Knights of the Art; stories of the Italian painters by Amy Steedman
page 79 of 216 (36%)
page 79 of 216 (36%)
![]() | ![]() |
|
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?' |
|