the metal pig-第3章

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forth　from　its　mouth。　The　little　boy　still　sat　astride　on　its　back；

when　he　felt　something　pulling　at　his　clothes。　He　looked　down；　and

there　was　Bellissima；　little　smooth…shaven　Bellissima；　barking　as　if

she　would　have　said；　〃Here　I　am　too；　why　are　you　sitting　there？〃

　　　　A　fiery　dragon　could　not　have　frightened　the　little　boy　so　much　as

did　the　little　dog　in　this　place。　〃Bellissima　in　the　street；　and　not

dressed！〃　as　the　old　lady　called　it；　〃what　would　be　the　end　of　this？〃

　　　　The　dog　never　went　out　in　winter；　unless　she　was　attired　in　a

little　lambskin　coat　which　had　been　made　for　her；　it　was　fastened

round　the　little　dog's　neck　and　body　with　red　ribbons；　and　was

decorated　with　rosettes　and　little　bells。　The　dog　looked　almost　like　a

little　kid　when　she　was　allowed　to　go　out　in　winter；　and　trot　after

her　mistress。　And　now　here　she　was　in　the　cold；　and　not　dressed。　Oh；

how　would　it　end？　All　his　fancies　were　quickly　put　to　flight；　yet　he

kissed　the　Metal　Pig　once　more；　and　then　took　Bellissima　in　his

arms。　The　poor　little　thing　trembled　so　with　cold；　that　the　boy　ran

homeward　as　fast　as　he　could。

　　　　〃What　are　you　running　away　with　there？〃　asked　two　of　the　police

whom　he　met；　and　at　whom　the　dog　barked。　〃Where　have　you　stolen　that

pretty　dog？〃　they　asked；　and　they　took　it　away　from　him。

　　　　〃Oh；　I　have　not　stolen　it；　do　give　it　to　me　back　again；〃　cried　the

boy；　despairingly。

　　　　〃If　you　have　not　stolen　it；　you　may　say　at　home　that　they　can　send

to　the　watch…house　for　the　dog。〃　Then　they　told　him　where　the

watch…house　was；　and　went　away　with　Bellissima。

　　　　Here　was　a　dreadful　trouble。　The　boy　did　not　know　whether　he　had

better　jump　into　the　Arno；　or　go　home　and　confess　everything。　They

would　certainly　kill　him；　he　thought。

　　　　〃Well；　I　would　gladly　be　killed；〃　he　reasoned；　〃for　then　I　shall

die；　and　go　to　heaven：〃　and　so　he　went　home；　almost　hoping　for　death。

　　　　The　door　was　locked；　and　he　could　not　reach　the　knocker。　No　one

was　in　the　street；　so　he　took　up　a　stone；　and　with　it　made　a

tremendous　noise　at　the　door。

　　　　〃Who　is　there？〃　asked　somebody　from　within。

　　　　〃It　is　I；〃　said　he。　〃Bellissima　is　gone。　Open　the　door；　and　then

kill　me。〃

　　　　Then　indeed　there　was　a　great　panic。　Madame　was　so　very　fond　of

Bellissima。　She　immediately　looked　at　the　wall　where　the　dog's　dress

usually　hung；　and　there　was　the　little　lambskin。

　　　　〃Bellissima　in　the　watch…house！〃　she　cried。　〃You　bad　boy！　how

did　you　entice　her　out？　Poor　little　delicate　thing；　with　those　rough

policemen！　and　she'll　be　frozen　with　cold。〃

　　　　Giuseppe　went　off　at　once；　while　his　wife　lamented；　and　the　boy

wept。　Several　of　the　neighbors　came　in；　and　amongst　them　the

painter。　He　took　the　boy　between　his　knees；　and　questioned　him；　and；

in　broken　sentences；　he　soon　heard　the　whole　story；　and　also　about　the

Metal　Pig；　and　the　wonderful　ride　to　the　picture…gallery；　which　was

certainly　rather　incomprehensible。　The　painter；　however；　consoled

the　little　fellow；　and　tried　to　soften　the　lady's　anger；　but　she　would

not　be　pacified　till　her　husband　returned　with　Bellissima；　who　had

been　with　the　police。　Then　there　was　great　rejoicing；　and　the

painter　caressed　the　boy；　and　gave　him　a　number　of　pictures。　Oh；

what　beautiful　pictures　these　were！…　figures　with　funny　heads；　and；

above　all；　the　Metal　Pig　was　there　too。　Oh；　nothing　could　be　more

delightful。　By　means　of　a　few　strokes；　it　was　made　to　appear　on　the

paper；　and　even　the　house　that　stood　behind　it　had　been　sketched　in。

Oh；　if　he　could　only　draw　and　paint！　He　who　could　do　this　could

conjure　all　the　world　before　him。　The　first　leisure　moment　during

