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Who are the deputies that make complaint？
JULIUS。
The Cardinals Salviati and Marcello；
Here present。
MICHAEL ANGELO； rising。
With permission； Monsignori；
What is it ye complain of？
CARDINAL MARCELLO；
We regret
You have departed from Bramante's plan；
And from San Gallo's。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
Since the ancient time
No greater architect has lived on earth
Than Lazzari Bramante。 His design；
Without confusion； simple； clear； well…lighted。
Merits all praise； and to depart from it
Would be departing from the truth。 San Gallo；
Building about with columns； took all light
Out of this plan； left in the choir dark corners
For infinite ribaldries； and lurking places
For rogues and robbers； so that when the church
Was shut at night； not five and twenty men
Could find them out。 It was San Gallo； then；
That left the church in darkness； and not I。
CARDINAL MARCELLO。
Excuse me； but in each of the Three Chapels
Is but a single window。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
Monsignore；
Perhaps you do not know that in the vaulting
Above there are to go three other windows。
CARDINAL SALVIATI。
How should we know？ You never told us of it。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
I neither am obliged； nor will I be；
To tell your Eminence or any other
What I intend or ought to do。 Your office
Is to provide the means； and see that thieves
Do not lay hands upon them。 The designs
Must all be left to me。
CARDINAL MARCELLO。
Sir architect；
You do forget yourself； to speak thus rudely
In presence of his Holiness； and to us
Who are his cardinals。
MICHAEL ANGELO； putting on his hat。
I do not forget
I am descended from the Counts Canossa；
Linked with the Imperial line； and with Matilda；
Who gave the Church Saint Peter's Patrimony。
I； too； am proud to give unto the Church
The labor of these hands； and what of life
Remains to me。 My father Buonarotti
Was Podesta of Chiusi and Caprese。
I am not used to have men speak to me
As if I were a mason； hired to build
A garden wall； and paid on Saturdays
So much an hour。
CARDINAL SALVIATI； aside。
No wonder that Pope Clement
Never sat down in presence of this man；
Lest he should do the same； and always bade him
Put on his hat； lest he unasked should do it！
MICHAEL ANGELO。
If any one could die of grief and shame；
I should。 This labor was imposed upon me；
I did not seek it； and if I assumed it；
'T was not for love of fame or love of gain；
But for the love of God。 Perhaps old age
Deceived me； or self…interest； or ambition；
I may be doing harm instead of good。
Therefore； I pray your Holiness； release me；
Take off from me the burden of this work；
Let me go back to Florence。
JULIUS。
Never； never；
While I am living。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
Doth your Holiness
Remember what the Holy Scriptures say
Of the inevitable time； when those
Who look out of the windows shall be darkened；
And the almond…tree shall flourish？
JULIUS。
That is in
Ecclesiastes。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
And the grasshopper
Shall be a burden； and desire shall fail；
Because man goeth unto his long home。
Vanity of vanities； saith the Preacher； all
Is vanity。
JULIUS。
Ah； were to do a thing
As easy as to dream of doing it；
We should not want for artists。 But the men
Who carry out in act their great designs
Are few in number； ay； they may be counted
Upon the fingers of this hand。 Your place
Is at St。 Peter's。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
I have had my dream；
And cannot carry out my great conception；
And put it into act。
JULIUS。
Then who can do it？
You would but leave it to some Baccio Bigio
To mangle and deface。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
Rather than that
I will still bear the burden on my shoulders
A little longer。 If your Holiness
Will keep the world in order； and will leave
The building of the church to me； the work
Will go on better for it。 Holy Father；
If all the labors that I have endured；
And shall endure； advantage not my soul；
I am but losing time。
JULIUS； laying his hands on MICHAEL ANGELO'S shoulders。
You will be gainer
Both for your soul and body。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
Not events
Exasperate me； but the funest conclusions
I draw from these events； the sure decline
Of art； and all the meaning of that word：
All that embellishes and sweetens life；
And lifts it from the level of low cares
Into the purer atmosphere of beauty；
The faith in the Ideal； the inspiration
That made the canons of the church of Seville
Say； 〃Let us build； so that all men hereafter
Will say that we were madmen。〃 Holy Father；
I beg permission to retire from here。
JULIUS。
Go； and my benediction be upon you。
＇Michael Angelo goes out。
My Cardinals； this Michael Angelo
Must not be dealt with as a common mason。
He comes of noble blood； and for his crest
Bear two bull's horns； and he has given us proof
That he can toss with them。 From this day forth
Unto the end of time； let no man utter
The name of Baccio Bigio in my presence。
All great achievements are the natural fruits
Of a great character。 As trees bear not
Their fruits of the same size and quality；
But each one in its kind with equal ease；
So are great deeds as natural to great men
As mean things are to small ones。 By his work
We know the master。 Let us not perplex him。
III
BINDO ALTOVITI
A street in Rome。 BINDO ALTOVITI； standing at the door of his
house。
MICHAEL ANGELO； passing。
BINDO。
Good…morning； Messer Michael Angelo！
MICHAEL ANGELO。
Good…morning； Messer Bindo Altoviti！
BINDO。
What brings you forth so early？
MICHAEL ANGELO。
The same reason
That keeps you standing sentinel at your door；
The air of this delicious summer morning。
What news have you from Florence？
BINDO。
Nothing new；
The same old tale of violence and wrong。
Since the disastrous day at Monte Murlo；
When in procession； through San Gallo's gate；
Bareheaded； clothed in rags； on sorry steeds；
Philippo Strozzi and the good Valori
Were led as prisoners down the streets of Florence；
Amid the shouts of an ungrateful people；
Hope is no more； and liberty no more。
Duke Cosimo； the tyrant； reigns supreme。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
Florence is dead： her houses are but tombs；
Silence and solitude are in her streets。
BINDO。
Ah yes； and often I repeat the words
You wrote upon your statue of the Night；
There in the Sacristy of San Lorenzo：
〃Grateful to me is sleep； to be of stone
More grateful； while the wro