on by
ruthless fate, the mother-in-law, and the sister, and Brandonia herself,
ill as she was, attacked Gian Battista with the foulest abuse and
reproaches; this was the last straw. He went out and sought his servant,
and told the fellow at once to make a cake and put a poison therein. The
date of this fatal action was some day early in 1560.

On October 1, 1559, Cardan had left Milan, and gone back to Pavia to
resume his work as professor, taking Aldo with him. He threw himself into
the discharge of his office and the life of the city with his customary
ardour. Over and above his work of teaching he completed his treatise _De
Secretis_, and likewise found time to hold a long disputation on the
decisions of Galen with Andrea Camutio, one of the most illustrious
physicians of the age. Concerning this episode he writes: "In disputation
I showed myself so keen of wit that all men marvelled at the instances I
brought forward, but for a long time no one ventured to put me to the
proof. Thus I escaped the trouble of any such undertaking until two
accidents both unforeseen involved me therein. At Pavia, Branda Porro, my
whilom teacher in Philosophy, interrupted me one day when I was disputing
with Camutio[186] on some matter of Philosophy, for, as I have said
before, my colleagues were wont to lead me on to argue in philosophy
because they were well assured that it would be vain to try to get the
better of me in Medicine. Now Branda began by advancing Aristotle as an
authority, whereupon I, when he brought out his citation, said, 'Take
care, you have left out the "_non_" which should stand after "_album_."'
Then Branda contradicted me, and I, spitting out the phlegm with which I
am often troubled, told him quietly that he was in the wrong. He sent for
the Codex in great rage, and when it was brought I asked that it might be
given to me. I then read out the words just as they stood; but he, as if
he suspected that I was reading falsely, snatched the volume out of my
hands, and declared that I was puting a cheat upon my hearers. When he
came to the word in dispute he held his tongue forthwith, and all the
others looked at me in amazement."[187]

It is certain that Cardan was still vexed in mind by the trouble he had
left behind him at Milan. If he had not forgiven Gian Battista, he was
full of kindly thought of him. He sent him from Pavia a new silk cloak,
such as physicians wear, so that he might make a better show in his
call