Pagina 382 di 788

The interior of the house itself and of the stable and

carriage-house you would find as full of accoutrements as an old

armoury. Under the roof hung four immense helmets, the ornaments

of martial brows; to-day the birds of Venus, the doves, cooing,

fed their young in them. In the stable a great cuirass extended

over the manger and a corselet of ring mail served as a chute

through which the boy threw down clover to the colts. In the

kitchen the godless cook had spoiled the temper of several swords

by sticking them into the oven instead of spits; with a Turkish

horsetail, captured at Vienna, she dusted her handmill. In a

word, housewifely Ceres had banished Mars and ruled along with

Pomona, Flora, and Vertumnus over Dobrzynski's house, stable, and

barn. But to-day the goddesses must yield anew; Mars returns.