DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.32874#0041
CH. xxii] LIFE OF BENVENUTO CELLINI 13
Fra Jerolimo Savonarolo, and gave me so admirable a
commentary upon them, that it was finer than the ser-
mons themselves; at which I remained enchanted, and
there was not a thing in the world that I would not have
done for him, except to break my word, as I have said.
When the friar saw me overcome with astonishment at
his talents, he thought of another way; for after an
ingenious fashion he began to ask me what method I
should have employed if the desire had come to me,
when they had locked me in, to open those prison doors
to escape. I likewise wishing to display some of the
subtilty of my genius to this clever friar, told him that I
could assuredly open every most difficult lock, and
especially those of the prison doors, which would be to
me like eating a little fresh cheese. The said friar, in
order to make me reveal my secret, sneered at me, saying
that there are many things which men say in order
that they may obtain some credit with clever persons,
whereas if they had afterwards to put in operation the
things of which they boasted, they would lose so much
credit that it would be disastrous to them; thus he
had heard me relate things so far removed from the
truth, that if I were put to the proof regarding them, he
thought that I should come out of it with but little
credit. Upon this, feeling myself tormented by this devil
of a friar, I told him that I was always accustomed to
promise for myself in words much less than I knew how
to perform; and that this thing that I had promised
about the keys was the easiest; and with a few words
I would make it most clear to him that it was as I had
said: and, as I said this, I thoughtlessly demonstrated
to him with ease all that I had told him. The friar,
Fra Jerolimo Savonarolo, and gave me so admirable a
commentary upon them, that it was finer than the ser-
mons themselves; at which I remained enchanted, and
there was not a thing in the world that I would not have
done for him, except to break my word, as I have said.
When the friar saw me overcome with astonishment at
his talents, he thought of another way; for after an
ingenious fashion he began to ask me what method I
should have employed if the desire had come to me,
when they had locked me in, to open those prison doors
to escape. I likewise wishing to display some of the
subtilty of my genius to this clever friar, told him that I
could assuredly open every most difficult lock, and
especially those of the prison doors, which would be to
me like eating a little fresh cheese. The said friar, in
order to make me reveal my secret, sneered at me, saying
that there are many things which men say in order
that they may obtain some credit with clever persons,
whereas if they had afterwards to put in operation the
things of which they boasted, they would lose so much
credit that it would be disastrous to them; thus he
had heard me relate things so far removed from the
truth, that if I were put to the proof regarding them, he
thought that I should come out of it with but little
credit. Upon this, feeling myself tormented by this devil
of a friar, I told him that I was always accustomed to
promise for myself in words much less than I knew how
to perform; and that this thing that I had promised
about the keys was the easiest; and with a few words
I would make it most clear to him that it was as I had
said: and, as I said this, I thoughtlessly demonstrated
to him with ease all that I had told him. The friar,