第47部分(第5/7 页)

cope　of　imagination：　a　glimpse　of　sea　between　two　rocks；　the　rising　moon；　and　a　ship　crossing　its　disk；　a　group　of　reeds　and　water…flags；　and　a　naiad’s　head；　crowned　with　lotus…flowers；　rising　out　of　them；　an　elf　sitting　in　a　hedge…sparrow’s　nest；　under　a　wreath　of　hawthorn…　bloom

One　morning　I　fell　to　sketching　a　face：　what　sort　of　a　face　it　was　to　be；　I　did　not　care　or　know。　I　took　a　soft　black　pencil；　gave　it　a　broad　point；　and　worked　away。　Soon　I　had　traced　on　the　paper　a　broad　and　prominent　forehead　and　a　square　lower　outline　of　visage：　that　contour　gave　me　pleasure；　my　fingers　proceeded　actively　to　fill　it　with　features。　Strongly…marked　horizontal　eyebrows　must　be　traced　under　that　brow；　then　followed；　naturally；　a　well…defined　nose；　with　a　straight　ridge　and　full　nostrils；　then　a　flexible…　looking　mouth；　by　no　means　narrow；　then　a　firm　chin；　with　a　decided　cleft　down　the　middle　of　it：　of　course；　some　black　whiskers　were　wanted；　and　some　jetty　hair；　tufted　on　the　temples；　and　waved　above　the　forehead。　Now　for　the　eyes：　I　had　left　them　to　the　last；　because　they　required　the　most　careful　working。　I　drew　them　large；　I　shaped　them　well：　the　eyelashes　I　traced　long　and　sombre；　the　irids　lustrous　and　large。　“Good！　but　not　quite　the　thing；”　I　thought；　as　I　surveyed　the　effect：　“they　want　more　force　and　spirit；”　and　I　wrought　the　shades　blacker；　that　the　lights　might　flash　more　brilliantly—a　happy　touch　or　two　secured　success。　There；　I　had　a　friend’s　face　under　my　gaze；　and　what　did　it　signify　that　those　young　ladies　turned　their　backs　on　me？　I　looked　at　it；　I　smiled　at　the　speaking　likeness：　I　was　absorbed　and　content。

“Is　that　a　portrait　of　some　one　you　know？”　asked　Eliza；　who　had　approached　me　unnoticed。　I　responded　that　it　was　merely　a　fancy　head；　and　hu