。〃

〃Stidmann；　my　good　fellow；〃　said　Wenceslas；　in　an　undertone　to　his
friend；　〃we　are　on　no　ceremony；　you　and　Iwe　have　some　business　to
settle　with　this　old　girl。〃

Stidmann　bowed　to　the　ladies　and　went　away。

〃It　is　settled；〃　said　Wenceslas；　when　he　came　in　from　taking　leave　of
Stidmann。　〃But　there　are　six　months'　work　to　be　done；　and　we　must　live
meanwhile。〃

〃There　are　my　diamonds；〃　cried　the　young　Countess；　with　the　impetuous
heroism　of　a　loving　woman。

A　tear　rose　in　Wenceslas'　eye。

〃Oh；　I　am　going　to　work；〃　said　he；　sitting　down　by　his　wife　and
drawing　her　on　to　his　knee。　〃I　will　do　odd　jobsa　wedding　chest；
bronze　groups〃

〃But；　my　children；〃　said　Lisbeth；　〃for；　as　you　know；　you　will　be　my
heirs；　and　I　shall　leave　you　a　very　comfortable　sum；　believe　me；
especially　if　you　help　me　to　marry　the　Marshal；　nay；　if　we　succeed　in
that　quickly；　I　will　take　you　all　to　board　with　meyou　and　Adeline。
We　should　live　very　happily