Спрут: Калифорнийская история
Chapter I
Theyspokeofatmosphericeffects,ofmiddledistance,of“chiaro-oscuro,”offore-shortening,ofthedecompositionoflight,ofthesubordinationofindividualitytofidelityofinterpretation.
Onetallgirl,withhairalmostwhiteinitsblondness,havingobservedthatthehandlingofthemassesremindedherstronglyofCorot,hercompanion,whocarriedagoldlorgnettebyachainaroundherneck,answered:
“Ah!Millet,perhaps,butnotCorot.”
Thisverdicthadanimmediatesuccess.Itwaspassedfromgrouptogroup.Itseemedtoimplyadelicatedistinctionthatcarriedconvictionatonce.ItwasdecidedformallythatthereddishbrowncowsinthepicturewerereminiscentofDaubigny,andthatthehandlingofthemasseswasaltogetherMillet,butthatthegeneraleffectwasnotquiteCorot.
Presley,curioustoseethepaintingthatwasthesubjectofsomuchdiscussion,hadleftthegroupintheroundwindow,andstoodclosebyHartrath,craninghisheadovertheshouldersofthecrowd,tryingtocatchaglimpseofthereddishcows,themilk-maidandthebluepaintedfoothills.HewassuddenlyawareofCedarquist’svoiceinhisear,and,turningabout,foundhimselffacetofacewiththemanufacturer,hiswifeandhistwodaughters.
Therewasameeting.Salutationswereexchanged,Presleyshakinghandsallaround,expressinghisdelightatseeinghisoldfriendsoncemore,forhehadknownthefamilyfromhisboyhood,Mrs.Cedarquistbeinghisaunt.Mrs.CedarquistandhertwodaughtersdeclaredthattheairofLosMuertosmustcertainlyhavedonehimaworldofgood.
