264 JEROME CARDAN. 



men in the land using his help ; and I, though not one of 

 the first men, have also used it." 



Borromeo added instantly: " I too can testify that he 

 saved my mother's life when it was despaired of by all 

 other people." 



Another senator said: "No doubt the other accusa- 

 tions are as true as this." The messenger, who was pre- 

 sent at the discussion of his own report, blushed and was 

 silent. Cardan's enemies had overshot their mark. The 

 unfavourable report was not, however, quite without 

 effect. It was determined to use caution, and it was 

 therefore resolved that a professorship at Bologna should 

 be offered to Cardan for one year, with the understanding 

 that at the end of that year he should vacate his office if 

 the report sent to the senate of him should be proved 

 correct, or if in any way his connexion with the univer- 

 sity did not prove beneficial. At the end of the year, if 

 his appointment were confirmed, the subject of his salary 

 was to be re-considered. To this decision Borromeo as- 

 sented ; but when it was brought to Jerome by Evange- 

 lista Matuliano, he who had scorned to serve princes be- 

 cause they demanded from him an abandonment of in- 

 dependence, refused utterly to accept office upon such 

 dishonourable terms. The stipend, too, was to be scarcely 

 so much as he had at Pavia, and for his travelling expenses 

 he was to have nothing. To those points he objected, but 



