THE ARTIST OF THE BEAUTIFUL.docx
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THEARTISTOFTHEBEAUTIFUL
THEARTISTOFTHEBEAUTIFUL
Anelderlyman,withhisprettydaughteronhisarm,waspassing
alongthestreet,andemergedfromthegloomofthecloudy
eveningintothelightthatfellacrossthepavementfromthe
windowofasmallshop.Itwasaprojectingwindow;andonthe
insideweresuspendedavarietyofwatches,pinchbeck,silver,
andoneortwoofgold,allwiththeirfacesturnedfromthe
streets,asifchurlishlydisinclinedtoinformthewayfarers
whato'clockitwas.Seatedwithintheshop,sidelongtothe
windowwithhispalefacebentearnestlyoversomedelicatepiece
ofmechanismonwhichwasthrowntheconcentratedlustreofa
shadelamp,appearedayoungman.
"WhatcanOwenWarlandbeabout?
"mutteredoldPeterHovenden,
himselfaretiredwatchmaker,andtheformermasterofthissame
youngmanwhoseoccupationhewasnowwonderingat."Whatcanthe
fellowbeabout?
ThesesixmonthspastIhavenevercomebyhis
shopwithoutseeinghimjustassteadilyatworkasnow.Itwould
beaflightbeyondhisusualfoolerytoseekfortheperpetual
motion;andyetIknowenoughofmyoldbusinesstobecertain
thatwhatheisnowsobusywithisnopartofthemachineryofa
watch."
"Perhaps,father,"saidAnnie,withoutshowingmuchinterestin
thequestion,"Owenisinventinganewkindoftimekeeper.Iam
surehehasingenuityenough."
"Poh,child!
Hehasnotthesortofingenuitytoinventanything
betterthanaDutchtoy,"answeredherfather,whohadformerly
beenputtomuchvexationbyOwenWarland'sirregulargenius."A
plagueonsuchingenuity!
AlltheeffectthateverIknewofit
wastospoiltheaccuracyofsomeofthebestwatchesinmyshop.
Hewouldturnthesunoutofitsorbitandderangethewhole
courseoftime,if,asIsaidbefore,hisingenuitycouldgrasp
anythingbiggerthanachild'stoy!
"
"Hush,father!
Hehearsyou!
"whisperedAnnie,pressingtheold
man'sarm."Hisearsareasdelicateashisfeelings;andyou
knowhoweasilydisturbedtheyare.Doletusmoveon."
SoPeterHovendenandhisdaughterAnnieploddedonwithout
furtherconversation,untilinaby-streetofthetowntheyfound
themselvespassingtheopendoorofablacksmith'sshop.Within
wasseentheforge,nowblazingupandilluminatingthehighand
duskyroof,andnowconfiningitslustretoanarrowprecinctof
thecoal-strewnfloor,accordingasthebreathofthebellowswas
puffedforthoragaininhaledintoitsvastleathernlungs.In
theintervalsofbrightnessitwaseasytodistinguishobjectsin
remotecornersoftheshopandthehorseshoesthathunguponthe
wall;inthemomentarygloomthefireseemedtobeglimmering
amidstthevaguenessofunenclosedspace.Movingaboutinthis
redglareandalternateduskwasthefigureoftheblacksmith,
wellworthytobeviewedinsopicturesqueanaspectoflightand
shade,wherethebrightblazestruggledwiththeblacknight,as
ifeachwouldhavesnatchedhiscomelystrengthfromtheother.
Anonhedrewawhite-hotbarofironfromthecoals,laiditon
theanvil,upliftedhisarmofmight,andwassoonenvelopedin
themyriadsofsparkswhichthestrokesofhishammerscattered
intothesurroundinggloom.
"Now,thatisapleasantsight,"saidtheoldwatchmaker."Iknow
whatitistoworkingold;butgivemetheworkerinironafter
allissaidanddone.Hespendshislaboruponareality.What
sayyou,daughterAnnie?
"
"Praydon'tspeaksoloud,father,"whisperedAnnie,"Robert
Danforthwillhearyou."
"Andwhatifheshouldhearme?
"saidPeterHovenden."Isay
again,itisagoodandawholesomethingtodependuponmain
strengthandreality,andtoearnone'sbreadwiththebareand
brawnyarmofablacksmith.Awatchmakergetshisbrainpuzzled
byhiswheelswithinawheel,orloseshishealthorthenicety
ofhiseyesight,aswasmycase,andfindshimselfatmiddleage,
oralittleafter,pastlaborathisowntradeandfitfor
nothingelse,yettoopoortoliveathisease.SoIsayonce
again,givememainstrengthformymoney.Andthen,howittakes
thenonsenseoutofaman!
Didyoueverhearofablacksmith
beingsuchafoolasOwenWarlandyonder?
"
"Wellsaid,uncleHovenden!
"shoutedRobertDanforthfromthe
forge,inafull,deep,merryvoice,thatmadetheroofre-echo.
"AndwhatsaysMissAnnietothatdoctrine?
She,Isuppose,will
thinkitagenteelerbusinesstotinkerupalady'swatchthanto
forgeahorseshoeormakeagridiron."
Anniedrewherfatheronwardwithoutgivinghimtimeforreply.
ButwemustreturntoOwenWarland'sshop,andspendmore
meditationuponhishistoryandcharacterthaneitherPeter
Hovenden,orprobablyhisdaughterAnnie,orOwen'sold
school-fellow,RobertDanforth,wouldhavethoughtduetoso
slightasubject.Fromthetimethathislittlefingersc