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LIII（第1页）

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LIII

THEDUKEOFFLORENCEatthistime，whichwasthemonthofAugust1545，hadretiredtoPoggioaCajano，tenmilesdistantfromFlorence.ThitherthenIwenttopayhimmyrespects，withthesoleobjectofactingasdutyrequired，firstbecauseIwasaFlorentine，andnextbecausemyforefathershadalwaysbeenadherentsoftheMediceanparty，andIyieldedtononeoftheminaffectionforthisDukeCosimo.AsIhavesaid，then，IrodetoPoggiowiththesoleobjectofpayingmyrespects，andwithnointentionofacceptingserviceunderhim，asGod，whodoesallthingswell，didthenappointforme.

WhenIwasintroduced，theDukereceivedmeverykindly;thenheandtheDuchessputquestionsconcerningtheworkswhichIhadexecutedfortheKing.Iansweredwillinglyandindetail.Afterlisteningtomystory，heansweredthathehadheardasmuch，andthatIspokethetruth.Thenheassumedatoneofsympathy，andadded:“Howsmallarepenseforsuchgreatandnoblemasterpieces!FriendBenvenuto，ifyoufeelinclinedtoexecutesomethingformetoo，IamreadytopayyoufarbetterthanthatKingofyourshaddone，forwhomyourexcellentnaturepromptsyoutospeaksogratefully.”WhenIunderstoodhisdrift，IdescribedthedeepobligationsunderwhichIlaytohisMajesty，whofirstobtainedmyliberationfromthatiniquitousprison，andafterwardssuppliedmewiththemeansofcarryingoutmoreadmirableworksthananyartistofmyqualityhadeverhadthechancetodo.WhileIwasthusspeaking，mylordtheDukewrithedonhischair，andseemedasthoughhecouldnotbeartohearmetotheend.Then，whenIhadconcluded，herejoined:“Ifyouaredisposedtoworkforme，Iwilltreatyouinawaythatwillastonishyou，providedthefruitsofyourlaboursgivemesatisfaction，ofwhichIhavenodoubt.”I，poorunhappymortal，burningwithdesiretoshowthenobleschoolofFlorencethat，afterleavingherinyouth，Ihadpractisedotherbranchesoftheartthansheimagined，gaveanswertotheDukethatIwouldwillinglyerectforhiminmarbleorinbronzeamightystatueonhisfinepiazza.Herepliedthat，forafirstessay，heshouldlikemetoproduceaPerseus;hehadlongsethisheartonhavingsuchamonument，andhebeggedmetobeginamodelforthesame.Iverygladlysetmyselftothetask，andinafewweeksIfinishedmymodel，whichwasaboutacubithigh，inyellowwaxandverydelicatelyfinishedinallitsdetails.Ihadmadeitwiththemostthoroughstudyandart.

TheDukereturnedtoFlorence，butseveraldayspassedbeforeIhadanopportunityofshowingmymodel.Itseemedindeedasthoughhehadneverseteyesonmeorspokenwithme，andthiscausedmetoaugurillofmyfuturedealingswithhisExcellency.Lateron，however，onedayafterdinner，Itookittohiswardrobe，wherehecametoinspectitwiththeDuchessandafewgentlemenofthecourt.Nosoonerhadheseenitthanheexpressedmuchpleasure，andextolledittotheskies;wherefromIgatheredsomehopethathemightreallybeaconnoisseurofart.Afterhavingwellconsidereditforsometime，alwayswithgreatersatisfaction，hebeganasfollows:“Ifyoucouldonlyexecutethislittlemodel，Benvenuto，withthesameperfectiononalargescale，itwouldbethefinestpieceinthepiazza.”Ireplied:“Mostexcellentmylord，uponthepiazzaarenowstandingworksbythegreatDonatelloandtheinparableMichelAngelo，thetwogreatestmenwhohaveeverlivedsincethedaysoftheancients.ButsinceyourExcellenceencouragesmymodelwithsuchpraise，Ifeelthehearttoexecuteitatleastthriceaswellinbronze.”Noslightdisputearoseuponthisdeclaration;theDukeprotestingthatheunderstoodthesemattersperfectly，andwasquiteawarewhatcouldbedone.Irejoinedthatmyachievementswouldresolvehisdubitationsanddebates;IwasabsolutelysureofbeingabletoperformfarmorethanIhadpromisedforhisExcellency，butthathemustgivememeansforcarryingmyworkout，elseIcouldnotfulfilmyundertaking.InreturnforthishisExcellencybademeformulatemydemandsinapetition，detailingallmyrequirements;hewouldseethemliberallyattendedto.

ItiscertainthatifIhadbeencunningenoughtosecurebycontractallIwantedformywork，Ishouldnothaveincurredthegreattroubleswhichcameuponmethroughmyownfault.Butheshowedthestrongestdesiretohavetheworkdone，andthemostperfectwillingnesstoarrangepreliminaries.Itherefore，notdiscerningthathewasmoreamerchantthanaduke，dealtveryfranklywithhisExcellency，justasifIhadtodowithaprince，andnotwithamercialman.Isentinmypetition，towhichherepliedinlargeandampleterms.Thememorandumranasfollows:“Mostrareandexcellentmypatron，petitionsofanyvalidityandpactsbetweenusofanyvaluedonotrestuponwordsorwritings;thewholepointisthatIshouldsucceedinmyworkaccordingtomypromise;andifIsosucceed，IfeelconvincedthatyourmostillustriousExcellencywillverywellrememberwhatyouhaveengagedtodoforme.”ThislanguagesocharmedtheDukebothwithmywaysofactingandofspeakingthatheandtheDuchessbegantotreatmewithextraordinarymarksoffavour.

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