not be compromised. He raised no scruples,
but readily signified his willingness faithfully to execute the will of
his sovereign. Under these circumstances, on the twentieth of July, a
purgative dose was administered to the unsuspecting patient, who, as may
be imagined, rapidly grew worse. It was a consolation to his father,
that, when advised of his danger, Carlos consented to receive his
confessor. Thus, though the body perished, the soul was saved.[1511]

Such is the extraordinary account given us by Llorente, which, if true,
would at once settle the question in regard to the death of Carlos. But
Llorente, with a disingenuousness altogether unworthy of an historian in
a matter of so grave import, has given us no knowledge of the sources
whence his information was derived. He simply says, that they are
"certain secret memoirs of the time, full of curious anecdote, which,
though not possessing precisely the character of authenticity, are
nevertheless entitled to credit, as coming from persons employed in the
palace of the king!"[1512] Had the writer condescended to acquaint us
with the names, or some particulars of the characters, of his authors,
we might have been able to form some estimate of the value of their
testimony. His omission to do this may lead us to infer, that he had not
perfect confidence in it himself. At all events it compels us to trust
the matter entirely to his own discretion, a virtue which those familiar
with his inaccuracies in other matters will not be disposed to concede
to him in a very eminent degree.[1513]

His narrative, moreover, is in direct contradiction to the authorities I
have already noticed, especially to the two foreign ministers so often
quoted, who, with the advantages--not a few--that they possessed for
obtaining correct information, were indefatigable in collecting it. "I
say nothing," writes the Tuscan envoy, alluding, to the idle rumors of
the town, "of gossip unworthy to be listened to. It is a hard thing to
satisfy the populace. It is best to stick to the truth, without caring
for the opinion of those who talk wildly of improbable matters, which
have their origin in ignorance and malice."[1514]

Still, it cannot be denied, that suspicions of foul play to Carlos were
not only current abroad, but were entertained by persons of higher rank
than the populace at home,--where it could not be safe to utter them.
Among others, the celebrated Antonio Perez, one of the household of