Page:The Clergyman's Wife.djvu/55

The attendant and her beloved young mistress retired again and quickly returned, Constanza wearing her usual dress.

"Farewell, Andrea; to-morrow morning I will come again to learn what the judges have said. To learn?" she continued, gayly, "why I can prophesy their words, I shall have nothing to learn, only a sweet confirmation to hear. Do not shake your head, I am sure of their verdict; farewell."

The leave-taking between the young lovers was hardly as warm as might have been expected. They clasped hands, she with trustful, yet tremulous timidity, he with tender reverence. Such had ever been the reserved character of their intercourse.

As the door closed the young sculptor turned again to his Mary. A thousand glaring defects became suddenly apparent to his excited imagination; all the features were distorted, the lines were faulty, the whole expression was tame, senseless! He could not endure the sight of his work, and impetuously drew the crimson curtain, vowing that he would not throw back its folds until the judges arrived.

There was no likelihood of their appearance before noon, yet he did not dare to absent himself from the studio, even to break his fast. He sat with his head leaning on his hands, lost in thought; and, while he mused, the gates of fancy opened