THE STORY OF A PICTURE.

after his death, neither Leonardo nor the beautiful
Maria should suffer from the ruin their father had
brought upon himself.
 Such then was the unknown future that seemed to
lie before two of our young friends;-but what of the
other-Pietro ? His life was very different from theirs,
although, whenever he could spare an hour from labour
and his evening study near the copse, he was their
constant companion. He was of obscure parentage,
an orphan, and half a servant, half a labourer, on the
estate of a rich man near Castaro. Without a count.
seller, without a friend older than Leonardo, he had
become accustomed to think and resolve for himself.
From his childhood the love of beauty and art had
grown upon him, until the great aim of his young life
was the study of imitating Nature. But all his efforts
in that study had to be made unaided and in secret;
but his resolution of perseverance until the great end
had been attained, became stronger in that very
secresy.
 Though the discovery by Maria at first caused him
deep disappointment, he soon gained from it new zest
for his work; while he trusted that the pleasure she
would feel in studying with him an art which she
seemed to admire so much, would keep her silent
amongst her companions. More than ever now he
longed to be able to be a true imitator of Nature when
he saw that his first efforts, at least in her eyes, were
successful.
 For three years he had now been employed by
Signor Sagasti. At first the latter had treated him
with more than ordinary kindness, but soon he changed
unmistakably towards him, and, instead of a friend,
showed himself a stern master, until as the dislike, if
such it were, became known, those around him, who