It must be very dull to be always holy, always so great
and sublime, and always revered and adored!"
"Therefore let us go to our ducks and hens," said the pope. "The people
have made a bugbear of me, before which they fall upon the earth. But
the good animals, who understand nothing of these things, they
cackle and grunt, and gabble at me, as if I were nothing but a common
goose-herd and by no means the sainted father of Christendom! Come, come
to my dear brutes, who are so frank and sincere that they cackle and
gabble directly in my face as soon as their beaks and snouts are grown.
They are not so humble and devoted, so adoring and cringing, as these
men who prostrate themselves before me with humble and hypocritical
devotion, but who secretly curse me and wish my death, that there may be
a change in the papacy! Come, come, to our honest geese!"
Brother Lorenzo handed to the pope the willow basket filled with corn
and green leaves, and both, with hasty steps and laughing faces, betook
themselves to the poultry-yard; the ducks and geese fluttered to
them with a noisy gabbling as soon as they caught sight of the
provender-basket, and Ganganelli laughingly said: "It seems as if I were
here in the conclave, and listening to the contention of the cardinals
as they quarrel about the choice of a new pope.
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