They followed him to his workshop, where he took a piece of wood rounded at one end like a pestle. With this and a mallet he pounded the injured side of the glass back into its original shape—the glass yielding to the heavy blows like a piece of plastic metal.
‘There!’ he cried, throwing down his tools and holding forth the restored glass in triumph, ‘it is neither pretty nor useful, I admit; but the principle is there, which is everything. One must first find the precious pebble before it can be carved and polished. So enough for the present. Haste, wife, and get us our supper—I must be at work again to make a more sightly cup, as quickly as I can.’
The women vanished. Their voices could be heard in [pg 273]animated chatter as they passed hither and thither in the gladdest preparation of a meal they had known for some time.
‘Well, kinsman, you say nothing. What do you think of my bantling in glass?’ said Masthlion to the Suburan, who stood leaning against a bench with folded arms and knitted brows.
‘’Tis something undoubtedly new, potter,’ replied Cestus. ‘And do you say you can make clear glass and fancy cups and vases, such as one sees in Rome, in the same way—unbreakable?’
‘Certainly—why not?’ answered Masthlion. ‘No shape, colour, or fashion whatever can make any difference to its principle of indestructibility.’
‘Why then, potter, I may safely give you joy of your new fashion. It has been a long time coming, but it has come at last. And provided you can keep your secret, and deal sensibly with it, I should say you ought to coin money. Give me your hand, kinsman—you’ll be as rich as Caesar! And recollect when your secret has two in it, it is no secret at all.’
‘Trust me for that!’ laughed Masthlion, as Cestus gripped his hand.
‘And yet something more, potter. This little affair must needs take you to Rome. You may as well wrap up your piece of glass, with the secret of its making on a parchment inside, and go bury them in your garden, as stop in this place to make wealth.’
‘There is nothing to prevent me going on making glass here as heretofore,’ replied Masthlion, with a shadow stealing over his face.