Now, tall, strong, white-haired, he
looked a figure of an older world. "The spheres and all
are set to harmony!" he said. "I would have fitness.
Great things throughout! Diamonds and rubies without
flaw in the crown.--We will talk no more about abating
just demand!"
I agreed with a nod, and indeed there was never any
shaking him here. Beneath his wide and lofty vision of a
world filled out to the eternal benefit of all rested always
this picture which I knew he savored like wine and warmth.
His family, his sons, his brothers and kindred, the aged
father in Genoa, all friends and backers--and he a warm
sun in the midst of them, all their doubts of him dispelled,
shining out upon them, making every field rich, repaying
a thousand, thousandfold every trust shown him.
The day sang cool and high and bright, the mountains
of Elvira had light snow atop. Master Christopherus began
again to speak.
"There came ashore at Porto Santo some years ago a
piece of wood long as a spar but thicker. Pedro Correo,
who is my brother-in-law, saw it. It was graved all over,
cut by something duller than our knives with beasts and
leaves and a figure that Pedro thought was meant for an
idol. He and another saw it and agree in their description.
They left it on the beach at twilight, well out of water
reach. But in the night came up a great storm that swept
it away.
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