按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
…so I chose tutors for them and arranged for these men to e to my house in the daylight hours to perform instruction as required。
The boys would learn Latin； Greek； philosophy； the newfound and much valued 〃classics；〃 some mathematics and whatever they needed to proceed in life。 If they excelled in painting and they chose it； they could of course forget the university and follow the painter's path。
Finally I had a houseful of healthy and noisy activity。 There were cooks in the kitchen； and musicians teaching my boys to sing and play the lute。 There were dancing instructors and there were fencing matches over the marble floors of the great salons。
But I did not open my doors to the populace as I had done in long ago Rome。
I was too wary to do such a thing in Venice； too unsure of my ruse； too uncertain of what questions my mad painting might arouse。
No； I need only have my young male assistants； I fancied； both to keep me pany and to help me； for there was much to be done preparing the walls for my frescoes and covering my panels and
canvases with the proper varnishes for my work。
As it turned out； there was not much for anyone to do for some weeks； for during that period I wandered the local workshops and studied the painters of Venice as I had studied the painters of Florence not long before。
There was no doubt in my mind； after this studious examination； that I could mimic mortql work to some extent； but I could not hope to surpass it。 And I feared what I would acplish。 And I resolved to keep my house closed to all but the boys and their instructors as arranged。
Taking to my bedroom study； I began a journal of my thoughts； the first I had ever kept since the nights in old Rome。
I wrote of the forts I enjoyed。 And I chastised myself with more clarity than I did in my mind。
〃You have bee a fool for the love of mortals；〃 I wrote；
far more than you ever did in the ancient nights。 For you know you have chosen these boys so that you might instruct them and mold them； and there will be loving in it and hope in it； and the intention of sending them on to be educated at Padua； as though they were your mortal children。
But what if they should e to discover that you are a beast in heart and soul； and they run from your touch； what then？ Will you slaughter them in their innocence？ This is not ancient Rome with its nameless millions。 This is the strict Republic of Venice where you play your games； and for what？
For the color of the evening sky over the piazza that you see when you are first risen； for the domes of the church beneath the moon？ For the color of the canals that only you can behold in the starlight？ You are a wicked and greedy creature。
Will art satisfy you？ You hunt elsewhere； in the surrounding towns and hamlets； or even in distant cities； for you can move with the speed of a god。 But you bring evil tp Venice because you are evil； and in your fine palazzo； lies are told； lies are lived； lies may fail。
I put down the quill。 I read over my words； forever memorizing them； as if they were a foreign voice speaking to me； and only when I'd finished did I look up to see Vincenzo； so polite and humble； and so dignified in his new clothes； waiting to speak to me。
〃What is it？〃 I asked gently so as not to make him think I disapproved of him for ing in。
〃Master； only let me tell you 。 。 。〃 he said。 He looked quite elegant in his new velvet； rather like a prince at court。
〃Yes； do tell me；〃 I said。
〃It's only that the boys are so happy。 They are all in bed now and sleeping。 But do you know what it means to them that they have plenty to eat and decent clothes； and are learning their lessons with a purpose？ I could tell you many stories； too many I think。 There's not a dullard among them。 It's such luck。〃
I smiled。
〃That's very good； Vincenzo；〃 I said。 〃Go have your supper。 Enjoy as； much wine as you wjsh。〃
I sat in the stillness after he had left me。
It seemed quite impossible that I had made this residence for myself； and that nothing had stopped me。 I had hours before dawn during which I might rest on my bed； or read among my new books before making the short journey to another place within the city where a sarcophagus had been hidden in a gold…lined chamber in which I would sleep by day。
But I chose instead to go to the great room which I had designated as my studio； and there I found the pigments and other materials ready for me； including several wooden panels which my young apprentices had prepared as directed for me to paint。
It was a small matter to blend the tempera and I did it quickly so that I had a wealth of colors at my mand； and then glancing over and over again into a mirror which I had brought into the room with me； I painted my own portrait in quick exact strokes with little or no correction until it was plete。
A。s soon as I was finished； I stood back from my creation； and I found myself staring into my own eyes。 It wasn't the man of long ago who had died in the northern forest； or the frantic blood drinker who had taken the Mother and the Father out of Egypt。 Nor was it the starved and dogged wanderer who had slipped soundlessly through time for so many hundreds of years。
It was a bold and proud immortal who looked at me； a blood drinker who demanded that the world at last give him some quarter； an aberrant being of immense power who insisted that he might have a place among the human beings of which he had in former times been one。
As the months passed； I discovered that my plan was working quite well。 In fact it was working marvelously！
I became obsessed with my new clothing of the period； velvet tunics and stockings； and marvelpus cloaks trimmed in rare fur。 Indeed mirrors were an obsession with me now as well。 I could not stop looking at my own reflection。 I applied the salves with great care。
Each evening； after sunset； I arose fully dressed with the requisite disguise on my skin； and I arrived at my palazzo to a warm greeting from all my children； and then dismissing the many teachers and tutors； I presided over a good banquet with my children where all were delighted to have the rich food of princes； as music played。
Then in a mild manner I questioned all my apprentices as to what they had learnt that day。 Our conversations were long； plex； and full of wonderful revelations。 I could easily surmise which teacher had been successful； and which had not wrought the effects I desired。
As for the boys themselves； I soon saw which of the boys possessed the greater talent； who should be sent off to the University of Padua； and who should be schooled as a goldsmith or a painter。 Of failures we had none。
You understand； this was a transcendent enterprise。 To repeat； I had chosen all of these boys by means of the Mind Gift； and what I offered them in these months； which soon stretched to years； was something they would never have had if I had riot intervened。
I had bee a magician for them； aiding them to realize acplishments of which they hadn't ever｝ dreamt。
And there was no doubt that I found immense satisfaction in this achievement