e. Wherefore, proceeding to Perugia for that purpose, and
finding Pietro to be absent from the city, he occupied himself--to the
end that he might await the return of the master with the less
inconvenience--in the execution of certain works for the church of San
Francesco in that place. But when Pietro had returned to Perugia,
Giovanni, who was a person of very good manners and pleasing
deportment, soon formed an amicable acquaintanceship with him; and
when the proper opportunity arrived, made known to him the desire he
had conceived, in the most suitable manner that he could devise.
Thereupon Pietro, who was also exceedingly courteous, as well as a
lover of fine genius, agreed to accept the care of Raphael. Giovanni
then returned to Urbino; and having taken the boy, tho not without
many tears from his mother, who loved him tenderly, he conducted him
to Perugia: when Pietro no sooner beheld his manner of drawing, and
observed the pleasing deportment of the youth than he conceived that
opinion of him which was in due time so amply confirmed by the results
produced in the after life of Raphael....
But I have now discoursed respecting these questions of art at more
length perhaps than was needful, and will return to the life and death
of Raphael. This master lived in the strictest intimacy with Bernardo
Divizio, Cardinal of Bibbiena, who had for many years importuned him
to take a wife of his selection; nor had Raphael directly refused
compliance with the wishes of the cardinal, but had put the matter
off, by saying that he would wait some three or four years longer. The
term which he had thus set approached before Raphael had thought of
it, when he was reminded by the cardinal of his promise; and being as
he ever was just and upright, he would not depart from his word, and
therefore accepted a niece of the cardinal himself for his wife. But
as this engagement was nevertheless a very heavy restraint to him, he
put off the marriage from time to time; insomuch that several months
passed, and the ceremony had not yet taken place.[35] Yet this was not
done without a very honorable motive; for Raphael having been for many
years in the service of the count, and being the creditor of Leo X for
a large sum of money, had received an intimation to the effect that
when the hall with which he was then occupied was completed, the
pontiff intended to reward him for his labors as well as to do honor
to his talents by bestowing on him th
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