fulness of time was
canonized.

Cesare's departure for Naples as legate a latere to anoint and crown
Federigo of Aragon was naturally delayed by the tragedy that had
assailed his house, and not until July 22 did he take his leave of the
Pope and set out with an escort of two hundred horse.

Naples was still in a state of ferment, split into two parties, one of
which favoured France and the other Aragon, so that disturbances were
continual. Alexander expressed the hope that Cesare might appear in that
distracted kingdom in the guise of an "angel of peace," and that by his
coronation of King Federigo he should set a term to the strife that was
toward.

The city of Naples itself was now being ravaged by fever, and in
consequence of this it was determined that Cesare should repair instead
to Capua, where Federigo would await him. Arrived there, however, Cesare
fell ill, and the coronation ceremony again suffered a postponement
until August 10. Cesare remained a fortnight in the kingdom, and on
August 22 set out to return to Rome, and his departure appears to have
been a matter of relief to Federigo, for so impoverished did the King
of Naples find himself that the entertainment of the legate and his
numerous escort had proved a heavy tax upon his flabby purse.

On the morning of September 6 all the cardinals in Rome received a
summons to attend at the Monastery of Santa Maria Nuova to welcome the
returned Cardinal of Valencia. In addition to the Sacred College all the
ambassadors of the Powers were present, and, after the celebration of
the Mass, the entire assembly proceeded to the Vatican, where the
Pope was waiting to receive his son. When the young cardinal presented
himself at the foot of the papal throne Alexander opened his arms to
him, embraced, and kissed him, speaking no word.

This rests upon the evidence of two eye-witnesses,(1) and the
circumstance has been urged and propounded into the one conclusive piece
of evidence that Cesare had murdered his brother, and that the Pope knew
it. In this you have some more of what Gregorovius terms "inexorable
logic." He kissed him, but he spake no word to him; therefore, they
reason, Cesare murdered Gandia. Can absurdity be more absurd, fatuity
more fatuous? Lucus a non lucendo! To square the circle should surely
present no difficulty to these subtle logicians.

1 "Non dixit verbum Pape Valentinus, nec Papa sibi, sed eo deosculato,
descendit de solio" (Burchard'