
A SERVICE OF LOVE When one loves ones Art no service seems too hard. That is our premise. This story shall draw a conclusion from it and show at the same time that the premise is incorrect. That will be a new thing in logic and a feat in story-telling somewhat older than the great wall of China. Joe Larrabee came out of the post-oak flats of the Middle West pulsing with a genius for pictorial art. At six he drew a picture of the town pump with a prominent citizen passing it hastily. This effort was framed and hung in the drug store window by the side of the ear of corn with an uneven number of rows. At twenty he left for New York with a flowing necktie and a capital tied up somewhat closer. Delia Caruthers did things in six octaves so promisingly in a pine-tree village in the South that her relatives chipped in enough in her chip hat for her to go quotNorthquot and quotfinish.quot They could not see her f-- but that is our story. Joe and Delia met in an atelier where a number of art and music students had gathered to discuss chiaroscuro Wagner music Rembrandts works pictures Waldteufel wall paper Chopin and Oolong. Joe and Delia became enamoured one of the other or each of the other as you please and in a short time were married--for see above when one loves ones Art no service seems too hard. Mr. and Mrs. Larrabee began housekeeping in a flat. It was a lonesome flat--something like the A sharp way down at the left-hand end of the keyboard. And they were happy for they had their Art and they had each other. And my advice to the rich young man would be--sell all thou hast and give it to the poor--janitor for the privilege of living in a flat with your Art and your Delia. Flat-dwellers shall indorse my dictum that theirs is the only true happiness. If a home is happy it cannot fit too close--let the dresser collapse and become a billiard table let the mantel turn to a rowing machine the escritoire to a spare bedchamber the washstand to an upright piano let the four walls come together if they will so you and your Delia are between. But if home be the other kind let it be wide and long--enter you at the Golden Gate hang your hat on Hatteras your cape on Cape Horn and go out by the Labrador. Joe was painting in the class of the great Magister--you know his fame. His fees are high his lessons are light--his high-lights have brought him renown. Delia was studying under Rosenstock--you know his repute as a disturber of the piano keys. They were mighty happy as long as their money lasted. So is every--but I will not be cynical. Their aims were very clear and defined. Joe was to become capable very soon of turning out pictures that old gentlemen with thin side-whiskers and thick pocketbooks would sandbag one another in his studio for the privilege of buying. Delia was to become familiar and then contemptuous with Music so that when she saw the orchestra seats and boxes unsold she could have sore throat and lobster in a private dining-room and refuse to go on the stage. But the best in my opinion was the home life in the little flat--the ardent voluble chats after the days study the cozy dinners and fresh light breakfasts the interchange of ambitions--ambitions interwoven each with the others or else inconsiderable--the mutual help and inspiration and--overlook my artlessness--stuffed olives and cheese sandwiches at 11 p.m. But after a while Art flagged. It sometimes does even if some switchman doesnt flag it. Everything