If I have not had an hour
for recreation, well, I have had half an hour, and even that is much!"
And, beckoning to brother Lorenzo to follow him, the pope crept through
the bushes that separated the place from the more frequented part of the
garden.
As he then walked up the grand alley, his face and his whole form
assumed a very different appearance. The mild friendliness had vanished
from his features, pride and dignity were now expressed by them, and
his tall, erect form had in it something noble and imposing; it was no
longer the stooping form of age, but only that of a somewhat elderly
hero. The brother Clement had been transformed into the prince of the
Church, who was about to receive his vassals.
They now saw a tall, manly form hastening down the alley directly toward
the pope.
"Who is it?" asked Ganganelli, half turning toward Lorenzo, who was
following him.
"It is Juan Angelo Braschi, the former treasurer, to whom you yesterday
sent the cardinal's hat."
"Ah, the beautiful Braschi," sadly murmured Ganganelli. "The beloved of
the favorite of my nephew, of the Cardinal Rezzonico. Ah, how bad the
world is!"
In fact, he whom Ganganelli called the "beautiful" Braschi, well
deserved that epithet.
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