withCaterina.'
'Amidshoutsandcheers,'remarkedAlessandro.
'ForawhilehewasmorepopularthanevertheOrdelaffihadbeen,andwhenhewentoutthepeoplerantokissthehemofhisgarment.HespentthegreatpartofhistimeinRome,butheemployedtherichesofthePopeinbeautifyingForli,andwhenhecameitwasoneroundoffeastsandballsandgaiety.
'ThenPopeSixtusdied,andGirolamosettledhereforgoodinthepalacewhichhehadcommencedbuildingonhisaccession.Thefeastsandballsandgaietycontinued.Wheneveradistinguishedstrangerpassedthroughthetown,hewaswelcomedbytheCountandhiswifewiththemostlavishhospitalitysothatForlibecamerenownedforitsluxuryandriches.
'ThepoetsransackedParnassusandtheancientsforpraisesoftheirrules,andthepeopleechoedthepanegyricsofthepoet....
'Thencamethecrash.IhadoftenwarnedGirolamo,forwewereintimatefriends—then.ItoldhimthathecouldnotcontinuethesplendourwhichhehadusedwhenthewealthofChristendomwasathiscommand,whenhecouldspendthetributeofanationonanecklaceforCaterina.Hewouldnotlisten.Itwasalways,"Icannotbemeanandthrifty,"andhecalleditpolicy."Tobepopular,"hesaid,"Imustbemagnificent."ThetimecamewhentheTreasurywasempty,andhehadtoborrow.HeborrowedinRomeandFlorenceandMilan—andallthetimehewouldnotretrench,butrather,ashismeansbecameless,theextravagancebecamegreaterbutwhenhecouldborrownomoreoutside,hecametothecitizensofForli,first,ofcourse,tome,andIrepeatedlylenthimlargesums.Thesewerenotenough,andhesentfortherichestmenofForliandaskedthemtolendhimmoney.Naturallytheycouldnotrefuse.ButhesquanderedtheirmoneyashehadsquanderedhisownandonefinedayheassembledtheCouncil.'
'Ah,yes,'saidAlessandro,'Iwastherethen.Iheardhimspeak.'
CheccostoppedasifforAlessandro.
'HecametotheCouncilchamber,cladasusualintherichestrobes,andbegantalkingprivatelytothesenators,verycourteously—laughingwiththem,shakingtheirhands.Then,goingtohisplace,hebegantospeak.Hetalkedofhisliberalitytowardsthem,andthebenefitshe