| Show uhe THE stony or OF colio COELIO philip TI king of spain like many other powerful monarchs monarc ns loved to lay aside abide the insignia of royalty and following f laar 0 the example of caliph haroun al Ras Bas ehid ebid roam the streets of his capital of a night accompanied by a faithful servant in disguise he was thus often enabled to discover himself causes of popular discontent trammels of conspiracies spi ra cles or wishes for reform also to perform many acts of munificence towards the poor and meritorious in the year 1549 philip paid a visit to he capital of the netherlands brus els where he resided some time and was entertained in a manner which recalled the magnificence of the days of chivalry he was still the idol of his people who hoped that the son of charles V by treading in the footsteps of his bis illustrious father would continue towards them the favors and wise policy which had rendered both spain and the rest of the empire so usually unusually tin flourishing ng how philip responded to these expectations B x belongs to history I 1 will 0 on n F ly y mention that at the period of the action acion t of this story he was in the zenith of his popularity one night when the ceremonies or of the court were over philip phill summoned his faithful servant ruy buy amez gomez masking his face with a ion lon long iong gray beard and enveloped in a great spanish spanish cloak he and his attendant went forth into the dark streets of brussels in ht quest of adae adventure n they had not proceeded far in the direction of the river when their attention was drawn to a person hurrying with rapid but uncertain steps to the bridge by his excited gestures the king concluded that he was some unfortunate creature driven by despair to seek a watery grave he therefore hastened after him and together with gomez arrived just in time to prevent his leaping over the parapet into the river stop for gods sak estop I 1 cried philip II 11 who may you be let lueb me alone I 1 sayi say bay my lifes my own and I 1 suppose I 1 may do as I 1 choose with ibi ILI it that you may not it belongs to god who gave it il he alone may take iw ILI wherefore then doe does lie he not provide me the wherewithal to sustain it it he feeds the vermin but leaves man so dependent that he may die of starvation 1013 as I 1 am doing unhand me I 1 bayun say unhand me the desperate man sought for his rapier but it was gone what misfortune has driven you to this rash extremity asked the king sir this is my misfortune and may ma it never be yours I 1 have not tasted fos foz food for two days alas poor you youth couthill thill he was a tall ihn lank k young man who had he been been properly fed fedanz and clothed would have been remarkably handsome his bony frame was elegantly built slender and graceful yet strong his eyes were black and fiery his brow broad and intellectual his features regular but at present much marred by their extreme meagre I 1 ness the expression of his countenance under favorable circumstances would have been open and engaging but I 1 1 misery had stamped damped it with a haggard I 1 7 careworn look piteous to behold the king of spain putting his hand firmly on the young mans shoulder again sighed alas poor boy boyll dont stand there sighing and looking at me in the name of the tho saints in beav heaven n can you give me food food and employment if not let iet me end my miseries young man look into my face see does it look loofe careworn very V r y much so well weli Weil vve 1 1 y young 0 u n g sir r when you have gone through as much mu c h of agony as myself then may you think of leaving this world in search of another where as just punishment for your crime a worse fate awaits you in eternity who are you whence came you above all here philip searched for the tiny crucifix that hung from the rosary he wore round lils his wrist are you a catholic who dares to question it exclaimed the young man haughtily 1 I am you are a gentleman again questioned the king by my patron saint I 1 am sir as true a gentleman as ever wore a sword Ig gentleman or not you are a christian an come follow me and I 1 will give you some supper and a bed for the night tomorrow to morrow we continued king philip who accustomed as a sovereign to speak in the first person plural had difficulty to adopt the first person in his disguise that is I 1 will further question you as to what you can do to earn your livelihood for the future there gomez lead the way holding the rescued youth by the hand band firmly lest he should ese esc escape e phil ip preceded by ruy buy gomez bent bent his sieds towards the palace on his way curiosity one of the strongest passions of this great sovereign got the better of his charity and notwithstanding the young man was so weak as to render his answers almost inaudible the king obtained from him the outline of his history he was he sal sai said sald d one alfonso sanchez coello coelio a native of portugal and a portrait painter by profession he had been driven from spain by marquis marguls don louis de Mari marl avalle avalie governor of badajos for the crime of falling in love iove with his excel lences daughter donna estafania Estafan la in whose company he had been much thrown during a considerable time em loyed in the execution of her picture I 1 e t ure we he had wandered to the netherlands nethera n d a in the hope of obtaining work but although he had bad done dune all in his power to earn his bread he lle had in every case falle faile dand and for two days had not tasted food he was too proud to beg and maldeney mald ened by want had sought to free himself of his miseries by a violent death the king provided coello coelio as he promised with a substantial meal and a good bed and the next morning he be awoke much refreshed to find R ruy buy u y gomez by his couch holding in b his is hand a handsome suit of clothes for his service vainly did he question the shrewd ruy buy as to the condition of his unknown benefactor ruy buy informed him that gentleman the was named don paez that he be was in the service or of his catholic majesty and that presently i when he had bad finished his collation the senor don paez would come to him and talk of his prospects for the future accordingly when sanchez coello coelio had dispatched an excellent breakfast the king still wearing his dl disguise guise entered the first impulse of the grateful young man was to raise the hand of the supposed venerable don paez to his lips and thank him for his kindness above all for having prevented his committing so fatal a crime as suicide don paez listened to him with kindness young gentleman we that 1 is S T I 1 L am convinced that the fearful act which you contemplated last night was the result of famine which had deprived you of your