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What I beheld was only in a dream；
Yet dreams sometimes anticipate events；
Being unsubstantial images of things
As yet unseen。
V
MACELLO DE' CORVI
MICHAEL ANGELO； BENVENUTO CELLINI。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
So； Benvenuto； you return once more
To the Eternal City。 'T is the centre
To which all gravitates。 One finds no rest
Elsewhere than here。 There may be other cities
That please us for a while； but Rome alone
Completely satisfies。 It becomes to all
A second native land by predilection；
And not by accident of birth alone。
BENVENUTO。
I am but just arrived； and am now lodging
With Bindo Altoviti。 I have been
To kiss the feet of our most Holy Father；
And now am come in haste to kiss the hands
Of my miraculous Master。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
And to find him
Grown very old。
BENVENUTO。
You know that precious stones
Never grow old。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
Half sunk beneath the horizon；
And yet not gone。 Twelve years are a long while。
Tell me of France。
BENVENUTO。
It were too long a tale
To tell you all。 Suffice in brief to say
The King received me well； and loved me well；
Gave me the annual pension that before me
Our Leonardo had； nor more nor less；
And for my residence the Tour de Nesle；
Upon the river…side。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
A princely lodging。
BENVENUTO。
What in return I did now matters not；
For there are other things； of greater moment；
I wish to speak of。 First of all； the letter
You wrote me； not long since； about my bust
Of Bindo Altoviti； here in Rome。 You said；
〃My Benvenuto； I for many years
Have known you as the greatest of all goldsmiths；
And now I know you as no less a sculptor。〃
Ah； generous Master！ How shall I e'er thank you
For such kind language？
MICHAEL ANGELO。
By believing it。
I saw the bust at Messer Bindo's house；
And thought it worthy of the ancient masters；
And said so。 That is all。
BENVENUTO。
It is too much；
And I should stand abashed here in your presence；
Had I done nothing worthier of your praise
Than Bindo's bust。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
What have you done that's better？
BENVENUTO。
When I left Rome for Paris； you remember
I promised you that if I went a goldsmith
I would return a sculptor。 I have kept
The promise I then made。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
Dear Benvenuto；
I recognized the latent genius in you；
But feared your vices。
BENVENUTO。
I have turned them all
To virtues。 My impatient； wayward nature；
That made me quick in quarrel； now has served me
Where meekness could not； and where patience could not；
As you shall hear now。 I have cast in bronze
A statue of Perseus； holding thus aloft
In his left hand the head of the Medusa；
And in his right the sword that severed it；
His right foot planted on the lifeless corse；
His face superb and pitiful； with eyes
Down…looking on the victim of his vengeance。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
I see it as it should be。
BENVENUTO。
As it will be
When it is placed upon the Ducal Square；
Half…way between your David and the Judith
Of Donatello。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
Rival of them both！
BENVENUTO。
But ah； what infinite trouble have I had
With Bandinello； and that stupid beast；
The major…domo of Duke Cosimo；
Francesco Ricci； and their wretched agent
Gorini； who came crawling round about me
Like a black spider； with his whining voice
That sounded like the buzz of a mosquito！
Oh； I have wept in utter desperation；
And wished a thousand times I had not left
My Tour do Nesle； nor e'er returned to Florence；
Or thought of Perseus。 What malignant falsehoods
They told the Grand Duke； to impede my work；
And make me desperate！
MICHAEL ANGELO。
The nimble lie
Is like the second…hand upon a clock；
We see it fly； while the hour…hand of truth
Seems to stand still； and yet it moves unseen；
And wins at last； for the clock will not strike
Till it has reached the goal。
BENVENUTO。
My obstinacy
Stood me in stead； and helped me to o'ercome
The hindrances that envy and ill…will
Put in my way。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
When anything is done
People see not the patient doing of it；
Nor think how great would be the loss to man
If it had not been done。 As in a building
Stone rests on stone； and wanting the foundation
All would be wanting； so in human life
Each action rests on the foregone event；
That made it possible； but is forgotten
And buried in the earth。
BENVENUTO。
Even Bandinello；
Who never yet spake well of anything；
Speaks well of this； and yet he told the Duke
That； though I cast small figures well enough；
I never could cast this。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
But you have done it；
And proved Ser Bandinello a false prophet。
That is the wisest way。
BENVENUTO。
And ah； that casting
What a wild scene it was； as late at night；
A night of wind and rain； we heaped the furnace
With pine of Serristori； till the flames
Caught in the rafters over us； and threatened
To send the burning roof upon our heads；
And from the garden side the wind and rain
Poured in upon us； and half quenched our fires。
I was beside myself with desperation。
A shudder came upon me； then a fever；
I thought that I was dying； and was forced
To leave the work…shop； and to throw myself
Upon my bed； as one who has no hope。
And as I lay there； a deformed old man
Appeared before me； and with dismal voice；
Like one who doth exhort a criminal
Led forth to death； exclaimed； 〃Poor Benvenuto；
Thy work is spoiled！ There is no remedy！〃
Then； with a cry so loud it might have reached
The heaven of fire； I bounded to my feet；
And rushed back to my workmen。 They all stood
Bewildered and desponding； and I looked
Into the furnace； and beheld the mass
Half molten only； and in my despair
I fed the fire with oak； whose terrible heat
Soon made the sluggish metal shine and sparkle。
Then followed a bright flash； and an explosion；
As if a thunderbolt had fallen among us。
The covering of the furnace had been rent
Asunder； and the bronze was flowing over；
So that I straightway opened all the sluices
To fill the mould。 The metal ran like lava；
Sluggish and heavy； and I sent my workmen
To ransack the whole house； and bring together
My pewter plates and pans； two hundred of them；
And cast them one by one into the furnace
To liquefy the mass； and in a moment
The mould was filled！ I fell upon my knees
And thanked the Lord； and then we ate and drank
And went to bed； all hearty and contented。
It was two hours before the break of day。
My fever was quite gone。
MICHAEL ANGEL