d by these
appearances, stopped nearly six weeks at Naples, every day seeing the
Spanish governor and discussing his plans. But Gonzalvo was only waiting
to gain time to tell the King of Spain that his enemy was in his hands;
and Caesar actually went to the castle to bid Gonzalvo good-bye, thinking
he was just about to start after he had embarked his men on the two
ships. The Spanish governor received him with his accustomed courtesy,
wished him every kind of prosperity, and embraced him as he left; but at
the door of the castle Caesar found one of Gonzalvo's captains, Nuno
Campeja by name, who arrested him as a prisoner of Ferdinand the
Catholic. Caesar at these words heaved a deep sigh, cursing the ill luck
that had made him trust the word of an enemy when he had so often broken
his own.

He was at once taken to the castle, where the prison gate closed behind
him, and he felt no hope that anyone would come to his aid; for the only
being who was devoted to him in this world was Michelotto, and he had
heard that Michelotto had been arrested near Pisa by order of Julius II.
While Caesar was being taken to prison an officer came to him to deprive
him of the safe-conduct given him by Gonzalvo.

The day after his arrest, which occurred on the 27th of May, 1504, Caesar
was taken on board a ship, which at once weighed anchor and set sail for
Spain: during the whole voyage he had but one page to serve him, and as
soon as he disembarked he was taken to the castle of Medina del Campo.

Ten years later, Gonzalvo, who at that time was himself proscribed, owned
to Loxa on his dying bed that now, when he was to appear in the presence
of God, two things weighed cruelly on his conscience: one was his treason
to Ferdinand, the other his breach of faith towards Caesar.

CHAPTER XVI

Caesar was in prison for two years, always hoping that Louis XII would
reclaim him as peer of the kingdom of France; but Louis, much disturbed
by the loss of the battle of Garigliano, which robbed him of the kingdom
of Naples, had enough to do with his own affairs without busying himself
with his cousin's. So the prisoner was beginning to despair, when one
day as he broke his bread at breakfast he found a file and a little
bottle containing a narcotic, with a letter from Michelotto, saying that
he was out of prison and had left Italy for Spain, and now lay in hiding
with the Count of Benevento in the neighbouring village: he added that
from th