But，mindyou，whenaboystarvesinthestreetsEightyearstogetherasmyfortunewas，Watchingfolk’sfacestoknowwhowillflingThebitofhalf-strippedgrape-bunchhedesires，Andwhowillcurseorkickhimforhispains，——
　　Whichgentlemanprocessionalandfine，HoldingacandletotheSacrament，WillwinkandlethimliftaplateandcatchThedroppingsofthewaxtosellagain，[120]
　　OrhollafortheEightandhavehimwhipped，——
　　HowsayI?——nay，whichdogbites，whichletsdropHisbonefromtheheapofoffalinthestreet，——
　　Why，soulandsenseofhimgrowsharpalike，Helearnsthelookofthings，andnonethelessForadmonitionfromthehunger-pinch。
　　Ihadastoreofsuchremarks，besure，Which，afterIfoundleisure，turnedtouse：
　　Idrewmen’sfacesonmycopy-books，Scrawledthemwithintheantiphonary’smarge，[130]
　　Joinedlegsandarmstothelongmusic-notes，FoundeyesandnoseandchinforA’sandB’s，AndmadeastringofpicturesoftheworldBetwixttheinsandoutsofverbandnoun，Onthewall，thebench，thedoor。Themonkslookedblack。”Nay，”quoththePrior，”turnhimout，d’yesay?
　　Innowise。Loseacrowandcatchalark。
　　Whatifatlastwegetourmanofparts，WeCarmelites，likethoseCamaldoleseAndPreachingFriars，todoourchurchupfine[140]
　　Andputthefrontonitthatoughttobe！”
　　Andhereuponhebademedaubaway。
　　Thankyou！myheadbeingcrammed，thewallsablank，Neverwassuchpromptdisemburdening。
　　Firsteverysortofmonk，theblackandwhite，Idrewthem，fatandlean：then，folksatchurch，FromgoodoldgossipswaitingtoconfessTheircribsofbarrel-droppings，candle-ends，——
　　Tothebreathlessfellowatthealtar-foot，Freshfromhismurder，safeandsittingthere[150]
　　WiththelittlechildrenroundhiminarowOfadmiration，halfforhisbeard，andhalfForthatwhiteangerofhisvictim’ssonShakingafistathimwithonefiercearm，SigninghimselfwiththeotherbecauseofChristWhosesadfaceonthecrossseesonlythisAfterthepassionofathousandyears，Tillsomepoorgirl，heraprono’erherheadWhichtheintenseeyeslookedthrough，cameateveOntiptoe，saidaword，droppedinaloaf，[160]
　　Herpairofear-ringsandabunchofflowersThebrutetookgrowling，prayed，andsowasgone。
　　Ipaintedall，thencried，”’Tisaskandhave；
　　Choose，formore’sready！”——laidtheladderflat，Andshowedmycoveredbitofcloister-wall。
　　ThemonksclosedinacircleandpraisedloudTillchecked，taughtwhattoseeandnottosee，Beingsimplebodies，——”That’stheveryman！
　　Lookattheboywhostoopstopatthedog！
　　Thatwoman’slikethePrior’sniecewhocomes[170]
　　Tocareabouthisasthma：it’sthelife！”
　　Buttheremytriumph’sstraw-fireflaredandfunked；
　　Theirbetterstooktheirturntoseeandsay：
　　ThepriorandthelearnedpulledafaceAndstoppedallthatinnotime。”How?what’shere?
　　Quitefromthemarkofpainting，blessusall！
　　Faces，arms，legs，andbodieslikethetrueAsmuchaspeaandpea！it’sdevil’sgame！
　　Yourbusinessisnottocatchmenwithshow，Withhomagetotheperishableclay，[180]
　　Butliftthemoverit，ignoreitall，Makethemforgetthere’ssuchathingasflesh。
　　Yourbusinessistopaintthesoulsofmen——
　　Man’ssoul，andit’safire，smoke……no，it’snot……
　　It’svapordoneuplikeanew-bornbabe——
　　Inthatshapewhenyoudieitleavesyourmouth，It’s……well，whatmatterstalking，it’sthesoul！
　　Giveusnomoreofbodythanshowssoul！
　　Here’sGiotto，withhisSainta-praisingGod，Thatsetsuspraising，——whynotstopwithhim?[190]
　　WhyputallthoughtsofpraiseoutofourheadWithwonderatlines，colors，andwhatnot?
　　Paintthesoul，nevermindthelegsandarms！
　　Ruballout，tryatitasecondtime！
　　Oh，thatwhitesmallishfemalewiththebreasts，She’sjustmyniece……Herodias，Iwouldsay，——
　　Whowentanddanced，andgotmen’sheadscutoff！
　　Haveitallout！”Now，isthissense，Iask?
