And the poor boy, for many a long day, was
afraid to trust his own eyes, since they had so
basely deceived him.

But the next thing that happened at the studio
did not seem like a joke to the master, for a weaver
of cloth came to live close by, and his looms made
such a noise and such a shaking that Sandro was
deafened, and the house shook so greatly that it was
impossible to paint.

But though Botticelli went to the weaver and
explained all this most courteously, the man
answered roughly, `Can I not do what I like with
my own house?' So Sandro was angry, and went
away and immediately ordered a great square of
stone to be brought, so big that it filled a waggon.
This he had placed on the top of his wall nearest to
the weaver's house, in such a way that the least
shake would bring it crashing down into the enemy's
workshop.

When the weaver saw this he was terrified, and
came round at once to the studio.

`Take down that great stone at once,' he shouted.
`Do you not see that it would crush me and my
workshop if it fell?'