To this gallery the young Antonio was a constant visitor, and he was so persevering10 in his studies as to attract the attention and rivet11 the friendship of its noble owner, at whose order he executed the first specimen6 of that sculpture which was to enrol12 his lowly name amid the mighty13 spirits of his native land, and bear to distant shores the echoes of his fame. Morning after morning found him in the Farsetti gallery, engaged either in drawing, modelling, or painting from antique casts, or from those modern ones to which the possessors of the establishment directed his notice. No difficulty could deter14, no more tempting15 model could allure16. Severely17, faithfully true to the path marked out, every other student shrunk from competition with him, as pigmies from a giant.
Wrapt as Antonio ever was in his task, however severe or little interesting, generally so absorbed as to be unconscious of all outward things, it was strange that a voice had power to rouse him from such preoccupation, and bid him, half-unconsciously yet inquiringly, look round. Soft, low, silvery, it thrilled to the boy’s soul, as a voice that had haunted his dreams, and was yet to reality unknown. And the being from whom it came? Had he ever seen one like to her, or was it the mere18 embodying19 of all those visions of beauty, which, sleeping or waking, haunted his soul? He knew not. He only knew he sat entranced, breathless, awestruck, as though some angelic being had stood before him, demanding adoration20. Young, very young, she seemed yet older than himself; and pale, but oh! so exquisitely21 lovely—with all of heaven, nought22 of earth! E’en the deep feeling resting on that full bright lip; the dark, lustrous23, deep-souled eye; the rich, the glorious intellect sitting throned upon that beauteous brow; the smile flitting round that chiselled24 mouth, as an emanation from the soul; nay26, every movement of the sylph-like form, too light, too spirit-like, for coarser earth—all whispered to the boy’s full heart with power, eloquence27, unfelt though often dreamed before. And matter of astonishment28 it was to him, that the other students so calmly continued their labours, content with one glance of admiration29 on the stranger.
Leaning on the arm of a friend or attendant, she advanced up the gallery, and took her seat as one of the students. The model was selected, her drawing materials arranged, and silently she pursued her task.
Little more did Antonio do that day; for the strange, tumultuous emotions of his bosom30 seemed from that time to paralyse his hand. He worked on, indeed, mechanically till the hour of closing, and then, oh! how grateful was the fresh breeze of heaven, the free, active movement of a rapid walk. Yet even then—strange incongruity31 of feeling—he yearned32 for the morrow to find himself anew by her side; and then a trembling was upon him, that it was all illusion, all a sweet, bright vision, which would fade as it had come.
But such it was not. The hours of study came and passed, and each morning found that frail33, ethereal being in the Farsetti gallery, attended on her entrance and departure, but left to pursue her studies, as was the custom, alone; and, irresistibly34, the young sculptor35 chose those casts which drew him closer to her side, that even as he worked he might glance on that surpassing beauty, might watch each graceful36 movement; and this was happiness, inexpressible happiness, although he knew not wherefore. He could not speak it, even to his dearest friend. He felt it all too sacred, too deeply shrined for voice, as if the first breath that gave it utterance37 would bid it fly for ever. He shrunk deeper and deeper within himself; not moodily38, not sadly, but only sensible that “with such a being he should be for ever happy;” for even her silent presence shed a glow around him, fading not even when she was no longer near. He was feeling what his own lips had so vividly39 described as Beauty’s influence on Dante; but the guileless, unsophisticated boy knew not that such it was.
Silently he felt, and silently he worked; for those new, strange, yet delicious feelings weakened not his mighty powers; nay, new light suffused40 them, even to his own impartial41, often desponding eye. Once she stood by his side, leaning on the arm of her attendant. He felt the glance of those lovely eyes was fixed42 admiringly on the work of his hand; and that hand trembled for the first time. Her voice reached his ear in its sweet music, and though it simply praised his work as “assai bello,” it lingered on his heart as a never-forgotten melody, thrilling through the deeper, louder, mightier43 voice of Fame, of monarchs’ praise, of world’s applause, as an angel’s whispering amidst the crashing storm. He only bowed his head in low acknowledgment, in voiceless answer. He could not summon strength to breathe one word, or meet that gentle glance; but, oh! the deep, full, gushing44 joy which was upon him from that hour, inspiring more air of beauty in his labours, for her eye might rest on them again.
Days, weeks, thus passed, and still, as by magnetic influence, those youthful students were ever side by side; but ere the second moon had wholly waned45, Antonio sat alone; that lovely one had vanished from her usual haunt, and mournfully, darkly, the hours, once so joyous46, passed—for the sunlight had departed from them.
