第4章

Soon after this a fellow-enthusiast came on the scene in the unwonted form of an old lady.Margaret, sister and survivor of the brothers Van Eyck, left Flanders, and came to end her days in her native country.She bought a small house near Tergou.In course of time she heard of Gerard, and saw some of his handiwork: it pleased her so well that she sent her female servant, Reicht Heynes, to ask him to come to her.This led to an acquaintance: it could hardly be otherwise, for little Tergou had never held so many as two zealots of this sort before.At first the old lady damped Gerard's courage terribly.At each visit she fished out of holes and corners drawings and paintings, some of them by her own hand, that seemed to him unapproachable; but if the artist overpowered him, the woman kept his heart up.She and Reicht soon turned him inside out like a glove: among other things, they drew from him what the good monks had failed to hit upon, the reason why he did not illuminate, viz., that he could not afford the gold, the blue, and the red, but only the cheap earths; and that he was afraid to ask his mother to buy the choice colours, and was sure he should ask her in vain.Then Margaret Van Eyck gave him a little brush - gold, and some vermilion and ultramarine, and a piece of good vellum to lay them on.He almost adored her.As he left the house Reicht ran after him with a candle and two quarters: he quite kissed her.But better even than the gold and lapis-lazuli to the illuminator was the sympathy to the isolated enthusiast.That sympathy was always ready, and, as he returned it, an affection sprung up between the old painter and the young caligrapher that was doubly characteristic of the time.For this was a century in which the fine arts and the higher mechanical arts were not separated by any distinct boundary, nor were those who practised them; and it was an age in which artists sought out and loved one another.Should this last statement stagger a painter or writer of our day, let me remind him that even Christians loved one another at first starting.

Backed by an acquaintance so venerable, and strengthened by female sympathy, Gerard advanced in learning and skill.His spirits, too, rose visibly: he still looked behind him when dragged to dinner in the middle of an initial G; but once seated, showed great social qualities; likewise a gay humour, that had hitherto but peeped in him, shone out, and often he set the table in a roar, and kept it there, sometimes with his own wit, sometimes with jests which were glossy new to his family, being drawn from antiquity.

As a return for all he owed his friends the monks, he made them exquisite copies from two of their choicest MSS., viz., the life of their founder, and their Comedies of Terence, the monastery finding the vellum.

The high and puissant Prince, Philip "the Good," Duke of Burgundy, Luxemburg, and Brabant, Earl of Holland and Zealand, Lord of Friesland, Count of Flanders, Artois, and Hainault, Lord of Salins and Macklyn - was versatile.

He could fight as well as any king going; and lie could lie as well as any, except the King of France.He was a mighty hunter, and could read and write.His tastes were wide and ardent.He loved jewels like a woman, and gorgeous apparel.He dearly loved maids of honour, and indeed paintings generally; in proof of which he ennobled Jan Van Eyck.He had also a rage for giants, dwarfs, and Turks.These last stood ever planted about him, turbaned and blazing with jewels.His agents inveigled them from Istamboul with fair promises; but the moment he had got them, he baptized them by brute force in a large tub; and this done, let them squat with their faces towards Mecca, and invoke Mahound as much as they pleased, laughing in his sleeve at their simplicity in fancying they were still infidels.He had lions in cages, and fleet leopards trained by Orientals to run down hares and deer.In short, he relished all rarities, except the humdrum virtues.For anything singularly pretty or diabolically ugly, this was your customer.The best of him was, he was openhanded to the poor; and the next best was, he fostered the arts in earnest: whereof he now gave a signal proof.He offered prizes for the best specimens of orfevrerie in two kinds, religious and secular: item, for the best paintings in white of egg, oils, and tempera; these to be on panel, silk, or metal, as the artists chose: item, for the best transparent painting on glass: item, for the best illuminating and border-painting on vellum: item, for the fairest writing on vellum.The burgomasters of the several towns were commanded to aid all the poorer competitors by receiving their specimens and sending them with due care to Rotterdam at the expense of their several burghs.When this was cried by the bellman through the streets of Tergou, a thousand mouths opened, and one heart beat -Gerard's.He told his family timidly he should try for two of those prizes.They stared in silence, for their breath was gone at his audacity; but one horrid laugh exploded on the floor like a petard.Gerard looked down, and there was the dwarf, slit and fanged from ear to ear at his expense, and laughing like a lion.

Nature, relenting at having made Giles so small, had given him as a set-off the biggest voice on record.His very whisper was a bassoon.He was like those stunted wide-mouthed pieces of ordnance we see on fortifications; more like a flower-pot than a cannon;but ods tympana how they bellow!

Gerard turned red with anger, the more so as the others began to titter.White Catherine saw, and a pink tinge came on her cheek.

She said softly, "Why do you laugh? Is it because he is our brother you think he cannot be capable? Yes, Gerard, try with the rest.Many say you are skilful; and mother and I will pray the Virgin to guide your hand.""Thank you, little Kate.You shall pray to our Lady, and our mother shall buy me vellum and the colours to illuminate with.""What will they cost, my lad?"

"Two gold crowns" (about three shillings and fourpence English money).