Then came the laborious work of gilding by the mercury process, smearing every piece very carefully with an amalgam of mercury and gold, and putting it into a gentle, steady fire, until the mercury had evaporated, tearing only the dull gold in an even deposit on the surfaces.

Then the finishing, the burnishing of the high lights, and the cleaning of the portions which were to remain dull.

Sometimes the gilding of a piece failed, and had to be begun again, and there was endless trouble in saving the gold, as well as in preventing the workmen from stealing the amalgam.

It was slow and troublesome work, and Marzio cared little for it, though his artistic instinct restrained him from allowing it to leave the workshop until it had been perfected to the highest degree.
At present the artist stood in the outer room among the wrapped pieces, his pipe in his mouth and his hands in his pockets.

A moment after Gianhattista had entered, two carts rolled up to the door and the loading began.
"Take the drills and some screws to spare," said Marzio, looking into the bag of tools the foreman had prepared.