“‘Giovanni met him with all ceremony, and, taking him courteously by the hand, led him to his workshop, where stood the wonderful clock.

“‘When the Doge saw this clock he was filled with anger, for the three bronze figures reclining about the face of the clock were hideous images of Giovanni’s most bitter foes. Two of them were a rival goldsmith and the jailer who had fed him when he was a prisoner in the piombi. But the third and most hideous of all was the Doge himself, such a miracle of ugliness and horror that to look on it would make a man shudder. But because he wished to hear what Giovanni had to say, the Doge spoke Giovanni fair, and declared himself delighted with his ingenuity. For they say (though, as I have written before, neither have I seen the clock nor have I known any that have) that at every hour a door opened, and some story out of the history of Venice was acted.

piombi

“‘And as each hour went by the Doge became 79wearied of watching the antics of the clock as the hours struck. But Giovanni compelled him to be patient and besought him to see the antics of the figures of all of the twelve hours. Between each hour the Doge kept inquiring of the goldsmith if he had anything to tell him. And each time that the question was asked the goldsmith laughed boisterously, and said, “Though I did tell thee, thou hast not ears to hear.” This answer he made several times, till at last the Doge, seeing at last that he was being ridiculed, arose in anger and cried: “For the last time, Messer Giovanni, hast thou anything to say to me?” And still the goldsmith answered with jeers, “Though I told thee, thou hast not ears to hear,” and would say no more.

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“‘Then, because he had been answered in this rude fashion many times, the Doge could no longer restrain his passion. He lifted his staff, and furiously smote off the three figures of the clock, and in doing so the clock fell violently to the earth, and it was broken in its insides, and never more will it strike hour, so at least I am told.

“‘When Giovanni saw that his marvelous clock was broken, he raved like a madman, and spat on the Doge, and belabored him with his fists so that he was compelled to take flight from 80the house. And as he fled, the goldsmith called after him very bitterly: “Did I not say thou wert a fool? For, though the casket were lost, did I not make a greater marvel? But thou canst not understand its divine beauty and wonder. And now, by my oath, though I knew the secret place of the casket, 

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