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lavengro-第73部分

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aside and whispered。  〃He'll do;〃 I heard one say; 〃Yes; he'll do;〃 

said another; and then they came to me; and one of them; a little 

man with a hump on his back; who is a watchmaker; assumed the 

office of spokesman; and made a long speech … (the old town has 

been always celebrated for orators) … in which he told me how much 

they had been pleased with my productions … (the old town has been 

always celebrated for its artistic taste) … and; what do you think? 

offered me the painting of the mayor's portrait; and a hundred 

pounds for my trouble。  Well; of course I was much surprised; and 

for a minute or two could scarcely speak; recovering myself; 

however; I made a speech; not so eloquent as that of the watchmaker 

of course; being not so accustomed to speaking; but not so bad 

either; taking everything into consideration; telling them how 

flattered I felt by the honour which they had conferred in 

proposing to me such an undertaking; expressing; however; my fears 

that I was not competent to the task; and concluding by saying what 

a pity it was that Crome was dead。  〃Crome;〃 said the little man; 

〃Crome; yes; he was a clever man; a very clever man in his way; he 

was good at painting landscapes and farm…houses; but he would not 

do in the present instance were he alive。  He had no conception of 

the heroic; sir。  We want some person capable of representing our 

mayor striding under the Norman arch out of the cathedral。〃  At the 

mention of the heroic an idea came at once into my head。  〃Oh;〃 

said I; 〃if you are in quest of the heroic; I am glad that you came 

to me; don't mistake me;〃 I continued; 〃I do not mean to say that I 

could do justice to your subject; though I am fond of the heroic; 

but I can introduce you to a great master of the heroic; fully 

competent to do justice to your mayor。  Not to me; therefore; be 

the painting of the picture given; but to a friend of mine; the 

great master of the heroic; to the best; the strongest; 'greek text 

which cannot be reproduced'〃 I added; for; being amongst orators; I 

thought a word of Greek would tell。'



'Well;' said I; 'and what did the orators say?'



'They gazed dubiously at me and at one another;' said my brother; 

'at last the watchmaker asked me who this Mr。 Christo was; adding; 

that he had never heard of such a person; that; from my 

recommendation of him; he had no doubt that he was a very clever 

man; but that they should like to know something more about him 

before giving the commission to him。  That he had heard of Christie 

the great auctioneer; who was considered to be an excellent judge 

of pictures; but he supposed that I scarcely … Whereupon; 

interrupting the watchmaker; I told him that I alluded neither to 

Christo nor to Christie; but to the painter of Lazarus rising from 

the grave; a painter under whom I had myself studied during some 

months that I had spent in London; and to whom I was indebted for 

much connected with the heroic。



'〃I have heard of him;〃 said the watchmaker; 〃and his paintings 

too; but I am afraid that he is not exactly the gentleman by whom 

our mayor would wish to be painted。  I have heard say that he is 

not a very good friend to Church and State。  Come; young man;〃 he 

added; 〃it appears to me that you are too modest; I like your style 

of painting; so do we all; and … why should I mince the matter? … 

the money is to be collected in the town; why should it go into a 

stranger's pocket; and be spent in London?〃



'Thereupon I made them a speech; in which I said that art had 

nothing to do with Church and State; at least with English Church 

and State; which had never encouraged it; and that; though Church 

and State were doubtless very fine things; a man might be a very 

good artist who cared not a straw for either。  I then made use of 

some more Greek words; and told them how painting was one of the 

Nine Muses; and one of the most independent creatures alive; 

inspiring whom she pleased; and asking leave of nobody; that I 

should be quite unworthy of the favours of the Muse if; on the 

present occasion; I did not recommend them a man whom I considered 

to be a much greater master of the heroic than myself; and that; 

with regard to the money being spent in the city; I had no doubt 

that they would not weigh for a moment such a consideration against 

the chance of getting a true heroic picture for the city。  I never 

talked so well in my life; and said so many flattering things to 

the hunchback and his friends; that at last they said that I should 

have my own way; and that if I pleased to go up to London; and 

bring down the painter of Lazarus to paint the mayor; I might; so 

they then bade me farewell; and I have come up to London。'



'To put a hundred pounds into the hands of … '



'A better man than myself;' said my brother; 'of course。'



'And have you come up at your own expense?'



'Yes;' said my brother; 'I have come up at my own expense。'



I made no answer; but looked in my brother's face。  We then 

returned to the former subjects of conversation; talking of the 

dead; my mother; and the dog。



After some time my brother said; 'I will now go to the painter; and 

communicate to him the business which has brought me to town; and; 

if you please; I will take you with me and introduce you to him。'  

Having expressed my willingness; we descended into the street。







CHAPTER XXXVIII







Painter of the heroic … I'll go! … A modest peep … Who is this? … A 

capital Pharaoh … Disproportionably short … Imaginary picture … 

English figures。



THE painter of the heroic resided a great way off; at the western 

end of the town。  We had some difficulty in obtaining admission to 

him; a maid…servant; who opened the door; eyeing us somewhat 

suspiciously:  it was not until my brother had said that he was a 

friend of the painter that we were permitted to pass the threshold。  

At length we were shown into the studio; where we found the 

painter; with an easel and brush; standing before a huge piece of 

canvas; on which he had lately commenced painting a heroic picture。  

The painter might be about thirty…five years old; he had a clever; 

intelligent countenance; with a sharp gray eye … his hair was dark 

brown; and cut a…la…Rafael; as I was subsequently told; that is; 

there was little before and much behind … he did not wear a neck…

cloth; but; in its stead; a black riband; so that his neck; which 

was rather fine; was somewhat exposed … he had a broad; muscular 

breast; and I make no doubt that he would have been a very fine 

figure; but unfortunately his legs and thighs were somewhat short。  

He recognised my brother; and appeared glad to see him。



'What brings you to London?' said he。



Whereupon my brother gave him a brief account of his commission。  

At the mention of the hundred pounds; I observed the eyes of the 

painter glisten。  'Really;' said he; when my
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