Resumo de The Painting - Anthony Lawrence

A sunny, bright morning with the birds chirping on the tree tops and a cottage at the lakeside surrounded by cool breeze across the meadows - ecstatic. "This would be the perfect holiday spot for me," Peter mused to himself. At 28, he was tall, suave and the most eligible bachelor of the elite Marks Literary Society - an organization formed by the rich, high-flying socialites that encouraged literary and artistic talents in the youth. Peter D'Souza, a painter by profession with an inclination towards poetry was a member of the organization. The organization was founded by Mr. Gomes, a renowned writer who dreamt of a more cultured and educated society. Gomes had taken Peter under his wing when at 10 years, Peter was left orphaned. Far from the hypocrite ways of the elite class that he belonged to, Peter decided to spend some time at his cottage in Riverdale. Riverdale, the mere mention of the town, brought back fond memories of his childhood. Gomes was his father's friend; Peter's father was an Army Officer. But a deadly shot had snatched his father. That was when Uncle Gomes had taken him under his wing. A man of strong character and remarkable intelligence, he was Peter's guardian and friend. "Good day sir," a shrill voice shook Peter from his reverie. "Good day Martha!" he exclaimed. A neat and tidy cottage awaited him. A loyal Martha beamed at the appreciation she received. A few hours later, Peter was all set to work. Papers strewn across the couch, strokes of yellow and crimson red on the canvas and brushes of all sizes, he was engrossed in his own world of colors. Suddenly, a melodious voice somewhere in the distance distracted him. The enchanting voice seemed to pull Peter towards itself. Leaving aside his painting, Peter walked towards the roadside, his eyes searching an unknown face, his ears guiding him. He realized he was walking towards the lakeside.Suddenly, he gasped. He saw an amazingly beautiful girl and a voice to match it as well. She had a sharp nose, long, silky hair and a peach complexion. It was as though Peter was struck by lightning. In a fraction of a second, he decided to paint her image. Whether he would be able to do justice to her beauty with his painting was something he was not too sure of. Nevertheless, he made up his mind. But first things first, an introduction was needed. He walked up to the girl mustering courage to make some smalltime talk and convince her to be the model for his next painting. Soon, he was animatedly talking to the girl. It seemed to him as though he knew her for years. Gloria, a beautiful girl and a lovely human being, he concluded. The following days seemed magical to him. Each morning, by the lakeside, he was busy painting her image. He was confident that his painting would turn out well, but how would he capture her inner beauty, her innocence, her laughter that brightly lit her pretty face, he wondered. While Peter painted her image, he noticed her eyes. Big, expressive and twinkling, they seemed to be full of life. Within these few days, Peter was lost in his thoughts. Gloria was all that there was on his mind. He had taken a liking to her but did not seem to know much about her. Though, she was a very warm and amiable person, she did not speak much about herself. She was always sitting on the rock by the lake, singing to herself, contented with life. That was obvious, he thought. She belonged to a well-to-do family and a girl as pretty as her with an equally enchanting voice had nothing to worry about in life. His painting was almost ready, just a few finishing touches and Gloria's picture would be ready. Today, he would give her a surprise gift - her painting. It would be a perfect gift for her birthday. In few minutes, he was at her place but it seemed like ages to him. He knocked at the door and realized that it was half open. He entered and was taken aback by what he saw. There was dead silence. He saw an old couple dressed in black. The lady seemed lifelesr eyes were swollen and she held a photo frame in her hand. To his dismay, it was Gloria's. Shock followed by grief, overcame Peter while Gloria's dad spoke to him. She had passed away in the wee hours of the morning. Gloria was blind and very ill. She knew her life was coming to an end. The words shattered Peter. He felt betrayed. Why had she not told him anything? She seemed so happy with life; was that the reason for her always sitting still on the rock? Millions of questions arose in his mind. He felt he was going crazy.

Peter gave Gloria's painting to her parents. They were touched by his act, but she had touched his soul. Before leaving, Peter glanced at the painting for the last time. Everything seemed just perfect, the way he had felt before. But her eyes reflected something else in the painting. They were not just big and expressive, but held a look of longingness. A longingness of being fondly remembered and she had achieved that. She was going to be in his memories?forever.

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