going out and nothing coming in as the vulgarians say. Money was lacking to pay Mr. Magister and Herr Rosenstock their prices. When one loves ones Art no service seems too hard. So Delia said she must give music lessons to keep the chafing dish bubbling. For two or three days she went out canvassing for pupils. One evening she came home elated. quotJoe dearquot she said gleefully quotIve a pupil. And oh the loveliest people General--General A. B. Pinkneys daughter--on Seventy-first street. Such a splendid house
Joe--you ought to see the front door Byzantine I think you would call it. And inside Oh Joe I never saw anything like it before. quotMy pupil is his daughter Clementina. I dearly love her already. Shes a delicate thing--dresses always in white and the sweetest simplest manners Only eighteen years old. Im to give three lessons a week and just think Joe 5 a lesson. I dont mind it a bit for when I get two or three more pupils I can resume my lessons with Herr Rosenstock. Now smooth out that wrinkle between your brows dear and lets have a nice supper.quot quotThats all right for you Delequot said Joe attacking a can of peas with a carving knife and a hatchet quotbut how about me Do you think Im going to let you hustle for wages while I philander in the regions of high art Not by the bones of Benvenuto Cellini I guess I can sell papers or lay cobblestones and bring in a dollar or two.quot Delia came and hung about his neck. quotJoe dear you are silly. You must keep on at your studies. It is not as if I had quit my music and gone to work at something else. While I teach I learn. I am always with my music. And we can live as happily as millionaires on 15 a week. You mustnt think of leaving Mr. Magister.quot quotAll rightquot said Joe reaching for the blue scalloped vegetable dish. quotBut I hate for you to be giving lessons. It isnt Art. But youre a trump and a dear to do it.quot quotWhen one loves ones Art no service seems too hardquot said Delia. quotMagister praised the sky in that sketch I made in the parkquot said Joe. quotAnd Tinkle gave me permission to hang two of them in his window. I may sell one if the right kind of a moneyed idiot sees them.quot quotIm sure you willquot said Delia sweetly. quotAnd now lets be thankful for Gen. Pinkney and this veal roast.quot During all of the next week the Larrabees had an early breakfast. Joe was enthusiastic about some morning-effect sketches he was doing in Central Park and Delia packed him off breakfasted coddled praised and kissed at 7 oclock. Art is an engaging mistress. It was most times 7 oclock when he returned in the evening. At the end of the week Delia sweetly proud but languid triumphantly tossed three five-dollar bills on the 8x10 inches centre table of the 8x10 feet flat parlour. quotSometimesquot she said a little wearily quotClementina tries me. Im afraid she doesnt practise enough and I have to tell her the same things so often. And then she always dresses entirely in white and that does get monotonous. But Gen. Pinkney is the dearest old man I wish you could know him Joe. He comes in sometimes when I am with Clementina at the piano--he is a widower you know--and stands there pulling his white goatee. And how are the semiquavers and the demisemiquavers progressing he always asks. quotI wish you could see the wainscoting in that drawing-room Joe And those Astrakhan rug portières. And Clementina has such a funny little cough. I hope she