Before Him
Stood A Golden Table, On Which Were Above Fifty Pieces Of Gold Plate,
All Set With Precious Stones, Some Of Them Being Large And Of Great
Value.
His nobles were all around him in their best attire, whom he
commanded to drink cheerfully of several kinds of wine, which stood
there in large flaggons.
On my approach he asked for the picture, on which I shewed him two. He
seemed astonished at one of these, and asked whose it was; to which I
replied, that it was the portrait of a friend who was dead. He asked if
I would give it him. I replied, that I valued it more than any thing I
had, as being the portrait of one I had loved dearly; but if his majesty
would pardon my attachment to that picture, and accept the other, which
was French and of excellent work, I would most willingly give it. He
thanked me, saying it was that only picture which he desired, and which
he loved as much as I did; and, if I would give it him, he would value
it more than the richest jewel in his house. I answered that I was not
so much in love with any thing, but that I would part with it to satisfy
his majesty, being extremely glad to have any opportunity to serve him,
and was ready even to present him with my heart, if I could thereby
demonstrate my affection. He bowed to me, saying he had never before
seen so much art and beauty, and conjured me to tell him truly if ever
such a woman had lived. I answered, that there certainly did once live a
lady whom this portrait resembled in every thing but perfection. He then
said, that he accepted my readiness to give him what I so valued as a
great kindness; but would only shew it to his ladies, and cause his own
painter make five copies, and if I knew my own I should have it back. I
answered, that I had freely given it, and would be glad of his majesty
accepting it: But he said he would not keep it, and loved me better for
putting so much value on the image of my departed friend. He knew, he
added, that it would be doing me an injury to take it from me, and would
only have five copies taken, which his wives should wear, and would then
return me the original with his own hand. In this art of limning or
painting in water colours, his artists are wonderfully expert. But he
liked not the other picture, which was painted in oil.
He then told me that this was his birth-day, and all men made merry, and
asked me therefore if I would drink with them. I said I would willingly
do whatever he was pleased to command, as I sincerely wished him many
prosperous days, and that the ceremony of this day might be repeated for
an hundred years.
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