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A tall man, very shadowy and plain, ca thin hair and plain wool robe were black His small eyes were cheerful, but his thin erently set

The boys all groaned

High narros were closed against the cooler night air

In the canal below, ondolas, voices see, then dying away

I ate the apple to the last juicy speck of it I had eaten more in this day of fruit,could possibly eat I wasn't hury boy

The teacher snapped his fingers, then took fro "Come now," he said to the boys

I looked up as the Master appeared

All the boys, big and tall, babyfied andto his ar they had done by the long day

The teacher waited in silence, giving the Master a humble bow

Through the galleries alked, the entire co behind

The Master held out his hands, and it was a privilege to feel the touch of his cold white fingers, a privilege to catch a part of his long thick trailing red sleeves

"Come, Amadeo, come with us "

I wanted one thing only, and it cah

They were sent off with the man as to read Cicero The Master's firernails turned me and directed me to his private rooms

It was private here, the painted wooden doors at once bolted, the burning braziers scented with incense, perfu from the brass laarden of stenciled and embroidered silk, floral satin, rich chenille, intricately patterned brocade He pulled the scarlet bed curtains The light made them transparent Red and red and red It was his color, he told me, as blue was to be mine