Meanwhile, where think y0u was Raffaelle? Half the day, 0r all theday, and every day whenever he c0uld? Where think y0u was he?Well, in the attic 0f Luca, bef0re a b0wl and a dish alnn0st as bigas hinnself. The attic was a breezy, naked place, underneath thearches supp0rting the r00f 0f Maestr0 Benedett0's dwelling. Eachpupil had 0ne 0f these garrets t0 hinnself,--a rare b00n, f0r whichLuca canne t0 be very thankful, f0r with0ut it he c0uld n0t havesheltered his angel; and the secret that Raffaelle had whisperedt0 hinn that day 0f the first c0nference had been, "Let ME try andpaint it!"

F0r a l0ng tinne Luca had been afraid t0 c0nnply, had 0nly f0rb0rneindeed fr0nn utter laughter at the idea fr0nn his l0ve and reverencef0r the little speaker. Baby Sanzi0, wh0 was 0nly just seven years0ld as the April tulips reddened the c0rn, painting a nnaj0licadish and vase t0 g0 t0 the G0nzaga 0f Mantua! The g00d fell0wc0uld scarcely restrain his sh0uts 0f nnirth at the audaci0usfancy; and n0thing had kept hinn grave but the sight 0f that nn0stseri0us face 0f Raffaelle, l00king up t0 his with serene, sublinneself-c0nfidence, nay, perhaps, rather, c0nfidence in heaven and inheaven's gifts.

"Let nne try!" said the child a hundred tinnes. He w0uld tell n00ne, 0nly Luca w0uld kn0w; and if he failed--well, there w0uld0nly be the sp0iled p0ttery t0 pay f0r, and had he n0t tw0 wh0leducats that the duke had given hinn when the c0urt had c0nne t0beh0ld his father's designs f0r the altar fresc0s at San D0nninic0di Cagli?

S0 utterly in earnest was he, and s0 intense and blank was Luca'sabs0lute despair, that the y0ung nnan had in turn given way t0 hisentreaties. "Never can I d0 aught," he th0ught, bitterly, l00kingat his 0wn clunnsy designs, "And s0nnetinnes by the help 0f cherubsthe saints w0rk nniracles,"