　　Afinewaytopaintsoul，bypaintingbodySoill，theeyecan’tstopthere，mustgofurther[200]
　　Andcan’tfareworse！Thus，yellowdoesforwhiteWhenwhatyouputforyellow’ssimplyblack，AndanysortofmeaninglooksintenseWhenallbesideitselfmeansandlooksnaught。
　　Whycan’tapainterlifteachfootinturn，Leftfootandrightfoot，goadoublestep，Makehisfleshlikerandhissoulmorelike，Bothintheirorder?Taketheprettiestface，ThePrior’sniece……patron-saint——isitsoprettyYoucan’tdiscoverifitmeanshope，fear，[210]
　　Sorroworjoy?won’tbeautygowiththese?
　　SupposeI’vemadehereyesallrightandblue，Can’tItakebreathandtrytoaddlife’sflash，Andthenaddsoulandheightenthemthreefold?
　　Orsaythere’sbeautywithnosoulatall——
　　Ineversawit——putthecasethesame——
　　Ifyougetsimplebeautyandnaughtelse，YougetaboutthebestthingGodinvents：
　　That’ssomewhat：andyou’llfindthesoulyouhavemissed，Withinyourself，whenyoureturnhimthanks。[220]”Ruballout！”Well，well，there’smylife，inshort，Andsothethinghasgoneoneversince。
　　I’mgrownamannodoubt，I’vebrokenbounds：
　　YoushouldnottakeafelloweightyearsoldAndmakehimsweartoneverkissthegirls。
　　I’mmyownmaster，paintnowasIplease——
　　Havingafriend，yousee，intheCorner-house！
　　Lord，it’sfastholdingbytheringsinfront——
　　ThosegreatringsservemorepurposesthanjustToplantaflagin，ortieupahorse！[230]
　　Andyettheoldschoolingsticks，theoldgraveeyesArepeepingo’ermyshoulderasIwork，Theheadsshakestill——”It’sart’sdecline，myson！
　　You’renotofthetruepainters，greatandold；
　　BrotherAngelico’stheman，you’llfind；
　　BrotherLorenzostandshissinglepeer：
　　Fagonatflesh，you’llnevermakethethird！”
　　`Flowero’thepine，Youkeepyourmistr……manners，andI’llsticktomine！’
　　I’mnotthethird，then：blessus，theymustknow！[240]
　　Don’tyouthinkthey’rethelikeliesttoknow，TheywiththeirLatin?So，Iswallowmyrage，Clinchmyteeth，suckmylipsintight，andpaintTopleasethem——sometimesdo，andsometimesdon’t；
　　For，doingmost，there’sprettysuretocomeAturn，somewarmevefindsmeatmysaints——
　　Alaugh，acry，thebusinessoftheworld——
　　`Flowero’thepeach，Deathforusall，andhisownlifeforeach！’
　　Andmywholesoulrevolves，thecuprunsover，[250]
　　Theworldandlife’stoobigtopassforadream，AndIdothesewildthingsinsheerdespite，Andplaythefooleriesyoucatchmeat，Inpurerage！Theoldmill-horse，outatgrassAfterhardyears，throwsuphisstiffheelsso，AlthoughthemillerdoesnotpreachtohimTheonlygoodofgrassistomakechaff。
　　Whatwouldmenhave?Dotheylikegrassorno——
　　Maytheyormayn’tthey?allIwant’sthethingSettledforeveroneway。Asitis，[260]
　　Youtelltoomanyliesandhurtyourself：
　　Youdon’tlikewhatyouonlyliketoomuch，Youdolikewhat，ifgivenyouatyourword，Youfindabundantlydetestable。
　　Forme，IthinkIspeakasIwastaught；
　　Ialwaysseethegarden，andGodthereA-makingman’swife：and，mylessonlearned，Thevalueandsignificanceofflesh，Ican’tunlearntenminutesafterwards。
　　Youunderstandme：I’mabeast，Iknow。[270]
　　Butsee，now——why，IseeascertainlyAsthatthemorning-star’sabouttoshine，Whatwillhapsomeday。We’veayoungsterhereComestoourconvent，studieswhatIdo，Slouchesandstaresandletsnoatomdrop：
　　HisnameisGuidi——he’llnotmindthemonks——
　　TheycallhimHulkingTom，heletsthemtalk——
　　Hepicksmypracticeup——he’llpaintapace，Ihopeso——thoughIneverlivesolong，Iknowwhat’ssuretofollow。Youbejudge！[280]
　　YouspeaknoLatinmorethanI，belike；
　　However，you’remyman，you’veseentheworld——Thebeautyandthewonderandthepower，Theshapesofthings，theircolors，lights，andshades，Changes，surprises，——andGodmadeitall！——
　　Forwhat?Doyoufeelthankful，ayorno，Forthisfairtown’sface，yonderriver’sline，Themountainrounditandtheskyabove，Muchmorethefiguresofman，woman，child，Thesearetheframeto?What’sitallabout?[290]
　　Tobepassedover，despised?ordweltupon，Wonderedat?oh，thislastofcourse！——yousay。
　　Butwhynotdoaswellassay，——painttheseJustastheyare，carelesswhatcomesofit?
