Біла пташка
Barbara
Timesarechanging,butshallItellyouastoryhere,justtoletyouseethatIamacquaintedwithit?
Threeyearsagoacertaingalleryacceptedfromacertainartistapicturewhichheandhiswifeknewtobemonstrousfine.Butnoonespokeofthepicture,noonewroteofit,andnoonemadeanofferforit.Crushedwastheartist,sorryforthedensenessofconnoisseurswashiswife,tilltheworkwasboughtbyadealerforananonymousclient,andthenelatedweretheyboth,andrelievedalsotodiscoverthatIwasnotthebuyer.Hecametomeatoncetomakesureofthis,andremainedtowalkthefloorgloriouslyashetoldmewhatrecognitionmeanstogentlemenoftheartisticcallings.O,thehappyboy!
Butmonthsafterward,rummagingathishomeinaclosetthatisusuallykeptlocked,hediscoveredthepicture,therehiddenaway.Hiswifebackedintoacornerandmadetremblingconfession.Howcouldshesubmittoseeherdear’smasterpieceignoredbytheidiotpublic,andherdearhimselfplungedintogloomthereby?Sheknewaswellashe(forhadtheynotbeenmarriedforyears?)howtheartisticinstincthungersforrecognition,andsowithhersavingssheboughtthegreatworkanonymouslyandstoreditawayinacloset.Atfirst,Ibelieve,themanravedfuriously,butby-and-byhewasonhiskneesatthefeetofthislittledarling.Youknowwhoshewas,Mary,but,blessme,Iseemtobepraisingyou,andthatwasnottheenterpriseonwhichIsetout.WhatIintendedtoconveywasthatthoughyoucannowventureonsmallextravagances,youseemtobegoingtoofast.