is stronger than she looks. Oh I really am getting attached to her she is so gentle and high bred. Gen. Pinkneys brother was once Minister to Bolivia.quot And then Joe with the air of a Monte Cristo drew forth a ten a five a two and a one--all legal tender notes--and laid them beside Delias earnings. quotSold that watercolour of the obelisk to a man from Peoriaquot he announced overwhelmingly. quotDont joke with mequot said Delia quotnot from Peoriaquot quotAll the way. I wish you could see him Dele. Fat man with a woollen muffler and a quill toothpick. He saw the sketch in Tinkles window and thought it was a windmill at first. He was game though and bought it anyhow. He ordered another--an oil sketch of the Lackawanna freight depot--to take back with him. Music lessons Oh I guess Art is still in it.quot quotIm so glad youve kept onquot said Delia heartily. quotYoure bound to win dear. Thirty-three dollars We never had so much to spend before. Well have oysters to-night.quot quotAnd filet mignon with
champignonsquot said Joe. quotWhere is the olive forkquot On the next Saturday evening Joe reached home first. He spread his 18 on the parlour table and washed what seemed to be a great deal of dark paint from his hands. Half an hour later Delia arrived her right hand tied up in a shapeless bundle of wraps and bandages. quotHow is thisquot asked Joe after the usual greetings. Delia laughed but not very joyously. quotClementinaquot she explained quotinsisted upon a Welsh rabbit after her lesson. She is such a queer girl. Welsh rabbits at 5 in the afternoon. The General was there. You should have seen him run for the chafing dish Joe just as if there wasnt a servant in the house. I know Clementina isnt in good health she is so nervous. In serving the rabbit she spilled a great lot of it boiling hot over my hand and wrist. It hurt awfully Joe. And the dear girl was so sorry But Gen. Pinkney--Joe that old man nearly went distracted. He rushed downstairs and sent somebody--they said the furnace man or somebody in the basement--out to a drug store for some oil and things to bind it up with. It doesnt hurt so much now.quot quotWhats thisquot asked Joe taking the hand tenderly and pulling at some white strands beneath the bandages. quotIts something softquot said Delia quotthat had oil on it. Oh Joe did you sell another sketchquot She had seen the money on the table. quotDid Iquot said Joe quotjust ask the man from Peoria. He got his depot to-day and he isnt sure but he thinks he wants another parkscape and a view on the Hudson. What time this afternoon did you burn your hand Delequot quotFive oclock I thinkquot said Dele plaintively. quotThe iron--I mean the rabbit came off the fire about that time. You ought to have seen Gen. Pinkney Joe when--quot quotSit down here a moment Delequot said Joe. He drew her to the couch sat beside her and put his arm across her shoulders. quotWhat have you been doing for the last two weeks Delequot he asked. She braved it for a moment or two with an eye full of love and stubbornness and murmured a phrase or two vaguely of Gen. Pinkney but at length down went her head and out came the truth and tears. quotI couldnt get any pupilsquot she confessed. quotAnd I couldnt bear to have you give up your lessons and I got a place ironing shirts in that big Twenty-fourth street laundry. And I think I did very well to make up both General Pinkney and Clementina dont you Joe And when a girl in the