256 JEROME CARDAN. 



Nicolo in reply did not return Jerome's " Mio Caris- 

 simo," or sign himself all his, but explained to the " Ho- 

 norando Messer Hieronimo," that nobody must be blamed 

 for advising him to return to Venice, because he had 

 promised his friends that he would be with them at 

 Easter, and as it was he had much trouble in getting 

 home by Holy Sunday. " Concerning your work," he 

 said, " I much desire that it shall be out soon, and should 

 like to see it, because if I do not see it I shall be suspect- 

 ing that you have broken your word, that is to say, may 

 have interpolated my rules in some part of it 1 ." Certainly 

 if Nicolo had had blood-guiltiness upon his conscience, 

 and had betrayed his secret to a woman, he could not 

 have been more nervously expectant of the terrors of 

 exposure. Seeing at once what part of his rhyme had 

 puzzled Cardan, he gave the required explanation, and 

 concluded his letter thus: " So no more. God keep you 

 from harm. In Venice, on the 23rd of April, 1539. 

 Remember your promise. 



NICOLO TARTALEA, of Brescia." 



On the 12th of May Jerome set his friend's mind at 

 ease by sending a copy of his book, with the following 

 letter: 



1 " Circa alia vostra opera molto desidero che la se fornisca presto, 

 et ui uederla, perche per fin che non la uedo sto suspettoso che quella 

 non mi manchi di fede, cioe che quella non ue interponga, li miei capi- 

 toli." Tartalea, p. 124. 



