the agents of the Duke, they began to look one another in the face, and
determined together that some sort of tomb should be made for the money
that had already been advanced. Michael Angelo, thinking well of it,
consented willingly, moved chiefly by the influence of the Cardinal of
Montevecchio, a follower of Julius II. and uncle to Julius III., now,
thanks be to God, our Pontiff. The agreement was: That Michael Angelo
should make a tomb with one _facade_ only, and that he should use the
marbles already carved for the quadrangular tomb, arranging them as best
he could; and that he should supply six statues from his own hand. It was
conceded to Pope Clement that Michael Angelo should serve him in Florence,
or wheresoever he pleased, four months in the year, his Holiness requiring
this for the work in Florence. Such was the contract agreed upon between
his Excellency the Duke and Michael Angelo.

XLIX. But now it must be understood that these accounts being settled
Michael Angelo, to appear more indebted to the Duke of Urbino and to give
Pope Clement less hope of sending him to Florence (where he did not by any
means wish to go), secretly agreed with the counsel and agent of his
Excellency that it should be said that he had received some thousand scudi
more on this account than he really had. This was done not only by word of
mouth, but without his knowledge and consent it was inserted in the
written contract, not when it was sealed but when it was written out, at
which he was much disturbed. Nevertheless, the counsel persuaded him that
it would not prejudice his case, for it did not matter whether the
contract specified twenty thousand or one thousand scudi, since they were
agreed that the scheme of the Tomb should now be reduced in scale
according to the amount of money actually received, adding that nobody but
themselves would question the proceeding, and his interests were secured
by the understanding that was between them. So with this Michael Angelo
was pacified, because it appeared to him that he might put his trust in
them, as also because he desired that this excuse should serve him with
the Pope for the purpose mentioned above. And thus the matter ended for
the time; but it was not nearly over yet, because after he had served the
four months at Florence and returned to Rome, the Pope sought to use him
in another way, by making him paint the end wall of the Sistine Chapel.
And as one who had a good wit, he though