the　next　day；　the　boy　got　a　pencil；　and　on　the　back　of　one　of　the

other　drawings　he　attempted　to　copy　the　drawing　of　the　Metal　Pig；

and　he　succeeded。　Certainly　it　was　rather　crooked；　rather　up　and　down；

one　leg　thick；　and　another　thin；　still　it　was　like　the　copy；　and　he

was　overjoyed　at　what　he　had　done。　The　pencil　would　not　go　quite　as　it

ought；…　he　had　found　that　out；　but　the　next　day　he　tried　again。　A

second　pig　was　drawn　by　the　side　of　the　first；　and　this　looked　a

hundred　times　better；　and　the　third　attempt　was　so　good；　that

everybody　might　know　what　it　was　meant　to　represent。

　　　　And　now　the　glovemaking　went　on　but　slowly。　The　orders　given　by

the　shops　in　the　town　were　not　finished　quickly；　for　the　Metal　Pig　had

taught　the　boy　that　all　objects　may　be　drawn　upon　paper；　and

Florence　is　a　picture…book　in　itself　for　any　one　who　chooses　to　turn

over　its　pages。　On　the　Piazza　dell　Trinita　stands　a　slender　pillar；

and　upon　it　is　the　goddess　of　Justice；　blindfolded；　with　her　scales　in

her　hand。　She　was　soon　represented　on　paper；　and　it　was　the

glovemaker's　boy　who　placed　her　there。　His　collection　of　pictures

increased；　but　as　yet　they　were　only　copies　of　lifeless　objects；

when　one　day　Bellissima　came　gambolling　before　him：　〃Stand　still；〃

cried　he；　〃and　I　will　draw　you　beautifully；　to　put　amongst　my

collection。〃

　　　　But　Bellissima　would　not　stand　still；　so　she　must　be　bound　fast　in

one　position。　He　tied　her　head　and　tail；　but　she　barked　and　jumped；

and　so　pulled　and　tightened　the　string；　that　she　was　nearly　strangled；

and　just　then　her　mistress　walked　in。

　　　　〃You　wicked　boy！　the　poor　little　creature！〃　was　all　she　could

utter。

　　　　She　pushed　the　boy　from　her；　thrust　him　away　with　her　foot；　called

him　a　most　ungrateful；　good…for…nothing；　wicked　boy；　and　forbade　him

to　enter　the　house　again。　Then　she　wept；　and　kissed　her　little

half…strangled　Bellissima。　At　this　moment　the　painter　entered　the

room。



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　　　　In　the　year　1834　there　was　an　exhibition　in　the　Academy　of　Arts　at

Florence。　Two　pictures；　placed　side　by　side；　attracted　a　large

number　of　spectators。　The　smaller　of　the　two　represented　a　little

boy　sitting　at　a　table；　drawing；　before　him　was　a　little　white　poodle；

curiously　shaven；　but　as　the　animal　would　not　stand　still；　it　had　been

fastened　with　a　string　to　its　head　and　tail；　to　keep　it　in　one

position。　The　truthfulness　and　life　in　this　picture　interested　every

one。　The　painter　was　said　to　be　a　young　Florentine；　who　had　been　found

in　the　streets；　when　a　child；　by　an　old　glovemaker；　who　had　brought

him　up。　The　boy　had　taught　himself　to　draw：　it　was　also　said　that　a

young　artist；　now　famous；　had　discovered　talent　in　the　child　just　as

he　was　about　to　be　sent　away　for　having　tied　up　madame's　favorite

little　dog；　and　using　it　as　a　model。　The　glovemaker's　boy　had　also

become　a　great　painter；　as　the　picture　proved；　but　the　larger

picture　by　its　side　was　a　still　greater　proof　of　his　talent。　It

represented　a　handsome　boy；　clothed　in　rags；　lying　asleep；　and　leaning

against　the　Metal　Pig　in　the　street　of　the　Porta　Rosa。　All　the

spectators　knew　the　spot　well。　The　child's　arms　were　round　the　neck　of

the　Pig；　and　he　was　in　a　deep　sleep。　The　lamp　before　the　picture　of

the　Madonna　threw　a　strong；　effective　light　on　the　pale；　delicate　face

of　the　child。　It　was　a　beautiful　picture。　A　large　gilt　frame

surrounded　it；　and　on　one　corner　of　the　frame　a　laurel　wreath　had　been

hung；　but　a　black　band；　twined　unseen　among　the　green　leaves；　and　a

streamer　of　crape；　hung　down　from　it；　for　within　the　last　few　days　the

young　artist　had…　died。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

。