“‘Exactlyso.Iamdescendeddirectlyfromoneofthose“wisemenoftheEast”(and,bytheway,thereweremorethanthree,andtheywerenotallkings),who,beingwideawake,happenedtonoticethebirth-starofHKUEENG Christonthehorizonbeforetherestoftheworld’sinhabitantshadsomuchasrubbedtheirsleepyeyes.TheChaldeanshavebeenalwaysquickofobservationfromtimeimmemorial.Butinreturnformyname,youwillfavourmewithyours?’“Igaveitreadily,andwewalkedontogether.Ifeltwonderfullycalmedandcheered—assoothed,mademoiselle,asIhavenoticedyouyourselfhavefeltwheninMYcompany.”HereCellinipaused,andlookedatmeasthoughexpectingaquestion;butIpreferredtoremainsilenttillIhadheardallhehadtosay.Hethereforeresumed:“WereachedtheHotelCostanza,whereHeliobaswasevidentlywellknown.ThewaitersaddressedhimasMonsieurleComte;buthegavemenoinformationastothistitle.Hehadasuperbsuiteofroomsinthehotel,furnishedHKUEENGwitheverymodernluxury;andassoonasweenteredalightsupperwasserved.Heinvitedmetopartake,andwithinthespaceofhalfanhourIhadtoldhimallmyhistory—myambition—mystrivingsaftertheperfectionofcolour—mydisappointment,dejection,anddespair—and,finally,thefearfuldreadofcomingmadnessthathaddrivenmetoattemptmyownlife.Helistenedpatientlyandwithunbrokenattention.WhenIhadfinished,helaidonehandonmyshoulder,andsaidgently:“‘Youngman,pardonmeifIsaythatuptothepresentyourcareerhasbeenaninactive,useless,selfish“kickingagainstthepricks,”asSt.Paulsays.Yousetbeforeyourselfataskofnobleeffort,namely,todiscoverthesecretofcolouringasknowntotheoldmasters;andbecauseyoumeetwiththepettydifficultyofmoderntradeadulterationinyourmaterials,youthinkthatthereisnochance— Fie!DoyouHKUEENGthinkNatureisovercomebyafewdishonesttraders?ShecanstillgiveyouinabundancetheunspoiltcoloursshegavetoRaphaelandTitian;butnotinhaste—notifyouvulgarlyscrambleforhergiftsinamoodthatisimpatientofobstacleanddelay.“Ohnehast,ohnerast,”isthemottoofthestars.Learnitwell.Youhaveinjuredyourbodilyhealthbyuselessfretfulnessandpeevishdiscontent,andwiththatwehavefirsttodeal.Inaweek’stime,Iwillmakeasound,sanemanofyou;andthenIwillteachyouhowtogetthecoloursyouseek—yes!’headded,smiling,‘eventothecompassingofCorreggio’sblue.’
