Page:The Life of Michael Angelo.djvu/182

 sacred in the soul of Michael Angelo—his piety, his friendship, and his sense of honour—was defiled and outraged, to this letter, which Michael Angelo could not read without laughing with disdain and weeping with shame, he replied not a word. Doubtless he thought of it what he used to say, with crushing disdain, of certain enemies, "that they were not worth the trouble of combatting, for victory over them was without the slightest importance." And when the ideas of Aretino and Biagio on his “Last Judgment" had gained ground, he made no attempt to reply, did nothing to stop them. He said nothing when his work was described as “Lutheran filth." He said nothing when Paul IV. wished to destroy the fresco. He said nothing when, on an order from the Pope, Daniello da Volterra "breeched" his heroes. Some one asked him his opinion. He replied, without anger, but in a tone of mingled irony and pity: "Tell the Pope that this is but a little thing, which it is very easy to put in order. Let His Holiness devote his entire attention to putting the world in order: to arrange a painting does not cost much labour." He knew with what ardent faith he had accomplished this work, in the midst of religious conversations with Vittoria Colonna, and under the protection of that immaculate soul. He would have blushed to defend the chaste nudity of his heroic thoughts against the unclean suspicions and sous-entendus of hypocrites.