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LXXV（第1页）

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LXXV

ABANDONEDthustomyownresources，Itooknewcourage，andbanishedthesadthoughtswhichkeptrecurringtomymind，makingmeoftenweepbittertearsofrepentanceforhavingleftFrance;forthoughIdidsoonlytorevisitFlorence，mysweetbirthplace，inorderthatImightcharitablysuccourmysixnieces，thisgoodaction，asIwellperceived，hadbeenthebeginningofmygreatmisfortune.Nevertheless，IfeltconvincedthatwhenmyPerseuswasacplished，allthesetrialswouldbeturnedtohighfelicityandgloriouswell-being.

AccordinglyIstrengthenedmyheart，andwithalltheforcesofmybodyandmypurse，employingwhatlittlemoneystillremainedtome，Isettowork.FirstIprovidedmyselfwithseveralloadsofpinewoodfromtheforestsofSerristori，intheneighbourhoodofMontelupo.Whilethesewereontheirway，IclothedmyPerseuswiththeclaywhichIhadpreparedmanymonthsbeforehand，inorderthatitmightbedulyseasoned.Aftermakingitsclaytunic（forthatisthetermusedinthisart）andproperlyarmingitandfencingitwithirongirders，Ibegantodrawthewaxoutbymeansofaslowfire.Thismeltedandissuedthroughnumerousair-ventsIhadmade;forthemorethereareofthese，thebetterwillthemouldfill.WhenIhadfinisheddrawingoffthewax，Iconstructedafunnel-shapedfurnaceallroundthemodelofmyPerseus.Itwasbuiltofbricks，sointerlaced，theoneabovetheother，thatnumerousapertureswereleftforthefiretoexhaleat.ThenIbegantolayonwoodbydegrees，andkeptitburningtwowholedaysandnights.Atlength，whenallthewaxwasgone，andthemouldwaswellbaked，Isettoworkatdiggingthepitinwhichtosinkit.ThisIperformedwithscrupulousregardtoalltherulesofart.WhenIhadfinishedthatpartofmywork，Iraisedthemouldbywindlassesandstoutropestoaperpendicularposition，andsuspendingitwiththegreatestcareonecubitabovethelevelofthefurnace，sothatithungexactlyabovethemiddleofthepit，Inextlowereditgentlydownintotheverybottomofthefurnace，andhaditfirmlyplacedwitheverypossibleprecautionforitssafety.Whenthisdelicateoperationwasacplished，IbegantobankitupwiththeearthIhadexcavated;and，everastheearthgrewhigher，Iintroduceditsproperair-vents，whichwerelittletubesofearthenware，suchasfolkusefordrainsandsuch-likepurposes.Atlength，Ifeltsurethatitwasadmirablyfixed，andthatthefilling-inofthepitandtheplacingoftheair-ventshadbeenproperlyperformed.Ialsocouldseethatmyworkpeopleunderstoodmymethod，whichdifferedveryconsiderablyfromthatofalltheothermastersinthetrade.Feelingconfident，then，thatIcouldrelyuponthem，Inextturnedtomyfurnace，whichIhadfilledwithnumerouspigsofcopperandotherbronzestuff.Thepieceswerepiledaccordingtothelawsofart，thatistosay，sorestingoneupontheotherthattheflamescouldplayfreelythroughthem，inorderthatthemetalmightheatandliquefythesooner.AtlastIcalledoutheartilytosetthefurnacegoing.Thelogsofpinewereheapedin，and，whatwiththeunctuousresinofthewoodandthegooddraughtIhadgiven，myfurnaceworkedsowellthatIwasobligedtorushfromsidetosidetokeepitgoing.ThelabourwasmorethanIcouldstand;yetIforcedmyselftostraineverynerveandmuscle.Toincreasemyanxieties，theworkshoptookfire，andwewereafraidlesttheroofshouldfalluponourheads;while，fromthegarden，suchastormofwindandrainkeptblowingin，thatitperceptiblycooledthefurnace.

Battlingthuswithalltheseuntowardcircumstancesforseveralhours，andexertingmyselfbeyondeventhemeasureofmypowerfulconstitution，Icouldatlastbearupnolonger，andasuddenfever，oftheutmostpossibleintensity，attackedme.Ifeltabsolutelyobligedtogoandflingmyselfuponmybed.Sorelyagainstmywillhavingtodragmyselfawayfromthespot，Iturnedtomyassistants，abouttenormoreinall，whatwithmaster-founders，hand-workers，country-fellows，andmyownspecialjourneymen，amongwhomwasBernardinoMannelliniofMugello，myapprenticethroughseveralyears.TohiminparticularIspoke:“Look，mydearBernardino，thatyouobservetheruleswhichIhavetaughtyou;doyourbestwithalldespatch，forthemetalwillsoonbefused.Youcannotgowrong;thesehonestmenwillgetthechannelsready;youwilleasilybeabletodrivebackthetwoplugswiththispairofironcrooks;andIamsurethatmymouldwillfillmiraculously.IfeelmoreillthanIeverdidinallmylife，andverilybelievethatitwillkillmebeforeafewhoursareover.【1】Thus，withdespairatheart，Ileftthem，andbetookmyselftobed.

【1】Sometechnicaltermsrequireexplanationinthissentence.Thecanaliorchannelsweresluicesforcarryingthemoltenmetalfromthefurnaceintothemould.Themandriani，whichIhavetranslatedbyironcrooks，werepolesfittedattheendwithcurvedirons，bywhichtheopeningsofthefurnace，plugs，orinItalianspine，couldbepartiallyorwhollydrivenback，soastothemoltenmetalflowthroughthechannelsintothemould.Whenthemetalreachedthemould，itenteredinared-hotstreambetweenthetonaca，oroutsidemould，andtheanima，orinnerblock，fillingupexactlythespacewhichhadpreviouslybeenoccupiedbythewaxextractedbyamethodofslowburningalludedtoabove.Ibelievethattheprocessisknownascastingácireperdue.Theforma，ormould，consistedoftwopieces;onehollow（latonaca），whichgaveshapetothebronze;onesolidandrounded（laanima），whichstoodatashortintervalwithintheformer，andregulatedtheinfluxofthemetal.Seeabove，p.354，note.

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