It was some little time before Faroni could
send out the boys to sell pictures. First he had the leaden
frames to cast; then they had to be trimmed and coloured; and
then the pictures--mostly of sacred subjects, or of public
characters--had to be mounted. The flowers; which were of wax,
had also to be prepared and finished, ready for sale to the
passers-by.
When Bianconi went into the streets of Dublin to sell his mounted
prints, he could not speak a word of English. He could only say,
"Buy, buy!" Everybody spoke to him an unknown tongue. When
asked the price, he could only indicate by his fingers the number
of pence he wanted for his goods. At length he learned a little
English,--at least sufficient "for the road;" and then he was
sent into the country to sell his merchandize. He was despatched
every Monday morning with about forty shillings' worth of stock,
and ordered to return home on Saturdays, or as much sooner as he
liked, if he had sold all the pictures. The only money his
master allowed him at starting was fourpence. When Bianconi
remonstrated at the smallness of the amount, Faroni answered,
"While you have goods you have money; make haste to sell your
goods!"
During his apprenticeship, Bianconi learnt much of the country
through which he travelled. He was constantly making
acquaintances with new people, and visiting new places.
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