l of time with him.
On one occasion the painter dropped his brush; the emperor picked it up,
and returned it to him. The etiquette of courts forbade any one to receive
such a service from the sovereign, and Titian was much embarrassed, when
Charles said, "Titian is worthy to be served by Caesar," this being one of
the great ruler's titles. Charles continued his favors to Titian through
life, and when he resigned his crown, and retired to the monastery of
Yuste, he took nine pictures by this master into his solitude. One of
these, a portrait of the Empress Isabella, was so hung that the emperor
gazed upon it when dying; this is now in the museum at Madrid, where are
also many fine works by Titian, for Philip II. was his patron as his
father had been.

When eighty-five years old he finished his wonderful picture of the
"Martyrdom of St. Lawrence" for the Church of the Jesuits in Venice, and
his old age was one of strength and mental clearness. Though he had seen
great prosperity and received many honors, he had not escaped sorrow.
After the death of his wife, his sister Orsa, who was very dear to him,
had kept his house; she too sickened and died; his son Pomponio was a
worthless fellow, and caused him much grief; Lavinia had married, and the
old man was left with Orazio alone, who was a dutiful son. He also was an
artist, but painted so frequently on the same canvas with his father that
his works cannot be spoken of separately.

At length Titian's work began to show his years, and some one told him
that his "Annunciation" did not resemble his usual pictures. He was very
angry, and, seizing a pencil, wrote upon it, "_Tizianus fecit
fecit_"--meaning to say by this, "Truly, Titian did this!" When he was
ninety-six years old he was visited by Henry III. of France, attended by a
train of princes and nobles. The aged painter appeared with such grace and
dignity as to excite the admiration of all, and when the king asked the
price of some pictures, Titian presented them to him as one sovereign
might make a gift to another who was his equal, and no more.

In 1576 the plague broke out in Venice, and both Titian and Orazio fell
victims to it. Naturally the man of ninety-eight years could not recover,
and, though Orazio was borne off to the hospital and cared for as well as
possible, he also died. After Titian was left alone robbers entered his
house while he still lived, and carried away jewels, money, and pictures.
He died Augu