"It may be as you say. Have you any commands for Siena?"
"No, thank you. Are you going back to Siena soon?"
"Eh? Who knows?—to-morrow—the day after to-morrow—as may be."
"Good-bye, then," I said, and we shook hands.
POPULAR DEMONSTRATION.
The next morning, from my little villa which I had rented at the Pian di Giullari, I went down to Florence, taking my usual route, at about half-past eight, when I saw a gathering of people, and groups here and there crowded together and talking excitedly. I then began to suspect something. I went to my studio, uncovered my clay, and waited for the model, who should have been there. She kept me waiting for an hour; and before I could reprove her for her unpunctuality, she told me that she had been detained by the great crowd of the demonstration which blocked up all the streets around Barbano, and that the Piazza was thronged with people carrying banners and emblems. "Bravo!" I said to myself, "I did know a good deal!" At the same time, an under-officer and instructor of the Lyceum Ferdinando, who lived over me, came to the window and cried out "Viva Italia!" and his pupils repeated his cry with enthusiasm. "Do you know what this means?" I asked of my model, who was already undressed. "I cannot work now; dress yourself, and go." She at once obeyed, and I remained thinking over the fact. I desired that the Grand Duke should yield, as in fact he did yield, to the League with Piedmont for the war against the foreigner; and I was grieved when I heard of his departure. On returning to the country, I met my friend the advocate Mantellini with Duchoqué, and we were all very sorry for what had occurred, although I had nothing to do with the events which took place either before or on that day.
SKETCH FOR MONUMENT TO WELLINGTON.
The desire to give an account of this day has kept me for some time from the regular order of my records, and I must now return upon my steps. When I had completed the model for the base of the Tazza, a desire came over me to model a group of colossal dimensions. I had selected as subject the universal Deluge, and with youthful ardour I had sketched out the whole, and had fairly well modelled some of the parts. But as at that time the English Parliament had decided to erect an imposing monument to the Duke of Wellington, and to that end had opened a world-competition, I stopped working on my group, and set myself to think out the monument to Wellington. I had, however, little wish to compete, because it seemed to me that the work would finally be intrusted to an English sculptor, and that love of country would naturally overcome that rectitude of judgment which is so deeply seated in the spirit of that great nation. And so it happened that I had, as I have said, little desire to compete; and besides, I have always been opposed to competitions, and I shall explain my reasons for this elsewhere. But my friends at first began by proposing it to me, then said so much, and urged the matter with such insistence, that finally I yielded and competed. This work of mine I cannot exactly describe, because, not having seen it for many years, I scarcely remember it. Let me try, however. In the angles of the great embasements were groups representing Military Science, Political Science, Temperance, and Fortitude, each with his Genius. The four faces of the base were ornamented with alti-rilievi.
THE GRAND DUKE SENDS ME TO LONDON.
Above this rose upon another base the principal group of Wellington with Victory and Peace. There was a large contribution of Florentine sculpture sent to London, for Fedi, Cambi, and Cartei competed as well, and their models were exhibited before going to England. The sending of these models was not without risk, owing to their fragility—being in plaster—the minuteness of the work upon them, and the length of the journey. All these difficulties did not escape the attention of our benevolent sovereign, who had seen my model; and as soon as I had sent it off, he told me he thought it both prudent and even necessary for me to go to London to attend to my work and see it taken out of its box. I answered that I had no fear of its being injured, having had it so well packed, and depending on the Government officials who were intrusted to receive and see to the placing of these competitive works. These were the reasons I gave; but there were others of a more intimate and delicate nature, for out of respect for the other competitors I did not wish to appear as if I went to push forward my own work. On his Highness urging me more and more, I told him all my thoughts, and he replied, with a smile, "If it is on account of this, you can go at once, for Fedi came to take leave of me yesterday; and to facilitate your journey, I shall give you a hundred zecchini. I could give you a letter for King Leopold of the Belgians, my good friend, but that would be like a recommendation, so I shall abstain from doing so. Go and make haste, for if your work should be damaged on its arrival, who is there who could mend it? Therefore go; and good-bye."