at  morning  or  evening  twilight,  —  or  in  the  depths  of
night,  while  raking  up  the  fire  that  glimmered  on  the
hearth  beneath ;  although,  if  any  were  bold  enough  to
hold  a  torch  before  the  picture,  it  would  appear  as
black  and  undistinguishable  as  ever.  The  oldest  in
habitant  of  Boston  recollected  that  his  father,  in  whose
days  the  portrait  nad  not  wholly  faded  out  of  sight,
had  once  looked  upon  it,  but  would  never  suffer  him
self  to  be  questioned  as  to  the  face  which  was  there
represented.  In  connection  with  such  stories,  it  was
remarkable  that  over  the  top  of  the  frame  there  were
some  ragged  remnants  of  black  silk,  indicating  that  a
veil  had  formerly  hung  down  before  the  picture,  until
the  duskiness  of  time  had  so  effectually  concealed  it.
But,  after  all,  it  was  the  most  singular  part  of  the
affair  that  so  many  of  the  pompous  governors  of  Mas
sachusetts  had  allowed  the  obliterated  picture  to  re
main  in  the  state  chamber  of  the  Province  House.
"  Some  of  these  fables  are  really  awful,"  observed
Alice  Vane,  who  had  occasionally  shuddered,  as  well
as  smiled,  while  her  cousin  spoke.  "  It  would  be  al
most  worth  while  to  wipe  away  the  black  surface  of
the  canvas,  since  the  original  picture  can  hardly  be  so
formidable  as  those  which  fancy  paints  instead  of  it."

"  But  would  it  be  possible,"  inquired  her  cousin,
"  to  restore  this  dark  picture  to  its  pristine  hues?  "

"  Such  arts  are  known  in  Italy,"  said  Alice.
The  Lieutenant-Governor  had  roused  himself  from
his  abstracted  mood,  and  listened  with  a  smile  to  the
conversation  of  his  young  relatives.  Yet  his  voice
had  something  peculiar  in  its  tones  when  he  under
took  the  explanation  of  the  mystery.
