ley
firmly to the king-post of the roof, above the partition separating the
master's sleeping-room from his apprentices'. Then, after passing the
old lady's well-rope through the pulley, he left one end hanging down in
their own chamber, while he went into his master's apartment and
fastened the bed to the other extremity, by each corner. He took good
care the rope should be concealed behind the curtains, so that nothing
out of the way might be visible. When all was done, the three companions
went back to San Giovanni.

The old man, who had been so busily engaged as scarcely to have noticed
their absence, addressed them with a beaming face:

"Look you," he said, "how those fish sparkle with divers colours, and
particularly with gold, purple and blue, as creatures should which
inhabit the ocean and the rivers, and which possess so marvellous a
brilliancy of hues only because they were the first to submit to the
empire of the goddess Venus, as is all explained in the legend."

Thus the master discoursed in a way full of grace and good sense. For
you must know he was a man of wit and learning, albeit his humour was so
saturnine and grasping, above all when his thoughts turned toward filthy
lucre. He went on:

"Now is not a painter's trade a good one and deserving of all praise? it
wins him riches in this world and happiness in the next. For be sure Our
Lord Jesus Christ will welcome gratefully in His holy Paradise craftsmen
like myself who have portrayed His veritable likeness."

And Andrea Tafi was glad at heart to be at work upon this great picture
in mosaic, whereof several portions are yet visible at San Giovanni to
this day. Presently when night came and effaced both form and colour in
all the Church, he tore himself regretfully from the river Jordan and
sought his house. He supped in the kitchen off a couple of tomatoes and
a scrap of cheese, went upstairs to his room, undressed in the dark and
got into bed.

No sooner was he laid down than he made his customary prayer to the
Blessed Virgin:

"Holy Virgin, Mother of God, which for Thy merits wast exalted alive to
Heaven, stretch forth Thy hand full of grace and mercy to me, to lift me
up to Paradise!"

The moment was come which the three companions had been eagerly awaiting
in the neighbouring room.

They grasped the rope's end that hung down the partition from the
pulley, and scarcely had the good old fellow finished his supplication
when at a sign from