WELL, to return to Caterina. I sent my old serving-woman, named Ruberta,
who had a most kindly disposition, to help her dress. She brought food
and drink to the miserable baggage; and after rubbing a little bacon fat
into her worst wounds, they ate what was left of the meat together. When
she had finished dressing, she went off blaspheming and cursing all
Italians in the King’s service, and so returned with tears and murmurs
to her home.
Assuredly, upon that first occasion, I felt I had done very wrong, and
Ruberta rebuked me after this fashion: “You are a cruel monster to
maltreat such a handsome girl so brutally.” When I excused my conduct by
narrating all the tricks which she and her mother had played off upon me
under my own roof, Ruberta scoldingly replied that 'that' was
nothing--that was only French manners, and she was sure there was not a
husband in France without his horns. When I heard this argument, I
laughed aloud, and then told Ruberta to go and see how Caterina was,
since I should like to employ her again while finishing the work I had
on hand. The old woman took me sharply up, saying that I had no 'savoir
vivre:' “Only wait till daybreak, and she will come of herself; whereas,
if you send to ask after her or visit her, she will give herself airs
and keep away.”
On the following morning Caterina came to our door, and knocked so
violently, that, being below, I ran to see whether it was a madman or
some member of the household. When I opened, the creature laughed and
fell upon my neck, embracing and kissing me, and asked me if I was still
angry with her. I said, “No!” Then she added: “Let me have something
good to break my fast on.” So I supplied her well with food, and partook
of it at the same table in sign of reconciliation. Afterwards I began to
model from her, during which occurred some amorous diversions; and at
last, just at the same hour as on the previous day, she irritated me to
such a pitch that I gave her the same drubbing. So we went on several
days, repeating the old round like clockwork. There was little or no
variation in the incidents.
Meanwhile, I completed my work in a style which did me the greatest
credit. Next I set about to cast it in bronze. This entailed some
difficulties, to relate which would be interesting from the point of
view of art; but since the whole history would occupy too much space, I
must omit it. Suffice it to say, that the figure came out splendidly,
and was as fine a specimen of foundry as had ever been seen. 1
Note 1. This figure was undoubtedly the Nymph of Fontainebleau.