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！
What a strange mood would descend upon me while walking in the arcade along San Marco if someone should be looking at me admiringly。
I would turn about； taking my time； and double back perhaps； and only reluctantly move away； rather like a bird in some northern clime enjoying the warmth of the sun on its wings。
Meantime； with gold in his hands； Vincenzo was sent to buy fine clothes for himself。 I would make a gentleman of him； in so far as the sumptuary laws allowed。
And seated at my new desk in a spacious bedchamber floored in marble with windows open to the winds off the canal； I wrote out lists of those additional luxuries which I desired。
I wanted a lavish old Roman…style bath built for me in this bedchamber； so that I could enjoy the warm water whenever I wished。 I wanted shelves for my books； and a finer chair for this desk。 Of course there should be another library。 What was a house to me if it did not possess a library？ I wanted the finest clothing； the fashionable hats and leather shoes。
I drew pictures to guide those who would carry out my designs。
These were heady times。 I was a part of life once more and my heart was beating to a human pace。
Hailing a gondola at the quais； I traveled the canals for hours looking
up at the spectacular facades which made up the waterways of Venice。 I listened to the voices everywhere。 I lay back sometimes on my elbow and gazed up at the stars。
At various goldsmith shops and painters' workshops I chose my first gathering of apprentices； taking every opportunity to select the brilliant ones who were for various reasons among the wronged； and neglected； and abused。 They would show me profound loyalty and untapped knowledge； and I sent them off to their new home with gold coins in their hands。
Of course I procured clever assistants because those were necessary； but I knew I would be very successful with the poorlings。 Force was riot required。
Meantime； it was my wish that my boys should be educated for the university…not a customary thing with a painter's apprentice…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； for I was a teacher of these creatures； just as I had long ago wanted to be the teacher of Avicus and Zenobia； and during all this time I thought of Avicus and Zenobia。 I could not help but think of them and wonder what had bee of them。
Had they survived？
I could not know。
But I knew this about myself： I had loved both Zenobia and Avicus because they allowed me to be their teacher。 And I had fought with Pandora because she would not。 She was far too finely educated and clever to be anything but a fierce verbal and philosophical opponent and I had left her； stupidly； on that account。
But no amount of such self…knowledge caused me to not long for my lost Zenobia and for Avicus； and to wonder what paths they'd taken through the world。 Zenobia's beauty had struck a deeper note in me than the beauty of Avicus； and I could not relinquish the simple recollection of the softness of Zenobia's hair。
Sometimes； when I was alone in my bedroom in Venice； when I sat at my desk watching the curtains blow out from the windows； I thought of Zenobia's hair。 I thought of it lying on the mosaic floor in Constantinople； after she had cut all of it so that she might travel the streets as a boy。 I wanted to reach back over a thousand years and gather it up in my hands。
AS for my own blond hair； I could wear it long now for this was the style of the period； and I rather enjoyed it； brushing it clean without resentment； and going out to walk in the piazza while the sky was still purple knowing people were looking at me； wondering just what sort of man I was。
As for my painting； I went about it using a few wooden panels with only a handful of apprentices in my studio； locked off from the world。 I created several successful religious pictures…all of the Virgin Mary and the Angel Gabriel appearing to her； because this theme…The Annunciation…appealed to me。 And I was rather amazed at how well I could imitate the style of the times：
Then I set upon a major undertaking which would be a true test of my immortal skill and wits。
18
LET ME EXPLAIN what this undertaking was to be： There was a chapel in Florence that existed within a Medici palazzo； and on the walls of this chapel was a great painting by a painter named Gozzoli of the Procession of the Magi…the three wise men of Scripture…ing to visit the Christ Child with their precious gifts。
Now it was a marvelous painting； full of rampant detail。 And it was worldly in the extreme； in that the Magi themselves were clothed as wealthy Florentine citizens and there followed behind them a huge gathering of similarly clothed men and churchmen so that the whole was a tribute to the Christ Child and to the times in which the painting had been done。
This painting covered the walls of this chapel； along with the walls of the recess for the place where its altar stood。 And the chapel itself was quite small。
Now I was taken with the painting for many reasons。 I had