One afternoon, Nello and Patrasche had finished delivering the milk, and once more, Patrasche was watching outside the gates of the cathedral.
Patrasche noticed the church guard leave.
He crept through the gates, up to the cathedral's open doors, and inside.
In the dark church, he saw Nello kneeling down and staring at the high altar.
On it was the painting of the Assumption by Rubens.
On the walls of the cathedral, on either side of the altar, were two more paintings.
But each was covered by a curtain.
Patrasche saw two wealthy gentlemen put money in a metal box.
Then, they went behind the curtain to see one of the paintings.
Nello noticed Patrasche, went over to him, and took him gently outside.
He looked back at the veiled paintings as they left.
His face was wet with tears.
"It's terrible I can't see them, Patrasche," he said, "just because I'm poor!
I'm sure Rubens thought everybody should see his paintings!" Nello said.
"But those two paintings are behind curtains!
No one sees them except rich people.
If I could only see them, I would die a happy person."
It was true that Nello's little family was poor.
Any extra money was used to buy firewood or more food.
Nello longed to see the two veiled paintings, and Patrasche knew he could do nothing to help.
The little boy loved art.
When Nello stood before the altar painting in Antwerp's cathedral, he felt as if he were in heaven.
The glory of the great master's art made his heart stir with joy.
Nello drew with whatever he could find.
He drew on street stones with chalk or with charcoal on a scrap of wood.
He drew the cathedral spire at sunset and the morning mist on the fields, whatever he saw around him.
Because Nello lived in poverty, he did not go to school.
Nobody paid him much attention, except Jehan and Patrasche.
But not even they─not even Nello himself─realized that the boy was a genius at art.
Many times from his bed at night, Jehan would say,
"Nello, when you grow up, I hope you'll own this hut and the garden, and be called 'master' by your neighbors."
The old soldier had wandered over all the earth in his youth and gained nothing.
He thought that the best fate for his grandson would be to live, grow old, and die in the same home.
Nello dreamed of other things besides being a farmer and being respected by his neighbors.
He said nothing to his grandfather, but as he drew the beauty around him, he dreamed of becoming an artist.
Nello whispered his dreams to Patrasche when they walked into town at daybreak every morning.
Patrasche looked up at Nello with loving eyes.
He hoped Nello's dreams would come true.
Besides Patrasche, Nello had only one other friend.
She was pretty, little Alois Cogez, who lived at the old red mill.
Aside from the loyal Patrasche, she was the only one who knew his dream.