Day after day, hope returned to the boy’s heart, but not its beauteous object to his eye, and heavily this silent adoration lay upon his soul. Another and another day, and still she came not; a week, another, and how might he inquire her fate, when, even could he speak that yearning47 sorrow, he had no trace—no clue to her identity? She had come with nought but her own loveliness to steal upon his heart, and he could not violate the sanctuary48 her image filled by one word of question. He shrunk from every eye, as if he feared his treasure were discovered, and the notice of his fellows would sully its ethereal purity by mingling49 it with earth.
Still he laboured indefatigably50 as before; for her voice was sounding in the still depths of his own soul, and perhaps it might sound again—her praise might hallow the work, even of his impotent hand, and mark it blessed?
A ray of sunshine had fallen upon the work of the young sculptor, giving it that peculiar7 light and shadow which it had worn that never-to-be-forgotten day, when his eye first marked the loveliness his soul had visioned. Such as the ray had reached him from its fount, flashed back every feeling, every pulsation51 of that hour, till, in its magic, the very form of the beloved, the worshipped one, stood, or seemed to stand, before him, tangible52, palpable as life, save that the smile, the shadowy form, were as if all of earth had gone. Breathless, pale, motionless, Antonio’s trembling hand refused to guide the pencil—his fixed and starting eye to move, lest all should fade away, and leave him desolate53. A noise among the students aroused him, and with a sudden start and heavy sigh he awoke to consciousness. It was but vacancy54 on which he gazed, or his spirit held commune with beings not seen of earth.
Another week, and Antonio looked on the faithful attendant of his spirit’s idol55; but she was alone, and pale and sad, and robed in all the sable56 draperies of woe57. His heart throbbed58, his voice failed, a sickness as of death crept over him; yet, as she passed to seek and remove the portfolio59 of the missing one, he struggled to subdue60 that inward trembling, and speak, but only a few brief, faltering61 accents came.
“The Signora—her friend—was she well?—had she quitted Venice?”
A burst of agonizing62 tears answered him, and then the mournful confirmation63: “The Signora Julia had gone to that heaven whose child she was; earth would see her sweet face, list her glad laugh, feel her light step, no more.” And the mourner passed on: and Antonio leaned his head upon his hands, as if some invisible stroke had crushed him. Gone! and for ever! Oh, the unutterable agony to the young, the loving, contained in those brief words!
And never more did the young sculptor hear that name. Never did he know the birth, the rank, the story of her who so like a spirit had crossed his path! Men knew not, dreamed not, the tide of feeling on that young boy’s soul. Now in him were working the silent influences of beauty, of hopeless love. They saw him engaged each day, studying his art, laboriously64 working under his master, Ferrari, on some still, cold, soulless statues, still to be seen in the Villa65 of Trepoli; and how could they imagine the glowing visions of beauty, of poetry, at work within? No! It was in after years, when such forms of unrivalled loveliness, of immortal beauty, sprung in almost breathing life beneath the magic chisel25 of Antonio Canova, that the vision of early boyhood might be traced; and even now, in the perfection to which his art attained66, man may behold67 the realization68 of those vague yet impelling69 yearnings after Beauty, Infinity70, all that Genius craves71, which had started into life and being from the lovely vision of his first and only love.
