outward mark of a
mutual esteem which they most certainly cannot have experienced. When
Charles knelt for the Pope's blessing, Alexander raised him up and
embraced him; whilst Cesare completed the show of friendliness by
presenting Charles with six beautiful chargers.

They set out immediately afterwards, the French king taking with him
his hostages, neither of which he was destined to retain for long, with
Cesare riding in the place of honour on his right.

The army lay at Marino that night, and on the following at Velletri. In
the latter city Charles was met by an ambassador of Spain--Antonio da
Fonseca. Ferdinand and Isabella were moved at last to befriend their
cousins of Naples, whom all else had now abandoned, and at the same time
serve their own interests. Their ambassador demanded that Charles should
abandon his enterprise and return to France, or else be prepared for war
with Spain.

It is eminently probable that Cesare had knowledge of this ultimatum to
Charles, and that his knowledge influenced his conduct. However that may
be, he slipped out of Velletri in the dead of that same night disguised
as a groom. Half a mile out of the town, Francesco del Sacco, an officer
of the Podesta of Velletri, awaited him with a horse, and on this he
sped back to Rome, where he arrived on the night of the 30th. He went
straight to the house of one Antonio Flores, an auditor of the Tribunal
of the Ruota and a person of his confidence, who through his influence
and protection was destined to rise to the eminence of the archbishopric
of Avignon and Papal Nuncio to the Court of France.

Cesare remained at Flores's house, sending word to the Pope of his
presence, but not attempting to approach the Vatican. On the following
day he withdrew to the stronghold of Spoleto.

Meanwhile Rome was thrown into a panic by the young cardinal's
action and the dread of reprisals on the part of France. The quaking
municipality sent representatives to Charles to assure him that Rome had
had nothing to do with this breach of the treaty, and to implore him not
to visit it upon the city. The king replied by a special embassy to
the Pope, and there apparently dropped the matter, for a few days later
Cesare reappeared at the Vatican.

Charles, meanwhile, despite the threats of Spain, pushed on to
accomplish his easy conquest.

King Alfonso had already fled the kingdom (January 25), abdicating in
favour of his brother Federigo. His avowed object