Art -- Forgeries -- Fiction; Science fiction; Short stories
The most stunning blow of all, however, came the following afternoon,
when Bouser & Baillie mustered sufficient courage to escort Dr. Joll to
Norfolk, to break the difficult news to the Countess. The news proved
to be even more difficult than the three gentlemen had imagined, for
Dr. Joll's examination of the lady's "Boy With Drum" confirmed that it,
too, was the original; or rather, that it was now but one of _three_
originals. Other experts were hastily consulted, and their opinions
supported that of Joll. Had Manet been seized by a fit of madness
which had compelled him thus to repeat himself, not once but twice?
Whatever the motive, his performance was undoubtedly the most brilliant
technical tour-de-force in art history, for the three canvases were
identical, down to the last detail seen under the most powerful
microscope.
Manet's fiendish skill did not impress the Countess. She felt that the
painter had deliberately outraged her, and she wished that he were
still living, so that she might have the opportunity of snubbing him.
That being impossible, she determined to snub his work. "Sell it at
once!" she ordered Bouser & Baillie. "You told me last year you could
get me half again what I paid for it. Then do so now! In fact," she
added, to show the selflessness of her grudge against Manet, "I don't
care if there's no profit at all--just sell it!"
"Ah, um--" Bouser began. But he found himself unable to speak. Baillie
tried, too, with no greater success. How could they make it clear to
this dangerous female that the existence of two other originals had
placed the marketability of her own in grave jeopardy? There was doubt,
indeed, whether any buyer could now be found--at any price. And more
than that, if she chose to donate the canvas outright to a museum,
would the museum be likely to accept?
While the two partners stood thus uncomfortably searching their minds
for some way of phrasing these unpleasant truths, a delivery van back
in London was edging into a parking space in front of the firm of John
Pickering & Sons, art dealers. Within the van was a crate, and within
the crate was a painting.
It was the fourth original "Boy With Drum."
* * * * *
Before the art world had time to digest the incredible evidence of the
four identical Manets, the second series of incidents took place.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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