d them, ending with a warning hint to Cardan
that, if he should publish the rules, either in the work he had in hand,
or in any future one, either under the name of Tartaglia or of Cardan, he,
the author, would put into print certain things which Messer Hieronimo
would not find very pleasant reading.

After all Tartaglia was destined to quit Milan without paying his respects
to D'Avalos. There is not a word in his notes which gives the reason of
this eccentric action on his part. He simply says that he is no longer
inclined to go to Vigevano, but has made up his mind to return to Venice
forthwith; and Cardan, probably, was not displeased at this exhibition of
petulant impatience on the part of his guest, but was rather somewhat
relieved to see Messer Niccolo ride away, now that he had extracted from
him the coveted information. From the beginning to the end of this affair
Cardan has been credited with an amount of subtle cunning which he
assuredly did not manifest at other times when his wits were pitted for
contest with those of other men. It has been advanced to his disparagement
that he walked in deceitful ways from the very beginning; that he dangled
before Tartaglia's eyes the prospect of gain and preferment simply for the
purpose of enticing him to Milan, where he deemed he might use more
efficaciously his arguments for the accomplishment of the purpose which
was really in his mind; that he had no intention of advancing Tartaglia's
fortunes when he suggested the introduction to D'Avalos, but that the
Governor of Milan was brought into the business merely that he might be
used as a potent ally in the attack upon Tartaglia's obstinate silence.
Whether this may have been his line of action or not, the issue shows that
he was fully able to fight his battle alone, and that his powers of
persuasion and hard swearing were adequate when occasion arose for their
exercise. It is quite possible that Tartaglia, when he began to reflect
over what he had done by writing out and handing over to Cardan his
mnemonic rhymes, fell into an access of suspicious anger--at Cardan for
his wheedling persistency, and at himself for yielding thereto--and packed
himself off in a rage with the determination to have done with Messer
Hieronimo and all his works. Certainly his carriage towards Cardan in the
weeks ensuing, as exhibited in his correspondence, does not picture him in
an amiable temper. On April 9 Jerome wrote to him in a very friendl