ke of Gandia to leave
behind him an impression on the public mind of his beauty and his
grandeur at this fete, for this last display was soon to be followed by
the obsequies of the unhappy young man.

Lucrezia also had come to Rome, on the pretext of taking part in the
solemnity, but really, as we shall see later, with the view of serving as
a new instrument for her father's ambition. As the pope was not
satisfied with an empty triumph of vanity and display for his son, and as
his war with the Orsini had failed to produce the anticipated results, he
decided to increase the fortune of his firstborn by doing the very thing
which he had accused Calixtus in his speech of doing for him, viz.,
alienating from the States of the Church the cities of Benevento,
Terracino, and Pontecorvo to form, a duchy as an appanage to his son's
house. Accordingly this proposition was put forward in a full
consistory, and as the college of cardinals was entirely Alexander's,
there was no difficulty about carrying his point. This new favour to his
elder brother exasperated Caesar, although he was himself getting a share
of the paternal gifts; for he had just been named envoy 'a latere' at
Frederic's court, and was appointed to crown him with his own hands as
the papal representative. But Lucrezia, when she had spent a few days of
pleasure with her father and brothers, had gone into retreat at the
convent of San Sisto. No one knew the real motive of her seclusion, and
no entreaties of Caesar, whose love for her was strange and unnatural,
had induced her to defer this departure from the world even until the day
after he left for Naples. His sister's obstinacy wounded him deeply, for
ever since the day when the Duke of Gandia had appeared in the procession
so magnificently attired, he fancied he had observed a coldness in the
mistress of his illicit affection, and so far did this increase his
hatred of his rival that he resolved to be rid of him at all costs. So
he ordered the chief of his sbirri to come and see him the same night.

Michelotto was accustomed to these mysterious messages, which almost
always meant his help was wanted in some love affair or some act of
revenge. As in either case his reward was generally a large one, he was
careful to keep his engagement, and at the appointed hour was brought
into the presence of his patron.

Caesar received him leaning against a tall chimney-piece, no longer
wearing his cardinal's robe and