no more hide their
prejudices than a dog can hide the natural tone of his bark, or eke men
whose political ties are so notorious, that they must always be objects
of suspicion. Giannozzo here, and I, I flatter myself, are able to
overcome that suspicion; we have that power of concealment and finesse,
without which a rational cultivated man, instead of having any
prerogative, is really at a disadvantage compared with a wild bull or a
savage. But, except yourself, I know of no one else on whom we could
rely for the necessary discretion."

"Yes," said Giannozzo Pucci, laying his hand on Tito's shoulder, "the
fact is, Tito mio, you can help us better than if you were Ulysses
himself, for I am convinced that Ulysses often made himself
disagreeable. To manage men one ought to have a sharp mind in a velvet
sheath. And there is not a soul in Florence who could undertake a
business like this journey to Rome, for example, with the same safety
that you can. There is your scholarship, which may always be a pretext
for such journeys; and what is better, there is your talent, which it
would be harder to match than your scholarship. Niccolo Macchiavelli
might have done for us if he had been on our side, but hardly so well.
He is too much bitten with notions, and has not your power of
fascination. All the worse for him. He has lost a great chance in
life, and you have got it."

"Yes," said Tornabuoni, lowering his voice in a significant manner, "you
have only to play your game well, Melema, and the future belongs to you.
For the Medici, you may rely upon it, will keep a foot in Rome as well
as in Florence, and the time may not be far-off when they will be able
to make a finer career for their adherents even than they did in old
days. Why shouldn't you take orders some day? There's a cardinal's hat
at the end of that road, and you would not be the first Greek who has
worn that ornament."

Tito laughed gaily. He was too acute not to measure Tornabuoni's
exaggerated flattery, but still the flattery had a pleasant flavour.

"My joints are not so stiff yet," he said, "that I can't be induced to
run without such a high prize as that. I think the income of an abbey
or two held `in commendam,' without the trouble of getting my head
shaved, would satisfy me at present."

"I was not joking," said Tornabuoni, with grave suavity; "I think a
scholar would always be the better off for taking orders. But we'll
talk of that another