from
the government of Sicily and sent to that of Milan; whereupon Domenico
went with him, and, working on the fortifications of that State,
contrived, what with being industrious and with being something of a
miser, to become very rich; and what is more, he came into such credit
that he managed almost everything in that government.

Hearing of this, Niccolo, who was at Arezzo, now an old man, needy, and
without any work to do, went to find Domenico in Milan, thinking that
even as he had not failed Domenico when he was a young man, so Domenico
should not fail him now, but should avail himself of his services, since
he had many in his employ, and should be both able and willing to assist
him in his poverty-stricken old age. But he found to his cost that the
judgments of men, in expecting too much from others, are often deceived,
and that the men who change their condition also change more often than
not their nature and their will. For after arriving in Milan, where he
found Domenico raised to such greatness that he had no little difficulty
in getting speech of him, Niccolo related to him all his troubles, and
then besought him that he should help him by making use of his
services; but Domenico, not remembering or not choosing to remember
with what lovingness he had been brought up by Niccolo as if he had been
his own son, gave him a miserably small sum of money and got rid of him
as soon as he was able. And so Niccolo returned to Arezzo very sore at
heart, having recognized that with the labour and expense with which, as
he thought, he had reared a son, he had formed one who was little less
than an enemy.

In order to earn his bread, therefore, he went about executing all the
work that came to his hand, as he had done many years before, and he
painted among other things a canvas for the Commune of Monte Sansovino,
containing the said town of Monte Sansovino and a Madonna in the sky,
with two Saints at the sides; which picture was set up on an altar in
the Madonna di Vertigli, a church belonging to the Monks of the Order of
Camaldoli, not far distant from the Monte, where it has pleased and
still pleases Our Lord daily to perform many miracles and to grant
favours to those who recommend themselves to the Queen of Heaven.
Afterwards, Julius III having been created Supreme Pontiff, Niccolo, who
had been much connected with the house of Monte, made his way to Rome,
although he was an old man of eighty, and, having kissed t