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the pope

"Who is it?" asked Ganganelli, half turning toward Lorenzo, as

following hielo Braschi, the former treasurer, to whom you yesterday

sent the cardinal's hat"

"Ah, the beautiful Braschi," sadly anelli "The beloved of

the favorite of my nephew, of the Cardinal Rezzonico Ah, how bad the

world is!"

In fact, he whoanelli called the "beautiful" Braschi, well

deserved that epithet No nobler or more plastic beauty was to be

seen; no face that more reminded one of the divine beauty of ancient

sculpture, no form that could be called a better counterfeit of the

Belvedere Apollo And it was this beauty which liberal Nature had

ielo Braschi,

the son of a poor noblehest

offices and dignities Not for his merits, but solely for his beauty,

did the wo these women there

were some who exercised an important influence upon powerful cardinals,

Braschi had quicklyaside those who

had nothing but their merits and services to speak for them