The Cloister and the Hearth: A Tale of the Middle Ages

by Charles Reade

  CHAPTER LIX

  ABOUT a week after this the two friends sat working together, but not inthe same spirit. Pietro dashed fitfully at his, and did wonders in a fewminutes, and then did nothing, except abuse it; then presently resumedit in a fury, to lay it down with a groan. Through all which kept calmlyworking, calmly smiling, the canny Dutchman.

  To be plain, Gerard, who never had a friend he did not master, had puthis Onagra in harness. The friends were painting playing cards to boilthe pot.

  When done, the indignant master took up his picture to make his dailytour in search of a customer.

  Gerard begged him to take the cards as well, and try and sell them. Helooked all the rattlesnake, but eventually embraced Gerard in theItalian fashion, and took them, after first drying the last finishedones in the sun, which was now powerful in that happy clime.

  Gerard, left alone, executed a Greek letter or two, and then mended alittle rent in his hose. His landlady found him thus employed, andinquired ironically whether there were no women in the house.

  "When you have done that," said she, "come and talk to Teresa, my friendI spoke to thee of, that hath a husband not good for much, which bragshis acquaintance with the great."

  Gerard went down, and who should Teresa be but the Roman matron.

  "Ah, madama," said he, "is it you? The good dame told me not that. Andthe little fair-haired boy, is he well? is he none the worse for hisvoyage in that strange boat?"

  "He is well," said the matron.

  "Why, what are you two talking about?" said the landlady, staring atthem both in turn; "and why tremble you so, Teresa mia?"

  "He saved my child's life," said Teresa, making an effort to composeherself.

  "What, my lodger? and he never told me a word of that. Art not ashamedto look me in the face?"

  "Alas! speak not harshly to him," said the matron. She then turned toher friend and poured out a glowing description of Gerard's conduct,during which Gerard stood blushing like a girl, and scarce recognizinghis own performance, gratitude painted it so fair.

  "And to think thou shouldst ask me to serve thy lodger, of whom I knewnought but that he had thy good word, O Fiammina: and that was enoughfor me. Dear youth, in serving thee I serve myself."

  Then ensued an eager description, by the two women, of what had beendone, and what should be done, to penetrate the thick wall of fees,commissions, and chicanery, which stood between the patrons of art andan unknown artist in the Eternal city.

  Teresa smiled sadly at Gerard's simplicity in leaving specimens of hisskill at the doors of the great.

  "What!" said she, "without promising the servants a share--without evenfeeing them, to let the signors see thy merchandize! As well have flungit into Tiber."

  "Well-a-day!" sighed Gerard. "Then how is an artist to find a patron?for artists are poor, not rich."

  "By going to some city nobler and not so greedy as this," said Teresa."La corte Romana non vuol' pecora senza lana."

  She fell into thought, and said she would come again to-morrow.

  The landlady felicitated Gerard. "Teresa has got something in her head,"said she.

  Teresa was scarce gone when Pietro returned with his picture, lookingblack as thunder. Gerard exchanged a glance with the landlady, andfollowed him up stairs to console him.

  "What, have they let thee bring home thy masterpiece?"

  "As heretofore."

  "More fools they, then."

  "That is not the worst."

  "Why, what is the matter?"

  "They have bought the cards," yelled Pietro, and hammered the airfuriously right and left.

  "All the better," said Gerard cheerfully.

  "They flew at me for them. They were enraptured with them. They tried toconceal their longing for them, but could not. I saw, I feigned, Ipillaged; curse the boobies."

  And he flung down a dozen small silver coins on the floor and jumped onthem, and danced on them with basilisk eyes, and then kicked themassiduously, and sent them spinning and flying, and running all abroad.Down went Gerard on his knees and followed the maltreated innocentsdirectly, and transferred them tenderly to his purse.

  "Shouldst rather smile at their ignorance, and put it to profit," saidhe.

  "And so I will," said Pietro, with concentrated indignation. "Thebrutes! We will paint a pack a day; we will set the whole city gamblingand ruining itself, while we live like princes on its vices andstupidity. There was one of the queens, though, I had fain have keptback. 'Twas you limned her, brother. She had lovely red-brown hair andsapphire eyes, and above all, soul."

  "Pietro," said Gerard, softly, "I painted that one from my heart."

  The quick-witted Italian nodded, and his eyes twinkled.

  "You love her so well, yet leave her."

  "Pietro, it is because I love her so dear that I have wandered all thisdreary road."

  This interesting colloquy was interrupted by the landlady crying frombelow, "Come down, you are wanted." He went down, and there was Teresaagain.

  "Come with me, Ser Gerard."