　　God’sworks——paintanyone，andcountitcrimeToletatruthslip。Don’tobject，”HisworksAreherealready；natureiscomplete：
　　Supposeyoureproduceher——whichyoucan’t
　　There’snoadvantage！youmustbeather，then。”
　　For，don’tyoumark?we’remadesothatwelove[300]
　　Firstwhenweseethempainted，thingswehavepassedPerhapsahundredtimesnorcaredtosee；
　　Andsotheyarebetter，painted——bettertous，Whichisthesamething。Artwasgivenforthat；
　　Godusesustohelpeachotherso，Lendingourmindsout。Haveyounoticed，nowYourcullion’shangingface?Abitofchalk，Andtrustmebutyoushould，though！HowmuchmoreIfIdrewhigherthingswiththesametruth！
　　ThatweretotakethePrior’spulpit-place，[310]
　　InterpretGodtoallofyou！Oh，oh，ItmakesmemadtoseewhatmenshalldoAndweinourgraves！Thisworld’snoblotforus，Norblank；itmeansintensely，andmeansgood：
　　Tofinditsmeaningismymeatanddrink。”Ay，butyoudon’tsoinstigatetoprayer！”
　　StrikesinthePrior：”whenyourmeaning’splainItdoesnotsaytofolks——remembermatins，Or，mindyourfastnextFriday！”Why，forthisWhatneedofartatall?Askullandbones，[320]
　　Twobitsofsticknailedcross-wise，or，what’sbest，Abelltochimethehourwith，doesaswell。
　　IpaintedaSaintLaurencesixmonthssinceAtPrato，splashedthefrescoinfinestyle：”Howlooksmypainting，nowthescaffold’sdown?”
　　Iaskabrother：”Hugely，”hereturns——”AlreadynotonephizofyourthreeslavesWhoturntheDeaconoffhistoastedside，But’sscratchedandproddedtoourheart’scontent，Thepiouspeoplehavesoeasedtheirown[330]
　　Withcomingtosayprayersthereinarage：
　　Wegetonfasttoseethebricksbeneath。
　　Expectanotherjobthistimenextyear，Forpityandreligiongrowi’thecrowd——
　　Yourpaintingservesitspurpose！”Hangthefools！——
　　Thatis——you’llnotmistakeanidlewordSpokeinahuffbyapoormonk，Gotwot，TastingtheairthisspicynightwhichturnsTheunaccustomedheadlikeChiantiwine！
　　Oh，thechurchknows！don’tmisreportme，now！[340]
　　It’snaturalapoormonkoutofboundsShouldhavehisaptwordtoexcusehimself：
　　AndhearkenhowIplottomakeamends。
　　Ihavebethoughtme：Ishallpaintapiece……There’sforyou！Givemesixmonths，thengo，seeSomethinginSant’Ambrogio’s！Blessthenuns！
　　Theywantacasto’myoffice。IshallpaintGodinthemidst，Madonnaandherbabe，Ringedbyabowery，floweryangel-brood，Liliesandvestmentsandwhitefaces，sweet[350]
　　Aspuffonpuffofgratedorris-rootWhenladiescrowdtochurchatmidsummer。
　　Andtheni’thefront，ofcourseasaintortwo——
　　SaintJohn，becausehesavestheFlorentines，SaintAmbrose，whoputsdowninblackandwhiteTheconvent’sfriendsandgivesthemalongday，AndJob，Imusthavehimtherepastmistake，ThemanofUzandUswithoutthez，Painterswhoneedhispatience。Well，alltheseSecuredattheirdevotion，upshallcome[360]
　　Outofacornerwhenyouleastexpect，Asonebyadarkstairintoagreatlight，Musicandtalking，whobutLippo！I！——
　　Mazed，motionless，andmoon-struck——I’mtheman！
　　BackIshrink——whatisthisIseeandhear?
　　I，caughtupwithmymonk’sthingsbymistake，Myoldsergegownandropethatgoesallround，I，inthispresence，thispurecompany！
　　Where’sahole，where’sacornerforescape?
　　Thenstepsasweetangelicslipofathing[370]
　　Forward，putsoutasoftpalm——”Notsofast！”