ault. They then, misled by their shallow judgment, made Cardinal
Salviati, the elder, and Marcello Cervini, who was afterwards
Pope, believe that Saint Peter's would be badly lighted. When all
were assembled the Pope told Michael Angelo that the deputies were
of opinion the apse would have but little light. He answered, 'I
should like to hear these deputies speak.' The Cardinal Marcello
rejoined: 'We are here.' Michael Angelo then remarked: 'My lord,
above these three windows there will be other three in the vault,
which is to be built of travertine.' 'You never told us anything
about this,' said the Cardinal. Michael Angelo responded: 'I am
not, nor do I mean to be, obliged to tell your lordships, or
anybody else, what I ought or wish to do. It is your business to
provide the money, and to see that it is not stolen. As regards
the plans of the building, you have to leave them to me.' Then he
turned to the Pope and said: 'Holy Father, behold what gains are
mine! Unless the hardships I endure are beneficial to my soul, I
lose my time and my labour.' The Pope, who loved him, laid his
hands upon his shoulders and said: 'You are gaining both for soul
and body; have no fear!' Michael Angelo's self-defence increased
the Pope's love, and he ordered him to repair next day with Vasari
to the Vigna Giulia, where they held long discourses upon matters
of art."

Vasari also tells us of the transfer of a piece of engineering work from
Michael Angelo to his enemy--if such a small man deserves to be called the
enemy of Michael Angelo--Nanni di Baccio Bigio. The old bridge of Santa
Maria had long shown signs of giving way, and it had to be rebuilt. Paul
III. entrusted the work to Michael Angelo. Nanni got it transferred to him
by the influence of his friends with the new Pope. The man laid his
foundations badly. Michael Angelo, riding over the new bridge one day with
Vasari, cried out: "Giorgio, the bridge shakes beneath us; let us spur on
before it gives way with us upon it." Ultimately the prophecy was
fulfilled, and the bridge fell during a great inundation. Its ruins are
known as the Ponte Rotto to this day.

Julius III. died in 1555, and Cardinal Marcello Cervini was elected in his
stead, under the title of Marcellus II. He had been Michael Angelo's
adversary at the great conference, so the hopes of the Setti Sangalleschi
revived, and Michae