M. Michael is
already more his friend than mine, for he tells me that when they meet,
Michael Angelo does all he can to shun his company, seeing that when they
once come together they never can part."
"I know that, for I know Master Michael Angelo," she returned; "but I do
not know in what manner we shall treat him so that we may lead him on to
talk of painting."
Brother Ambrosio of Siena (one of the appointed preachers to the Pope),
who had not yet gone, said: "I do not believe that if Michael knows the
Spaniard to be a painter, he will talk about painting at all, therefore
let him hide himself that he may hear him."
"It is perhaps not so easy to hide this Portuguese," I replied with
emphasis to the Friar, "from the eyes of Master Michael Angelo; he will
know me better hidden than your reverence does here where I am, even if
you put on spectacles; and you will see that, being here, he will see me
very plainly if he comes."
Then the Marchioness and Lactancio laughed, but not I nor yet the Friar,
who however heard the Marchioness say that he would find me to be
something more than a painter.
After remaining but a short time silent, we heard a knocking at the door,
and all began to fear that Michael would not come, as the messenger had
returned so quickly. But Michael, who resides at the foot of Monte
Cavallo, happened by good luck to be walking towards St. Silvester, on his
way to the Thermae by the Esquiline road with his Orbino, philosophising
by the way; being informed of the message, he could not run away from us,
nor did he fail to be the person knocking at the door.
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