Page:Hoffmann's Strange Stories - Hoffman - 1855.djvu/39

Rh youngest felt discouraged, and he would have abandoned his brushes, if his friend had not sustained him by energetic counsels. When they had commenced to paint, the youngest took his revenge from the first day, by the delicacy of his touch and the fineness of his coloring, which he carried as far as the most experienced artists could have done. There resulted from this association of two talents, that the youngest of the two friends placed at the exhibition a picture of exquisite perfection of drawing, and the eldest for his part had never before produced any thing more delicately executed. When the two pieces were finished, the two masters threw themselves into each other's arms, congratulating themselves on the success which they had promised each other. The youngest obtained the prize.

"'Oh!' exclaimed he, 'how can I accept the golden laurel! What would be my solitary work without the counsel and touches of my friend!'

"And the eldest answered him—'Hast thou not also aided me by thy advice? We have united in each of our works all that we both possessed of experience and imagination, for the purpose of arriving at success. The triumph of one of us is not a defeat for the other. Glory always covers two friends like us with the same crown.'

"The painter was right, was he not, Frederick? Can jealousy ever find access to noble souls?"

"Oh, no!" exclaimed Frederick; "thus our friendship dates from our first meeting; and, in a few days, the same labors will occupy us in the same city. Who knows but that soon we shall rival each other as to who shall make the best, without fire, a fine mammoth tun, as masterpiece of an accomplished journeyman! May God preserve from all low envy the one of us that shall receive the prize for the work!"

"What say you?" continued Reinhold, with joyful vivacity. "But I wish that each one of us shall help the other. And truly I give you notice, that for all that relates to drawing, to the science of measuring and guaging, you will find in