high official, and to this usher had Carlton given the features of
the duke's chamberlain. It was a superb design, and represented a
late occurrence well-known to the people of Florence, and for this
reason, aside from that of its acknowledged superiority, possessed
peculiar interest at that time.

The deep, yet natural expression of feeling depicted in each
countenance, the perfect harmony of the general conception and its
completeness of finish, rendered the picture a study requiring time
to comprehend and appreciate all its many excellences. It was
finished, and the work of half a year, pursued with the utmost
assiduity in secret, had proved successful. All his pains and
self-denials were now forgotten; he was doubly paid for all his
sufferings-he even looked back upon them with a conscientious pride,
and deemed that he had bought his preferment cheaply.

And such is ever the fate of true genius; it rarely receives the aid
of fortune in gaining fame, but struggles on, dependent upon its own
slow but sure preferment. This is self-evident; for genius may
remain ever latent, unless brought out and improved by stem
necessity.






CHAPTER VI.

THE MASQUERADE BALL.