THE STORY OP A PICTURE.

they had spent a few days with the Signor di
Castaro.
 Partly through the influence of Leonardo, but more
because his own rare talent soon made itself evident,
the young artist became, after a few months, well
known in the city. Indeed, his works were con-
sidered to be of such merit, that they were eagerly
purchased at immense prices, and Pietro found himself
rapidly accumulating a large fortune. But while his
reputation was spreading far beyond Florence, it was
remarked that he himself had no ordinary opinion of
his skill, since he showed to all that he feared no rival
in the art in which he was so distinguished. But the
cause of such a rumour was that Pietro continually did
all in his power to make known the names of other
painters, and to induce his friends to buy their pictures.
Few knew his motive for his deeds, but it was far
higher than that which was commonly attributed to
him: remembering the sorrows through which he had
passed at the beginning of his career, he could not
bear to think that many, perhaps more gifted than
himself, were still unknown and in poverty; and thus
it happened that after a short time the Signor di
Casaletto was well known as the patron and friend of
poor artists.
 His picture gallery was one of the wonders of
Florence; but often did Pietro tell Maria, as they
passed through it together, that no painting had ever
won for the artist such a rich reward as one picture
there had brought to him.

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