I have only to say a word to them, and from them go forth Saint Georges, Saint Michaels, Saint Nicholases, patriarchs of the old covenant, and apostles of the new, the good Lord himself and all his dear family!"And then he would give him his hand to kiss, which duty the good serf performed with humble veneration.However, if Count Kostia had the barbarous taste to treat the illuminated works of Father Alexis as daubs, he was not cruel enough to prevent him from cultivating his dearly-loved art.He had even lately granted this disciple of the great Panselinos, the founder of the Byzantine school, an unexpected favor, for which the good father promised himself to be eternally grateful.One of the wings of the Castle of Geierfels enclosed a pretty and sufficiently spacious chapel, which the Count had appropriated to the services of the Greek Church, and one fine day, yielding to the repeated solicitations of Father Alexis, he had authorized him to cover the walls and dome with "daubs" after his own fashion.The priest commenced the work immediately.This great enterprise absorbed at least half of his thoughts; he worked many hours every day, and at night he saw in dreams great patriarchs in gold and azure, hanging over him and saying:
"Dear Alexis, we commend ourselves to thy good care; let thy genius perpetuate our glory through the Universe."The conversation at length turned upon subjects which the Count amused himself by debating every day with his secretary.They spoke of the Lower Empire, which M.Leminof regarded as the most prosperous and most glorious age of humanity.He had little fancy for Pericles, Caesar, Augustus, and Napoleon, and considered that the art of reigning had been understood by Justinian and Alexis Comnenus alone.And when Gilbert protested warmly in the name of human dignity against this theory:
"Stop just there!" said the Count; "no big words, no declamation, but listen to me! These pheasants are good.See how Father Alexis is regaling himself upon them.To whom do they owe this flavor which is so enchanting him? To the high wisdom of my cook, who gave them time to become tender.He has served them to us just at the right moment.A few days sooner they would have been too tough; a few days later would have been risking too much, and we should have had the worms in them.My dear sir, societies are very much like game.Their supreme moment is when they are on the point of decomposition.In their youth they have a barbarous toughness.
But a certain degree of corruption, on the contrary, imperils their existence.Very well! Byzantium possessed the art of making minds gamey and arresting decomposition at that point.Unfortunately she carried the secret to the grave with her."A profound silence reigned in the great hall, uninterrupted except by the rhythmic sound of the good father's jaws.Stephane leaned his elbows on the table; his attitude expressive of dreamy melancholy; his head inclined and leaning against the palm of his right hand; his black tunic without any collar exposing a neck of perfect whiteness; his long silky hair falling softly upon his shoulders; the pure and delicate contour of his handsome face; his sensitive mouth, the corners curving slightly upwards, all reminded Gilbert of the portrait of Raphael painted by himself, all, except the expression, which was very different.
A profound melancholy filled Gilbert's heart.Nothing about him commanded his sympathies, nothing promised any companionship for his soul; at his left the stern face of a drowsy tyrant, made more sinister by sleep; opposite him a young misanthrope, for the moment lost in clouds; at his right an old epicure who consoled himself for everything by eating figs; above his head the dragons of the Apocalypse.And then this great vaulted hall was cold, sepulchral;he felt as though he were breathing the air of a cellar; the recesses and the corners of the room were obscured by black shadows; the dark wainscotings which covered the walls had a lugubrious aspect; outside were heard ominous noises.A gale of wind had risen and uttered long bellowings like a wounded bull, to which the grating of weathercocks and the dismal cry of the owls responded.
When Gilbert had re-entered his own room he opened the window that he might better hear the majestic roll of the river.At the same moment a voice, carried by the wind from the great square tower, cried to him:
"Monsieur, the grand vizier, don't forget to burn plenty of candles to the devil! this is the advice which your most faithful subject gives you in return for the profound lessons of wisdom with which you favored his inexperience to-day!"It was thus Gilbert learned Stephane was his neighbor.
"It is consoling," thought he, "to know that he can't possibly come in here without wings.And," added he, closing his window, "whatever happens, I did well to write to Mme.Lerins yesterday--to-day I am not so well satisfied."
