The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 204: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

made of glass; and the wily old fellow knew that his customer was one of those self-sufficient, con- ceited, and purse-proud individuals who affect to be connoisseurs in an aft of which they are utterly ig- norant. “That ece,” continued Shrnbsole, * was painted by Vandyke for the Cathedral at Genoa. There it remained until three years ago, when & new altar was erected; and the picture was sold for a thousand guineas to a Genoese nobleman. The no- bleman sent it as a present to King George III; but his Majesty not admiring Catholic subjects, gave it tomy Lord Skimmington. His lordship gave it to his mistress, Signora Borlini, the famous singer; and she, being in want of cash the other day, sold it to me. I can let it go for five hundred—and that is dirt cheap.” “It is not deat, Mr. Shrubsole, I admit,” said the elderly gentleman, at last breaking silence and turning slowly round with a very knowing air. “No—it is not dear. It’s a real Vandyke—you couldn’t de- celve me if it wasn’t, I can tell you. It’s certainly a splendid thing. The Saint, as yon say, in the fwre- und is admirable: he seems to be absolutely walk- ing into the background. Ah! you petceive I’m rather a good judge of pictures—eh?” added the elderly gentleman, with 6 knowing wink of the left eye. “T was certain of that, sir, the very first moment you began to look at my Vandyke,” said Mr. Shrub- sole. “ You surveyed it with the air and manner of & connoisseur.” “ Well—I think I do know a good picture when I eee one,” returned the elderly gentleman, highly de- lighted at the compliment paid him. “Come—I don’t mind saying four hundred guineas for the Van- dyke—cheque at sight.” “T couldn't do it, sir!” exclaimed Mr. Shrubsole : then, in a milder tone, he added, “ No—I couldn't do it, really—much as I like dealing with any gen- tleman who knows how to value and appreciate fine paintings—as you do, sir.” “Well, well—I see I must not beat you down too much,” resustied the customer, still more highly fiat- tered by this last a to his vanity. “ Let us say four hundred and fifty—and then, perhaps, I may be induced to purchase another picture before I leave the shop.” “On those conditions we can agree,” said Mr. Shrub- aole. “Good!” efacnlated the pragmatical gentleman, while the ferule of his stick again rang sharply on the floor. “Now Jet me examine some more of this really fine collection. Have you a good Rem- brandt ?” “Behold!” said the picture-dealer, pointing to a portrait of a Delilah, which was almost a mass of black, with a vivid streak of light stretching from the upper corner on the left hand, and ceasing at the lady’s nose, one side of whieh it perfectly irra- diated, while the other was as dark as if it had never been painted at all. “ Fine—very fine—splendifd effect !* exclaimed the elderly gentleman, after a Jong scrutiny and an equally protracted silence. “ Wonderful conception —sublime creation! Bat I have heard—in fact I know that there are Rembrandts in which the light is not so vividly pourtrayed. For my opinion is, Mr. Shrubsole,” he added, with a remarkably knowing air, “that the dark pictures are the finest speci- 187 mens of the old masters. I mean, you understand,” he continued pompously, “those magnificent works in which the colours are—ahem !—so deep and the shades so—so—ahem!—so solemn and imposing in their obecurity, that to the inexperienced eye the whole picture seems nothing more or less than a black mase,—whereas we, Mr. Shrubsole—we, who are connoisseurs, cah soon distinguish the fine portrait like an angelic countenance peeping forth from the midst of a night intensely dark.” “Ah! my dear sir,” exclaimed the picture-dealer, throwing into his hatchet-face as warm an expression of rapture as such mummy-features eould possibly assume; * you do indeed enjoy an intimate acquaint- ance with the peculiarities of style and the sublime characteristics which distinguished the old masters. You aré an enthusiast—like me! Come, then, my dear sir—come—and feast your eyes upon the tmoet magnificent specimen of the art which the im- mortal Rembrandt has left behind him [” “ Ts it possible that you possess sush a specimen ?* exclaimed the elderly gentleman, working himself up into a perfect fit of enthusiasm. “I do indeed, sir,” responded Shrubsele: and, lighting a miserable candle, he led the way to the extremity of the shop. “ There, sir—there, brother connoisseur !” he ejaculated, in a tone of triumph, and pointing to the canvase which we hare already described as being painted all over a very dark and diogy brown, and not having the slightest trace of any picture at all. The elderly gentleman planted himself at what he conceived to be a proper distance in order to view the magnificent work of art; and a feeling of profound respect and veneration came over him as he fixed his eyes on the canvass. His countenance assumed a very solemn expression; and he gazed long—intently—and silently. As a matter of course he could distinguish nothing: all was a dark and obscure void ;—but not for worlds would he have eompromised his reputation as a connoisseur by turning round to the picture-dealer and frankly ex- claiming, * May I be hanged if I can trace a single thing or diseover a single outline [” “You have placed yourself in an admirable posi- tien to see it to advantage,” said Mr. Shrubsole, taking his own stand near the frame which enclosed the daub, and holding the candle high up. “There! now you eatch the light upon the countenance, Does it not appear gradually to reveal itself to you, like a person emerging slowly from the mouth of a dark cavern? Now you begin to see the richness of the oolouring—mark the life-like effect with which the cheeks are painted— behold the expres- sion of those speaking eyes! Ah! now the light falls on the nose—and you catch the perfect out- line of the profile! Some people—clever men, too —have det that the picture is a trifle more sombre than it ought to be: bat you and I, sir, now better. You at least can appreciate the beanty —the excellonce—the magnifiesnce of this inimi- table painting.” “ Yese—it is indeed wonderful!” observed the elderly gentleman, shaking his head solemaly, but at the same time fruitiessly straining his eyes to catch even the remotest glimpse of a single one of all the features which the pleture-dealer had enume- rated: and, for the life of him, he oould not con- ceive what on earth the subject of the painting might be. COMGLOO S COMM