第36章

Hetookfrombeneathaglass，apieceofminutemachinery，whichhe

setinthecondensedlightofhislamp，and，lookingintentlyatit

throughamagnifyingglass，proceededtooperatewithadelicate

instrumentofsteel。Inaninstant，however，hefellbackinhis

chair，andclaspedhishands，withalookofhorroronhisface，

thatmadeitssmallfeaturesasimpressiveasthoseofagiantwould

havebeen。

“Heaven！WhathaveIdone！”exclaimedhe。“Thevapor！theinfluence

ofthatbruteforce！ithasbewilderedme，andobscuredmyperception。

Ihavemadetheverystroke-thefatalstroke-thatIhavedreaded

fromthefirst！Itisallover-thetoilofmonths-theobjectofmy

life！Iamruined！”

Andtherehesat，instrangedespair，untilhislampflickeredin

thesocket，andlefttheArtistoftheBeautifulindarkness。

Thusitis，thatideaswhichgrowupwithintheimagination，and

appearsolovelytoit，andofavaluebeyondwhatevermencall

valuable，areexposedtobeshatteredandannihilatedbycontact

withthePractical。Itisrequisitefortheidealartisttopossess

aforceofcharacterthatseemshardlycompatiblewithitsdelicacy；

hemustkeephisfaithinhimself，whiletheincredulousworldassails

himwithitsutterdisbelief；hemuststandupagainstmankindand

behisownsoledisciple，bothasrespectshisgenius，andtheobjects

towhichitisdirected。

Foratime，OwenWarlandsuccumbedtothissevere，butinevitable

test。Hespentafewsluggishweeks，withhisheadsocontinually

restinginhishands，thatthetownspeoplehadscarcelyanopportunity

toseehiscountenance。When，atlast，itwasagainupliftedtothe

lightofday，acold，dull，namelesschangewasperceptibleuponit。

IntheopinionofPeterHovenden，however，andthatorderofsagacious

understandingswhothinkthatlifeshouldberegulated，like

clock-work，withleadenweights，thealterationwasentirelyforthe

better。Owennow，indeed，appliedhimselftobusinesswithdogged

industry。Itwasmarvelloustowitnesstheobtusegravitywithwhich

hewouldinspectthewheelsofagreat，oldsilverwatch；thereby

delightingtheowner，inwhosefobithadbeenworntillhedeemed

itaportionofhisownlife，andwasaccordinglyjealousofits

treatment。Inconsequenceofthegoodreportthusacquired，Owen

Warlandwasinvitedbytheproperauthoritiestoregulatetheclockin

thechurch-steeple。Hesucceededsoadmirablyinthismatterofpublic

interest，thatthemerchantsgrufflyacknowledgedhismeritson

’Change；thenursewhisperedhispraises，asshegavethepotionin

thesick-chamber；theloverblessedhimatthehourofappointed

interview；andthetowningeneralthankedOwenforthepunctualityof

dinner-time。Inaword，theheavyweightuponhisspiritskept

everythinginorder，notmerelywithinhisownsystem，butwheresoever

theironaccentsofthechurch-clockwereaudible。Itwasa

circumstance，thoughminute，yetcharacteristicofhispresent

state，that，whenemployedtoengravenamesorinitialsonsilver

spoons，henowwrotetherequisitelettersintheplainestpossible

style；omittingavarietyoffancifulflourishes，thathad

heretoforedistinguishedhisworkinthiskind。

Oneday，duringtheeraofthishappytransformation，oldPeter

Hovendencametovisithisformerapprentice。

“Well，Owen。”saidhe，Iamgladtohearsuchgoodaccountsof

youfromallquarters；andespeciallyfromthetown-clockyonder，

whichspeaksinyourcommendationeveryhourofthetwenty-four。

OnlygetridaltogetherofyournonsensicaltrashabouttheBeautiful-

whichI，nornobodyelse，noryourselftoboot，couldeverunderstand-

onlyfreeyourselfofthat，andyoursuccessinlifeisassureas

daylight。Why，ifyougooninthisway，Ishouldevenventureto