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LXIV（第1页）

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LXIV

ICOULDseethatthisspeechmadenoimpressionontheDuke，forhekeptsilence;then，seizedwithsuddenangerandavehementemotion，Ibeganagaintoaddresshim:“Mylord，thiscityofatruthhaseverbeentheschoolofthemostnobletalents.Yetwhenamanhasetoknowwhatheisworth，aftergainingsomeacquirements，andwishingtoaugmentthegloryofhistownandofhisgloriousprince，itisquiterightthatheshouldgoandlabourelsewhere.Toprovethetruthofthesewords，IneedonlyremindyourExcellencyofDonatelloandthegreatLionardodaVinciinthepast，andofourinparableMichelAngeloBuonarrotiinthepresent;theyaugmentthegloryofyourExcellencybytheirgenius.Iinmyturnfeelthesamedesireandhopetoplaymypartlikethem;therefore，mylord，givemetheleavetogo.ButbewareoflettingBandinelloquityou;ratherbestowuponhimalwaysmorethanhedemands;forifhegoesintoforeignparts，hisignoranceissopresumptuousthatheisjustthemantodisgraceourmostillustriousschool.Nowgrantmemypermission，prince!IasknofurtherrewardformylaboursuptothistimethanthegraciousfavourofyourmostillustriousExcellency.”Whenhesawthefirmnessofmyresolution，heturnedwithsomeirritationandexclaimed:“Benvenuto，ifyouwanttofinishthestatue，youshalllackfornothing.”ThenIthankedhimandsaidIhadnogreaterdesirethantoshowthoseenviousfolkthatIhaditinmetoexecutethepromisedwork.WhenIlefthisExcellency，Ireceivedsomeslightassistance;butthisnotbeingsufficient，Ihadtoputmyhandintomyownpurse，inordertopushtheworkforwardatsomethingbetterthanasnailspace.

ItwasmycustomtopasstheeveningintheDukeswardrobe，whereDomenicoPogginiandhisbrotherGianpagolowereatworkuponthatgoldencupfortheDuchessandthegirdleIhavealreadydescribed.HisExcellencyhadalsomissionedmetomakealittlemodelforapendenttosetthegreatdiamondwhichBernardoneandAntonioLandimadehimbuy.Itriedtogetoutofdoingit，buttheDukepelledmebyallsortsofkindlypressuretoworkuntilfourhoursafternightfall.Hekeptindeedenticingmetopushthisjobforwardbydaytimealso;butIwouldnotconsent，althoughIfeltsureIshouldincurhisanger.NowoneeveningIhappenedtoarriveratherlaterthanusual，whereuponhesaid:“Illemayyoube!”Ianswered:“Mylord，thatisnotmyname;mynameisWele!But，asIsupposeyourExcellencyisjoking，Iwilladdnomore.”Herepliedthat，farfromjoking，hemeantsolemnearnest.Ihadbetterlooktomyconduct，forithadetohisearsthatIrelieduponhisfavourtotakeinfirstonemanandthenanother.IbeggedhismostillustriousExcellencytonameasinglepersonwhomIhadevertakenin.Atthisheflewintoarage，andsaid:“Go，andgivebacktoBernardonewhatyouhaveofhis.There!Ihavementionedone.”Isaid:“Mylord，Ithankyou，andbegyoutocondescendsofarastolistentofourwords.Itistruethathelentmeapairofoldscales，twoanvils，andthreelittlehammers，whicharticlesIbeggedhisworkman，GiorgiodaCortona，fifteendaysago，tofetchback.Giorgiocameforthemhimself.IfyourExcellencycanprove，onreferringtothosewhohavespokenthesecalumnies，ortoothers，thatIhaveever，fromthedayofmybirthtillnow，gotanysinglethingbyfraudfromanybody，beitinRomeorbeitinFrance，thenletyourExcellencypunishmeasimmoderatelyasyouchoose.”WhentheDukesawmeinthismightypassion，heassumedtheairofaprudentandbenevolentlord，saying:“Thosewordsarenotmeantforwell-doers;therefore，ifitisasyousay，Ishallalwaysreceiveyouwiththesamekindnessasheretofore.”TothisIanswered:“IshouldlikeyourExcellencytoknowthattherascalitiesofBernardonepelmetoaskasafavorhowmuchthatbigdiamondwiththecroppedpointcostyou.Ihopetoproveonwhataccountthatscoundreltriestobringmeintodisgrace.”ThenhisExcellencyreplied:“Ipaid25，000ducatsforit;whydoyouaskme?”“Because，mylord，onsuchaday，atsuchanhour，inacornerofMercatoNuovo，AntonioLandi，thesonofVittorio，beggedmetoinduceyourExcellencytobuyit，andatmyfirstquestionheasked16，000ducatsforthediamond;nowyourExcellencyknowswhatithascostyou.DomenicoPogginiandGianpagolohisbrother，whoarepresent，willconfirmmywords;forIspoketothematonceaboutit，andsincethattimehaveneveroncealludedtothematter，becauseyourExcellencytoldmeIdidnotunderstandthesethings，whichmademethinkyouwantedtokeepupthecreditofyourstone.Ishouldlikeyoutoknow，mylord，thatIdounderstand，andthat，asregardsmycharacter，Iconsidermyselfnolesshonestthananymanwhoeverliveduponthisearth.Ishallnottrytorobyouofeightortenthousandducatsatonego，butshallratherseektoearnthembymyindustry.IenteredtheserviceofyourExcellencyassculptor，goldsmith，andstamperofcoin;buttoblababoutmyneighboursprivatematters，—never!WhatIamnowtellingyouIsayinself-defence;Idonotwantmyfeeforinformation.IfIspeakoutinthepresenceofsomanyworthyfellowsasarehere，itisbecauseIdonotwishyourExcellencytobelievewhatBernardonetellsyou.”

Whenhehadheardthisspeech，theDukeroseupinanger，andsentforBernardone，whowasforcedtotakeflightasfarasVenice，heandAntonioLandiwithhiThelattertoldmethathehadnotmeantthatdiamond，butwastalkingofanotherstone.SothentheywentandcameagainfromVenice;whereuponIpresentedmyselftotheDukeandspokeasfollows:“Mylord，whatItoldyouisthetruth;andwhatBernardonesaidaboutthetoolshelentmeisalie.Youhadbetterputthistotheproof，andIwillgoatoncetotheBargello.”TheDukemadeanswer:“Benvenuto，doyourbesttobeanhonestman，asyouhavedoneuntilnow;youhavenocauseforapprehension.”Sothewholematterpassedoffinsmoke，andIheardnotonemorewordaboutit.Iappliedmyselftofinishinghisjewel;andwhenItookittotheDuchess，herGracesaidthatsheesteemedmysettingquiteashighlyasthediamondwhichBernardacciohadmadethembuy.Shethendesiredmetofastenituponherbreast，andhandedmealargepin，withwhichIfixedit，andtookmyleaveinhergoodfavour.AfterwardsIwasinformedthattheyhadthestoneresetbyaGermanorsomeotherforeigner—whethertrulyornotIcannotvouch—uponBernardonessuggestionthatthediamondwouldshowbetterinalesselaboratesetting.

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