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He turned, jammed his elbow into my Master's clothes and said, "That boy of yours is a beauty Don't be hasty Think this over How much?"

My Master burst out laughing h

"Offer ht want," saidshift of his eyes

It see my measure, and understand, these were not lovers of boys; these werechildren as was required of theot, nevertheless appreciated a pluht appreciate a slice of golden toast heaped with sour cream and the finest blackest caviar

I couldn't help but s and even beautiful Co away the clouds in Botticelli's Pri lance, said:

"Ah, he is Verrocchio's David, the very model for the bronze statue Don't try to tell me he is not And immortal, ah, yes, I can see it, ioblet Then he felt of the breast of his tunic, and pulled up out of the powdered erold medallion with a table diaht off his neck and extended this proudly to le in front of him as if it were an orb hich he was to be spellbound

"For all of us," said the black-haired hter from the others The dancers cried, "Yes, and for o first, even before you "

This last was said to the red-haired man, but the jewel the dancer tossed atpurple stone, I didn't know

"A sapphire," saidto me "Amadeo, you approve?"

The third dancer, a blond-haired man, somewhat shorter than anyone present and with a small hump on his left shoulder, broke free of the circle and ca hi at my feet

"Sh he panted from the dance and the velvet collar was drenched He wobbled on his feet and al heavily back into his dance

The ht it meet to drown out the very drunkenness of their Masters

"Does anybody care about the siege of Constantinople?" asked my Master

"Tell o," I asked in a small voice All eyes were on me

"It's the siege ofAmadeo, was it?Yes, Amadeo, that I have in mind!" cried the blond-haired dancer