tool, therefore, and
placing another above it, he put on top of all a pitcher, or rather a
water-jar, and on the mouth of that he put a cap, hanging over the
handle, and then he covered the rest of the jar with a burgher's mantle,
and finally, putting a brush in suitable fashion into the spout through
which the water is poured, he went off. The nuns, returning to see the
work through an opening where the cloth had slipped, saw the
supposititious master in full canonicals; wherefore, believing that he
was working might and main and was by way of doing different work from
that which the untidy knave was doing, they left it at that for some
days, without thinking more about it. Finally, having grown desirous to
see what beautiful work the master had done, fifteen days having passed,
during which space of time Buonamico had never come near the place, one
night, thinking that the master was not there, they went to see his
paintings, and remained all confused and blushing by reason of one
bolder than the rest discovering the solemn master, who in fifteen days
had done not one stroke of work. Then, recognizing that he had served
them as they merited and that the works that he had made were worthy of
nothing but praise, they bade the steward recall Buonamico, who, with
the greatest laughter and delight, returned to the work, having given
them to know what difference there is between men and pitchers, and that
it is not always by their clothes that the works of men should be
judged. In a few days, then, he finished a scene wherewith they were
much contented, it appearing to them to be in every way satisfactory,
except that the figures appeared to them rather wan and pallid than
otherwise in the flesh-tints. Buonamico, hearing this, and having learnt
that the Abbess had some Vernaccia, the best in Florence, which was used
for the holy office of the Mass, said to them that in order to remedy
this defect nothing else could be done but to temper the colours with
some good Vernaccia; because, touching the cheeks and the rest of the
flesh on the figures with colours thus tempered, they would become rosy
and coloured in most lifelike fashion. Hearing this, the good sisters,
who believed it all, kept him ever afterwards furnished with the best
Vernaccia, as long as the work lasted; and he, rejoicing in it, from
that time onwards made the figures fresher and more highly coloured with
his ordinary colours.

This work finished, he painted