further question_." Michael Angelo, who had never before been kept waiting
or had the door barred against him, seeing himself so turned off and
scorned, was angered and replied: "_You may tell the Pope that,
henceforward, if he wants me he must look for me elsewhere_." So he
returned to his house and instructed his two servants to sell all his
furniture, and when they got the money to follow him to Florence. He
himself took horse and at the second hour of the night reached Poggibonsi,
a castle in the Florentine territory, eighteen or twenty miles from the
city, where, as in a safe place, he rested.

XXIX. A little later five messengers from Pope Julius arrived with orders
to bring Michael Angelo back wherever they might find him. But overtaking
him in a place where they were unable to offer him any violence, Michael
Angelo threatening them with death if they dare lay hands on him, they
turned to entreaties; then not succeeding, they obtained from him the
concession that at least he would reply to the letter from the Pope which
they had given to him, and that he should particularly write that they had
only overtaken him in Florence that the Pope might understand that they
were unable to bring him back against his will. The letter of the Pope was
of this tenour: "At sight of this return immediately to Rome, under pain
of my displeasure." Michael Angelo replied briefly: "That he was never
going to return, and that his good and faithful service had not deserved
this change, to be hunted away from his presence like a rogue; and as his
Holiness did not wish to have anything more to do with the tomb, he was
free and did not wish to bind himself again." So dating the letter as has
been said he let the messengers go, he himself went on to Florence, where,
during the three months he remained there, three Briefs were sent to the
Signoria, full of menaces, demanding that he should be sent back either by
fair means or force.

XXX. Pier Soderini, who was then Gonfaloniere of the Republic for life,
having formerly let him go to Rome much against his will, wished him to
work for him by painting in the Sala del Consiglio. On receipt of the
first Brief he did not oblige Michael Angelo to return, hoping that the
anger of the Pope would abate; but when a second and a third arrived, he
called Michael Angelo to him and said: "_You have braved the Pope as the
King of France would not have done, therefore prayer is unavailing. We do
not wish t