(These works, suspended on account of the death of Lorenzo and other accidents, were, after many years, carried on by Pope Clement, but even then they were left unfinished, so that the books are still packed in chests.) Now these marbles being worked, as I said, Michael Angelo begged a piece from the masons and borrowed a chisel from them: with so much diligence and intelligence did he copy that Faun that in a few days it was carried to perfection, his imagination supplying all that was missing in the antique, such as the lips, open, as in a man who is laughing, so that the hollow of the mouth was seen with all the teeth.
At this moment passed the Magnificent to see how his works progressed; he found the child, who was busy polishing the head.

He spoke to him at once, noticing in the first place the beauty of the work, and having regard to the lad's youth he marvelled exceedingly, and although he praised the workmanship he none the less joked with him as with a child, saying: "_Oh! you have made this Faun very old, and yet have left him all his teeth: do you not know that old men of that age always lack some of them ?_" It seemed a thousand years to Michael Angelo before the Magnificent went away and he remained alone to correct his error.

He cut away a tooth from the upper jaw, drilling a hole in the gums as though it had come out by the roots.( 11) He awaited the return of the Magnificent upon another day with great longing.

At last he came.

Seeing the willingness and single-mindedness of the child he laughed very much, but afterwards appreciating the beauty of the thing and the boy's youth, as father of all talent he thought to bestow his favour upon such a genius and take him into his house, and hearing from him whose son he was, he said: "_Let your father know that I desire to speak with him._" VIII.