playing." To this the Pope added: "I am the better inclined to him now
that I find him possessor of a talent more than I expected. See that he
obtains the same salary as the rest of you; and tell him from me to join
my service, and that I will find work enough by the day for him to do in
his other trade." Then stretching out his hand, he gave him a hundred
golden crowns of the Camera in a handkerchief, and said: [3] "Divide
these so that he may take his share."

When Giangiacomo left the Pope, he came to us, and related in detail all
that the Pope had said; and after dividing the money between the eight
of us, and giving me my share, he said to me: "Now I am going to have
you inscribed among our company." I replied: "Let the day pass;
to-morrow I will give my answer." When I left them, I went meditating
whether I ought to accept the invitation, inasmuch as I could not but
suffer if I abandoned the noble studies of my art. The following night
my father appeared to me in a dream, and begged me with tears of
tenderest affection, for God's love and his, to enter upon this
engagement. Methought I answered that nothing would induce me to do so.
In an instant he assumed so horrible an aspect as to frighten me out of
my wits, and cried: "If you do not, you will have a father's curse; but
if you do, may you be ever blessed by me!" When I woke, I ran, for very
fright, to have myself inscribed. Then I wrote to my old father, telling
him the news, which so affected him with extreme joy that a sudden fit
of illness took him, and well-nigh brought him to death's door. In his
answer to my letter, he told me that he too had dreamed nearly the same
as I had.

Note 1. 'Gli Arebbe fatti piu uscire de' gangheri;' would have taken
them still more off the hinges.