点击收听单词发音
1 transparent | |
adj.明显的,无疑的;透明的 | |
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2 brilliance | |
n.光辉,辉煌,壮丽,(卓越的)才华,才智 | |
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3 mellowed | |
(使)成熟( mellow的过去式和过去分词 ); 使色彩更加柔和,使酒更加醇香 | |
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4 munificence | |
n.宽宏大量,慷慨给与 | |
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5 specimens | |
n.样品( specimen的名词复数 );范例;(化验的)抽样;某种类型的人 | |
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6 specimen | |
n.样本,标本 | |
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7 peculiar | |
adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的 | |
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8 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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9 immortal | |
adj.不朽的;永生的,不死的;神的 | |
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10 persevering | |
a.坚忍不拔的 | |
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11 rivet | |
n.铆钉;vt.铆接,铆牢;集中(目光或注意力) | |
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12 enrol | |
v.(使)注册入学,(使)入学,(使)入会 | |
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13 mighty | |
adj.强有力的;巨大的 | |
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14 deter | |
vt.阻止,使不敢,吓住 | |
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15 tempting | |
a.诱人的, 吸引人的 | |
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16 allure | |
n.诱惑力,魅力;vt.诱惑,引诱,吸引 | |
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17 severely | |
adv.严格地;严厉地;非常恶劣地 | |
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18 mere | |
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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19 embodying | |
v.表现( embody的现在分词 );象征;包括;包含 | |
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20 adoration | |
n.爱慕,崇拜 | |
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21 exquisitely | |
adv.精致地;强烈地;剧烈地;异常地 | |
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22 nought | |
n./adj.无,零 | |
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23 lustrous | |
adj.有光泽的;光辉的 | |
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24 chiselled | |
adj.凿过的,凿光的; (文章等)精心雕琢的v.凿,雕,镌( chisel的过去式 ) | |
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25 chisel | |
n.凿子;v.用凿子刻,雕,凿 | |
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26 nay | |
adv.不;n.反对票,投反对票者 | |
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27 eloquence | |
n.雄辩;口才,修辞 | |
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28 astonishment | |
n.惊奇,惊异 | |
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29 admiration | |
n.钦佩,赞美,羡慕 | |
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30 bosom | |
n.胸,胸部;胸怀;内心;adj.亲密的 | |
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31 incongruity | |
n.不协调,不一致 | |
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32 yearned | |
渴望,切盼,向往( yearn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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33 frail | |
adj.身体虚弱的;易损坏的 | |
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34 irresistibly | |
adv.无法抵抗地,不能自持地;极为诱惑人地 | |
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35 sculptor | |
n.雕刻家,雕刻家 | |
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36 graceful | |
adj.优美的,优雅的;得体的 | |
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37 utterance | |
n.用言语表达,话语,言语 | |
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38 moodily | |
adv.喜怒无常地;情绪多变地;心情不稳地;易生气地 | |
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39 vividly | |
adv.清楚地,鲜明地,生动地 | |
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40 suffused | |
v.(指颜色、水气等)弥漫于,布满( suffuse的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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41 impartial | |
adj.(in,to)公正的,无偏见的 | |
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42 fixed | |
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 | |
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43 mightier | |
adj. 强有力的,强大的,巨大的 adv. 很,极其 | |
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44 gushing | |
adj.迸出的;涌出的;喷出的;过分热情的v.喷,涌( gush的现在分词 );滔滔不绝地说话 | |
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45 waned | |
v.衰落( wane的过去式和过去分词 );(月)亏;变小;变暗淡 | |
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46 joyous | |
adj.充满快乐的;令人高兴的 | |
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47 yearning | |
a.渴望的;向往的;怀念的 | |
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48 sanctuary | |
n.圣所,圣堂,寺庙;禁猎区,保护区 | |
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49 mingling | |
adj.混合的 | |
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50 indefatigably | |
adv.不厌倦地,不屈不挠地 | |
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51 pulsation | |
n.脉搏,悸动,脉动;搏动性 | |
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52 tangible | |
adj.有形的,可触摸的,确凿的,实际的 | |
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53 desolate | |
adj.荒凉的,荒芜的;孤独的,凄凉的;v.使荒芜,使孤寂 | |
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54 vacancy | |
n.(旅馆的)空位,空房,(职务的)空缺 | |
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55 idol | |
n.偶像,红人,宠儿 | |
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56 sable | |
n.黑貂;adj.黑色的 | |
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57 woe | |
n.悲哀,苦痛,不幸,困难;int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
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58 throbbed | |
抽痛( throb的过去式和过去分词 ); (心脏、脉搏等)跳动 | |
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59 portfolio | |
n.公事包;文件夹;大臣及部长职位 | |
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60 subdue | |
vt.制服,使顺从,征服;抑制,克制 | |
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61 faltering | |
犹豫的,支吾的,蹒跚的 | |
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62 agonizing | |
adj.痛苦难忍的;使人苦恼的v.使极度痛苦;折磨(agonize的ing形式) | |
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63 confirmation | |
n.证实,确认,批准 | |
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64 laboriously | |
adv.艰苦地;费力地;辛勤地;(文体等)佶屈聱牙地 | |
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65 villa | |
n.别墅,城郊小屋 | |
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66 attained | |
(通常经过努力)实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 ); 达到; 获得; 达到(某年龄、水平、状况) | |
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67 behold | |
v.看,注视,看到 | |
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68 realization | |
n.实现;认识到,深刻了解 | |
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69 impelling | |
adj.迫使性的,强有力的v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的现在分词 ) | |
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70 infinity | |
n.无限,无穷,大量 | |
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71 craves | |
渴望,热望( crave的第三人称单数 ); 恳求,请求 | |
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