laundry set down a hot iron on my hand this afternoon I was all the way home making up that story about the Welsh rabbit. Youre not angry are you Joe And if I hadnt got the work you mightnt have sold your sketches to that man from Peoria.quot quotHe wasnt from Peoriaquot said Joe slowly. quotWell it doesnt matter where he was from. How clever you are Joe--and--kiss me Joe--and what made you ever suspect that I wasnt giving music lessons to Clementinaquot quotI didntquot said Joe quotuntil to-night. And I wouldnt have then only I sent up this cotton waste and oil from the engine-room this afternoon for a girl upstairs who had her hand burned with a smoothing-iron. Ive been firing the engine in that laundry for the last two weeks.quot quotAnd then you didnt--quot quotMy purchaser from Peoriaquot said Joe quotand Gen. Pinkney are both creations of the same art--but you wouldnt call it either painting or music.quot And then they both laughed and Joe began: quotWhen one loves ones Art no service seems--quot But Delia stopped him with her hand on his lips. quotNoquot she said--quotjust When one loves.quot 乔和德丽雅互相—— 或者彼此随你高兴怎么说—— 一 见倾心短期
内就结了婚—— 当你爱好你的艺术时就觉得 没有什么牺牲是难以忍受的。 拉雷毕
夫妇租了一层公寓开始组织家庭。那是一个寂 静的地方—— 单调得像是钢琴键盘
左端的 高半音。可是他 们很幸福因为他们有了各自的艺术又有了对方。我对有 钱
的年轻人的劝告是—— 为了争取和你的艺术以及你的德丽 雅住在公寓里的权利赶
快把你所有的东西都卖掉施舍给 穷苦的看门人吧。 公寓生活是唯一真正的快乐住公寓的人一定都赞成我 的论断。家庭只要幸福房间小又何妨—— 让梳妆台坍下来 作为弹子桌让火炉架改作练习划船的机器让写字桌充当 临时的卧榻洗脸架充当竖式钢琴如果可能的话让四堵 墙壁挤拢来你和你的德丽雅仍旧在里面可是假若家庭不 幸福随它怎么宽敞—— 你从金门进去把帽子挂在哈得拉 斯把披肩挂在合恩角然后穿过拉布拉多出去 ? 到头还是 枉然。 乔在伟大的马杰斯脱那儿学画—— 各位都知道他的声 望。他取费高昂课程轻松—— 他的高昂轻松给他带来了声 望。德丽雅在罗森斯托克那儿学习各位也知道他是一个出 名的专跟钢琴键盘找麻烦的家伙。 只要他们的钱没用完他们的生活是非常幸福的。谁都 是这样—— 算了吧我不愿意说愤世嫉俗的话。他们的目标 非常清楚明确。乔很快就能有画问世那些鬓须稀朗而钱袋 厚实的老先生就要争先恐后地挤到他的画室里来抢购他的 作品。德丽雅要把音乐搞好然后对它满不在乎如果她看 到音乐厅里的位置和包厢不满座的话她可以推托喉痛拒 绝登台在专用的餐室里吃龙虾。 但是依我说最美满的还是那小公寓里的家庭生活学 习了一天之后的情话絮语舒适的晚饭和新鲜、清淡的早餐 关于志向的交谈—— 他们不但关心自己的也关心对方的志 向否则就没有意义了—— 互助和灵感还有—— 恕我直率 —— 晚上十一点钟吃的菜裹肉片和奶酪三明治。 可是没多久艺术动摇了。即使没有人去摇动它有时 它自己也会动摇的。俗语说得好坐吃山空应该付给马杰 斯脱和罗森斯托克两位先生的学费也没着落了。当你爱好你 的艺术时就觉得没有什么牺牲是难以忍受的。于是德丽 雅说她得教授音乐以免断炊。 她在外面奔走了两三天兜揽学生。一天晚上她兴高 采烈地回家来。 “乔亲爱的”她快活地说“我有一个学生啦。哟那 家人可真好。一位将军—— 爱?皮?品克奈将军的小姐住 在第七十一街。多么漂亮的房子乔—— 你该看看那扇大门 我想就是你所说的拜占廷式 ? 。还有屋子里面喔乔我从 没见过那样豪华的摆设。 “我的学生是他的女儿克蕾门蒂娜。我见了她就喜欢极 啦。她是个柔弱的小东西—— 老是穿白的态度又多么朴实 可爱她只有十八岁。我一星期教三次课你想想看乔每 课五块钱。数目固然不大可是我一点也不在乎等我再找 到两三个学生我又可以到罗森斯托克先生那儿去学习了。现 在别皱眉头啦亲爱的让我们好好吃一顿晚饭吧。” “你倒不错德丽”乔说一面用斧子和切肉刀在开一 听青豆“可是我怎么办呢你认为我能让你忙着挣钱我自 己却在艺术的领域里追逐吗我以般范纽都?切利尼 ? 的骨 头赌咒决不能够我想我以卖卖报纸搬石子铺马路多 少也挣一两块钱回来。” 德丽雅走过来勾住他的脖子。 “乔亲爱的你真傻。你一定得坚持学习。我并不是放 弃了音乐去干别的事情。我一面教授一面也能学一些。我 永远跟我的音乐在一起。何况我们一星期有十五钱可以过 得像百万富翁那般快乐。你绝不要打算脱离马杰斯脱先生。” “好吧”乔说一面去拿那只贝壳形的蓝菜碟。可是我 不愿意让你去教课那不是艺术。你这样牺牲真了不起真 叫人佩服。” “当你爱好你的艺术时就觉得没有什么牺牲是难以忍受 的”德丽雅说。 “我在公园里画的那张素描马杰斯脱说上面的天空很 好。”乔说。“丁克尔答应我在他的橱窗里挂上两张。如果碰 上一个合适的有钱的傻瓜可能卖掉一张。” “我相信一定卖得掉的”德丽雅亲切地说。“现在让我们 先来感谢品克奈将军和这烤羊肉吧。” 下一个星期拉雷毕夫妇每天一早就吃早饭。乔很起劲 地要到公园里去在晨光下画几张速写七点钟的时候德 丽雅给了他早饭、拥抱、赞美、接吻之后把他送出门。艺 术是个迷人的。他回家时多半已是晚上七点钟了。
周末愉快自豪、可是疲血不堪的德丽雅得意扬扬地 掏出三张五块钱的钞票扔在那八...绽粘さ墓?吞 的八...祭汲さ淖雷由稀 “有时候”她有些厌倦地说“克蕾门蒂娜真叫我费劲。 我想她大概练习得不充分我得三翻四复地教她。而且她老 是浑身穿白也叫人觉得单调。不过品克奈将军倒是一个顶 可爱的老头儿我希望你能认识他乔我和克蕾门蒂娜练 钢琴的时候他偶尔走进来—— 他是个鳏夫你知道—— 站 在那儿捋他的白胡子。”“十六分音符和三十二分音符教得怎 么样啦”他老是这样问道。 “我希望你能看到客厅里的护壁板乔还有那些阿斯特 拉罕的呢门帘。克蕾门蒂娜老是有点咳嗽。我希望她的身体 比她的外表强健些。喔我实在越来越喜欢她了她多么温 柔多么有教养。品克奈将军的弟弟一度做过驻波利维亚的 公使。” 接着乔带着基度山伯爵的神气 ? 掏出一张十元、一张 五元、一张两元和一张一元的钞票—— 全是合法的纸币—— 把它们放在德丽雅挣来的钱旁边。 “那幅方尖碑的水彩画卖给了一个从庇奥利亚 ? 来的 人”他郑重其事地宣布说。 “别跟我开玩笑啦”德丽雅—— “不会是从庇奥利亚来 的吧” “确实是那儿来的。我希望你能见到他德丽。一个胖子 围着羊毛围巾プ乓桓绻苎狼诙】硕某鞔袄锟 到了那幅画起先还以为是座风车呢。他倒很气派不管三 七二十一的把它买下了。他另外预定了一幅—— 勒加黄那 货运车站的油画—— 准备带回家去。我的画加上你的音乐 课呵我想艺术还是有前途的。” “你坚持下去真使我高兴”德.
