' I breathed a blessing upon them both, for
they had drawn a tear from my heart of stone."
"Sir," said Natalie, as he paused, "Nantucket is my home; often have I
listened to my dear brother, as he has told me the pretty story of the
sad gentleman whom he met, when I was but an infant, and how he spoke to
me so tenderly, and sighed for his own Natalie. I had no other name
then but Sea-flower, and I have been called by that name ever since; yet
after that day, my Christian name was Natalie."
The artist gazed upon her, and pointing to the Madonna,
exclaimed,--"Thou art the child! you are like the Madonna! Can it be
that I have unconsciously restored to the mother her child? None other
than her own could thus resemble her!"
"In my innermost heart there has ever dwelt a mystery, which I can find
no language to describe! In my dreams I have had sweet visions of a
beauteous being, who has smiled upon me, and made me happy. The Madonna
awakens all those pure feelings, and I cannot but look upon her as in
some way connected with my being; yet my own mother lives, and my
affection for her is as for no other being upon the earth.
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