folk bringing in the produce of the orchards or the fields;
perchance a red-robed cardinal on a white mule with glittering
housings, behind him a sumpter train rich with baggage, furniture,
gold and silver plate; maybe the duke's hunting party going out or
coming homeward with caracoling steeds, beautiful hounds straining
at their leash, hunting horns sounding merrily over the green
country; maybe a band of free lances, with plumes tossing, steel
glancing, bannerets fluttering against the sky; or maybe a quiet
gray-robed string of monks or pilgrims singing the hymn sung
before Jerusalem, treading the long lush grass with sandaled feet,
coming towards the city, to crowd slowly and gladly up its rocky
height. Do you not wish with me you could stand in the window with
Raffaelle to see the earth as it was then?

No doubt the good folks of Urbino laughed at him often for a
little moonstruck dreamer, so many hours did he stand looking,
looking,--only looking,--as eyes have a right to do that see well
and not altogether as others see. Happily for him, the days of his
childhood were times of peace, and he did not behold, as his
father had done, the torches light up the street and the flames
devour the homesteads.

At this time Urbino was growing into fame for its pottery work:
those big dishes and bowls, those marriage plates and pharmacy
jars which it made, were beginning to rival the products of its
neighbor Gubbio, and when its duke wished to send a bridal gift,
or a present on other festal occasions, he oftenest chose some
service or some rare platter of his own Urbino ware. Now, pottery
had not then taken the high place among the arts of Italy that it
was destined very soon to do. As you will learn when you are