interjections of assent to this last sentence of
Tornabuoni's, as he paused and looked round a moment.

"A wise dissimulation," he went on, "is the only course for moderate
rational men in times of violent party feeling. I need hardly tell this
company what are my real political attachments: I am not the only man
here who has strong personal ties to the banished family; but, apart
from any such ties, I agree with my more experienced friends, who are
allowing me to speak for them in their presence, that the only lasting
and peaceful state of things for Florence is the predominance of some
single family interest. This theory of the Frate's, that we are to have
a popular government, in which every man is to strive only for the
general good, and know no party names, is a theory that may do for some
isle of Cristoforo Colombo's finding, but will never do for our fine old
quarrelsome Florence. A change must come before long, and with patience
and caution we have every chance of determining the change in our
favour. Meanwhile, the best thing we can do will be to keep the Frate's
flag flying, for if any other were to be hoisted just now it would be a
black flag for us."

"It's true," said Niccolo Ridolfi, in a curt decisive way. "What you
say is true, Lorenzo. For my own part, I am too old for anybody to
believe that I've changed my feathers. And there are certain of us--our
old Bernardo del Nero for one--whom you would never persuade to borrow
another man's shield. But we can lie still, like sleepy old dogs; and
it's clear enough that barking would be of no use just now. As for this
psalm-singing party, who vote for nothing but the glory of God, and want
to make believe we can all love each other, and talk as if vice could be
swept out with a besom by the Magnificent Eight, their day will not be a
long one. After all the talk of scholars, there are but two sorts of
government: one where men show their teeth at each other, and one where
men show their tongues and lick the feet of the strongest. They'll get
their Great Council finally voted to-morrow--that's certain enough--and
they'll think they've found out a new plan of government; but as sure as
there's a human skin under every lucco in the Council, their new plan
will end like every other, in snarling or in licking. That's my view of
things as a plain man. Not that I consider it becoming in men of family
and following, who have got others depending on their con