reason As we have taken some interest in you anti and are desirous of providing for your future we that is I 1 am willing since you say you are a painter of portraits that you should take fake a likeness of myself but on one condition that it be finished by the feast day of our daughter maria it wants one month mouth to the holy day of our lady mary marx or of mount Car carmel rael we intend this picture as a present to our m my daughter can you paint so hapu rapid ay 1 I can sir 11 my servant will pay you two hundred ducats dubats in advance for the said picture he will also escort you to a lodging I 1 have prepared for you and to which I 1 will repair for the sitti sittings n gs fo lor for r my picture I 1 am as you have doubtlessly discovered employed about the person of his most catholic majesty and our sovereign often passes through these apartments As he objects to th the e scent of paint oil and turpentine I 1 think it more becoming that my portrait be painted without the palace As I 1 am in service about the kings person in the day I 1 canon can only ly come to you at night can you paint by lamplight 1 I can sir 11 above all things mention to no one I 1 beseech you that we that is that I 1 am having my portrait painted pain rain ted mention my name to no one guard your tongue and never come to the palace to inquire for me I 1 object to persons coming here on business rf if you require anything ask bitof it of ruy gomez he has orders to serve berve you in all things to night at nine 0 clock I 1 will be with you farewell before coello coelio could answer the disguised king had disappeared ruy buy goiner escorted the painter to a spacious apart ment situated in a remote part of the city there he discovered painting materials canvas easels eadels pencils and colors ready prepared for his use that night and for many nights fol owin owing g philip arrived punctually at niu nin nine e 0 clock if detained over night he came very early in the morning the portrait was executed with such ninish finish aud and fine coloring that the king who was a good judge or of art pronounced it a masterpiece master piece about a week before it was finished philip informed his new that he had mentioned him to his is catholic Ma majesty jety who appointed the following day at noon for the purpose of becoming acquainted with the new nelv artist and also to fix an hour for sitting for a portrait for his royal self I 1 will not venture to describe the feelings or of joy with which coello coelio heard this news or his vision of future glory culminating in a brilliant marriage with donna estafania Est arania punctually at the stroke of midday mid day coello coelio found himself with beating heart in the presence of the king of spain it would have been impossible for him to have recognized the aged don paez in the stately sovereign who stood before him philip phllip was wms at this time in the bloom of youth as titian has presented him to us so yet ro 40 well proportioned that although he was not above the middle height lie he appeared tall hla his hir hin and beard were exceedingly fair his brow broad and intel his eyes blue clear and penetrating et and his expression majestic and commanding he wore a suit of blaek black velvet slashed with satin and upon his head a black cap with feathers beneath his ruff of fine lace hung upon his breast the gorgeous collar of the fleece of gold sanchez coello coelio he said in a somewhat stern tone we hear bear from our good servant don paez that you are an artist of some skill it is ia our purpose that you paint our portrait your majesty said coello coelio bowing very low silence interrupt us not this picture must be fluis finished hed by the day of st philip our holy patron there wants wanta three weeks to the time 11 your majesty again broke in coelio speak isseak not until we have had kursay our say we intend to be painted in the character of our holy patron said philip and will take our first sitting this very day what is it you would say to us ual this much your majesty and no more I 1 cannot undertake the he task to paint your male Maje picture by st philips is day because I 1 cannot begin it at least for a week although i 1 it is the greatest honor bonor and ambita ambition on 0 of f my life to serve your majesty in this thia matter 11 our servant don paez assures us that you can paint with marvelous rapidity save gave your Maje Alaj estyl stylI 1 I have promised to ninish bluish the likeness of the senon genor don paez by the festival of his daughter he saved my life and has paid t me e in advance va U ce 0 on a condition it is finished by that day I 1 have given him my promise nd I 1 must fulfill fulfil it sir Co eliol said the king assuming a terrible aspect know that we have some reason to suspect that you are an impostor and have deceived deceive our most worthy servant paez there are tho those s e within who know you better than ya you sou u think for 11 let them appear exclaimed sanchez Co coelia eili eily with an impetuous indignation dig nation let them appear I 1 do not ear ean them whoever thy they may be never las a lie passed my lips never have I 1 committed an action for which I 1 need lush blush never but once onee and then I 1 was driven by want and misery to seek to free myself from a life ilfe which had become an intolerable burden I 1 impose upon him no I 1 would die first bring orward forward those who know me bett better er tha thau than a t think for and then kin klu king klug Phllip phiiip truth shall put calumny lurany ca to the blush 1 the king struck three thinie times heavily ilea liea vily upon the floor with his sword budde sudden rt ly the door opened and who should appear before the astonished sanchez coello coelio but the marquis hiar Alar quis of Mari Mar lavalle avalle leading in donna estafania the young lover stood like one under a spell presently he opened wide his arms and folded them again pressing the beautiful and faithful estafania to his heart hearl he led her to the king kinq who drawing from beneath his cloak the gray beard and loeis locis s of his disguise held them up before the astonished painter philip of spain and don paez are one and the same may sanchez coelio whom don paez had learned to love be ever true to philip phllip ilip marquis of mari avalle we ask of you the hand of your daughter donna estafania for our court painter antl anti beloved friend don alfonza sanchez de coello coelio 11 that which the KIn king gassa asars a subject may not deny answered the old courtl er elbowing bowing low before his sovereign god bless you sanchez Sanc hez bez said philip as he placed the hand of estafania Est arania in that of coelio may you vou both be as aa happy as PI I 1 here he lowered lovered his voice as a I 1 am wretched |
