as
giving a pretty complete view of a private family and its vexations,
while they illustrate the conscientious fidelity with which
Michelangelo discharged his duties as trustee. Urbino had a brother,
also resident at Castel Durante, Raffaello's celebrated pupil in
fresco-painting, Il Fattorino. This man and Vandini, together with
Cornelia and her parents and her second husband, Giulio Brunelli, all
wrote letters to Rome about the welfare of the children and the
financial affairs of the estate. The coexecutor Roso de Rosis did not
write; it appears from one of Cornelia's despatches that he took no
active interest in the trust, while Brunelli even complains that he
withheld moneys which were legally due to the heirs. One of
Michelangelo's first duties was to take care that Cornelia got a
proper man for her second husband. Her parents were eager to see her
married, being themselves old, and not liking to leave a comparatively
young widow alone in the world with so many children to look after.
Their choice fell first upon a very undesirable person called
Santagnolo, a young man of dissolute habits, ruined constitution, bad
character, and no estate. She refused, with spirit, to sign the
marriage contract; and a few months later wrote again to inform her
guardian that a suitable match had been found in the person of Giulio
Brunelli of Gubbio, a young doctor of laws, then resident at Castel
Durante in the quality of podesta. Michelangelo's suspicions must have
been aroused by the unworthy conduct of her parents in the matter of
Santagnolo; for we infer that he at first refused to sanction this
second match. Cornelia and the parents wrote once more, assuring him
that Brunelli was an excellent man, and entreating him not to open his
ears to malignant gossip. On the 15th of June Brunelli himself appears
upon the scene, announcing his marriage with Cornelia, introducing
himself in terms of becoming modesty to Michelangelo, and assuring him
that Urbino's children have found a second father. He writes again
upon the 29th of July, this time to announce the fact that Il
Fattorino has spread about false rumours to the effect that Cornelia
and himself intend to leave Castel Durante and desert the children.
Their guardian must not credit such idle gossip, for they are both
sincerely attached to the children, and intend to do the best they can
for them. Family dissensions began to trouble their peace. In the
course of the next few month