[Burlesques by William Makepeace Thackeray]@TWC D-Link book
Burlesques

CHAPTER XXIV
2/194

Giorgione the gorgeous, Titian the golden, Rubens the ruddy and pulpy (the Pan of Painting), some of Murillo's beatified shepherdesses, who smile on you out of darkness like a star, a few score first-class Leonardos, and fifty of the master-pieces of the patron of Julius and Leo, the Imperial genius of Urbino, covered the walls of the little chamber.

Divans of carved amber covered with ermine went round the room, and in the midst was a fountain, pattering and babbling with jets of double-distilled otto of roses.
"Pipes, Goliath!" Rafael said gayly to a little negro with a silver collar (he spoke to him in his native tongue of Dongola); "and welcome to our snuggery, my Codlingsby.

We are quieter here than in the front of the house, and I wanted to show you a picture.

I'm proud of my pictures.
That Leonardo came from Genoa, and was a gift to our father from my cousin, Marshal Manasseh: that Murillo was pawned to my uncle by Marie Antoinette before the flight to Varennes--the poor lady could not redeem the pledge, you know, and the picture remains with us.

As for the Rafael, I suppose you are aware that he was one of our people.


<<Back  Index  Next>>

D-Link book Top

TWC mobile books