Ah, stay a little while longer for them, Western Sun.  Stand still, not as in the cruel days of old, to glare upon poor, beaten, wounded, panting warriors, and rob them of their last chance, the shelter of the night:  but to prolong these holy rapturous hours of youth, and hope, and first love in bosoms unsullied by the world—­the golden hours of life, that glow so warm, and shine so bright, and flee so soon; and return in this world—­Never more!

CHAPTER V.

Henry Little began this bust in a fervid hour, and made great progress the first day; but as the work grew on him, it went slower and slower; for his ambitious love drove him to attempt beauties of execution that were without precedent in this kind of wood-carving; and, on the other hand, the fastidiousness of a true craftsman made him correct his attempts again and again.  As to those mechanical parts, which he intrusted at first to his pupil, she fell so far short of his ideal even in these, that he told her bluntly she must strike work for the present:  he could not have this spoiled.

Grace thought it hard she might not be allowed to spoil her own image; however, she submitted, and henceforth her lesson was confined to looking on.  And she did look on with interest, and, at last, with profound admiration.  Hitherto she had thought, with many other persons, that, if a man’s hand was the stronger, a woman’s was the neater; but now she saw the same hand, which had begun by hewing away the coarse outlines of the model, bestow touches of the chisel so unerring and effective, yet so exquisitely delicate, that she said to herself, “No woman’s hand could be so firm, yet so feather-like, as all this.”

And the result was as admirable as the process.  The very texture of the ivory forehead began to come under those master-touches, executed with perfect and various instruments:  and, for the first time perhaps in the history of this art, a bloom, more delicate far than that of a plum, crept over the dimpled cheek.  But, indeed, when love and skill work together, expect a masterpiece.

Henry worked on it four afternoons, the happiest he had ever known.  There was the natural pleasure of creating, and the distinct glory and delight of reproducing features so beloved; and to these joys were added the pleasure of larger conversation.  The model gave Grace many opportunities of making remarks, or asking questions, and Henry contrived to say so many things in answer to one.  Sculptor and sitter made acquaintance with each other’s minds over the growing bust.

And then the young ladies and gentlemen dropped in, and gazed, and said such wonderfully silly things, and thereby left their characters behind them as fruitful themes for conversation.  In short, topics were never wanting now.

As for Jael, she worked, and beamed, and pondered every word her idol uttered, but seldom ventured to say anything, till he was gone, and then she prattled fast enough about him.