thesoftclaywasfashionedunderhisfingersintoformsofbeauty,butthenextdayhebrokewhathehadfashioned,accordingtohiswont.

"onedayhewalkedpastoneofthoserichpalacesofwhichromehasmanytoshow.hestoppedbeforethegreatopenportal,andbeheldagardensurroundedbycloisteredwalks.thegardenbloomedwithagoodlyshowofthefairestroses.greatwhitelilieswithgreenjuicyleavesshotupwardfromthemarblebasininwhichtheclearwaterwassplashing;andaformglidedpast,thedaughteroftheprincelyhouse,graceful,delicate,andwonderfullyfair.suchaformoffemalelovelinesshehadneverbeforebeheld-yetstay:hehadseenit,paintedbyraphael,paintedasapsyche,inoneoftheromanpalaces.yes,thereithadbeenpainted;buthereitpassedbyhiminlivingreality.

"theremembrancelivedinhisthoughts,inhisheart.hewenthometohishumbleroom,andmodelledapsycheofclay.itwastherichyoungromangirl,thenoblemaiden;andforthefirsttimehelookedathisworkwithsatisfaction.ithadameaningforhim,foritwasshe.andthefriendswhosawhisworkshoutedaloudforjoy;theydeclaredthatthisworkwasamanifestationofhisartisticpower,ofwhichtheyhadlongbeenaware,andthatnowtheworldshouldbemadeawareofittoo.

"theclayfigurewaslifelikeandbeautiful,butithadnotthewhitenessorthedurabilityofmarble.sotheydeclaredthatthepsychemusthenceforthliveinmarble.healreadypossessedacostlyblockofthatstone.ithadbeenlyingforyears,thepropertyofhisparents,inthecourtyard.fragmentsofglass,climbingweeds,andremainsofartichokeshadgatheredaboutitandsullieditspurity;butunderthesurfacetheblockwasaswhiteasthemountainsnow;andfromthisblockthepsychewastoarise."

now,ithappenedonemorning-thebrightstartellsnothingaboutthis,butweknowitoccurred-thatanobleromancompanycameintothenarrowlane.thecarriagestoppedatthetopofthelane,andthecompanyproceededonfoottowardsthehouse,toinspecttheyoungsculptor'swork,fortheyhadheardhimspokenofbychance.andwhowerethesedistinguishedguests?pooryoungman!orfortunateyoungmanhemightbecalled.thenobleyoungladystoodintheroomandsmiledradiantlywhenherfathersaidtoher,"itisyourlivingimage."thatsmilecouldnotbecopied,anymorethanthelookcouldbereproduced,thewonderfullookwhichshecastupontheyoungartist.itwasafierylook,thatseemedatoncetoelevateandtocrushhim.

"thepsychemustbeexecutedinmarble,"saidthewealthypatrician.andthosewerewordsoflifeforthedeadclayandtheheavyblockofmarble,andwordsoflifelikewiseforthedeeply-movedartist."whentheworkisfinishediwillpurchaseit,"continuedtherichnoble.

aneweraseemedtohaveariseninthepoorstudio.lifeandcheerfulnessgleamedthere,andbusyindustryplieditswork.thebeamingmorningstarbeheldhowtheworkprogressed.theclayitselfseemedinspiredsinceshehadbeenthere,andmouldeditself,inheightenedbeauty,toalikenessofthewell-knownfeatures.

"nowiknowwhatlifeis,"criedtheartistrejoicingly;"itislove!itistheloftyabandonmentofselfforthedawningofthebeautifulinthesoul!whatmyfriendscalllifeandenjoymentisapassingshadow;itislikebubblesamongseethingdregs,notthepureheavenlywinethatconsecratesustolife."

themarbleblockwasrearedinitsplace.thechiselstruckgreatfragmentsfromit;themeasurementsweretaken,pointsandlinesweremade,themechanicalpartwasexecuted,tillgraduallythestoneassumedahumanfemaleform,ashapeofbeauty,andbecameconvertedintothepsyche,fairandglorious-adivinebeinginhumanshape.theheavystoneappearedasagliding,dancing,airypsyche,withtheheavenlyinnocentsmile-thesmilethathadmirroreditselfinthesouloftheyoungartist.

thestaroftheroseatedawnbeheldandunderstoodwhatwasstirringwithintheyoungman,andcouldreadthemeaningofthechangingcolorofhischeek,ofthelightthatflashedfromhiseye,ashestoodbusilyworking,reproducingwhathadbeenputintohissoulfromabove.

"thouartamasterlikethosemastersamongtheancientgreeks,"exclaimedhisdelightedfriends;"soonshallthewholeworldadmirethypsyche."

"mypsyche!"