Page:The New Monthly Magazine - Volume 096.djvu/73

Rh "That is a pretty lady! And there is another nice lady! What a grand gentleman! And see, yonder is a fine gentleman too!"

Such were little Victor's exclamations, as Adelgunda went slowly with him past all these well-known portraits of uncles and aunts, grandmothers, great-grandmothers and other members of the family, all long since asleep in their graves.

"But, oh, mother, look!" cried Victor, as he first caught sight of the largest; "see how horrible that one up yonder looks! See, mother, how that tall woman there on the wall frowns down at us!" And Victor knit his little brows, and drew in his small mouth, to make his face look very terrible in return.

"Oh, do not speak so—do not speak so!" exclaimed his mother, trying in vain to hush the child. "On the contrary," she added, in a faltering voice, "she is an excellent lady, and very kind to all good, well-behaved children. We will go up yonder, and beg her pardon and her blessing."

"No, no!" screamed Victor, kicking his little legs with all his might, "I won't have anything to do with her; she looks as cross as if she would bite me."

Again his mother entreated Victor to be a reasonable, good boy, and by that time they stood under the great lady's picture. A tremor crept over Adelgunda as she encountered that austere, repulsive look, and involuntarily she dropped her eyes beneath it. But reason soon triumphed; she approached closer to the portrait, and said to her little son, whom she still held-on her arms, "Now we shall say good morning to that lady;" and she curtsied herself, and bent with her hand the obstinate little head; "and we shall beg her to look kindly and gently down upon us, for your dear, good papa's sake, and we will kiss her hand." And Adelgunda kissed the hand in the picture that was hanging down; but when she attempted to raise the child’s face up towards the hand, the little fellow, in whose infantine breast was aroused a portion of his father's bold spirit, and perhaps impetuous temper, and who, though somewhat frightened, felt his courage rising, and was, withal, extremely angry, struggled furiously, clenched his little fist, and instead of kissing the great lady's drooping hand, thumped it with all his might—and at that moment he was strong enough.

brother and sister-in-law waited in vain for her appearance at the breakfast-table. She came not! But at length the startling intelligence was brought to them that a strange, frightful noise had been heard in the picture-gallery. No one knew what was the cause of it, for no one had dared to venture in to see what had happened. But now every one rushed in. A cloud of dust, a heap of mortar and wood was before them; and a sight so dreadful, so shocking, so appalling, met their eyes, that every heart was like to break.

But only one heart did break, for notwithstanding his strength of mind—his unconquerable spirit—his undeniable fortitude, the bereaved husband and father almost sank beneath the frightful calamity that had