And
as he carved a thought came to mind.
Okay, I've a solution. With my knife I shall rend the picture
from top to bottom and each may keep his half."
He took picture, laid it on the table before him, face up,
pulled out his hunting knife.
Bacchus rose, looked at the picture, then shrugged. "Very well,
Sire. It will serve me just as well. It is but an ornament to
decorate my wall."
Vulcan looked at Bacchus, at the picture, and then at Demo.
"No, I would have my picture. Still, let it remain whole.
Though Bacchus may own it, it shall ever be mine. Better it
decorate his wall in its entirety than suffer the sacrilege of
dissection."
"Upon further thought, Master Vulcan, I consider the picture to
be yours. You speak true, it is the picture of a maiden. All
else is there only for her. And you would lose your masterpiece
rather than see it destroyed. Take it."
"As for you, Master Bacchus, I find you to be deceitful in this
matter. I would have you accompany Master Vulcan. For six months
you will serve him. And he, in that six months, shall teach you
the rudiments of his art. Now, begone, for Cerberus' pup grows
hungry."
Was I right? Demo questioned himself. Perhaps, after all,
Bacchus did paint the scene. What would Zeus have done?
Ah, Zeus would have done much the same. And, being Zeus, he'd
be right by definition. So, of course, as Zeus' surrogate I too
am right by definition.
Demo smiled. This God stuff wasn't too bad at that.
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