seeing that I was generally the
winner, would as a rule carry away with me a gold piece after each day's
play, sometimes more and sometimes less. In the case of Vicomercato it was
a pleasure and nothing else to spend money in this wise; but in my own
there was an element of conflict as well; and in this manner I lost my
self-respect so completely that, for two years and more, I took no thought
of practising my art, nor considered that I was wasting all my
substance--save what I made by play--that my good name and my studies as
well would suffer shipwreck. But on a certain day towards the end of
August, a new humour seized Vicomercato (either advisedly on account of
the constant loss he suffered, or perhaps because he thought his decision
would be for my benefit), a determination from which he was to be moved
neither by arguments, nor adjurations, nor abuse. He forced me to swear
that I would never again visit his house for the sake of gaming, and I, on
my part, swore by all the gods as he wished. That day's play was our last,
and thenceforth I gave myself up entirely to my studies."[78]

But these studies unfortunately were not of a nature to keep the wolf from
the door; and Jerome, albeit now a duly qualified physician, and known to
fame as a writer on Mathematics far beyond the bounds of Italy, was
well-nigh as poor as ever. His mother had died several years before, in
1537; but what little money she may have left would soon have been wasted
in gratifying his extravagant taste for costly things,[79] and at the
gaming-table. He found funds, however, for a journey to Florence, whither
he went to see d'Avalos, who was a generous, open-handed man, and always
ready to put his purse at the service of one whom he regarded as an honour
to his city and country. There can be little doubt that he helped Cardan
liberally at this juncture. The need for a loan was assuredly urgent
enough. The recent resumption of hostilities between the French and the
Imperialists had led to intolerable taxation throughout the Milanese
provinces, and in consequence of dearth of funds in 1543, the Academy at
Pavia was forced to close its class-rooms, and leave its teachers unpaid.
The greater part of the professors migrated to Pisa; and the Faculty of
Medicine, then vacant, was, _pro forma_, transferred to Milan. This chair
was now offered to Cardan. He was in desperate straits--a third child had
been born this year--and, though there must have been