med canvas already prepared.
The pallet was covered, and Conrad sat down to obey his master's
directions.

"What shall be our subject?" inquired the pupil.

"A head. Proceed."

"A female?"

"Yes. But follow my instructions implicitly."

Conrad chalked out the outline. It was feebly, incorrectly drawn: but
the stranger took his crayon, and by a few spirited touches gave life,
vigour, and expression to the whole. Conrad was in despair.

"Oh that it were in my power to have done this!" he cried, putting one
hand on his brow, and looking at the picture as though he would have
devoured it.

"Now for colour," said the stranger; and he carefully directed his
pupil how to lay in the ground, to mingle and contrast the different
tints, in a manner so far superior to his former process, that Conrad
soon began to feel a glow of enthusiasm. His fervour increased, the
latent spark of genius was kindled. In short, the unknown seemed to
have imbued him with some hitherto unfelt attributes--invested him
either with new powers, or awakened his hitherto dormant faculties. As
before, by a few touches, the crude, spiritless mass became living and
breathing under the master's hand. Not many hours elapsed ere a pretty
head, respectably executed, appeared on the canvas. Conrad was in high
spirits.

He felt a new sense, a new faculty, as it were, created within him. He
worked industriously. Every hour seemed to condense the labour and
experience of years. He made prodigious advances. His master came
daily at the same time, and at length his term of instruction drew to
a close. The last morning of the month arrived; and Conrad, unknown to
his neighbours, had attained to the highest rank in his profession.
His paintings, all executed under the immediate superintendence of the
stranger, were splendid specimens of art.

* * * * *

In the year ----, all Paris was moved with the extraordinary
performances of a young artist, whose portraits were the most
wonderful, and his miniatures the most exquisite, that eyes ever
beheld. They looked absolutely as though endowed with life--real flesh
and blood to all appearance; and happy were those who could get a
painting from his hand. The price was enormous, and the marvellous
facility with which they were despatched was not the least
extraordinary part of the business. There was a mystery, too, about
him, provokingly delightful, especially to the female portion of