IN the meantime the Pope was taken ill, and his physicians thought the
case was dangerous. Accordingly my enemy began to be afraid of me, and
engaged some Neapolitan soldiers to do to me what he was dreading I
might do to him. [1] I had therefore much trouble to defend my poor
life. In course of time, however, I completed the reverse; and when I
took it to the Pope, I found him in bed in a most deplorable condition.
Nevertheless, he received me with the greatest kindness, and wished to
inspect the medals and the dies. He sent for spectacles and lights, but
was unable to see anything clearly. Then he began to fumble with his
fingers at them, and having felt them a short while, he fetched a deep
sigh, and said to his attendants that he was much concerned about me,
but that if God gave him back his health he would make it all right.
Three days afterwards the Pope died, and I was left with all my labour
lost; yet I plucked up courage, and told myself that these medals had
won me so much celebrity, that any Pope who was elected would give me
work to do, and peradventure bring me better fortune. Thus I encouraged
and put heart into myself, and buried in oblivion all the injuries which
Pompeo had done me. Then putting on my arms and girding my sword, I went
to San Piero, and kissed the feet of the dead Pope, not without shedding
tears. Afterwards I returned to the Banchi to look on at the great
commotion which always happens on such occasions.
While I was sitting in the street with several of my friends, Pompeo
went by, attended by ten men very well armed; and when he came just
opposite, he stopped, as though about to pick a quarrel with myself. My
companions, brave and adventurous young men, made signs to me to draw my
sword; but it flashed through my mind that if I drew, some terrible
mischief might result for persons who were wholly innocent. Therefore I
considered that it would be better if I put my life to risk alone. When
Pompeo had stood there time enough to say two Ave Marias, he laughed
derisively in my direction; and going off, his fellows also laughed and
wagged their heads, with many other insolent gestures. My companions
wanted to begin the fray at once; but I told them hotly that I was quite
able to conduct my quarrels to an end by myself, and that I had no need
of stouter fighters than I was; so that each of them might mind his
business. My friends were angry and went off muttering. Now there was
among them my dearest comrade, named Albertaccio del Bene, own brother
to Alessandro and Albizzo, who is now a very rich man in Lyons. He was
the most redoubtable young man I ever knew, and the most high-spirited,
and loved me like himself; and insomuch as he was well aware that my
forbearance had not been inspired by want of courage, but by the most
daring bravery, for he knew me down to the bottom of my nature, he took
my words up and begged me to favour him so far as to associate him with
myself in all I meant to do. I replied: “Dear Albertaccio, dearest to me
above all men that live, the time will very likely come when you shall
give me aid; but in this case, if you love me, do not attend to me, but
look to your own business, and go at once like our other friends, for
now there is no time to lose.” These words were spoken in one breath.
Note 1. The meaning of this is, that if Clement died, Cellini would have
had his opportunity of vengeance during the anarchy which followed a
vacancy of the Papal See.