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XVIII（第1页）

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XVIII

ONthemorningwhichfollowedtheseevents，Imadethefirststepinmyworkuponthegreatsalt-cellar，pressingthisandmyotherpiecesforwardwithincessantindustry.Myworkpeopleatthistime，whowereprettynumerous，includedbothsculptorsandgoldsmiths.Theybelongedtoseveralnations，Italian，French，andGerman;forItookthebestIcouldfind，andchangedthemoften，retainingonlythosewhoknewtheirbusinesswell.TheseselectcraftsmenIworkedtothebonewithperpetuallabour.Theywantedtorivalme;butIhadabetterconstitution.Consequently，intheirinabilitytobearupagainstsuchacontinuousstrain，theytooktoeatinganddrinkingcopiously，someoftheGermansinparticular，whoweremoreskilledthantheirrades，andwantedtomarchapacewithme，sankundertheseexcesses，andperished.

WhileIwasatworkupontheJupiter，InoticedthatIhadplentyofsilvertospare.SoItookinhand，withoutconsultingtheKing，tomakeagreattwo-handledvase，aboutonecubitandahalfinheight.IalsoconceivedthenotionofcastingthelargemodelofmyJupiterinbronze.Havinguptothisdatedonenothingofthesort，IconferredwithcertainoldmenexperiencedinthatartatParis，anddescribedtothemthemethodsinusewithusinItaly.Theytoldmetheyhadnevergonethatwayaboutthebusiness;butthatifIgavethemleavetoactupontheirownprinciples，theywouldbringthebronzeoutascleanandperfectastheclay.Ichosetostrikeanagreement，throwingonthemtheresponsibility，andpromisingseveralcrownsabovethepricetheybargainedfor.Thereupontheyputtheworkinprogress;butIsoonsawthattheyweregoingthewrongwayaboutit，andbeganonmyownaccountaheadofJuliusC?sar，bustandarmour，muchlargerthanthelife，whichImodelledfromareducedcopyofasplendidantiqueportraitIhadbroughtwithmefromRome.Ialsoundertookanotherheadofthesamesize，studiedfromaveryhandsomegirl，whomIkeptformyownpleasures.IcalledthisFontainebleau，aftertheplaceselectedbytheKingforhisparticulardelight.

Weconstructedanadmirablelittlefurnaceforthecastingofthebronze，gotallthingsready，andbakedourmoulds;thoseFrenchmastersundertakingtheJupiter，whileIlookedaftermytwoheads.ThenIsaid:“IdonotthinkyouwillsucceedwithyourJupiter，becauseyouhavenotprovidedsufficientventsbeneathfortheairtocirculate;thereforeyouarebutlosingyourtimeandtrouble.”Theyrepliedthat，iftheirworkprovedafailure，theywouldpaybackthemoneyIhadgivenonaccount，andrecoupmeforcurrentexpenses;buttheybademegivegoodheedtomyownproceedings，forthefineheadsImeanttocastinmyItalianfashionwouldneversucceed.

AtthisdisputebetweenustherewerepresentthetreasurersandothergentlefolkmissionedbytheKingtosuperintendmyproceedings.EverythingwhichpassedbywordoractwasdulyreportedtohisMajesty.ThetwooldmenwhohadundertakentocastmyJupiterpostponedtheexperiment，sayingtheywouldliketoarrangethemouldsofmytwoheads.Theyarguedthat，accordingtomymethod，nosuccesscouldbeexpected，anditwasapitytowastesuchfinemodels.WhentheKingwasinformedofthis，hesentwordthattheyshouldgivetheirmindstolearning，andnottrytoteachtheirmaster.

Sothentheyputtheirnowpieceintothefurnacewithmuchlaughter;whileI，maintainingafirmcarriage，showingneithermirthnoranger（thoughIfeltit），placedmytwoheads，oneoneachsideoftheJupiter.Themetalcameallrighttomelting，andweletitinwithjoyandgladness;itfilledthemouldoftheJupitermostadmirably，andatthesametimemytwoheads.Thisfurnishedthemwithmatterforrejoicingandmewithsatisfaction;forIwasnotsorrytohavepredictedwronglyoftheirwork，andtheymadeasthoughtheyweredelightedtohavebeenmistakenaboutmine.Then，asthecustominFranceis，theyaskedtodrink，inhighgoodspirits.Iwasverywilling，andorderedahandsomecollationfortheirentertainment.Whenthiswasover，theyrequestedmetopaythemoneyduetothemandthesurplusIhadpromised.Ireplied:“Youhavebeenlaughingoverwhat，Ifear，maymakeyouweep.Onreflection，itseemstomethattoomuchmetalflowedintoyoumould.ThereforeIshallwaituntilto-morrowbeforeIdisbursemoremoney.”Thepoorfellowsswallowedmywordsandchewedthecudofthem;thentheywenthomewithoutfurtherargument.

Atdaybreaktheybegan，quitequietly，tobreakintothepitofthefurnace.Theycouldnotuncovertheirlargemoulduntiltheyhadextractedmytwoheads;thesewereinexcellentcondition，andtheyplacedthemwheretheycouldbewellseen.WhentheycametoJupiter，andhaddugbutscarcelytwocubits，theysentupsuchayell，theyandtheirfourworkmen，thatitwokemeup.Fancyingitwasashoutoftriumph，Isetoffrunning，formybedroomwasatthedistanceofmorethanfivehundredpaces.Onreachingthespot，IfoundthemlookingliketheguardiansofChristssepulchreinapicture，downcastandterrified.Castingahastyglanceuponmytwoheads，andseeingtheywereallright，Itemperedmyannoyancewiththepleasurethatsightgaveme.Thentheybegantomakeexcuses，crying:“Ourbadluck!”Iretorted:“Yourluckhasbeenmostexcellent，butwhathasbeenindeedbadisyourdeficiencyofknowledge;hadIonlyseenyouputthesoulintoyourmould，Icouldhavetaughtyouwithonewordhowtocastthefigurewithoutfault.Thiswouldhavebroughtmegreathonourandyoumuchprofit.Ishallbeabletomakegoodmyreputation;butyouwillnowlosebothyourhonourandyourprofit.Letthenthislessonteachyouanothertimetowork，andnottopokefunatyourmasters.”

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