steward, was very
eager to know how the affair had turned out; so that the two whom I
suspected of being the cause of my metal's concreting in the manner
above related told me that I was not a man, but rather a downright
devil, for I had compassed that which was not in the power of art to
effect; with many other surprizing things which would have been too
much even for the infernal powers. As they greatly exaggerated what
had passed, perhaps, with a view of excusing themselves, the steward
wrote to the duke, who was then at Pisa, an account still more pompous
and more replete with the marvelous than that which the workmen had
given him.

Having left my work to cool during two days after it was cast, I began
gradually to uncover it. I first of all found the Medusa's head, which
had come out admirably by the assistance of the vents, as I had
observed to the duke that the property of fire was to fly upward. I
proceeded to uncover the rest, and found that the other head, I mean
that of Perseus, was likewise come out perfectly well. This occasioned
me still greater surprize, because, as it is seen in the statue, it
is much lower than that of Medusa, the mouth of that figure being
placed over the head and shoulders of Perseus. I found that where the
head of Perseus ends, all the bronze was exhausted which I had in my
furnace. This surprized me very much, that there should not be
anything over and above what is necessary in casting. My astonishment,
indeed, was raised to such a degree that I looked upon it as a miracle
immediately wrought by the Almighty. I went on uncovering it, with
great success, and found every part turn out to admiration, till I
reached the foot of the right leg, which supports the figure, where I
found the heel come out: so, proceeding to examine it, and thinking
that the whole was filled up, in one respect I was glad, in another
sorry, because I had told the duke it would not have that effect.
Continuing, however, to uncover it, I found that not only the toes
were wanting, but part of the foot itself, so that there was almost
one-half deficient. This occasioned me some new trouble; but I was not
displeased at it, because I could thereby convince the duke that I
understood my business thoroughly; and tho there had come out a great
deal more of that foot than I thought there would, the reason was
that, in consequence of the several accidents that had happened, it
was heated much more than it could have b