was to withdraw to
Sicily, retire from the world, and do penance for his sins, for which no
doubt there was ample occasion. The real spur was probably--as opined
by Commines--cowardice; for, says that Frenchman, "Jamais homme cruel ne
fut hardi."

Federigo's defence of the realm consigned to him was not conspicuous,
for the French entered Naples almost without striking a blow within
twenty days of their departure from Rome.

Scarcely had Charles laid aside his armour when death robbed him of the
second hostage he had brought from the Vatican. On February 25, after
a week's illness, Prince Djem died of dysentery at the Castle of Capua,
whither Charles had sent him.

Rumours that he had been poisoned by the Pope arose almost at once; but,
considering that twenty-eight days had elapsed since his parting
from Alexander, it was, with the best intentions in the world, rather
difficult to make that poisoning credible, until the bright notion was
conceived, and made public, that the poison used was a "white powder"
of unknown components, which did its work slowly, and killed the victim
some time after it had been administered. Thus, by a bold and brazen
invention, an impossible falsehood was made to wear a possible aspect.

And in that you have most probably the origin of the famous secret
poison of the Borgias. Having been invented to fit the alleged poisoning
of Prince Djem, which it was desired to fasten upon the Pope by hook or
by crook, it was found altogether too valuable an invention not to be
used again. By means of it, it became possible to lay almost any death
in the world at the door of Alexander.

Before proceeding to inquire further into this particular case, let us
here and now say that, just as to-day there is no inorganic toxin known
to science that will either lie fallow for weeks in the human system,
suddenly to become active and slay, or yet to kill by slow degrees
involving some weeks in the process, so none was known in the Borgian or
any other era. Science indeed will tell you that the very notion of
any such poison is flagrantly absurd, and that such a toxic action is
against all the laws of nature.

But a scientific disquisition is unnecessary. For our present needs
arguments of common sense should abundantly suffice. This poison--this
white powder--was said to be a secret of the Borgias. If that is so,
by what Borgia was the secret of its existence ever divulged? Or, if it
never was divulged, ho