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Page 48
Emma could not contain her joy at these words, and she cried out:--
"Now it's all right, Fani! You can be a painter, and I am sure you will
be a celebrated one, the most famous one in all the land. But why do not
you tell Mrs. Stanhope directly that you want to do that and nothing
else?"
Fani shook his head and looked very much depressed.
"It would be of no use. Mrs. Stanhope will not allow me to be an artist;
I am sure of that. Once when we were walking, I said to her that I
thought painting pictures was the greatest happiness a man could have;
she said it was only a childish notion; and that when I grew up I should
have very different ideas as to greatness and happiness. And since then
she has taken me about the estate several times; for you know, Emma,
that it is a very large property; great vineyards stretching for miles
along the Rhine. She says there is nothing so desirable for a man as to
own a large place, and to live on it; and I think she has the thought in
her mind that she will keep me with her here on the estate; and of
course it would be a great thing for me if she did. Just think of it.
Always to live here as we do now; how terribly ungrateful I should be if
I did not rejoice in such a prospect! Only--I must give up all idea of
ever being an artist!" And Fani hung his head.
"Oh, what a shame! It's of no use thinking about it any more, then!"
cried Emma, in tones of intense disappointment. "And I was just
beginning to think that everything would turn out for you as I had
hoped. It is too bad! I had such good fun reading the book, and putting
your name in the place of the celebrated artist; like this--'In delicacy
of drawing Fani von Buchberg stands far above all his compeers.' For you
know when you were celebrated, you would be spoken of so; for they
always take the name of their birth-place, instead of their family name;
and that would be particularly nice, because Hopli isn't a very good
name, but Fani von Buchberg sounds finely, doesn't it? Listen!" And Emma
read from the book.
"Where Fani von Buchberg learned to mix his paints, is a mystery. Even
to this day, he is the only one who can place such enchanting tones of
color upon his canvas. Of course, that is a mistake; it ought to be
_shades_ of color, shouldn't it, Fani? Oh! think, if such things could
be said of you! and now it is all over; no chance of that any more!" And
the girl threw herself on the bench as if it wasn't worth while to take
the trouble to stir again.
Fani sat down at her side. He had followed every word she had said, with
increasing excitement; and he had caught the fire of her enthusiasm,
for his eyes flamed.
"I know something that may make a difference," he said presently; and at
his words Emma, who had looked as if life had lost all charm for her,
sprang up with renewed interest, exclaiming eagerly:--
"What is it, Fani? Speak; do speak!"
"Come with me," and he ran along the river-side, drawing her with him.
"There, sit down here and look up over Rosemount, towards the wood. Do
you see that ruined castle, all covered with ivy?"
"I don't see anything. Oh, yes, I do now! I can see an old, old tower";
and as she spoke the excited girl leaned backwards towards the river,
and she would certainly have fallen in, if Fani had not caught her and
held her fast.
"There, we will go back to the seat again," he said; "though the ruin
is scarcely visible from here," he added, as they reached the spot; "but
it is safer. It is the most beautiful ruined castle that you can
imagine. It is all covered with ivy, and the stones are moss-grown, and
the gray walls show through in places, and in the setting sun they flame
with crimson; you've no idea how beautiful it is! I saw it once from the
steamboat. It was splendid! Now listen! The last lesson I took, the
teacher asked me whether I was in earnest when I said that I wanted to
be a painter; and I said yes, but that I could never be allowed to; and
I told him just what I have told you. He understood at once; and he said
that I mustn't, of course, do anything to displease Mrs. Stanhope; but
that possibly she might in some way be led to have the same wish. He
advised me to make a drawing of something very beautiful; and he said
he would send it to D�sseldorf, where they do something or other with a
whole lot of drawings, and the best one gets a prize. If mine got a
prize, Mrs. Stanhope might change her mind; and if it didn't, I could
try again. I thought directly of the ruined castle, and how beautiful it
would be to draw! But there's no good view of it except from the middle
of the river, and it's quite impossible for me to get there."
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