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swans。〃
〃You mention the cigar…stand first。〃
〃Why not？ Smoke is more real than empty sound。〃
〃Are you not equally empty； Ik； save after dinner？ How have the
preceding hours of this long day been killed？〃
〃Like boas。 They have enfolded me with a weary weight。〃
〃The snakes in your comparison are larger than your pun； and the
pun； rather than yourself； suggests a constrictor's squeeze。〃
〃Come； you are only abusing me to gain time； and you may gain too
much。 My horses have more mettle than their master； and may carry
off my trap and groom to parts unknown； while you are wasting
paint and words。 You are like the animals at the Park； that are
good…natured only after they are fed。 So shut up your old paint
shop； and come along； we will shorten our ride and lengthen our
dinner。〃
With mutual chaffing and laughter the young men at last went down
to where a liveried coachman and a pair of handsome bays were in
waiting。 Taking the high front seat and gathering up the reins； Ik
Stanton； with his friend Harold Van Berg at his side； bowled away
towards the Park at a rapid pace。
Harold Van Berg was； in truth； something of a paradox。 He was an
artist； and yet was rich； he had inherited large wealth； and yet
had formed habits of careful industry。 The majority of his young
acquaintances； who had been launched from homes like his own； were
known only as sons of their fathers； and degenerate sons at that。
Van Berg was already winning a place among men on the ground of
what he was and could do himself。
It were hard to say which was the stronger motive； his ambition or
the love of his art； but it seemed certain that between the two；
such talent as he had been endowed with would be developed quite
thoroughly。 And he did possess decided talent； if not genius。 But
his artistic gift accorded with his character； and was controlled
by judgement； correct taste； and intellectuality rather than by
strong and erratic impulses。 His aims were definite and decided
rather than vague and diffusive； but his standards were so high
that； thus far； he had scarcely attempted more than studies that
were like the musician's scales by which he seeks to acquire a
skill in touch that shall enable him to render justly the works of
the great composers。
His family had praised his work unstintedly； and honestly thought
it wonderful； he had also been deluged with that kind of flattery
which relaxes the rules of criticism in favor of the wealthy。 Thus
it was not strange that the young fellow； at one time； believed
that he was born to greatness by a kindly decree of fate。 But as
his horizon widened he was taught better。 His mind； fortunately；
grew faster than his vanity； and as he compared his crude but
promising work with that of mature genius； he was not stricken
with that most helpless phase of blindnessthe inability to see
the superiority of others to one's self。 Every day； therefore；
of study and observation was now chastening Harold Van Berg and
preparing him to build his future success on the solid ground of
positive merit as compared with that of other and gifted artists。
Van Berg's taste and talent led him to select； as his specialty；
the human form and countenance； and he chiefly delighted in those
faces which were expressive of some striking or subtle characteristic
of the indwelling mind。 He would never be content to paint surfaces
correctly； giving to features merely their exact proportions。 Whether
the face were historical； ideal； or a portrait； the controlling
trait or traits of the spirit within must shine through； or else
he regarded the picture as scarcely half finished。
A more sincere idolator than Van Berg； in his worship of beauty；
never existed； but it was the beauty of a complete man or a complete
woman。 Even in his early youth he had not been so sensuous as to
be captivated by that opaque fragment of a womanan attractive
form devoid of a mind。 Indeed with the exception of a few boyish
follies； his art had been his mistress thus far； and it was beginning
to absorb both heart and brain。
With what a quiet pulsewith what a complacent sense of security
we often meet those seemingly trivial events which may change the
whole character of our lives！ The ride had been taken； the dinner
enjoyed； and the two friends were seated in the large cool hallway
off the concert garden； where they could smoke without offence。 The
unrivalled leader； Thomas； had just lifted his batonthat magic
wand whose graceful yet mysterious motion evokes with equal ease；
seemingly； the thunder of a storm； the song of a bird； the horrid
din of an inferno； or a harmony so pure and lofty as to suggest
heavenly strains。 One of Beethoven's exquisite symphonies was to
be rendered； and Van Berg threw away his half…burned cigar； settled
himself in his chair and glanced around with a congratulatory air；
as if to say； 〃Now we are to have one of those pleasures which
fills the cup of life to overflowing。〃
Oh； that casual glance！ It was one of those things that we might
justly call 〃little。〃 Could anything have been more trivial；
slight； and apparently inconsequential than this half involuntary
act？ Indeed it was too aimless even to have been prompted by a
conscious effort of the will。 But this book is one of the least
results of that momentary sweep of the eye。 Another was； that Van
Berg did not enjoy the symphony at all； and was soon in a very bad
humor。 That casual glance had revealed； not far away； a face that
with his passion for beauty； at once riveted his attention。 His
slight start and faint exclamation； caused Ik Stanton to look around
also； and then； with a mischievous and observant twinkle in his
eyes； the bon vivant resumed his cigar； which no symphony could
exorcise from his mouth。
At a table just within the main audience room； there sat a young
lady and gentleman。 Even Van berg； who made it his business to
discover and study beauty； was soon compelled to admit to himself
that he had never seen finer features than were possessed by this
fair young stranger。 Her nose was straight； her upper lip was
short； and might have been modelled from Cupid's bow； her chin did
not form a perfect oval after the cold and severe Grecian type； but
was slightly firm and prominent； receding with decided yet exquisite
curves to the full white throat。 Her cheeks had a transparent
fairness； in which the color came and went instead of lingering
in any conventional place and manner； her hair was too light to be
called brown and too dark to be golden； but was shaded like that on
which the sunlight falls in one of Bougereau's pictures of 〃Mother
and Child；〃 and it rippled away from a broad low brow in natural
waves； half hiding the small； shell…like ears。
Van Berg at first though her eyes to be her finest feature； but
he soon regarded them as the worst； and for the same reason； as he
speedily discovered； that the face； each feature of which seemed
perfect； became； after brief study； so unsatisfactory as to cause
positive annoyance。 To a passing glance they were large； dark；
beautiful eyes； but they lost steadily under thoughtful scrutiny。
A flashing gem may seem real at first； but as its meretricious rays
are analyzed； they lose their charm because revealing a stone not
only worthless worse than worthless； since it mocks us with a false
resemblance； thus raising hopes only to disappoint them。 The other
features remained beautiful and satisfactory to Van Berg's furtive
observation because further removed from the informing mind； and
therefore more justly capable of admiration upon their own merits；
but the eyes are too near akin to the animating spirit not to suffer
from the relationship； should the spirit be essentially defective。
That the beautiful face was but a transparent mask of a deformed；
dwarfed； contemptible little soul was speedily made evident。 The
cream and a silly flirtation with her empty…headed attendanta
pallid youth who parted his hair like a girl and had not other parts
worth namingabsorbed her wholly； and the exquisite symphony was
no more to her than an annoying din which made it difficult to hear
her companion's compliments that were as sweet； heavy； and stale
as Mailard's chocolates； left a year on the shelves。 Their mutual
giggle and chatter at last became so obtrusive that an old and
music…loving German turned his broad face towards them； and hissed
out the word 〃Hist！〃 with such vindictive force as to suggest that
all the winds had suddenly broken lose from the cave of Aeolus。
Ik Stanton； who had been watching Van Berg's perturbed； lowering
face； and the weak comedy at the adjacent table； was obviously much
amused； although he took pains to appear blind to it all and kept
his back； as far as possible； towards the young lady。
The German's 〃hist〃 had been so fierce as to be almost l