"Now you may move, Victor! I've finished!"
I brought my head down to its ordinary level with considerable
thankfulness, and as my eyes fell upon her I was rather startled.
Her figure seemed expanded as she stood, and the white serge of her
bodice rose and fell heavily. All the blood had flowed from her
face, leaving it blanched, colourless. In her eyes the azure iris
had disappeared, the dilated pupils had brimmed over it, and left
nothing behind the lashes but shining, liquid blackness.
Unconsciously, seemingly, her left hand was pressed to her left
side, beneath the heart, and I saw it tremble; and the whole form
quivered as she leaned slightly forward with her gaze bent upon the
canvas. There was for the time being some great force lent her. Some
power had stirred in the brain, and now seemed overflowing through
the physical system--doubtless at its expense. This was inspiration,
certainly, and valuable for its creative power, but the merely
physical life and physical frame panted and fainted after its
painful throes to produce that which the brain commanded. I looked
at the girl, oblivious of me, oblivious of herself and of the pain
that forced her hand mechanically to her side--looked half with
pleasure, half with alarm. It must always bring a delight to the
human being to watch the triumph of intellect over matter, of the
mental over the physical system, of the mind over the body.
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